Summarize the following:
There are a number of medical reasons for which euthanasia would be appropriate. Your veterinarian can help you identify if your horse has these conditions.  Severe traumatic injury Chronic severe lameness Inoperable colic Deciding whether to euthanize your horse is a difficult one. If you have the time to decide, consider going over some questions with your veterinarian. You want to be sure that you are making the right decision for you and your horse.  Is my horse suffering? Can I continue to take on the financial burden of caring for my horse? Are there any alternatives to euthanasia for my horse? How will long will my horse suffer in his current state? There are several acceptable methods of euthanasia that are acceptable for horses, including barbiturates and penetrative captive bolt. Your veterinarian is licensed to use these methods and will be able to explain these methods to you. With this knowledge, you can make a more informed decision on what method of euthanasia would be most suitable for your horse, given his current medical condition.  Barbiturates are drugs that depress the nervous system. Given as an overdose via intravenous injection, barbiturates will first cause unconsciousness, then depression of breathing, and finally cardiac arrest. The most commonly used barbiturate for equine euthanasia is called sodium pentobarbital. Only your veterinarian can administer barbiturates. The use of a penetrative captive bolt is another acceptable option that your veterinarian can perform. A penetrative captive bolt causes a concussion and major brain damage, resulting in immediate unconsciousness. This method is more commonly used in cattle for slaughtering purposes. Your veterinarian can also use potassium chloride (KCl) via intravenous injection while your horse is under anesthesia. An overdose of KCl causes cardiac arrest and eventual death. There are also euthanasia methods (eg, gunshot, electrocution) that are classified as ‘conditionally acceptable’ because they may not consistently lead to a humane death or have not undergone extensive scientific testing. They also pose a high risk for human error or injury. It is very important to remember that the decision to euthanize rests with you. Although there may be emergency situations where the veterinarian has to make the professional decision to euthanize without owner’s consent, this is very rare.  Realize that asking your veterinarian what they would do can put them in an uncomfortable position, since they are not your horse’s owner and do not have the same emotional and financial attachment to your horse that you do.  Also keep in mind that your veterinarian may refuse to support your decision to euthanize, if they feel like your horse’s medical condition does not warrant euthanasia.  Consider seeking a second option from another veterinarian if you are still undecided after speaking with your veterinarian.
Learn the situations when euthanizing is appropriate. Decide whether you should euthanize your horse. Understand the different methods of euthanasia. Understand your veterinarian’s role in euthanasia.