They Shot Horses, Didn't They?

UPChip · Apr 28, 2009

An interesting angle and what I thought was a good read, talking to veterinarians about the act of euthanizing an injured horse and how it impacts the injector. Makes the argument that just shooting the horse would probably be more humane than an injection that works "nine out of 10 times."

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=4104868

She typically looks for every reason to save a horse, but this is an easy diagnosis. Back in the trailer that serves as her office, she has a computer program that classifies injuries by severity: 0 to 3, the horse is salvageable; 4, it's iffy; 5, it's over. This is a 5. Canady removes Heelbolt's saddle and unclips the radio from her belt. "This horse requires euthanasia," she says into it.

Out comes the pink. Canady draws 10 ccs of succinylcholine mixed with 50 ccs of pentobarbital into a syringe, then fills another with an extra 50 ccs of pentobarbital. She moves to Heelbolt's left side, where it's easier for a right-handed person to administer an injection. She strokes his neck to say good-bye -- as she does with every horse she puts down -- then puts her left index finger on his jugular and presses down, swelling the vein. She drives the needle straight into his jugular, piercing his sweaty, leathery skin, and depresses the large plunger with her thumb, pushing in the poison, darkening the pink as it mixes with blood. After it empties, she draws out the needle and repeats the motion with the second syringe. The whole process takes just a few seconds. Heelbolt doesn't flinch.
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They Shot Horses, Didn't They?

UPChip Well-Known Member

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They Shot Horses, Didn't They?

UPChip Well-Known Member

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