One of the most difficult decisions a horse owner or veterinarian must make is when to end a horse's life. Many of these decisions must be made in stressful and less than ideal situations. It is the responsibility of every equine veterinarian to aid the client in reaching a timely decision, to ensure that the horse's life is ended with the highest degree of respect, and to make the horse's last days as painless and free of distress as possible. The term euthanasia is derived from the Greek terms eu,meaning good, and thanatos, meaning death. A good death is one that occurs with minimal pain and at the appropriate time in the horse's life as to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering. Justification for euthanization of a horse for humane reasons should always be based on medical considerations as well as future quality-of-life issues for the horse.
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