Equine end-of-life care planning

Few horses in the UK die of natural causes; consequently, most horse owners will have to make the decision to euthanise at some point. Many owners find making end-of-life decisions distressing and may struggle to recognise deteriorations in welfare. This can contribute to delayed euthanasia, a common and serious welfare issue facing horses. Veterinary professionals are frequently involved in end-of-life care decision-making and carrying out euthanasia, but this aspect of their job can negatively impact mental health. Assessing horses' quality of life and making plans for their end-of-life care and euthanasia in advance can promote equine welfare and decrease stress for decision-makers. Shared decision-making is increasingly used in human and veterinary healthcare, and can assist horse owners and veterinary teams when making such plans. This article provides an overview of the current issues and literature on equine end-of-life care planning. It reviews some of the resources that are currently available and under development to support horse owners and veterinary teams in managing end-of-life care decisions.