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The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has updated its guidance for humane euthanasia of a horse. The chief revision to the AAEP’s Euthanasia Guidelines is the addition of the administration of lidocaine hydrochloride 2% (intrathecal, or into the spinal canal) with the horse in a surgical plane of general anesthesia as a technique deemed acceptable when performed by trained personnel.
The Euthanasia Guidelines were updated by the AAEP’s Welfare & Public Policy Advisory Council and approved by the board of directors. The revised guidelines parallel the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals.
“The guidelines not only address how to euthanize a horse but also when to euthanize, which can assist owners in making the difficult decision to say goodbye to their beloved animal,” said Alina Vale, DVM, chair of the AAEP’s Welfare & Public Policy Advisory Council. “When a veterinarian and owner objective