Quality of life and end of life should go hand-in-hand when it comes to caring for older horses, yet a balanced assessment and a final decision can be subjective and highly emotive, making a veterinarian’s job even more challenging.

The British Equine Veterinary Association’s (BEVA) 2017 Congress will devote an afternoon of discussion to this sensitive topic on Friday, Sept. 15, at Liverpool Arena Convention Centre.

Making the decision to end a horse’s life is probably the most difficult aspect of owning or caring for one, and the process is undoubtedly hard for the attending veterinarian, as well. Nicky Jarvis, BVetMed, Cert AVP (Equine Medicine), Cert AVP (Equine Surgery Soft Tissue), MRCVS, head veterinarian at Redwings Horse Sanctuary, will moderate the end-of-life session at Congress, which aims to explore the major aspects of euthanasia and the implications for owners, veterinarians, and insurance.

Georgina Crossman, MBA, PhD, who coordinated Advancing Equine Scientific Excellence’s collaborative project considering equine end of life and euthanasia, will commence with a look at owners’ attitudes to euthanasia. Lesley Barwise-Munro, BSc, BVM&S, CertEP, MRCVS, of Alnorthumbria Vets, a Fédération Equestre Internationale veterinary official, senior racecourse vet, and honorary vice president of the National Equine Welfare Council, will follow with the practicalities of euthanasia—how to perform it well and pitfalls to avoid