USE OF A PENETRATING CAPTIVE DART IN THE EUTHANASIA OF EQUINES

Abstract

Equine farming represents an important segment of Brazilian agribusiness, with an estimated herd of 5.79 million animals, including 4.49 million horses, 765,500 mules, and 476,800 donkeys. These animals are responsible for approximately 3.2 million direct and indirect jobs and an annual financial turnover of approximately R$16.5 billion. Remediating outbreaks of notifiable diseases, such as Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) and glanders, has proven challenging in several states due to the high incidence of positive animals and the structural limitations of official agricultural protection services. Control of these diseases is based on the sanitary elimination of infected animals through euthanasia, a procedure that must adhere to technical and ethical principles, ensuring animal welfare and operational safety. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a more efficient, ethical, and operationally viable equine euthanasia protocol for field use. Thirty equines were distributed into three experimental groups (n=10): group 1 – euthanasia with penetrative captive bolt (PCB); group 2 – prior sedation followed by the use of PCB; and group 3 – traditional chemical method (control). The level of unconsciousness was assessed by the Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGS), which assigns a score from 1 to 6 to three topics: i) motor activity, ii) brainstem reflex and iii) level of consciousness. By adding up the three topics, the score can range from 3 to 18, with 3 (complete unconsciousness) and 18 (full consciousness). The animals in groups 1 and 2 presented immediate unconsciousness, with average scores of 3.0 and 3.1 ± 0.32, respectively, while group 3 had an average of 6.3 ± 2.68, indicating lower efficiency. The results demonstrated that the use of PCB, with or without sedation, promotes rapid stunning, reduces the total time of care and the risk of exposure for the professional, constituting a safe and humane alternative.