Easing The Way Out

[sandgrubber]

Bottom line first, then the story prompting the question.

What can you do at home to help a dog that is dying? Is there a medicine it's worth keeping on hand when the end is near?

I got a late night call from a neighbor who has several (>15) rescue dogs, including sick, elderly, and abandoned dogs. One of hers was elderly, frail, and suffering organ failure. She wanted the number for the mobile vet I use, hoping that the vet would come out and administer the green needle that evening. Our local mobile vet is great, but I doubted she would respond. Nobody wants to become THE vet who comes out and does after hours euthanasia. The neighbor already spends hundreds of dollars a month on vet bills, and an afterhours emergency fee for euthanasia was not high on her priorities. The dog passed naturally within a couple hours . . . not without pain.

This lead to a discussion about what the best thing to do in such situations, and whether home administration of a potent oral medicine (or even a sub cut injection) appropriate in such cases. Eg, phenobarbital or vallium.

I'd be interested to know what others do or would advise should the situation arise again.

[Flaves]

I am not a breeder can i answer?

I woudl do what i could to en it for the dog in the most painfree way i could.

If that meant giving them a large amount of prescription medicine, i would do it

I am all for euthanasia and i dont like to see animals in pain.

[BigBen]

I think I would take the animal to be euthanised before it got that bad.

[Staffyluv]

I think I would take the animal to be euthanised before it got that bad.

ditto.

Surely the carer knew this old dog was in its last legs well before it got to this point.

How very sad that an old dog passed with pain

[Sheridan]

I think I would take the animal to be euthanised before it got that bad.

ditto.

Surely the carer knew this old dog was in its last legs well before it got to this point.

How very sad that an old dog passed with pain

I knew my last dog had been given a death sentence the day he was diagnosed with a protein wasting kidney disease. It didn't stop me from trying to do everything I could to stave off the inevitable. People come to that most painful decision in their own time and usually when the dog lets the owner know that it's time.

Edited October 26, 2008 by Sheridan

[cowanbree]

I can't imagine that a vet would not come out to pts a dog if needed. My last 2 have been callouts and there was never any question they were coming. Having said that if I couldn't get to a vet the only other option is shooting which however unpleasant is quick. I would never try any medication simply because you don't know how the dog will react to it.

[Jed]

I very much doubt that yuo can euth a dog with valium - but I am not sure. Never done it. I don't think you can buy phenobarbital at all even on prescription, unless you yourself have a medical problem.

Perhaps the rescuer didn't recognize the signs. It can be difficult to get someone out in the middle of the night. I don't know of any emergency vets who would travel, although your own might.

My inclination would be to do it before the dog got to that stage - recognizing it is the question, which is why old dogs need regular check ups, and sometimes, even that doesn't tell you.