Euthanasia

[Abigail]

i have stayed with all mine, except one last year, my beautiful wei jed, i had to give him his wings due to aggression, i just couldn't stay, i felt so guilty

he sat looking up at me in the waiting room, i just had to hand over his lead and leave, i cried for a long time before i could drive home.

something i still feel bad about, cried in the garage last week when i pulled out the dog coats for winter, and his pink one came out first.

It's been 12 mths since I had to have my beloved Barley pts due to aggression towards livestock; I was there whilst this was

done and there isn't a day that goes by where I don't think of him; he was a clown, he was close to me and only me and

was known to bail people up so rehoming him was not an option and I didn't want to take the risk where he would be rehomed and perhaps misbehave and end up being maltreated. After much rebating I made the final decision and even to this day I still find it heartwrenching. It is painful enough having to put a much loved sick pet to sleep but to have to make that decision on a healthy pet is far far more heartbreaking. RIP my beloved Barley.

[jackie_a1]

Cosmolo that is you rearranging my words to I did not once say or imply that at all.

'Jata a shelter is VERY different to a vet clinic with someone who is bringing in a pet in comparison to someone who is putting down an animal from a shelter. Shelter euthanasias wouldn't require a sedation because generally they don't have owners there present to be distressed by the animals thrashing.'

So no owners are present therefore sedation may not be needed the vet does not have owners present to ask for permission for sedation. Or if the animal does fight then (the nurse) or whomever is present may comfort the dog whilst the lethabarb takes affect there will be no distraught owner to witness to be upset or cry or even make a complaint.

'Shelter animals are usually dumped, abondened, given up etc so the owners would rarely stay with the animal to watch it be euthanised.'

Simply the truth. I did not once say a shelter dog's passing is less important or less distressing. And nor did I imply it.

[Sky_Mel]

I have only had to put down my last dog Minka and although it was the hardest decision I have ever made I was with her through the whole process. I knew she would become stressed without any familiar faces there and had to be there for her.

[all that glitters]

The first pet I had to have euth was my cat. She was 3. She was in a bad way and needed her wings. I sat bawlling in the empty waiting room as the looked at her, then they come out and said, I'm sorry, theres nothing we can do for her" deep down I knew and stayed with her while she had the injection.

3 months later I recieved a letter in the mail from the same vet clinic, You cat is due for her booster.

Thats horrible

No it would not be better as a precaution to sedate when the sedation itself creates further problems for many and leads to the dog being unbelievably stressed for a further 20 minutes. It makes it a longer process!! Pet owners have the right to know that there are different ways to euthanase and to discuss with the vet what they think is best for their dog and how the procedure will be done.

I totally agree! I never knew there was a difference (sedation/no sedation) I am armed with more knowledge now, knowledge I hope I never have to put into decision for years and years and YEARS to come

[jackie_a1]

He fought the sedation yes. BUT what you are failing to see is after a small fight he laid down gently within a MAXIMUM of thirty seconds. Then was euthanised. Now think about it logically. If he had just been injected with the lethabarb he would have been thrashing around for a minimum of a minute I had my hand on his heart and it took a minimum of a minute to stop maybe longer. So I prefer my dog to thrash for a few seconds then to be waiting for the lethabarb to take affect and him be dazed and wandering around distressed.

I think if you're going to euthanise your pet it's your responsibility to be aware of what options are there for you. I don't know many responsible pet owners who would go into it so blindly.

Edited April 26, 2010 by jackie_a1

[Pete.the.dog]

I'm crying just reading this, don't know what I will do with Petey if we find ourselves in that situation. I worry I would be so upset I would scare/upset him.

[Sankari]

I have had 2 dogs PTS and both times stayed with them then brought them back home where the cremation place picked the dog up and brought the ashes back a few days later. They were PTS 18 months apart the first was a nearly 8yr old GR (paralysis) and second was nearly 6yr old GR (to end stage Lymphoma).

I breed and show Rabbits and in December last year i faced my heart bunny's euthanasia and stayed with him. He had Paralysis most likely caused by complications of Head Tilt and prognosis was extremely poor. I didnt know rabbits were PTS directly into the heart and ever since then it's followed me. I still miss my little fella (I handraised from 3 days old) he was only 2.5yrs old.

Edited April 26, 2010 by LucyCharzie

[Cosmolo]

Point taken Jackie- if i misinterpreted i apologise- but that is how i interpreted your statement, not deliberate misquoting. But i don't think you understand that just because an owner isn't there, there are still people there, people to be distressed, cry and yes, even complain. So i honestly don't see any difference between the euthanasia of a shelter dog and the euthanasia of a pet with owner present.

ETA But you didn't respond to my query about your dog still thrashing after sedation? Of course you don't have to but it is worth mentioning given your suggestion that sedation is kinder and less stressful to the animal.

Edited April 26, 2010 by Cosmolo

[all that glitters]

I'm crying just reading this, don't know what I will do with Petey if we find ourselves in that situation. I worry I would be so upset I would scare/upset him.

Also my problem!! Shyla gets worried if I get a little upset at something, but if she saw me bawling and crying uncontrollably she would be very nervous and apprehensive herself.. I wouldn't want her last moments being like that

Edited to add: How often do dogs pass on their own? It seems more often than not people are having to euth to save their suffering and pain, so I wonder if many pass in their sleep or on their own? Just out of interest.

Edited April 26, 2010 by ~ShelleAndShyla~

[jackie_a1]

Cos there is no difference it is sad regardless. Just my opinion I like sedation but some people prefer not to use it that's fine too.

I just don't want to have to do that again regardless. I would prefer my dogs die old and happy in their sleep.

Quick edit to say: Cos just a couple posts up

Edited April 26, 2010 by jackie_a1

[Cosmolo]

That we can agree on.

[jackie_a1]

On this topic....

Do you think animals have souls?

Edit: I have heard and read that animals don't have souls. Do you think it's a comfort thing for us to think otherwise?

Edited April 26, 2010 by jackie_a1

[Cosmolo]

How do you define 'soul'?

[moko81]

So as you guys know on Feb 16 of this year I had to euthanise Lucky my (great dane cross mastiff) he was nine years old, he was suffering from skin cancer and a secondary condition of severe atopic dermatitis. I stayed with him the entire time including while he was passing. I couldn't stand the thought of letting the last thing he see on this earth be an unfamiliar face.

I am a vet nurse student so we have gone over numerous amounts of times euthanasia lethabarb etc and have watched videos and during work placement I witnessed a few euthanasias first hand myself. It's always devastating regardless of what or who's animal is being euthanised.

My question is, how many of you have had to euthanise your pet? And who of you stayed through the entire process?

Rest in Peace my beautiful big boy. I miss you.

Sorry to hear

We had to euthanise one of our bitches who was only 6mths old mid last year. I didn't attend the euthanising my hubby did, me & the kids went & seen her a few hours prior to say our last good byes.

The whole process for us absolutely broke our hearts & the hardest thing was having the kids ask whens Coco coming home Mum/Dad

[jackie_a1]

As in do they go to Heaven or the 'rainbow bridge' or are they just empty vessels? I think it depends on religion and beliefs.

[Cosmolo]

I am not religious in any way but i do believe our dogs wait for us somewhere after they passed. I had this reading done at our wedding which sums up pretty well how we feel.

They are our other eyes that can see above

the clouds; our other ears that hear above

the winds. They are the part of us that can

reach out into the sea.

They have told us a thousand times over that

we are their reason for being: by the way they

rest against our legs; by the way they thump

their tail at our smallest smiles; by the way they

show their disappointment when we leave without taking them.

When we are wrong, they are delighted to forgive.

When we are angry, they clown to make us smile.

When we are happy, they are joy unbounded.

When we are fools, they ignore it.

When we succeed, they brag.

Without them, we are only human. With them,

we are all-powerful.

They are loyalty itself.

They have taught us the meaning of devotion.

With them, we know a secret comfort and a

private peace. They have brought me understanding

where before we were ignorant.

Their head on our knee can heal my human hurts.

Their presence by our side is protection against

our fears of dark and unknown things.

They have promised to wait for us...

whenever...wherever--in case we need them.

And we expect we will--as we always have.

They are our dogs.

[jackie_a1]

That's beautiful

[Gamby]

I never did stay with my pets when the time came until about 20 years ago. Now if possible I will always stay with my animals on that dreadful day.

Euthanising is a most wonderful way for my pets to Rest In Peace. I do feel guilty after it has happened but my pets quality of life is more important that my feelings of guilt.

If only we could do it to our loved ones when there is nothing else that can put them out of their pain.

[rastus_froggy]

He fought the sedation yes. BUT what you are failing to see is after a small fight he laid down gently within a MAXIMUM of thirty seconds. Then was euthanised. Now think about it logically. If he had just been injected with the lethabarb he would have been thrashing around for a minimum of a minute I had my hand on his heart and it took a minimum of a minute to stop maybe longer. So I prefer my dog to thrash for a few seconds then to be waiting for the lethabarb to take affect and him be dazed and wandering around distressed.

I think if you're going to euthanise your pet it's your responsibility to be aware of what options are there for you. I don't know many responsible pet owners who would go into it so blindly.

Until now I had no idea that there were options, this has really been informative reading. I did not ask any questions when I had my boy done and I am a responsible owner, I trusted my vet whole heartedly as I was in no state to be asking questions. I could not even walk into the surgery to pay the bill and I asked them not to send me a bill I would just send them a cheque for an amount that I was pretty sure would cover it and they were not to send me a reciept. I could not bring myself to ever even know how much it cost.

I'm crying just reading this, don't know what I will do with Petey if we find ourselves in that situation. I worry I would be so upset I would scare/upset him.

Also my problem!! Shyla gets worried if I get a little upset at something, but if she saw me bawling and crying uncontrollably she would be very nervous and apprehensive herself.. I wouldn't want her last moments being like that

Edited to add: How often do dogs pass on their own? It seems more often than not people are having to euth to save their suffering and pain, so I wonder if many pass in their sleep or on their own? Just out of interest.

My first dog ICE (Rotty) passed in his sleep at nearly 13 years old. And our family dog, Pinnacle a border collie X kelpie, from when I was a kid passes in his sleep at 17, I walked out and found him in the shed one morning poor old thing.

[jackie_a1]

When I was considering having Lucky done I had to do research I had to look up cremation options, cost etc. I couldn't bury him in my backyard our soil is clay and I couldn't run the risk of Razor digging him up (as morbid as it sounds) I also had to ring and enquire if they did house calls (they didn't) an appointment time and (Lucky was dog aggressive) if I was able to enter through the back door before and after as I didn't want to be stared at although it happened regardless.