Euthanasia

[jackie_a1]

I don't even know why I bother replying anymore. Maybe I'll state it simpler.

I SAID MOST RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS WOULDN'T GO INTO EUTHANASIA BLINDLY.

I don't and didn't mean knowing the ins and outs of euthanasia and it's process what drug used, the amount it takes affect, the technical issues I meant things THAT YOU AS THE OWNER WILL HAVE TO KNOW FOR EXAMPLE

IS THERE FURTHER TREATMENT OR IS EUTHANASIA THE ONLY OPTION?

BODY DISPOSAL

WHAT TO EXPECT

CAN THE VET COME DO HOUSECALLS

If you don't know that and didn't know any of that when you had your animal euthanised then I didn't say because you didn't know that makes you irresponsible I never even used the word irresponsible to address individuals. But as its written most responsible owners wouldn't go in blindly I'll make it more clearer PREMEDITATED EUTHANASIA NOT ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES. Just because you didn't know the basics I never said it made you irresponsible. And like you have stated its your opinion I'm entitled to mine.

This isn't a debate this is a flame war have some respect.

[benshiva]

I've actually found this thread quite distressing.

I responded in good faith and then came back to read other people's responses.

It's painful enought to recall the deaths of beloved pets and share that without finding out that someone thinks it was irresponsible to not do more 'research' or that my vet may not have chosen the most humane method of pts.

I feel the same. I wish I'd never come back into this thread. It's all still way to raw for me I knew the time was coming for my darling girl but the last thing I wanted to do was spend even a minute researching the "best" way to do it. In my opinion there was no right or wrong way. The ending was always going to be the same, me coming home without her :D Nothing was ever going to change that

[greytdog]

Different opinions based on different experiences- i appreciate yours, but they are very different to mine. I would now always not want sedation because of what i saw in the one dog who was sedated vs hundreds who were not.

ETA I never saw a dog thrash around once injected with the lethabarb and we held onto them until they were gone. I never saw it be anything but peaceful (and these were animals who were in a strange place with strange people- they had every reason to be stressed) until i saw it with sedation first.

+1

I vet nursed at a shelter as well as a private clinic, of the thousands of animals pts, both homeless & owned, we never once sedated first, never had one thrash about, never had one problem. It was quick and peaceful.

My heart dog screamed and cried in pain as she was being injected. The screams got quieter and quieter as the drug took effect, but it was the worst experience I've ever had in my life of owing dogs and cats. I cry when I think about it, and I'm crying now. I feel so guilty. It wasn't my usual vet, and I don't know what went wrong. I hope she's forgiven me. I'm sorry sweet girl.

My second daccie went peacefully, but I wasn't allowed to hold her for some reason, although I was close and could pat her. The same vet let me hold both the cats when they went.

No vet will ever tell me again that I'm not allowed to hold my dogs.

ETA: In addition to the pain, vet left her on the table when she was still breathing. I had to tell him to use more. No, it wasn't the last gasps, it was regular, shallow breathing, but he didn't seem to be too concerned about it. I often wonder if he was a vet at all - for all I know, he might have been the cleaner with aspirations. Bastard.

Edited April 26, 2010 by greytdog

[nellbell]

About 10 years ago I had my beautiful old cat put to sleep. We had been together for about 11 years and she was an adult cat when I got her.

She had been dumped by previous residents when friends moved into a house, so I offered to take her. She was my heart cat and very devoted. When it was her time, I had the vet come to the house as I wanted it to be as stress free for her as possible.

The vet and his wife (vet nurse) came and he injected her on her favourite pillow by the window. No sedative, just a needle in her forearm and she was gone in a couple of seconds, pretty much as soon as the needle came out. it was very peaceful for her.

The vet winged about my steep driveway and that upset me as I thought it was very inappropriate at the time. His wife was very compassionate though. To this day I remember the 'occasion' was ruined by the vet complaining about the driveway....

[jackie_a1]

The thread was never meant to be distressing and as adults I thought we could have a conversation about it. But obviously my words were happily misconstrued and I was made to be a troll.

[Lab_Rat]

I have been with all but one of my darling animals when they have been euthanased.

The most recent being our old mare. The worst thing was waiting for the vet - then hearing their vehicle and knowing it was almost time for her to go . My sister and I sat side by side, holding hands and stroking Sally while the angel vet did her job. It was over quickly and gently, and it still amazes me just how still death is...............

I think for me being with my animal at their time of departure is important so they have their human with them at what must be a very confusing time

I have been through euthanasias at home and at the vets. Ideally at home is a better option for the animal, but unfortunately its not always going to be that way. My ridgy girl 5 years ago is a good example. Emergency trip with bloat/GDV. Our vet is an hour away, no way I was going to bring poor Miekah home. At least she loved being at the vet, and didnt stress about going there.

Our current ridgy however turns to jelly when we pull into the carpark - I hope I dont have to go through the same sort of thing with her.

When it comes down to it, we do what we feel is best, and what we can deal with - if that means going or staying it doesnt really matter.

RIP all the beautiful animals DOLers have said goodbye to at the Rainbow Bridge - you are forever in our hearts

One of the biggest things that makes me cry afterward is the sympathy cards we receive in the mail from the vets - they dont have to do that and yet they do.

Rat

[Hello Gorgeous]

I had to put one of my cats to sleep almost a year ago now and it was the most heartbreaking incident ever, especially because he was only about 4-5 years old. He had a mini stroke and a blood clot got stuck in his spine paralysing him .. and a whole bunch of other things which I couldn't really process at the time because it was so devastating He was born in the house (my cat had an unexpected litter) and we kept both kittens who were really our lives. I went to visit him at the vet and he was in so much pain and so terrified, we researched and researched but in his condition, we had to put him to sleep. I couldn't stay with him because I was crying so much, but my sister did.

I think all my crying traumatized the poor young vet who looked dangerously close to tears himself!

[Longdog]

When it comes down to it, we do what we feel is best, and what we can deal with - if that means going or staying it doesnt really matter.

Rat

Well said Lab Rat. We have to remember we are humans and don't have a good handle on life/death as animals. May our animals continue to educate us. And yes, they do forgive us for all the mistakes we make with them during life and at death.

[Beth.]

This thread has me in tears as well

Lottie being my first dog, and just 8 months old, I just can't and don't want to even think about her not being with me, that's the worst part about ownership of a pet.... I'm crying thinking about it having to happen. I work at an emergency vet clinic so I see quite a number of euthanasias, and it never gets easier... I'm also studying vet science and think that'll be me one day, and I'm going to have to be the strong one to be there to comfort my client and see them through such a hard time!!! .

We had an older cat when I was at home who suffered renal failure, and it was the first time I had seen my dad cry, was a very hard time!!! The second was my little Rat - and I SOBBED when I had to make the hard decision to let him go..... People say 'but it was just a RAT!!!', but if you've ever owned a rat, you'd understand!! My rat was just like a little dog, he'd come running when he was called, would follow me everywhere!! RIP Ratty - you were taken too soon!!!!

RIP all you beautiful souls that have passed!!!!!

[Leithy]

While this thread may be quite upsetting and remind you of previously loved dogs, maybe just take some condolence in other peoples posts and whilst we may be in alone in grieving for that individual pet, many a people know the loss and heartbreaking feelings of losing a beloved pet.

Better to have lost and loved, than to have never have loved at all.

I agree with what Longdog previously posted, death is not dealt with very well at all- people reluctant to talk about it in fear of upsetting someone or offending, but at the end of the day we are born and we live and we die and thats just the way life is- we need to make the most of it while we can.

Well, thats the conclusion I've come to anyway...

And I like to believe we will reunite with out beloved dogs on the other side. It'd be a nice reunion after a long life.

xoxo.

-apologies if have offended anyone-

[OSoSwift]

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

There is no way a dog with a full dose of lethabarb would be able to thrash about for a minute, or wander around dazed. I have seen some very unwell and very old dogs euthed and they are completely unconcious and may gasp or paddle with their legs a few times, but have never been able to do any of the above. Infact most are completely unconcious and incapacitated within seconds and it is sometimes takes longer for the heart to stop completely, but they are not awake at all at that point. My younger Dobe took about 10 to 15 second from completion of injection to unconciousness and it only took that long because her blood was just about not pumping any more.

I understand your feelings on the matter but would not like people who have never experienced euthanasing a dog to be totally mis-informed

[bedazzledx2]

Ditto

I've actually found this thread quite distressing.

I responded in good faith and then came back to read other people's responses.

It's painful enought to recall the deaths of beloved pets and share that without finding out that someone thinks it was irresponsible to not do more 'research' or that my vet may not have chosen the most humane method of pts.

[badboyz]

Sadly my girl had to be put to sleep due to an accident. I did hold her thoughout, and assisted the vet when needed. Unfortunately due to her breed (thick skin) and lack of blood pressure (internal bleeding) the vet was unable to find a vein. So she had to be moved to another room and gassed first, then the needle was injected under the tongue. No reactions from her as she was too ill to fight, though I doubt she would have anyway. I have seen a few dogs pts over the years and none have fought it. The longer process was harder to take, but could not have been avoided. I would never criticise anyone for the way they handled it with their own pet. I do find it helps me though in the long run to be there to the end. I hope it helped her, but likely she was beyond caring. I just hope my being there didn't make her more stressed as she could have picked up on my sadness.

[aussielover]

We had to put our lovely old girl to sleep after she had a "stroke". We had originally wanted to put her to sleep in our home, but in the middle of the night she had a stroke and kept tipping over and her pupils kept constricting and dilating, she was also crying out so we had to rush her to a 24hr clinic. It was actually better than i thought it would be because there was no one else at the clinic, it was very quiet, the vets were so nice and it was all very peaceful (except for everyone sobbing their eyes out).

[Faolmor]

We had our vet come to the house for our old Cocker boy, and I would NEVER have it any other way. I want the last thing my babies to remember is the familiar smells, sounds and sights of home, and me holding them in my arms.

There is no pain like it, to have to hold your beloved animal while they breathe out their last. For me, it was the guilt that he didn't know what we were doing to him, didn't have a say in it, and that he wagged his tail to see the vet and welcomed her the way he welcomed everyone who came into our home - a gentleman to the end.

It was very peaceful for him, and it was instant. His heart stopped before they had even finished the injection. We all held him and hugged him, and the vet took him away to be cremated with the same fluffy rabbit toy he had snuggled up to sleep with every night since the first night he came to us.

My beautiful, loving, happy boy. It still hurts so badly.

[Abigail]

Jackie, I have always found that no matter which vet I dealt with in the past when it came to euthanasia, they all asked me

what I wanted to do with the body after the deed was done, that is inevitable that such a question would be posed. You also have to bear in mind that the topic of "body disposal" is not such a simple subject as you like to put it for a fair few people. Personally, I found it instantaneous in thinking about what should be done pertaining to the body and hence did not

and do not require researching the subject, the thought was with me as soon as the decision arose to euthanise; ideally I prefer the idea of cremation or burial but sometimes burial has proven to be out of the question due to clay soil that proves nearly impossible to dig, depending on where I lived. Cremation was carried out in a few cases but cost can be preventative. All in all, when it comes to body disposal - the vet always asks what one chooses to do soon after the animal has been put to sleep. If the person does not choose to remain with the animal then the question is posed

before the deed is committed.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Abigail

[spoilt lab lives here]

Sasha was that sick when the time came the vet hadnt even gotten the needle out of her leg before she was gone both mum and I stayed with her and said our goodbyes. When we walked out we had her soft bed, blanket and her collar. It will be 12 months on 17th May and I have her ashes and a beautiful photo of her sleeping on her blanket in the sun on my mantle piece.

With Tiger my childhood cat I stayed with her until she was sleeping. Mum and the kids said their goodbyes at the vets but couldnt watch her go. I held her and she bit me when the vet put the needle in and when I left she was 'sleeping' Not fully gone but not here either. It took a while for her to go. I questioned mums decision at the time because she was having good days and bad days with her fits and the bad was slowly taking over the good although that day was a good day for her.

Edited April 27, 2010 by spoilt lab lives here

[dee lee]

I researched a little prior to Evie being pts.

I discovered that my usual vet was a rip off merchant who took advantage of people's misery by charging them over $300 for euthanasia and basic disposal (MUCH more for specialised services).

I was recommended a local vet who was lovely (and incidentally did not charge at all for disposal).

He gave me the impression that all vets sedate and, having never been through it before (all past pets had died naturally or in accidents), I deferred to the professional's expertise. I was never offered an alternative.

Maybe I was just unlucky that Evie was one of the ones who fight the sedation- god knows, that was the way she lived her life- but the vet said it wasn't unusual that she was staggering around for quite some time (over 10 minutes). The sedation certainly wasn't a 30 second window, however the final injection was.

Awful.

(just to clarify- I wanted to be there while she passed on, but bringing home ashes was more than I could bear so I opted for basic disposal)

Edited April 27, 2010 by ✽deelee

[Little Gifts]

I was just thinking that one big difference between animals who are distressed/thrashing while being pts could be their level of ill health. My boy was ready to go and I don't think he would've acted differently whether I was there holding and talking to him or not. Other animals may sense something is happening and respond to the emotion from the humans around them because mentally and physically they are not quite ready to leave this world. I don't think my dog was sedated beforehand but if I had to put a younger dog down because of some health issue that was going to affect it quickly or due to some behavioural issue that couldn't be resolved then I would sedate first just to be on the safe side for the dog. I'd hate them to go out panicking because they didn't realise what I was doing was for the best.

It is probably no different to people whose spirit or brain isn't ready to let them go even though their bodies are failing them.

[Crisovar]

I hold pound dogs every week while they are PTS, the majority are young healthy dogs, and they are gone before the needle leaves their vein.

It is possible for an individual animal to react badly but it has nothing to do with them not being ready to die, their age or their health.