This is one of those situatons where I am asking something that people just don't ask...When a pet is euthanize, is it usually very fast ? All I can read on the internet is saying seconds for a dog to react - sometimes even before all of the solution is injected. Is that true?? When I had my rotweiller put down, it was horrid. I was not completely sure she was gone when I was taken from the room. She was very ill and suffering but still did not go quickly.
On halloween, I had my gsd put to sleep. it was horrific. i had to take him to the humane society. normally, there you are required to say goodbye to the pet in the hallway and then you leave and they take care of things. since my dog was extrememly fear aggressive and based on some other circumstances, i was allowed to assist. he was given a tranquilzer and then another. he did finally start to feel it after many minutes - a little - he was still standing and struggling to get out of the place. he had injection and then another. he was still standing. he continued to breath after his heart had stopped. the vet said he defided medicine.
I have taken in severly sick/ dying wild cats and told I should not stay because sticking the vein can be dificult and it will be too upsetting a thing to witness. When I was a teenager, and i had to take my dog in, i I was not allowed to be with him. i was told it would be gruesome and something not to witness. then again, at that time, people did not stay for euthinasia. you took the dog in and left; it was unheard of to have an owner stay for the proceedure. but now days, people see it as the right thing to do. Maybe it is always a horrific thing to witness but people withstand it to comfort the dying?
I do not understand
Hmm. I've been there, done that many times and many ways. Some were extremely fast, others slower, but I can't remember any I'd call horrific. I just don't know the answer to your questions.
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Bendy Kitty
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we like to be there when we can
we like them to leave knowing we are there. it upsets us very much when we aren't able to share their last moments.
most euthanasias we have seen have gone quickly and very well. we ask that the pet be given a sedative first, this makes it easier for the vet to find the vein, and we think makes them feel better, less aware of how sick they are, so we can have a moment with them to say goodbye when they don't feel quite so horrid.
however, we just had a cat put down and it was awful. she fought the sedative, she panicked, she clutched mom's arm and tried to hide her head in mom's hand. there were a few calm moments but it was really bad.
the ONLY good part was when the vet shaved Stella's leg to find the vein, we could see for certain how horribly jaundiced she was.
mom had been trying ot treat her, but she HATED fluids, being syringe fed, and started puking despite Reglan. she hated every moment of the day, it was time to let her go.
Mom's head was pretty messed up from it (on monday) she is doing better now. Still, she was not going to let poor Stella linger and slowly die from liver failure with mom giving her treatments she hated.
This was the hardest euth we ahve had done.
purrs & headbonks
bendy
most euthanasias we have seen have gone quickly and very well. we ask that the pet be given a sedative first, this makes it easier for the vet to find the vein, and we think makes them feel better, less aware of how sick they are, so we can have a moment with them to say goodbye when they don't feel quite so horrid.
however, we just had a cat put down and it was awful. she fought the sedative, she panicked, she clutched mom's arm and tried to hide her head in mom's hand. there were a few calm moments but it was really bad.
the ONLY good part was when the vet shaved Stella's leg to find the vein, we could see for certain how horribly jaundiced she was.
mom had been trying ot treat her, but she HATED fluids, being syringe fed, and started puking despite Reglan. she hated every moment of the day, it was time to let her go.
Mom's head was pretty messed up from it (on monday) she is doing better now. Still, she was not going to let poor Stella linger and slowly die from liver failure with mom giving her treatments she hated.
This was the hardest euth we ahve had done.
purrs & headbonks
bendy
In loving memory of Bendy Cute Kitty 9/15/00-4/23/12
Meet the cats at Bendy's Home http://www.alittletlc.com"
Meet the cats at Bendy's Home http://www.alittletlc.com"
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Marilyn D.
- Posts: 43
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Hello SandyNY
This past June I had my two beloved cats PTS only 48 hours apart. I never would have left either alone no matter what. I really believe the calmness of owner and vet is so important at that time. No matter how you may be crying the holding of the beloved pet and comforting them is so important. The needle was bearly out of their little legs and they were gone. I had my first dog PTS nine years ago this past Oct. I never went through pain like that, but it was so fast and peaceful. I believe it is the vets kindness and love for the animals that is one of the most important keys. The last gift we give to them is to be with them when they leave this world, I want my beloved pets to see the face that loves them as they fall asleep.
Donna
This past June I had my two beloved cats PTS only 48 hours apart. I never would have left either alone no matter what. I really believe the calmness of owner and vet is so important at that time. No matter how you may be crying the holding of the beloved pet and comforting them is so important. The needle was bearly out of their little legs and they were gone. I had my first dog PTS nine years ago this past Oct. I never went through pain like that, but it was so fast and peaceful. I believe it is the vets kindness and love for the animals that is one of the most important keys. The last gift we give to them is to be with them when they leave this world, I want my beloved pets to see the face that loves them as they fall asleep.
Donna
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GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily
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- Location: St. Helena Island, SC
Dearest SandyNY
I am so sorry for this horror.
When I tried to tranq. Phoenix (Mr. Highway 170) I used 7 acepromazine and he still could stagger away from me. He was completely wild. It took trickery weeks later to finally capture him, he was completely impossible to capture.
I believe your boy too out-muscled the tranquilizer. I also believe during euthanization (and not all euths have a tranq to precede them, in fact in county shelters it is the norm to simply stop the heart or use the gas chamber) when your heart stops that although there is chest pressure, you black out and there isn't the amount of pain as say, a gas chamber. I believe that the death process in a full heart stoppage is preferable to a lot of ways to terminate life.
I believe it hurt you a whole lot more than it hurt him.
I could just scream at what you had to go through. I am so very sorry for your loss.
I left a cat more than 20 years ago because the doc said I should. I never forgave myself for that. I now help others 'cross' their animals.
When I tried to tranq. Phoenix (Mr. Highway 170) I used 7 acepromazine and he still could stagger away from me. He was completely wild. It took trickery weeks later to finally capture him, he was completely impossible to capture.
I believe your boy too out-muscled the tranquilizer. I also believe during euthanization (and not all euths have a tranq to precede them, in fact in county shelters it is the norm to simply stop the heart or use the gas chamber) when your heart stops that although there is chest pressure, you black out and there isn't the amount of pain as say, a gas chamber. I believe that the death process in a full heart stoppage is preferable to a lot of ways to terminate life.
I believe it hurt you a whole lot more than it hurt him.
I could just scream at what you had to go through. I am so very sorry for your loss.
I left a cat more than 20 years ago because the doc said I should. I never forgave myself for that. I now help others 'cross' their animals.
Karen, Andy's ^i^ mom
Lethal White Aussies Rule!
INTERACTIVE RESCUE SITE!
http://www.s8.createphpbb.com/lethalwhiteauss/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LethalWhiteAussieRescue/
Lethal White Aussies Rule!
INTERACTIVE RESCUE SITE!
http://www.s8.createphpbb.com/lethalwhiteauss/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LethalWhiteAussieRescue/
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bulldogheaven2
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2007 11:40 am
I'm so sorry Sandy.
It sounds like you had a terrible experience, that was very disturbing and hopefully not the norm. If his heart stopped, I don't think the last breaths affected him at all.
I just had my Timber put to sleep on Monday. They didn't give him a sedative, but did place an IV catheter to administer the meds. After it was in place they brought him back to me so I could be with him. He was eating some meat from my hand and enjoying a last hug when he passed--it happened in < than 30 sec.
Your beloved pet is healed now and will be waiting for you at the Bridge.
Peace,
Lynn
It sounds like you had a terrible experience, that was very disturbing and hopefully not the norm. If his heart stopped, I don't think the last breaths affected him at all.
I just had my Timber put to sleep on Monday. They didn't give him a sedative, but did place an IV catheter to administer the meds. After it was in place they brought him back to me so I could be with him. He was eating some meat from my hand and enjoying a last hug when he passed--it happened in < than 30 sec.
Your beloved pet is healed now and will be waiting for you at the Bridge.
Peace,
Lynn
i am horrified by this thread, but at the same time i'm grateful for it. it is something that i look away from every time the thought enters my head...but it is something, i know, i must be prepared for.
thankyou for sharing your pain and experience, as terrible as it was. you have helped me by sharing your story.
i send you big cyber hugs.
thankyou for sharing your pain and experience, as terrible as it was. you have helped me by sharing your story.
i send you big cyber hugs.
Sandy, I have just gone through my first experience with this for my beloved springer spaniel Robbie (just a few days ago, in fact). I had given him two pain killers and an acepromazine before taking him in, because he panics in the office. He seemed lethargic, so we assumed it had kicked in. When they brought him back with the catheter and left us alone to spend time with him, he immediately became SuperDog, and started struggling on my lap. It took 3 of us to control him. Somehow, despite being deaf and blind, he managed to pull the t-plug out of his catheter with his teeth (it was amazing how he zeroed in on it...but that was Robbie to the very end...) and he started to bleed out in my arms. They ran for the tech who replaced the plug, and the vet came in with the shots immediately. The first was a sedative; it put him to sleep and he yawned. The second was THE shot, and it completed the task very peacefully.
I have heard of other stories that went differently. I think it's different for each one.
But in answer to the question about being there and holding them at the end...there was never a question but that I would be there. I knew he needed me, and even though I didn't want to witness those moments, I had to be there for him. He could sense me even in his darkest times, and I couldn't make him face that last transition all by himself.
I have heard of other stories that went differently. I think it's different for each one.
But in answer to the question about being there and holding them at the end...there was never a question but that I would be there. I knew he needed me, and even though I didn't want to witness those moments, I had to be there for him. He could sense me even in his darkest times, and I couldn't make him face that last transition all by himself.