Do you have questions about the euthanasia process?

Is this the first time you have had to make the decision to euthanize a pet? Are you wanting a clear understanding to what happens during the euthanasia process? This article will hopefully answer some questions that you may have and help you be more prepared. Even if you have had to make the difficult choice to euthanize a pet before there can be differences with each euthanasia. Understanding the process helps some people be less anxious especially if something unexpected happens. Having a calm owner in turn makes for a calm patient.

The definition of euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending life to relieve pain and suffering or an easy painless death. As a pet owner deciding on euthanasia will most likely be the most difficult decision you ever make for your pet. The reason for this is because this decision is based solely on what is best for them and not what is best for us. If you are reading this article I know that you have not undertaken this decision lightly and want the best for your pet. Home euthanasia is designed to help make your pet more relaxed by eliminating stressful car rides and carriers and allows them to be in a place that they feel the most comfortable. Having a calm patient initially greatly helps with a smooth transition. If a patient is usually very anxious oral sedatives can be used the night before, morning of, and an hour before the appointment. If you know that your pet does not react well to new people then please let us know BEFORE the appointment so that a more detailed plan can be implemented. This may include things like more time for the appointment, higher dose of sedatives, and minimizing interaction with the veterinarian before full sedation. This is to help the appointment to go more smoothly for both the pet and the family.

Since various veterinarians have different protocols we will discuss a typical euthanasia appointment with The Last Gift. Expect a phone call to let you know that I am about 15 minutes out from your residence (as long as there is service). I will make every effort to let you know if I am running behind however if I am in with a euthanasia and it is running longer then expected I will not be able to call until the end of the appointment. My vehicle is an unmarked SUV to maintain the family's privacy. It is fitted with a platform that allows for a stretcher to be secured if the patient is a large, otherwise I have an area for smaller dogs and cats to be placed. If the appointment is a non fearful pet then I will go to the door and knock however I will never ring the door bell unless a client specifically asks as this can make a pet worked up, anxious or scared. I also will not be wearing a white coat but will have on scrubs and be carrying a doctor's bag and bedding if transporting to the crematorium. Once inside I introduce myself to the family and give some treats along with some belly rubs while answering any questions that may arise and also confirm after care wishes. Some owners wish to be present for everything while some only wish to be present until their pet is under anesthesia. This decision is highly personal to what YOU need for closure since once your pet is under anesthesia they are blissfully unaware of their surroundings. I have even had families where some of them stepped out and some of them stayed for the final injection. I have also had some owners that thought they were going to stay but needed to step out which is completely understandable. If you need to step out at any time you do not need to say anything unless you do not want me to continue to proceed in your absence. If there are blankets or bedding that you want your pet to be transported to the crematorium in, I will just place some absorptive pads under the bedding to help protect the floor. If not I will just place my blanket down in the place of your choosing. Having a blanket under the pet helps transport them in a more dignified manner. Once the pet is settled and comfortable I will give an injection of anesthesia, however the location and method will vary depending on the situation. I take great pains to use medications that are not known to sting and also chose an extremely tiny needle (much smaller then a vaccine needle) to make it as painless as possible. Ideally the owners distract the pet by feeding them treats such as chocolate, ice cream, brownies along with rubbing their ears or scratching under their chin. This helps avoid an anticipatory reaction as the pet is focused on something other then what I am doing. Most of the time if a dog is fully distracted they do not even notice the injection, however occasionally there will be one that reacts, especially if the pet has been in pain for a long time. Cats on the other hand usually know something is up the minute a strange person comes into the house. They can very quickly pick up on the owners emotions and become unsettled. Ideally if owners can give oral gabapentin to their cats (especially nervous ones) before the appointment this helps relax them and facilitate handling. Your primary veterinarian will most likely be able to dispense this medication. Less then half of the kitties express their displeasure over the injection but the good news is that it is over quickly. This is much preferable to holding them down to put in an an IV catheter, which is a much longer process, uses a bigger needle, and lots of sick or old kitties have small fragile veins. Wrapping anxious kitties in a blanket usually helps them feel safe and I can just give the injection under the blanket. Since I usually come alone please let me know ahead of time if your dog or cat has injured you in the past so we can make a plan to keep everyone safe. The anesthetic injection contains over four different medications that work together to produce a deep plane of anesthesia. It is important to note that this is NOT a paralytic agent, instead these are all medications that are commonly used to treat pain and induce sedation. The doses that we use with The Last Gift are much higher then what is used in healthy pets as we are not concerned with the side effects and want a very deep plane of anesthesia. Most pets are completely asleep within 5 to 10 minutes of the injection although occasionally there is one that falls asleep immediately. Some of our big dogs, especially ones that are overweight, can take longer to sedate and sometimes even need a second injection. The good news is that they rarely notice another injection as they are asleep but not as asleep as we need them to be. I will stay close by during the sedation process in case of a problem, but still far enough away to give privacy. Most pets under anesthesia look like they are sleeping and some will even snore. Sometimes you may notice a change in their breathing pattern or eye position. Their breathing can be very slow with some deep breaths, or very fast and rapid like they are panting. Even if they are deep asleep some pets still have their eyes open and they can stay open even after they pass. There are many reasons for this, but one of the most important is damage to the central nervous system like a stroke or a brain tumor. Muscle twitches are very common and the pet can lose control of their bowels and bladder. An extremely rare event would be vomiting or a seizure. I have made sure to add a type of valium medication to the anesthesia to try to avoid a seizure along with using pain medications that are unlikely to cause nausea. The good news is that once the pet falls asleep they have no idea that their body is doing anything unusual.

Once the pet is asleep I do some reflex testing to make sure they are in a deep plane of anesthesia. At that time the paw print and hair clipping can be obtained if the owner wishes. If they are completely asleep then the final injection which contains euthanasia solution will be given. This injection is basically an overdose of anesthetic which will stop the heart. The injection is usually given in the vein however our animals are under anesthesia which lowers their blood pressure, and some have disease or aging processes that make their veins fragile or not able to be found. In these cases the injection can be painlessly given into the body cavity as the patient is under a surgical plane of anesthesia. Most of the time if the injection is given in the vein the patient's heart will stop within a few minutes, however this is not always the case especially if the circulatory system is impaired. When the injection is given into the body cavity it does usually take longer but not always. I have been witness to euthanasias where the pet passes away instantly with just the anesthetic, and ones that take a long time to finally cross to the other side. This does not mean that a pet shouldn't have been euthanized if they take a long time to transition, it just means that each pet is different. No matter how short or long the process takes the anesthesia assures that they are pain free and blissfully unaware. When the pet appears to have passed I listen to the heart for a long time with the stethoscope and confirm that there is no pulse or corneal reflex. The one thing to remember is that some patients die with air in their lungs and they can appear to gasp even after they are deceased. This can be startling to the family if they do not know this can occur. By not rushing the process and giving the euthanasia solution slowly, it will greatly decrease the chance of this type of breathing occurring but unfortunately it does not eliminate it with every patient. There also can be some muscle tremors that persist for a long time which is just stored up energy and electrical activity in the muscle and depending on the disease process there may be fluid that leaks from the nose or mouth. I also make sure to listen to the heart once more after five minutes or more has passed. This protocol, combined with a much higher dose of euthanasia solution, assures that the patient is fully deceased and has zero chance of reviving. If the family is doing home burial they do need to remember when moving the body there may be some noises which come from trapped air and digestive functions. I try to express the bladder if possible before leaving but there still may be leakage so using an absorbent pad under the pet's back end is helpful. If transporting to the crematorium the pet will be wrapped in blankets and depending on size will be carried out in a basket, on a stretcher, or in my arms. In the case of a big dog there will need to be one person that emotionally and physically can handle the other side of the stretcher. Many owners wish to carry their own pet out to the car themselves as it has an almost pallbearer feel. All in all the average appointment time is about 45 minutes however some are longer or shorter in duration. I understand that there is a lot of anxiety about what happens to your pet once they leave your house. You have my promise that your pet will be treated gently and with respect at all times.