[bjh]

Have you heard of or experienced this procedure not going as intended?

Am not trying to be gruesome. Would like to know, based on a comment in another thread, makes me wonder. Would like to know for future decisions.

[texdav]

We had our dog put to sleep. If he was given a shot to basically put him to sleep slowly. Then the injection;he died in a instant.Unless you have alot of money to sleep on pets 'it is better than having them suffer IMO. Too mnay let their pets die a slow death .

[Racelady88]

Having spent a lifetime working with show horses, having numerous farm dogs & cats, and a few cows, pigs, and assorted other critters I have seen many euthanasia procedures. I have seen a couple not go quite as smoothly as we would have liked. In once instance the animal was severely dehydrated and it took an excessively long time to complete. In another the vet was out of the more expensive Sodium Pentathol and used Phenobarbital which can be very harsh.

The new generation of euthanasia meds are a "cocktail", so to speak. They use a combination of meds and they seem to be kinder.

Some animals will fight the meds. That is not any different with a euthanasia than with any other type of medication. I have only seen a couple fight it, but it was not pretty. The majority simply close their eyes and pass quietly to Rainbow Bridge.

[kelly237]

My 14 year old golden laid in my lap and very peacefully went to sleep.
I remember the vet saying the drugs first made him sleep then stopped the heart.
I would have been devastated if it had not been peaceful

[bande1102]

I chose euthanasia for my beloved Maggie (Saint bernard) and it went very smoothly. There were two injections and it really look like she just went to sleep and slipped away. I truly see it as my final gift to her. It wasn't a decision made lightly --- I struggled with it mightily. But in the end, I trusted my vet and together we did what was right for her. I also talked to my vet at length about the drugs. I basically told her I didn't care how much I had to pay--I wanted it to be as gentle and painless as possible. And it really was. I also asked her about possible things that could go wrong, etc. She mentioned to me that the one drug (sodium P) had to be injected into a vein in the dog's leg and some dogs were so sick that they sometimes had trouble doing that and sometimes had to do two injections. It is my understanding, though, that the animal remains unconscious during the second injection and isn't in pain? I'm not sure.

I second texdav's comment that too many pet owners let their pets suffer for far too long. Animals hide their pain so very well.

bjh---I wish you many days before you have to make this decision. It is indeed a tough one, but, again, I am extremely grateful to be able to have had a choice for my Maggie.

I do have one question, though. There was an ad in my local paper about our humane society not having enough of a drug (didn't say which one) for euthanasia and that some animals suffered more than they should have. Anyone know what they could possibly be talking about? Along those lines, I know of people dropping sick dogs off at shelters as opposed to taking their pets to the vet for euthanasia.

[leorah]

Originally Posted by bande1102

I do have one question, though. There was an ad in my local paper about our humane society not having enough of a drug (didn't say which one) for euthanasia and that some animals suffered more than they should have. Anyone know what they could possibly be talking about? Along those lines, I know of people dropping sick dogs off at shelters as opposed to taking their pets to the vet for euthanasia.

I'm not sure if this is what you're referring to, but some shelters use Ketamine as a sedative prior to euthanasia. The DEA has classified Ketamine as a schedule III controlled substance and many shelters can no longer obtain it because they aren't licensed for its use. Some replacement sedatives are less powerful and less reliable. Perhaps this is the case at the shelter you are referring to in Maryland. Without a sedative dogs are conscious prior to administration of the killing agent and the actual death is unpleasant to witness--and to experience.

[bande1102]

I'm not sure if this is what you're referring to, but some shelters use Ketamine as a sedative prior to euthanasia. The DEA has classified Ketamine as a schedule III controlled substance and many shelters can no longer obtain it because they aren't licensed for its use. Some replacement sedatives are less powerful and less reliable. Perhaps this is the case at the shelter you are referring to in Maryland. Without a sedative dogs are conscious prior to administration of the killing agent and the actual death is unpleasant to witness--and to experience.

I think you're right leorah. Incidentally, it won't let me give you any more reps-but I tried Anyway, here's a link to a local paper that did the story

Is euthanasia without sedative cruel? | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com) (http://www.hometownannapolis.com/vault/cgi-bin/gazette/view/2008G/02/06-40.HTM - broken link)

Is there anything that animal lovers can do to help? I'm not sure if it's a big deal anywhere else, but in MD it definitely seems to be an issue that we're hearing more about.

bjh ---this article goes into a bit of detail about things that can go wrong without the proper drugs.

[Victor 13]

Our terrier-poodle named Huggie would have been with us 20 years this October. On Sunday afternoon he suffered a seizure. We intended to take him to the vet to make a determination, but never had the chance to do so. He had several more around midnight. My wife held Huggie in her arms and told him that he was a good boy. He closed his eyes and passed away. Maybe it was good that he didn't have to be put down. He was a great family pet and companion. He will be missed and remembered.

[leorah]

Originally Posted by Victor Slape

Our terrier-poodle named Huggie would have been with us 20 years this October. On Sunday afternoon he suffered a seizure. We intended to take him to the vet to make a determination, but never had the chance to do so. He had several more around midnight. My wife held Huggie in her arms and told him that he was a good boy. He closed his eyes and passed away. Maybe it was good that he didn't have to be put down. He was a great family pet and companion. He will be missed and remembered.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Nineteen-plus years is an exceptional lifespan and I'm sure the fact that Huggie lived such a long life is a testament to your love and care for him. I can't imagine anything better than dying in the arms of someone you love after living a long and happy life. May we all be as fortunate as Huggie...

[leorah]

Originally Posted by bande1102

I think you're right leorah. Incidentally, it won't let me give you any more reps-but I tried Anyway, here's a link to a local paper that did the story

Is euthanasia without sedative cruel? | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com) (http://www.hometownannapolis.com/vault/cgi-bin/gazette/view/2008G/02/06-40.HTM - broken link)

Is there anything that animal lovers can do to help? I'm not sure if it's a big deal anywhere else, but in MD it definitely seems to be an issue that we're hearing more about.

bjh ---this article goes into a bit of detail about things that can go wrong without the proper drugs.

Wow, thanks for posting that link! I did a search and found that in April the MD legislature passed a bill sponsored by Delegate Cardin that the governor signed on May 22 to allow shelters to again use ketamine: Governor O’Malley Signs Bill Allowing Maryland Animal Shelters to Provide Humane Euthanasia | The Humane Society of the United States (http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/omalley_signs_bill_allowing_humane_animal_euthanas ia_052208.html - broken link). This is good news indeed...