8

Euthanasia

This chapter covers different aspects of euthanasia. Although this can be incredibly difficult to read and think about, it helps to understand what happens during your pet’s transition and to consider any options that are available. Having recently been through this process myself I must say that I was glad that I knew what to expect when my own little dog went through his transition. The chapter includes stories from other guardians about their personal experiences of having their beloved pets put to sleep.

Coping with Unexpected Euthanasia (Sudden Injury or Severe Illness)

There isn’t always time to prepare and think ahead, such as when a pet has been involved in an accident or has become suddenly severely ill. Of course, this is deeply shocking. In these circumstances, most likely your decision will be based on what the veterinary professionals say is, in their view, best for your pet.

There may be options of major surgery or other life-saving approaches to consider in a last-ditch attempt to prolong life, when you’ll need to discuss with your vet what is involved and the possible outcomes. If the animal is in severe pain that can’t be controlled, then the decision to end their suffering without delay becomes clear.

During an emergency, there isn’t always time to consult the whole family about the need for euthanasia; therefore, not everyone may get a chance to say their goodbyes. In this case, you may want to ask your vet for advice on how to explain the situation to your family, including any children, so that everyone is as clear as possible in their mind. The vet staff may also be willing to explain to the others later what has happened. Understanding why the decision for euthanasia had to be made so quickly will at least help to bring some clarity in a traumatic situation.

Coping with Planned Euthanasia

This chapter will help you be as prepared as possible when euthanasia becomes necessary. Although you realize that your pet’s life expectancy is generally much shorter than your own, as your companion animal starts to grow old or struggles through terminal illness, understandably you begin to fear the end.

As the pet’s guardian, you naturally feel responsible for their welfare and comfort throughout their life, and increasingly so as they draw towards the close of their time. Everyone hopes for a peaceful and straightforward ending and, fortunately, with veterinary intervention, this is usually possible.

Even though we know that euthanasia is a way of preventing unnecessary suffering (one translation of euthanasia is “easy death”), it is difficult to come to terms with the fact of making such a decision when it comes to your own much-loved pet. Whilst it’s challenging enough to get your head around having your pet put to sleep, it is important to consider after-death services. I will expand on this in the following chapter, but mention it here because thinking ahead means that your wishes for laying your pet to rest will be honoured and not be a source of regret later on.

Unless it is an urgent decision, it is important to try to allow all members of the family the opportunity to say goodbye to the pet beforehand. This includes young people who are at university or anyone working away from home. There may be someone who was involved in your pet’s care who would want to say their personal goodbye, if possible, or at least know what is happening.

When there are young children in the family, it is best to be honest with them about what is happening so that they are not shocked afterwards to find that their animal friend is no longer there. Phrases such as “being put to sleep” can be disturbing for young children, who may later worry that going to sleep means never waking up again. The chapter Children and Pet Bereavement gives more ideas and information on this.

Things to Consider about Euthanasia of Small Animals

You’ll need to think about whether it would be better to take your pet to the surgery or ask the vet to do a home visit, providing your practice does offer the home option. Again, this needs to be discussed in advance, if possible, bearing in mind that it is usually more expensive to have the vet come to your house.

To help you to decide, think about how relaxed your pet is when you visit the vet practice. If they get anxious, you may decide to opt for a home visit. If that is not an option, perhaps you could ask whether it is possible to give your pet sedation at home beforehand.

If you decide on euthanasia at home but your own vet is unavailable to do it, you could ask them if they can recommend another local vet who would be able to do this. If you choose to find a vet through the internet who does house visits, do check everything carefully in advance, including the cost, to ensure that the standard of care and pricing is acceptable to you.

You may want to check with your vet practice about what they offer if you elect to go to the surgery. Some surgeries have a specially designated room for euthanasia, away from the hustle and bustle of the surgery, or they may have a different exit so that you can avoid having to go back through a crowded waiting room afterwards.

The vet will usually ask whether you wish to be present when the final injection is given. There is no hard-and-fast rule; it’s entirely up to you. If you know that you will be so distraught it could upset your pet, or that your emotions will totally overwhelm you, you may decide it is better to wait outside and then go in afterwards to say your final goodbye.

Euthanasia at Home

You may want to ask your vet if there is anything you can do at home to prepare your pet. As an example, a close friend of mine carefully shaved areas on her pet’s legs where she knew the injection would be given; she did this to more than one site in case there was difficulty inserting the needle at the time of euthanasia. Alternatively, you could take your pet to the surgery a day or two beforehand so that the vet nurse can shave the legs in advance. Sometimes, vets agree to your giving prescribed sedative medication beforehand if the animal is likely to be anxious.

Having arranged a time for the vet to come to your home (bearing in mind that the vet may also bring along a veterinary nurse), try to spend time beforehand with your pet, keeping them comfortable and letting them know how much they are loved. It will help both you and your pet if you can stay as calm as possible, keeping the room quiet and undisturbed, perhaps with peaceful music playing gently in the background. However, do allow yourself to express how you feel, and remember that it’s totally natural and normal to cry in response to such a significant loss.

Euthanasia at the Vet’s Practice

If possible, take someone with you for support and have them drive you home afterwards. You are likely to feel highly emotional, and having someone who understands what you are going through will help. Vets are very aware of the shock and grief that pet guardians go through and are used to people being upset when their pet dies, so you do not need to feel awkward about showing your feelings. It is understood that this is a very difficult time.

Practical Aspects and What to Expect

This section includes some of the practicalities about euthanasia, in the hope that it will help you to be more prepared.

No matter where the euthanasia takes place—at home, at the surgery, or outside—think about what familiar items may be of comfort to your pet. For a cat or dog, perhaps have a special soft toy or favourite blanket to give them the comfort of something that smells and feels familiar.

You will probably be asked to read and sign a consent form. This can be distressing, but it is a necessary legal formality.

Nowadays, vets will often give sedation before the final injection. This can be particularly useful for small pets, such as cats and dogs, which are likely to need restraining for the final intravenous injection to put them to sleep. An animal might need to be restrained because they are generally anxious, reactive, or highly strung or they get nervous about any veterinary intervention or have recently had a lot of medical treatment.

The sedation injection is given either into a muscle or under the skin using a small needle. This allows the animal to relax prior to shaving a leg for the final injection, which goes into a vein. The idea is that it makes the process as calm as possible, as the animal is less aware of what is happening, and it makes it easier for the guardian to hold and comfort their pet as they gently pass away. Ideally, you would talk to your vet in advance of the euthanasia appointment so that they can accommodate your wishes and ensure enough time is allocated. However, your vet might advise against sedation for medical or other reasons.

If you have decided to stay with your pet during euthanasia, ask the vet to explain what will happen so that you are as prepared as possible. Vets usually give an injection either straight into a vein, or through a carefully placed small tube that is secured into a vein. To do this they will need to shave a little fur. The vet may apply numbing cream to go on the pet’s leg beforehand to lessen the sensation of the needle; again this is something you can request if you feel it would help your pet.

The final injection quickly causes unconsciousness and the heart to stop beating. As the pet slips away there may be some muscle twitching, which is a natural reflex action, and a gasp. It is helpful to have a towel or cloth to wrap around your pet, as there is usually soiling after death which happens because muscle tone is lost. Again, because the muscle tone is no longer there, the eyes will remain open once the pet has died.

Euthanasia of Large Animals, Such as Equines

Your vet practice will be able to give you information on options for euthanasia of larger animals, such as equines, so you can decide on which method is best for your beloved animal and your circumstances. As with smaller pets, where possible it is much better to plan ahead to minimize stress and keep things as calm and peaceful as possible. Unless euthanasia has to be done as an emergency to prevent acute suffering, there are practical matters to be considered in advance, such as the method, the place, and taking care of the animal’s remains.

There are two different methods of equine euthanasia. The first method involves an overdose of anaesthetic injected into a vein in the neck, which will make the animal quickly go unconscious and cause the heart to stop beating and breathing to cease. This may involve putting a cannula (small tube) into the vein and securing it ready for the final injection, or alternatively the drug may go direct into the vein, depending on what the vet assesses to be best in the circumstances. Some vets will give sedation beforehand to make the animal as relaxed as possible. If this is something you think would help your particular animal, discuss it with the vet, ideally in advance of the appointment.

Alternatively, the vet or an experienced and skilled marksman who has a current firearms licence can use a humane pistol. This will cause immediate unconsciousness and death. Again, sedation can be given beforehand, but as this can only be administered by a vet it would need advance planning if a marksman is being employed.

Whichever method is selected, you will need to know the cost and be fully confident in the proficiency and humane handling and care of your animal during their transition. Personnel administering euthanasia for large animals should guarantee a high standard of animal welfare, whilst demonstrating a sensitive and understanding attitude to the guardians. A personal recommendation from other members of the local equine-loving community can be very useful in this regard.

Practical points to consider include choosing a location out of sight of other animals with a soft surface, such as grass or bedding. The area also needs to be accessible for the vehicle used to collect the body afterwards.

Providing your equine companion is still eating, it might be possible for the vet team to offer them a ginger biscuit or other favoured tasty treat when being put to sleep by injection.

As noted above, staying with your animal during euthanasia is a personal choice, but you need to be aware that it is highly unlikely that you will be able to be close to your companion at the actual point of administration of the drug or humane pistol because of health and safety considerations. The euthanasia of standing equines will involve the animal falling down, which is particularly sudden when a humane pistol is used. You would need to be mentally and emotionally prepared for this, and any associated sounds and sights that you are likely to witness should be explained to you beforehand.

In professional hands, and with kind and knowledgeable handling, euthanasia causes immediate loss of consciousness for the equine, thereby preventing suffering. As with smaller animals being euthanized, there can be a gasp, muscle or leg twitching, and their eyes will stay open. When a humane pistol is used for euthanasia, be prepared for visible blood loss.

Understandably, you may feel that you would rather say a final goodbye to your beloved companion animal before euthanasia and leave the professionals to carry out this final act of kindness. If this is the case, you may have a trusted friend who would agree to be present at the time of transition for you, which can be reassuring.

If you intend to use a slaughterhouse it is advisable to ensure that it is reputable. In recent years, the high levels of concern about how animals are handled and slaughtered in some establishments were such that new legislation making CCTV mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England became necessary to help safeguard the animals’ welfare.

Euthanasia of Pet Birds and Very Small Animals

Usually, very small caged pets will be taken to the vet to be put to sleep rather than having a home visit. If possible keep them in their usual cage, but if you need to transport them in a different carry cage, make sure that some of the bedding and perhaps some food items from their normal living environment are included so that they are surrounded by familiar sights and scents.

Euthanasia of pet birds and very small animals such as guinea pigs and hamsters is different because their veins are too small for an intravenous injection. It has to be said that some methods are considered kinder than others, and I would always ask the vet to explain the procedure.

Avian vets are most likely to use anaesthetic inhalation gas, to which birds are particularly sensitive. This will cause them to fall into a deep sleep and pass away peacefully. This is a method I would insist on for any companion birds that were in my care. Injectable methods for birds and very small animals involve a needle that has to be quickly passed into the heart. Some vets will sedate little pets with a dose of inhalation anaesthetic gas first, which again is something you can request or insist on for your pet.

Other euthanasia methods may be used but you need to understand them and be sure these are acceptable to you before giving your consent.

Note about “gassing”: If a vet says that they’ll give your pet gas to put them to sleep, ask them what sort of gas. Most likely they are referring to anaesthetic gas, which causes unconsciousness, as described above. But please be aware that another gas, carbon dioxide, CO2, has been used for killing rodents and birds, particularly in research centres. Carbon dioxide causes suffocation, which takes around three minutes of the animal gasping desperately for air, something a guardian would not want for their beloved pet. If carbon dioxide is proposed by a vet, please consider taking your pet elsewhere to ensure a kind and humane death.

Euthanasia of Exotic Pets

If you care for an exotic pet, such as a lizard, snake, or tortoise, you will most likely already use a vet who is experienced in treating your type of pet and knowledgeable and proficient in end-of-life care. However, for your own peace of mind, do not hesitate to ask them how they would euthanize your pet so you can be sure that it is as humane and painless as possible. There are specific methods for fish, which again you would need to discuss with your vet.

When Euthanasia Is Not Straightforward

Although euthanasia is designed to ensure a quick and easy death, it has to be said that occasionally things don’t go as planned. This may be due to the animal’s physical state having declined to the point when the usual procedure becomes technically more challenging, or the pet is difficult to handle because they are stressed or in pain. Sometimes, the injection itself can sting as it goes into the vein, and an already stressed animal will naturally react by crying.

Any of these scenarios are incredibly upsetting for the guardian and stressful for the vet team. If technical difficulties arise, everyone needs to remain as calm as possible and look at the options to make things easier for the pet. One option may be for the vet to administer a sedative and allow time for this to work before trying again. Don’t be afraid to say that you want things to be done slowly and calmly and that you wish to pause and talk through how best to proceed. For example, it may be more comfortable for a small animal to lie on a soft bed or blanket on the floor, rather than be firmly held on the surgery table.

If the vet decides on a different method of euthanasia than originally planned, ask them how it works, what it will cause, and how long it will take, so that you know what to expect. Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns, and ask for further clarification if you are unsure about what is being proposed.

The Vet’s Perspective

Performing euthanasia can be stressful for everyone concerned, including the vet personnel. They carry a huge responsibility as they try to ensure that the process is as calm and peaceful as possible. When things are not straightforward, the pressure they come under is immense. As well as the technical procedure, they also have to be mindful of the distress that the guardians are going through. Furthermore, the vet team may have bonded with the animal themselves so it can be upsetting for them as well.

Payment for Euthanasia

To avoid any misunderstanding, make sure you have an idea of the cost beforehand. It’s difficult to have to consider this at such a time, but payment may be expected straightaway, although some practices send an invoice later to their regular clients.

If you have decided to use one of the mobile vet services available via the internet to have your companion animal put to sleep at home, ask for a quote beforehand so that you won’t be faced with an unexpected high bill to pay afterwards. Although cost may be the last thing on your mind at such a distressing time, it is a good idea to check out this practical issue to avoid any further upset, and to print the quote so that you have it in black and white, if it is needed.

How You May Feel Immediately after the Death of Your Pet

Even though death was expected, you may feel shocked and distressed once it has actually happened, so do allow yourself some quiet time afterwards. The sudden and unexpected death of a pet can be particularly shocking, and it is really important to make sure that there is time to recover from the shock before trying to resume normal activities, such as driving or anything for which you need to be fully alert and aware.