Conversation overheard at the vet's

[Desert Arabian]

I have always pondered this since the first time I had to take an animal in to be put to sleep.

I refuse to take my rats to the vets to be put to sleep, unless they are in extreme pain- like Oreo, she was bleeding to death so I had to. I really HATE the way rats are put to sleep. They take the rat away from you to some weird, cold, noisy, odd smelling room away from its owners to be stuck in the heart with a large needle. Then they bring the rat to you still alive, but they can't process anything and are about .5 seconds away from true death. Hardly/no time to say yer last good-byes.I HATE IT! See, with dogs, cats, and most other animals you can be in the room with the pet and they are administered through the vein, and comfort them and watch them pass in peace amongst familiar loved ones.

I want to put my own rats to sleep, I know that sounds odd. Personally, I wish the could be gassed, humanely obviously. Because when they are stuck in the heart, they are in EXTREME, beyond extreme pain.

(I have to say is thank God I didn't have to have princess Peanut stuck in the heart....THANK YOU LORD! I am so blessed that she passed away peacefully at home. THANK YOU! I miss you Peanut...)

I do not think that vets should GIVE you medicines to put your pets to sleep, I think they should have vet techs come to your house and put them to sleep for you there. That way the animal can pass in a familiar place surrounded by love, and nobody has to worry about the drugs & needles ending up in the wrong hands. That is what they really need to do.

[curiosityrats]

My vet used gas. I checked. I always check. (And Megacolon is extremely painful, and this type is always fatal. I managed her on a special diet as long as she could eat and play and was happy.) I always ask about surgical procedures, too. It is our responsibility as pet owners to know exactly what our vets are doing and how it affects our pets. Especially when you own animals other than dogs and cats, because not everyone (even vets) knows their particular needs.

I am glad that I only had to go through it that one time... I would rather have my pets go "naturally," but some terminal illnesses are very painful and drawn out. It is hard, and it's good to have a vet that sympathizes and will work with you.

[smokey the elder]

I think the vet should do the deed; because the medicines are dangerous and should not be handled by lay people. I think if the house call is an option, that's a good way to go, especially if the pet is traumatized by riding in a car.

I'm surprised about how they euth rats. At the pharma company where I work, I think they use gas. Sticking a needle in anywhere can't be very humane, IMO.

[Glacier]

Originally posted by Twisterdog

I agree that a vet should never just send the drug home with the pet owner. Too much can go wrong, and too much potential for danger exists. But I feel strongly that vets ought to make house calls for euthanasia.

My vet will do house calls only for euthansia. For regular clients , he doesn't charge for the service if done in his clinic. For a house call there is a nominal fee. When the time comes (hopefully not soon), my animals will leave this world in the comfort of their own home.

[trayi52]

Logan
I know what you mean about taking them to the vet to have them put down, it is heartbreaking, I was lucky I guess, if you call it lucky, but my 16 year old cat died last year, the last two months of her life she started getting so skinny, thought she seemed okay and was not suffering, she still slept with me actually slept on my side of a night, and would lick my hand, until I went to sleep. But maybe she knew she was dying, because she seem to do that more often and was constantly there everynight, then one night she crawled under the bed, I assumed she was going under there to die. I made her come out and I held her in my arms in a blanket until she drew her last breath, it seem she just went to sleep in my arms. She even looked like she was just sleeping peacefully in my arms. I had that cat for such a long time, she was really a very special cat. I really missed this cat by the name of Pyewackett. I think I went off the subject. I am very sorry about that, just made me think of her.
The part about drugs being stolen from the vets office, well that sounds familiar, the same thing happened here, this person realized that the doses would be different for humans than with horses and even small animals, this guy actually stole the vets manual that told how much to dispense by the pound, one desperate guy.