Touchy Subject Close to Heart

[LA]

This is something I really want to know about. I am sorry if it's really hard to handle but I really have to ask if I am ever put in his situation so I know what it's all about.

Euthanizing... I would really like to know the different ways of doing it and how it's normally done. I know there are some that are worse then others.

If no one minds helping me here it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Notamuised]

Although hard to take and sad it is the best option to help our sick and sufferning babies achieve a peaceful death.

They say the time for this is when there is no hope of improvement through the use of meds or surgery and when they are no longer enjoying life.

Debbie D says "When the illness talkes all their energy and concentration, if they show no interest in food or physically can't eat, even with help, if they seem to be constantly in pain, distress or misery then this is the time to say goodbye and let your rat go on to a better place."

It hurts but in the end is the right thing to do

Others more experienced on this forum can tell you about the best way, what is humane and what is not. Hugs.

 

[Lise]

I have to deal with euthanasia on a daily basis at work, and it never gets easier. I don't think it is ever an easy decision for anyone.

The drug used to euthanize is usually a very powerful barbituate. It is basically an anesthetic drug in such a powerful concentration and dose that instead of just becoming sleepy and going unconscious, it progresses to the death stage.

Euthanasia for our rodents is different than other pets, because you can't inject into a vein like you would on a dog or cat.

The two common methods to get this drug into the system in a rodent are IP, intraperitonal which is injecting into the abdominal cavity and IC, intracardiac which is an injection right into the heart.

When doing IP the drug will take longer to absorb, and it can be awhile before sufficient drug is absorbed into the body to cause the euthanasia. I have read up to 15 minutes, but from personal experience it is actually much more rapid, within 5 or so minutes.

When doing IC the drug is going directly into the heart which leads to rapid euthanasia.

Needle pokes are painful, especially since our rats are so tiny. For this reason it is often recommended to gas the rat down with an inhalant anesthetic such as isoflurane first. They breathe in the gas and fall asleep in just a couple of minutes. When they are asleep the injection (usually IC) can be done and they won't feel a thing. IC injections should never ever be done on an awake rodent. That is inhumane.

If gas absolutely is not an option, doing an IP injection and then covering the animal with a blanket and putting it in a quiet place to fall asleep is not inhumane. I don't prefer it, and we all love our pets dearly and would prefer them to pass quickly, but they are not in any pain after the initial needle poke.

I hope this helps you understand what happens.

 

[mamarat2]

We have two different routes that we have used here:

1 - Isoflurane gas is given and the rat goes to sleep, the IC stick is then administered and the rat passes.

2 - More common one lately it seems. My vet gives a high dose of liquid anesthetic via injection into the hind end (intramuscular injection), the rat falls asleep in my arms, when fully asleep (takes about 10-15 min) the vet administers the final dose of euthanasia fluid IP or IC, either way they are NOT feeling it at this point.

Lately I have been faced with using the second route more often because I have been to the emergency vet for many euthanasias and they are more willing to perform this with me present, and to be perfectly honest their ER isoflurane gas $ rate is through the roof.

My exotic vet that I dearly trust euth's this way, it almost seems to be a deeper anesthetic than the iso gas.

And I might add, we see the vet for ALL of our euthanasia. They are the only ones qualified.

 

[Lise]

Mamarat2, that would probably be a sedative they are injecting or even more likely a combination of a sedative & narcotic that produces a neuroleptanalgesia. The rat would be deep asleep and not feeling any pain. That is definitely another good option to put the ratty out and not in any pain before euthanasia.

 

[user 78]

I've only had one girl PTS so far. The vet placed her in a tank and administered Iso, and after she was fully out she administered the IC.

From all the various methods I've read/heard about, you absolutely must sedate the animal in some fashion prior to the IC/IP injection. Anything else is quite inhumane. The gentler the administration of the sedative/anesthetic is, the better.

Any sort of IP injection given to an animal while it's still conscious is extremely inhumane. I believe they've even stopped giving humans rabies shots in the stomach because it's ridiculously agonizing. Anything other than the already mentioned methods isn't a good way to go. On other forums there's been alot of debate about how to do it, but I think dealing with the bad taste of Iso for a minute is better than the alternative.

 

[jorats]

My vet herself told me that an IP injection without sedation is very inhumane and should never be done.

 

[Lise]

It is considered an acceptable practice in veterinary standards. (IC without sedation is NOT considered acceptable.) http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfa ... anasia.pdf Page 14 outlines this. Whether you personally feel it is humane is an individual decision.

I have administered IP injections without sedation, and though I will choose otherwise for my own pets I do not personally feel it is anyway cruel or inhumane.