Timing euthanasia, family and vet joint descision issue.

[smileybritches]

I'm so sorry.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Maybe you interpreted it as a pain signal when it was really confusion? With the pain killers injected with the actual medicine, I bet her leg was just numbing itself which could cause confusion and panic?

I am so sorry you had to go through that. So very sorry.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Do not blame yourself, you deserve none of the guilt you are feeling.
Crap, I am so very sorry it was so rough. I have had that sort of experience twice. Neither vet will ever see any of my pets again. I worked in clinics for years, some vets are just not good at euthanasia.

I finally found one who will apply a tourniquet and give a "sleepy" shot after setting up an IV. Then he goes off and leaves me to say my goodbyes. When he returns, my pet is tranquilized and never even notices the last addition to the IV. Find a more compassionate and competent vet for future needs.

My heart aches with yours, and I have a river of tears for you all. Many hugs to you.

Sally

 

[WoodlandWoman]

After I alerted the vet, she confirmed that the vein was blown and she had injected it outside the vein, in the leg. The solution is ph balanced, so that it isn't painful when injected into the vein. It does burn when injected into tissue. That's just the way it physically is. Not being in the vein was also why it wasn't putting her to sleep. It was sitting in the leg, instead of circulating in the bloodstream and being absorbed right away. It makes it a slow death, as well as burning. At least we got it corrected as soon as possible.

I should have talked to the vet about their procedures before I ever took Maddie back in. I just didn't realize I needed to. My other vets used an IV catheter taped to the leg and injected through that, which is more stable. They also injected a sedative, first, so I was expecting her to do it that way, too. I thought that was standard practice these days, at least around here. It was my mistake. I was surprised when I saw they weren't using an IV cath, to inject through. They just injected straight into the leg. They didn't inject a sedative first, either. She was sticking her just as I realized what she had and I didn't have time to react. I was focusing on my dog.

I thought about not posting this, so people on the board facing this wouldn't be anxious about something going wrong. On the other hand, maybe this is something people should know about and be able to talk to their vets about.

 

[verthandi]

Quote:
You did the right thing my her. I have had to go through an euthansia similar to this one. Sometimes if they give a sedative first it doesn't help either. I wish to believe in your and mine case that our hearts told us that it needed to be done sooner. We both had reasons that the day came a little later. As their bodies start to fail, it can be more difficult to start the injection. I actually had to walk away for a few moments after my girl let out a yelp. This incident made it easier for me in the future to know that my choice of timing is correct. Maddie did not remember the pain; she will remember you sitting by her and being with her. Dogs are like that....the unconditional love that we miss so much when they are gone. I am sad for you today, but know that Maddie is well and running with the great dogs that crossed the bridge before her.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Hon, you have done a valuable service to others by posting a reality. I think many of us are intimidated by anyone in the medical field, I know I am hesitant to ever question anything regarding myself. BUT - I have been learning to remind myself that I am paying them, not the other way around. And when it comes to an animal in my care I become a tenacious bulldog, since I learned the hard way, too.

You have handled the whole situation as well as you possibly could have, don't feel you did anything wrong at all. I am very sorry for the loss of Maddie.

 

[Happy Chooks]

You can't blame yourself, every situation is different. I'm so sorry it had to go so terribly for you though.

I ended up putting my dog down and 3 months later had to put my cat down. With my dog, I showed up with her and my mom came to take care of my young children while I went in with her. When my dog saw my mom, she perked up and acted like nothing was wrong with her. That just broke my heart, considering her back legs were giving out so much that I had to crawl into her dog house to get her out because she couldn't stand up. The actual euthanasia went well though with her.

Now with my cat, it was horrible. She was in liver failure and my 16 pound cat was 6 pounds when I took her in. (I probably waited longer than I should have, but it was so hard with my dog, I wanted to be sure it was the right time) They put it into her veins, she relaxed and they told me she was gone. I told them she was still breathing. Her blood pressure was so low that it wasn't circulating to her heart to end her life. They had to take her in the back room and inject it directly into her heart.

The same vet did both animals, but my current animals will never go there. It should be a peaceful process to put them down.

 

[gettinaclue]

I never would have known to ask my vet about how they go about doing this. Thank you for sharing your experience, and I am deeply sorry for your loss.

 

[verity]

Our precious "Kiddo" was put down today at the vet --- (14 year old Japanese Chin rescued from a puppymill 10 years ago)

We always make an appointment and ask about the procedure -- sedative injection in the muscle and then the lethal one into a vein --

We. too, have had the bad experiences ---
the weaker the animal, the harder it is to get the meds to the proper place and for them to work to end the animal's life --

Maddie was one of the fortunate ones -- to have a family that loved her unconditionally and did the kindest thing at the end of her happy life.

Try to picture her as a new star in the night sky --- I will be lighting a candle tonight to send 'Kiddo' on her way to the stars --

Take it easy on yourself -- you did everything you could do ---

and it never, ever gets any easier --

 

[cafarmgirl]

Such a hard thread to read. WoodlandWoman, thank you for posting even though it was hard. Now I know what questions I need to ask next time I am in this situation. I have an old, failing dog who I know is not far from the day. And even though you feel it didn't go smoothly for Maddie you still gave her the gift of being released from all her pain and discomfort. That is far better then lingering, you didn't fail her in any way.