My last dog was sedated before being euthanized. We were asked by the vet and we all felt it was the best route because she hated being at the vets and we wanted that stress gone as quickly as possible. They gave her the sedation and we sat with her and cuddled with her and told her how much we loved her. The vet gave us all the time we wanted and when we were ready the vet came back in and gave the final shot. It sucked but it was what was best and it worked out well.
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[QUOTE=Obiwan;8797853]
Luvdogz, are you kidding me? Donāt be there while your dog is dying?[/QUOTE]
I canāt believe someone would pile on to a grieving person because they donāt understand why that person couldnāt be thereā¦
Being present for a euthanasia is a very personal decision and each and every one of us needs to do what is right for us, not for the rest of you.
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Oh Sswor, I am so sorry for your pain. 
Please stop beating yourself up over your decision. Like so many other have said, it is a personal decision and I donāt judge anyone on that decision. Ozzie was my husbandās dog and he couldnāt be there, but was very grateful to me for being able to do it.
Years ago when I worked at the small animal vet, he was an old school guy and when someone decided they were going to put their pet to sleep but didnāt want to be there for it, he would have us put it in a cage in the back and wait until a free moment to give the injection. It was horrible to see some of them sit in a cage for hours crying and upset that they were left alone when they were already suffering. That was when I promised I would be there with all my pets just in case there was another unkind vet out there that would do this. (And yes, I quit shortly after that).
DrBeckett - my horse Jack was the only one I couldnāt be present for. I waited until he was gone, (due to my prior experience with the small animal vet) before leaving, but I just couldnāt watch him go.
pezk - thank you for sharing your painful story. I wanted to know if my experience was unusual and it seems that it was not.
And to those I didnāt address directly, please know how much I appreciate you sharing your stories. I didnāt want to make this a bash session for those who choose not to be present when their pet is PTS, and I have great sympathy to all who have to go through this and would not judge anyone on how they choose to handle it. :sadsmile:
I looked at my bill and they listed āTelazolā as the pre-euth solution. Do any of you have experience with that? And why was the switch made to another type of euth sol if there were more adverse reactions to it than the previous solution? I just need to understandā¦
When I lost my Forrest, they put a cath in him and gave a sedative of some kind. He really didnāt need it, he was already pretty chill. But then, we was ALWAYS pretty chill if I was there with him. I got to sit with him for a while, and when I was ready, they gave him the euthansol. He was gone in seconds.
I just sent my first ever hate PM in over a decade on this forum. We will see if she is man enough to come back and apologize for being a heartless cow or not. And before anyone accuses me of this hitting too close to home, I have been with every animal I ever put down except one. I was 10 hours away when her mitral valve ruptured so my daughters had to take her in and stay with her.
I am SO SICK of this forum being a place where people feel free to say the coldest, most heartless, downright hateful, nasty things to one another. What was done to me here after I lost the dog mentioned above was freaking ridiculous.
PS the two of you who liked her post suck too. Eight of you have coal black hearts. No wonder there are so many hateful, heartless things being said here.
Laurie +++
[edit] there is a very large number of people here that can not look outside their own box and simply think their way is the only right way. Which is sad for them.
I have a friend who does not do death well. I have held two horses for her when their time came. She was able to go do what she needed to do to deal with the passing of her loved animals and I made sure her animals passed peacefully. I give this friend tons of credit for knowing where her limits in life are and making arrangements accordingly. I certainly do not find any fault in her issue with being there. I have my own limitations, which she thankfully, has been there to support me with. I am thankful that this is one area I can give back to her.
Ok, if you liked it accidentally you donāt suck, if the shoe fits, it fits.
We sedate with Telazol before giving Euthasol. They go to sleep right away, and there are no odd reactions with the Euthasol. If the catheter is not in right, Telazol can hurt. My last practice would have us give Telazol SQ first, and many animals reacted to that. But I like how most animals go down quickly and quietly with it.
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[QUOTE=DrBeckett;8798844]
We sedate with Telazol before giving Euthasol. They go to sleep right away, and there are no odd reactions with the Euthasol. If the catheter is not in right, Telazol can hurt. My last practice would have us give Telazol SQ first, and many animals reacted to that. But I like how most animals go down quickly and quietly with it.[/QUOTE]
My vet gave it IM (I think, maybe it was SQ) and it stung. He didnāt place the catheter until after the second shot of Telazol. To be clear, I donāt blame him. I understand that we all (people and animals) react differently to different medications, so you donāt know until you do it. But I wanted to know if others had the same reactions my three dogs did, and if the one shot method was still practiced. Thank you DrBeckett. 
I have put several cats to sleep, each with sedation first. All 3 times it was peaceful. Iām sorry for everyoneās losses and also sorry for the times it wasnāt a smooth ending. FWIW my experience with sedation first has been peaceful
[QUOTE=DrBeckett;8798844]
We sedate with Telazol before giving Euthasol. They go to sleep right away, and there are no odd reactions with the Euthasol. If the catheter is not in right, Telazol can hurt. My last practice would have us give Telazol SQ first, and many animals reacted to that. But I like how most animals go down quickly and quietly with it.[/QUOTE]
This is what I do in my place as well. I warn families that this one injection might sting, but that itās the last bit of pain. They typically just gently āfall asleepā. Standard in ER is catheter, propofol, and then euthanasia. I prefer my way as I hate taking a pet away from the owner for catheter placement.
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OP, i am so sorry for your loss.
the experience you had is why i opt to do mine at home. they may be nervous and suspicious of the new person at first, but settle after a few pats, sniffing, or even treats if they have any appetite remainingā¦ i think arranging it at home is much easier for them then the stress of a car ride/stress of being at vetāsā¦
all of mine have been two shots; first sedation, and then euthasol. i believe with my last dog it was telazol; it was so quick and he was gone in almost an instant. it was gentle, but god was it quick.
with the horses, iāve found theyāre usually mobile at least for a while, but are no longer there. i wonder if the brain functions differently, horses being prey - the āflight driveā being the last thing to go.
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[QUOTE=Marshfield;8798985]
This is what I do in my place as well. I warn families that this one injection might sting, but that itās the last bit of pain. They typically just gently āfall asleepā. Standard in ER is catheter, propofol, and then euthanasia. I prefer my way as I hate taking a pet away from the owner for catheter placement.[/QUOTE]
Our clinic uses Telazol also. The euthanasias of my personal pets have been very peaceful.
Sounds like for the most part, Iāve just been unlucky in that my animals reacted badly to the Telazol. I will ask in the future if it can be done with one shot. Iād rather a few moments of upset for me (if there are twitches or odd breaths) than several minutes of distress for them.
Fessyās Mom - i do know of another euth that wasnt peaceful. I knew the owner and vet. In fact the vet euth my old horse and the mare died quietly. But the other horse didnt go quietly. He fought the vet and drugs. He didnt want to die. The vet almost gave up being a vet, and she was a good one, and the owner never owned a horse again. She became a missionary. So yes it happens. Not every human dies in peace, why should it be any different for our animals? Some are survivors and they will fight to the bitter end. Its not something that seems to be taught in vet schools or medical schools very much. The power of the mind.
Sorry about your dogs. Ive had dogs all my life and most have gone quietly, but not all. And those are the ones that leave a deep scar on the heart.
To clarify, my comment was only in regards to dropping off an animal at the vet. Not when you are in a purely unable situation to provide comfort for your pet. Iāve been there having to make the call states away.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;8798197]
That is ridiculous, the dog didnāt know he was going into a cold room to die. A few minutes in that cold room doesnāt negate a lifetime of love and care. Itās not like she threw the dog in the ditch to let the vultures eat him alive. Way to add insult to injury in typical COTH fashion, you should be ashamed of yourself and owe her an apology. There is no wrong answer to the decision to stay with an animal when they are put down or not. What is best for you may not be best for everyone. I assure you the dog would be calmer with calm strangers in that cold room than with an owner who is hysterical for example. Seriously keep your admonishments to yourself.[/QUOTE]ā
I donāt think you give animals enough credit for their intelligence. They are not stupid. Theyāre going to question why they are in a vet room alone, if they are normally with with their owner. Dogs, despite their domestication, are predators and that leaves then with a mind that gives them an ability to evaluate and make decisions. With (what seemed) simple abandon that luvdogz suggest you just donāt support your animals in their final moments was aghast to me. Clearly I have a different opinion. Iāve been there while human members were dying, and I figure I owe my animal counter-parts no less. Apparently I am in a minority.
[edit]
Fessy- my condolences remain.
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[edit] That was the worst apology I have ever seen by the way. The dog is dead, I donāt see what you can possibly gain by calling her out over her decision not to stay with the dog other than to add to her pain. You may āknowā about animals but you donāt seem to give a crap about people and their feelings. [edit]
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[QUOTE=Obiwan;8799271]
Clearly I have a different opinion. Iāve been there while human members were dying, and I figure I owe my animal counter-parts no less. Apparently I am in a minority.[/QUOTE]
There is a time and a place in which to voice your opinion and castigating someone for how they chose to handle the euthanasia of a beloved pet is not it.
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Personally I could not leave my dog to die alone (unless obviously I was too far away to be there and it NEEDED to be done right then for my dogās welfare). I have only put to sleep 2 animals. A dog and a horse. I was quite young with the dog, Chippy, probably around 15 or so. The horse, Markie, was about 6 years ago when I was in my mid 20ās.
I have a 16.5 yr old dog now and though heās currently a fairly healthy guy for his age, I plan to be there with him when he goes.
Both euthās were peaceful. The horse vet was only going to give the euth and not sedate, but the lady that free leased my mare for the last years of her life (who has experience with euth horses) asked for sedation. The vet said it would take longer for the body to stop with sedation but that the horse would not be aware. She went down pretty gently and though she made a few āgulpā type sounds I felt it was a fairly peaceful passing.
I donāt know if the Chippy was sedated first
