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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Dog Euthanasia sadness

12 replies

sodogtired · 23/05/2023 21:54

We had to have our lovely old dog PTS today and I'm struggling to come to terms with it as it wasn't the experience we had been led to believe it would be and I guess I'm wondering where the fault lies - with the first vet who we saw the day before, with us for having unrealistic expectations, or the vet who did the euthanasia...?
Basically we were told by first vet that the appointment would be half an hour but that is mostly for our benefit so we wouldn't have to rush, as actual process doesn't take that long. She said there would be 2 injections - the first would be a sedative and anaesthetic so he would drift off to sleep and no longer feel any pain, then they'd do the 2nd injection to stop his heart.
The thing is that the first injection he didn't like much, but he calmed but he never actually went properly to sleep? He sort of did, but would stir when she came back in the room and he actually growled at her when she first came up to him after 15mins to see if he was ready for the 2nd injection, which was horrible as it told us he was scared 😢 she therefore gave him more of the first injection, but he was still the same?? It then took a 3rd (and what she said was the equivalent to what they usually give a Great Dane) to actually sedate him to the point at which he didn't get upset and actually allowed her to give the lethal injection. This whole process took just over and hour and I just feel so sad that rather than peacefully drifting off he was obviously stressed and scared and I just feel so heartbroken that is how his life ended? 💔 have we just been naive and this happens all the time, or did someone cock up somewhere? Either way, how do I move on from this without sending myself mad worrying about it?

Thanks x

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 23/05/2023 22:20

Sometimes it just doesn’t go to plan, it’s horrible for you, but, you’ve just got to remind yourself that while it’s traumatic for you, for them it’s not and way better than a long drawn out painful death.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 23/05/2023 22:21

Sometimes sedatives don’t ”take” that well and it can make them a bit disoriented, hence the growling.
I think your experience was unusual and unfortunate but probably not anyone’s “fault.”

Please take care of yourself he sounds very loved and sure he had a wonderful life

longtompot · 23/05/2023 23:07

I personally would take comfort in the vet making sure my dog was calm and sedated properly before continuing with the procedure, no matter if it took longer than expected. I have read posts on here where the end wasn't peaceful and their dogs fought the medication. I am so sorry for your loss💐

LittleBrownJug · 23/05/2023 23:27

It’s all very sad and I agree it never seems to go as we imagine. I had one cat PTS in horrific circumstances some years ago and yesterday was my darling boy cats turn.

I’m very, very sorry about your DDog. But if he was sedated properly, as he was in the end, he wouldn’t have been feeling scared. It’s powerful medicine. He would have been calm and sleepy, like a human being given a diazepam before a procedure I imagine. I asked the vet the name of the med as it seemed really strong but I’ve forgotten it now …

The vets here will do a house call which makes it less stressful for the animal so that’s a bonus. But because there was both vet and nurse my cat was scared, even more so when they shaved his paw for the cannula. So even though we were at home on my bed where he always was he was still scared and knew something was up. He tried to leave poor love, got off the bed … I had to bring him back. They gave him the sedative as I didn’t want him to be scared. And when it hit him - pretty fast - he just zoned out. His eyes were open but he was totally still and just wasn’t with me anymore, that’s the best way I can put it. He was alive obviously (but so skinny and wasted away from illness and old age) that it hit him like a tonne of bricks. I still cuddled him and loved him, he was obviously in a bit of pain when catheter went in as he sort of jumped. Meds in the catheter. All over. Fast. So one minute he was out in the garden enjoying the sun. Then a little confusion and fear. But then the sedative. The whole thing was probably no more than 15 minutes. I sat with his body for a minute and closed his eyes. But he wasn’t there anymore, even though he was still warm and furry.

horrible and strange experience whichever way you dice it. My heart goes out to you OP. If your dog was sedated he wasn’t scared. And you did the right thing, try and hold onto that and your happy memories.

Luckycat1 · 23/05/2023 23:51

I'm so sorry. I think when euthanasia doesn't go as expected that it's very easy to fixate on the experience rather than feeling at peace for doing the right thing for your pet. I was really affected by it not going as the vet said with our much loved family rats, one died outside of the room from the sedation held by a nurse not us (welling up writing that) and the other was breathing rapidly for ages in a distressing to watch and hear manner. As horrible as the experience was for you, you did the right and kind thing for your dog ❤️ they're no longer suffering and their death was not drawn out

SmoothSeasDoNotMakeGoodSailors · 24/05/2023 00:07

I'm so sorry for your loss 💐Having a pet PTS is heartbreaking. My dog passed away the day before his appointment and the pain has lessened over time. I cancelled his previous appointment as he perked up and with hindsight wish I hadn't. Allow yourself to grieve and don't dwell on the details, they are what they are. My other dog was due to have a procedure which had to be cancelled because she fought against the sedative, sometimes it happens and it is no one's fault. Sending you strength for the coming days while you come to terms with losing your loved pet.

Newpeep · 24/05/2023 08:50

I’m so sorry. It is a variable experience. Our cats drifted off peacefully but our dog fought it at every step despite being so elderly and ill and our fantastic vet being so experienced and calm with her. The vets can only do so much to minimise it but it is awful and just as bad for them, knowing a couple of vet nurses well.

Original poster

sodogtired · 24/05/2023 10:00

Thanks all. I just wish we had been prepared for it not going as she said it would. I should have looked it up before hand, and found out more, but he deteriorated so quickly that we didn't really have time to think and this was my first experience of having to do this. He was loved so much - I just feel so sad that he fought it so hard as we thought that he was more ready than we were (he'd stopped eating completely and seemed to have given up). We wanted to be able to give him cuddles at the end when he was asleep, but while he was fine with being stroked he didn't want a cuddle (when usually he was happy for us to do so, but not others) and it feels sad that he left this world feeling tense. You are right though that I guess it's good the nurse made sure he was fully sedated before administering the final injection as at least that wasn't painful for him. 💔

OP posts:

IngGenius · 24/05/2023 11:12

I am so sorry that you had to go through this.

In my experience the older and iller the dog the less likely the sedative is to work.

Not sure if it as the blood supply and bodily functions are not working so well so the sedative is not as affective.

Do take peace from the fact your dog is now painfree and although traumatic for you it was the best thing for your dog.

I have had some very awful experiences at the end of some of my dogs lives.

It is a big thing and do not undervalue how it makes you feel. Give yourself time to process but do be kind to yourself and deep down understand you did the right thing in the best way possible for your dog.

maimeo · 24/05/2023 23:43

Our little dog was PTS yesterday too, OP. He went to sleep peacefully and in fact I didn't realize, through the sobs, that he was gone, because somehow I expected his eyes would close but they stayed open. DH and I were in bits, but the young female vet was so kind and in control of the whole procedure. I'm very sorry for your loss especially when you have concerns about how it went. He's at peace now 🤗

LabelleLabelle · 25/05/2023 18:16

I’m so sorry, I just came to this forum to seek comfort about losing my own dog today, I was also overwhelmed by the procedure I think in a different way. She did warn me about could happen. They took him away to put the cannulas in and I begged her not to hold him down to do it, she promised she would not but she said she didn’t think he needed sedating so she didn’t do that. She went away for what felt like an hour but was about 5 mins. When he came back, within a few minutes she was ready to PTS it was so so fast, he passed away almost instantly so I was overwhelmed by that as he was close to the edge of the table I was afraid he would fall so I held him and felt him pass away. At least with our dogs they were safe and pain free, your dog didn’t sound stressed, being sedated he was likely just drowsy and sleepy, he wouldn’t have really fully been aware of everything just felt very sleepy.

DforDogWoof · 26/05/2023 13:39

It is hard but try not to mash over those last moments x

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