What Is "Normal" When Euthanasia Takes Place?

[Bevo71]

On Monday, Oct. 29th, I had to have my sweet Himalayan kitty, Tiffany, put down. She lost her battle with lung cancer.
What disturbs me to this day is what took place and how it differed from when I went through this experience in the past with another kitty.

15 years ago, I had a 17 yr. old cat named Puddn put down. (She had been having a series of strokes.) At that time, the vet had inserted a catheter with 2 leads . The first injection was to help her go to sleep, like for surgery; then, after her eyes closed in slumber, the second injection stopped her heart.

This past Monday, however, things were different when this same vet put my Himalayan down.
He took her into his tech lab area to insert the catheter with the 2 leads. It took a while. When he brought her, on a blue towel, into the treatment area, I was startled that her tongue was hanging out about an inch and her eyes were very wide and seemed dilated. He placed her on the exam table, and I held her head and told her I loved her. He administered the first injection and her eyes remained open. Rather than wait a few seconds, he immediately and rapidly admnistered the second injection. I asked him why her eyes did not close and he said this will help as he cntinued to administer the second shot.

Her eyes never closed. As I looked at her legs, I noticed he had shaved them both. He said her blood pressure was so low, he had problems finding a good vein.

When I called him back later, still disturbed by the way things went, and told him my concerns as this process differed greatly from what happened 15 years ago, he said sometimes animals do not close their eyes. He never really answered my question about her tongue. He just kept trying to reassure me that she had no distress when he was inserting the catheter, and he really felt like she was gone with the first injection.

I was wondering if any of you had similar experiences when having to have your kitties euthanized?

[special]

I'm so sorry for your loss, and for the stress it has caused you. Any time I read a post like this I start to cry.

10 years ago I had to have my beloved Baby put to sleep as he was in acute renal failure. Unfortuneately for me, his heart was still strong, and the vet did not sedate him before euthanizing, and Baby fought the needle. It was terrible. I was looking right into his eyes and he was terrified. I've never been able to get over it, though he's been gone, resting in peace, waiting for me at the Rainbow bridge ten years, and I no longer use that vet. But I still cry and hurt over that experiece.

Baby's eyes did not close either. All other cats I've loved and had to say good bye to over the years, the experience was peaceful but I do not remember if they eyes were opened or closed.

I am terribly sorry for your loss, and for the unhappy memory that is now attached to it. I hope you can let it go much easier than I have been able to.

[KathyW]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Having a pet put to sleep is hard enough without having questions about it afterwards.

We had our 15 year-old kitty put to sleep this past June, and our vet administered 2 injections, the first an anesthetic, the second to stop the heart. She never took her away; we were there the whole time. Oliver never reacted to any of this, and I honestly didn't know exactly when she died because her eyes didn't close either. I was waiting for them to close, but they never did. I asked about it, and the vet told me their eyes don't close.

My only disappointment about the procedure--and this is trivial compared to yours and Special's--is that they used alcohol before giving the injections (no shaving), and she smelled like a doctor's office afterwards when I was holding her body while my husband and sons were digging her grave. It's a small thing, nitpicking really, but at the time I remember wishing she smelled like herself, and wondering why anyone would be worrying about infection in an animal that was being put to sleep.

Special: I'm crying just reading what happened to your poor Baby. Here I thought it was unbearable listening to Oliver's weak meows on the way to the vet that last time, but to have watched her struggle while there....oh my God. How awful. I'm so sorry.

[ferJenna]

I'm so sorry about your loss :(

It's tough putting down your baby, especially when it doesn't happen the way you expect. I'm so sorry you had to go through that.

It's a common misconception that animals (and people) close their eyes once their gone. It takes muscles to keep them closed, and once you have no control over those muscles there's no way for them to stay shut. It scares a lot of people, because they don't realize that. I always educate everyone before it happens so they know exactly what to expect.. I guess if I was in their shoes and didn't know what was going on, I would be scared as well.

When any kind of sedation is given, the pets become groggy and having the tongue hang is fairly common. If they are able to stand they wobble a lot too. When putting in a catheter, from experience, especially with cats because their veins are smaller than a dog if they have low blood pressure it can be very difficult. That's probably why she was shaved in a couple different areas to try different veins.

I can imagine how all of this made you feel, and for that I'm so sorry.. Please accept my sympathy for your loss and your experience. I'm sure your baby had a wonderful life, with many people that loved her.

Special and Kathy: Your stories make me so sad, and I'm sorry for what you had to go through as well. I'm so sorry.

[beasgal]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I, too, had my 15 year old kitty put to sleep this past Wednesday. He was already hospitalized for severe complications from his diabetes. When we got there to say good-bye, they brought him into a room wrapped in a blanket. The vet told us they weren't giving him an anesthesia injection first because he was unresponsive with a shallow heart beat already. They told us to be prepared because his eyes wouldn't close and there might be some jerking when they administered the medication to put him to sleep. However there was no jerking. He just stopped breathing. The vet then checked his heart with a stethoscope and told us he had passed.

I was very thankful that they took the time to tell us exactly what would happen, so we had no surprises.

[Bevo71]

Thank you all for responding to my question and for your sympathy. It certainly wasnt as peaceful as my other cat who was put to sleep 15 years ago, who did shut her eyes.

Tiffany was 13 years old and had fought hard to live. She was diagnosed Dec. 4th and given 2-3 months max to live. Fortunately, the cancer went into remission so I had many more month with her.

What was also disturbing about the process on Monday was that, after about a minute, my sweet kitty Tiffany opened her mouth and pulled in her tongue. A few seconds later her rib cage rose and fell as if she was taking a breath. The vet claimed that sometimes happened...reflex...and he should have prepared me for that eventuality. When I got home later that night, I really was dwelling on it and called back and got the vet who was on call. He assured me she was dead, but I didnt trust him.

When I called again the next morning Tiffany's vet seemed a bit perturbed, asking me why I was doing this to myself. I told him I wanted to make sure she wasnt just paralyzed, headed to the crematorium. He was wondering why, after all the years I had used him in her care, I wasnt trusting him now. However, I was concerned that her blood pressure wasnt ample enough for the drugs to get through her system. He told me she had not been in distress when he put in the needle a couple of times looking for a vein(which I find hard to believe...why else would her tongue be hanging out before he administered the sedative?).

I wont forget that.

Special...that had to have been awful. I am so sorry you and your baby went through that. Horrible memories to have.
Kathy...Tiffany did not meow going to the vet, but did get up in her carrier and circled around 3 or 4 times, then lay down. Since her blood pressure was low, I wonder if she felt she needed to do that to keep going.

Thank you all for your support and for relaying your experiences.

[tiffers]

We don't use the two injections, just one. We give the owners the option of a catheter or not. The technician also spends about five to ten minutes explaining how the drugs work, things that may happen, we tell them they may potty everywhere and that their eyes will not close and whatnot.

I'm sorry that so many of you have had such horrible experiences. Our clinic spends SOOOOOOOO much time 'perfecting' out Euthanasias, as horrible as that sounds. It's the last memory you'll have of your pet and we want to make darn sure it isn't a horrible one.

[special]

We don't use the two injections, just one. We give the owners the option of a catheter or not. The technician also spends about five to ten minutes explaining how the drugs work, things that may happen, we tell them they may potty everywhere and that their eyes will not close and whatnot.

I'm sorry that so many of you have had such horrible experiences. Our clinic spends SOOOOOOOO much time 'perfecting' out Euthanasias, as horrible as that sounds. It's the last memory you'll have of your pet and we want to make darn sure it isn't a horrible one.

That's a good thing, Tiffers. Too bad more practices, and vets aren't like that. I was talking to a woman at my gym last night who lost her dog due to feeding contmainated food in the pet recall. They wanted some time with their dog to say good bye and the vet kept popping in to ask if they were ready yet. Can you imagine? They stood thier ground and took the time they needed, (and the tech apologized behind the vet's back) but it must have been terribly distracting and annoying.

[special]

What was also disturbing about the process on Monday was that, after about a minute, my sweet kitty Tiffany opened her mouth and pulled in her tongue. A few seconds later her rib cage rose and fell as if she was taking a breath. The vet claimed that sometimes happened...reflex...and he should have prepared me for that eventuality. When I got home later that night, I really was dwelling on it and called back and got the vet who was on call. He assured me she was dead, but I didnt trust him.



That part actually is true. I had that happen with another cat who was euthanized, his rib cage went up and down one last time, AFTER he was gone.

I'm sorry you've had such an unsettling experience, and you're right, you likely won't ever forget it. I try not to mull over Baby, but when something like this comes up, or I have occasion to drive by that veterinary practice, it all comes back, just as sharp as when it happened. sigh. I will always have cats, but out living them never gets any easier.

[special]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I, too, had my 15 year old kitty put to sleep this past Wednesday. He was already hospitalized for severe complications from his diabetes. When we got there to say good-bye, they brought him into a room wrapped in a blanket. The vet told us they weren't giving him an anesthesia injection first because he was unresponsive with a shallow heart beat already. They told us to be prepared because his eyes wouldn't close and there might be some jerking when they administered the medication to put him to sleep. However there was no jerking. He just stopped breathing. The vet then checked his heart with a stethoscope and told us he had passed.

I was very thankful that they took the time to tell us exactly what would happen, so we had no surprises.

If only more places were like that. Thanks for sharing your experince in this thread so soon after your loss of Mackey.

[tiffers]

...the reason for the movement, vocalization, etc is because the body is 'falling asleep'. It's dying. There have been a few pets who have muscle spasms for a minute or so. People, after death, do this very same thing. Death is not as 'pretty' as it is in the movies...and it seems that everyone always expects everything to be like the movies.

We also have at least two people listen to the heart before it is pronounced dead, and I refuse to put anything warm into the freezer. There have been a few 'unexpected' situations that one learns from their mistakes. I don't think I could handle something like that...

Can I ask you a question, Bevo. Why 'Tiffany'? ...why did you choose that name?

[cheribob]

Bevo,

Years ago I had a friend who worked for Fort Dodge Vet Supplies. He said that sigh is called the "death sigh". He warned me to be prepared for it. (At the time I had an older cat). He said owners found it very upsetting. But he assured me that the animal would not be in pain and would have passed away.

When I had to put The Mooch to sleep his eyes did not close either.

[katiebug]

Bevo,

Years ago I had a friend who worked for Fort Dodge Vet Supplies. He said that sigh is called the "death sigh". He warned me to be prepared for it. (At the time I had an older cat). He said owners found it very upsetting. But he assured me that the animal would not be in pain and would have passed away.



It's true that this happens in people as well. Unfortunately I have witnessed it first hand (without being prepared) and it was very upsetting, I can imagine how you felt with your kitty. I am sorry that your vet is not more comforting to you. Sometimes the vets are so smart when it comes to practicing medicine, but they really have no people skills at all.