Lost our dog today - complications

[DawnCt1]

How tragic. About three weeks ago my neighbors' dog needed to be euthanized. The parents were out of town. The DSs were distraught. She was a very elderly dog that suddenly developed a lot of pain and agitation. The parents couldn't get home in time. The boys called the vet and they were able to get a dose of xanax for her to take. She was a bichon. The xanax relieved the anxiety but she was fully awake. One of the boys fed her her favorite snack; watermelon. With the parents permission,about an hour later I drove one of their DSs and my DS to the vet. "Sam" was relaxed and C fed her the snacks that were in the treatment room while the vet injected the drug. She went to sleep chewing. It was absolutely peaceful. We all stood there crying and saying goodbye. She didn't even know she had been given a needle because she was eating. It didn't have to be the way the OP described and I would not pay for that at all. How infuriating.

 

[Jockaroo]

Liz, I am so very sorry for your loss. Ginger runs free in the world without leashes--a world without pain. Try to take comfort in that.

I truly admire your husband for having the strength to be with Ginger. We could not be in the room for the final injection with either of our Scotties. We held them for the sedation and stepped out when they were peacefully sleeping. It was the rare "complications" that I didn't think I had strength to bear.

You, your husband and your family are in my thoughts during this difficult time. Rest in peace sweet Ginger.

 

[Patricia721]

Liz
I'm so sorry for the loss of your beloved Ginger. How heartbreaking for your husband to have witnessed her suffering - sadder than sad.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The needle broke somehow, contents of the injection spilling all down my husband's leg. Instead of our baby passing quietly her last 30 seconds were spent squealing in pain.

I know we could cope better with the loss if it hadn't ended this way. I don't even know how to make peace in my mind with the way things ended. Somehow we'll have to but we're devastated.

I'm sorry for your loss. I can sympathize.

I've been there for three of my dogs being PTS. With two of them, the drug was injected in without prior sedation and there was some squirming and such. It breaks my heart to think about it.

The last time I had my dog PTS, I had a different vet who did it so well, I'd never do it any other way again. She gave my dog an intramuscular injection prior to the euthanization which sedated him as if he was having surgery. Instead of the stress of holding him down and him dying right there, he fell asleep on the table and we had a nice conversation about his life while patting him gently. Once he was fully "under" and I was "ready" (and she asked me whether I wanted to stay for that part or not, which I did but I went over and looked out the window) she gave him the final intravenous injections (three, actually - the first one infiltrated, and the second one was not enough, necessitating a third thankfully he was sedated beforehand or this had the potential to be a nightmare). A much better way than injecting directly while the pet is awake. I sincerly hope anyone reading this who has to go through this difficult process considers requesting this method if it isn't offered.

My suspicion as far as the needle goes is that the locking part (needle to syringe, which are separate) became unlocked and separated, spilling the medication, as opposed to the needle actually breaking. I am a hospital nurse and use needles like this to draw up medication, mix drips, give shots, etc, and it happens a fair amount, spilling medication on me (I'm sure many nurses can attest to this). Obviously, not good in the setting of an actual euthanization, but at least I would think that your pet did not feel pain as a result of it; it probably, however, delayed the process and caused a bit of chaos (in trying to reconnect the needle to syringe and/or possibly having to redraw up more medication) in the heat of the moment. Hope this gives you some peace about it. (If you are unsure you could always ask the vet who performed the procedure to explain exactly what happened as it is bothering you. I would think he or she would understand.)