Dogs and cats give us a lot of joy, affection, and positive emotions. But, unfortunately, it happens that pet owners may be faced with a situation where, due to the diagnosis of incurable diseases, the only solution, which cannot be called humane, is to euthanize the pet. Let us note that diseases such as tuberculosis, rabies, and cancer in the later stages cannot be treated. In world veterinary medicine there are still no universal, effective pharmacological agents for the treatment of some deadly diseases. The disease progresses, exposing animals to severe pain and suffering. This article is described in the context of euthanasia for dogs, but it also applies to cats.
Of course, you need to fight for the life of your beloved dog to the last, but if the situation is hopeless and effective and efficient therapeutic therapy has not been developed, veterinary specialists recommend euthanizing the pet. In some cases, this is the only way out of the situation.
Indications for euthanasia
Animals are euthanized in veterinary clinics or at home. If the animal cannot be transported, it is best in such a situation to call an experienced veterinarian at home, so that after examination the doctor will make the appropriate decision and carry out a painless euthanasia procedure.
There are two main reasons for carrying out the euthanasia procedure:
- medicinal;
- social and household.
Medical indications include diseases, infections that cannot be cured and cause severe suffering to animals, as well as congenital pathologies that are incompatible with the life and normal existence of pets.
Indications for euthanasia:
- severe brain damage, spinal cord rupture (myelitis);
- neurological disorders, fifth stage pathologies;
- chronic liver, renal failure at the stage of uremia, hepatic coma, decompensated hepatopathy;
- oncological diseases, malignant tumors in the last stages of development of the disease (osteosarcoma, leukemia, angiosarcoma);
- some infectious, bacterial and viral diseases (tuberculosis, rabies);
- old age, incurable pathologies, diseases.
Euthanasia must be performed by a veterinarian
Euthanasia is prescribed for severely injured animals, for example, if a dog was hit by a car, fell from a great height, or received injuries that are incompatible with life or further existence.
Often dogs are euthanized if the pet shows excessive aggression, which cannot be eliminated by training or adjustments in upbringing. Another aspect is financial insolvency, when the owners do not have the funds for long-term expensive treatment. A similar procedure is often resorted to when a dog is left alone after the death of its owner.
Important! Euthanasia can be resorted to if the dog has given birth to unwanted offspring, but only if the newborn babies are under 10 days old.
In any case, sometimes the owners of our little brothers have to make a rather difficult decision: to resort to euthanasia or not? At the same time, we note that euthanasia cannot be the whim of the owners! The question of carrying out such a procedure should be decided by a veterinarian, following the established legislation. Otherwise, everything that is not provided for by law is considered the killing of animals, and the specialist who made such a decision will be deprived of a license to conduct medical practice.
Euthanasia without appropriate indications and veterinarian conclusions is impossible! In addition, killing a dog yourself cannot be called a humane method. Without experience or knowledge, you may not calculate the correct dosage of medications, thereby subjecting the animal to severe suffering.
In some cases, aggressive, uncontrollable dogs are euthanized.
How to euthanize a dog at home
Often, the owner needs to euthanize a dog at home; for this, in large cities there is a call service, which will carry out the same activities as during a visit to the clinic. The entire procedure takes from 10 to 30 minutes. For example, it can be used when a pet suddenly gets sick or gets hit by a car. In some cases, this procedure is also used to ensure that the pet’s last hours pass without the stress of transportation and waiting in line.
Euthanasia at home for puppies
Euthanasia at home for puppies is carried out if newborn animals were born with congenital anomalies, birth injuries or serious diseases incompatible with further normal development.
How to put a dog to sleep painlessly
Only a veterinarian can painlessly euthanize a dog at home; for this purpose, intravenous or intramuscular administration of a combination of anesthetics and muscle relaxants is used. With intravenous injection, the concentration of the active substance in the blood quickly reaches its maximum concentration, and respiratory or cardiac arrest occurs quickly and painlessly.
How to euthanize a sick animal
A sick animal should be euthanized only after the doctor gives an expert opinion that further treatment will not lead to an improvement in the quality of life and the prognosis is poor.
How does humane, painless euthanasia occur?
There are several ways to kill animals. Veterinarians most often resort to injection techniques. In extremely rare cases, an aerogenic method is used, in which dogs are euthanized with argon and other gases that cause suffocation, since this is a less humane option.
Veterinary specialists do not use tableted drugs for euthanasia, since such drugs, as a rule, only induce deep, long sleep. The tablets are slowly absorbed into the blood and cannot immediately stop breathing and heart activity. They can provoke muscle spasms, clonic convulsions, severe poisoning, and paralysis.
Inhumane, painful methods of euthanizing dogs include: euthanasia with electric current (a powerful discharge is carried out through the body), injection of alcohol solutions and ammonia into the lungs. The latter method is used to kill unwanted offspring. Animals die in severe pain due to suffocation.
At home, euthanasia is carried out when the dog cannot move independently, transportation is contraindicated, or in other emergency situations.
Important! If there is an urgent need to euthanize your dog, you should not take advice from forums on the Internet. If the dosage is not observed or the wrong choice of drug is used, the animal can be doomed to even greater suffering. Therefore, be sure to consult a veterinarian and call a veterinarian to your home.
Before euthanasia, the veterinarian examines the dog and selects an injectable drug
In clinics and at home, the euthanasia scheme is the same. The veterinarian puts the animal under deep anesthesia. Medicines are administered in large doses. They cause depression of the respiratory center and muscle relaxation. Barbiturates, curare-like medications, Propafor, Rometar, Zoletil or combinations thereof are used. The dosage is calculated based on the body weight of the animals.
After falling asleep, the specialist uses special means that provoke cardiac arrest. Injection drugs for anesthesia are intended for intramuscular, less often, intravenous administration.
The procedure for euthanizing animals takes from 20 minutes to half an hour. In this case, euthanasia is absolutely painless for dogs and other pets. A pet goes into another world without pain, torment, agony, or convulsions.
What sleeping pills are suitable for a long journey?
Transporting an animal by car is a very convenient and fairly fast way of transportation, but it is also a lot of stress for the pet. In this regard, it is recommended to give anti-stress medications to pets immediately before traveling. And if it does not have the desired effect, then you can give a small amount of sleeping pills.
When transporting an animal, it is recommended to use short-acting sleeping pills. The dose of medication depends on the duration of the trip and your pet’s resistance to shock and stressful situations. If you decide to inject with sleeping pills, it is better to trust a specialist. You can, of course, do this at home, but you need the appropriate experience.
To transport a small pet while asleep, we recommend using the following medications:
- "Nalbuphine" - intramuscularly 0.2 ml;
- "Relanium" - intramuscularly 0.3 ml;
- "Butorphanol" - intramuscularly 0.3 ml;
- "Vetranquil" - 0.15 ml subcutaneously.
After the animal falls asleep, it is necessary to provide it with a comfortable position, give it access to air, and also cover it with a blanket.
Hypnotic drugs for temporary euthanasia of animals
It is almost impossible to purchase tablets and other drugs for euthanasia of animals on the open market in veterinary pharmacies without a prescription. There are no certified sleeping pills for dogs in our country! You can use pharmacological drugs for people: Sibazon, Seduxen, Diazepam, Relanium, Phenazipam or their analogues.
Human drugs are used to temporarily euthanize dogs
Important! As already noted, the tablets are suitable for temporarily euthanizing dogs and cats. They may contain potent poisons that do not cause instant death, but only relax muscles and disrupt the functioning of the central nervous system.
A similar procedure is used:
- if it is necessary to urgently deliver the animal to a veterinary hospital;
- before performing certain lengthy surgical operations;
- during long-term transportation on planes, trains, in cars, if the pet does not tolerate travel well;
- when catching stray, aggressive animals.
When using veterinary medications to temporarily euthanize dogs, you need to be very careful. It is very important to calculate the dosage correctly. In order not to harm your pet, we recommend using homeopathic remedies and herbal-based sedatives.
According to the type of action, drugs for temporary euthanasia are classified into:
- anesthetics;
- sedatives;
- muscle relaxants;
- antiarrhythmic (lidocaine);
- medications that disrupt the water-electrolyte balance (magnesium sulfate).
Before using any medications to temporarily euthanize animals, be sure to consult with your veterinarian.
To temporarily euthanize animals you can use:
- Droperidol. Neuroleptic drug. Belongs to the group of butyrophenones. It has an antiemetic, pronounced sedative and tranquilizing effect. Reduces motor activity, relaxes muscles. Used for premedication.
- Propofol It has a general anesthetic effect at the level of lipid membranes of CNS neurons. Available in the form of an emulsion. In large doses, it inhibits the activity of the respiratory center.
- Ditilin. Refers to curare-like drugs. Muscle relaxant.
- Xylazine. Causes relaxation of muscle structures, depresses breathing and cardiac activity.
- Thiopental. Immerses you in a state of deep anesthesia.
- Diphenhydramine. Depresses the central nervous system, has a hypnotic effect.
- Ardaun is a relaxant, a relaxing drug, the action of which is aimed at blocking the innervation of muscle structures.
- Zolarepam. An anesthetic drug relieves pain symptoms.
To temporarily euthanize dogs, you can use “Cat Bayun”, “Stop-stress” in drops or tablets, Amitriptyline, other sleeping pills, sedatives, and plant-based barbiturates.
In any case, in order not to provoke serious complications or harm the dog’s health, be sure to consult with a veterinarian regarding the choice of a drug for temporary euthanasia.
Anonymous question
July 1 · 1.9 K
Recommend a strong sleeping pill for an old dog. The problem is the following - some kind of fistula on the back thigh, blood with suppuration, the dog licked it to the skin, at one time there were worms, now there is just a hole, the eye is still festering, sometimes it closes. The dog is old and very capricious, does not allow him to approach him at all (for this reason they could not treat him), one day a veterinarian vaccinating him against rabies in the village refused to approach him. It’s unrealistic to take him to a veterinarian for euthanasia, I visited him, discussed the options, he advised the hunter that it was also not an option - to take the dog out into the wilderness so that for the stated reasons we couldn’t shoot him there, I don’t want to do it in the yard. The yard is small, everything is concreted, and it’s also lit; I consider bloodshed unacceptable. In general, the only humane way I see is to put the dog to sleep with a strong sleeping pill and seal it in a bag - it doesn’t seem like it should wake up, if the sleeping pill is strong, it will suffocate in about 5 minutes. At first they gave 3 tablets of Fenozypam - no reaction. Next, after 4-5 days we tried with diphenhydramine, gave 4 tablets - it also did not work. The tablets were diluted in milk, because only the dog will drink milk for sure, if it is in soup, it can sit for days and go rotten, the dog eats poorly. With solid food - once 5 or 6 years ago they gave him tablets for worms - he ate the sausage, but didn’t touch the tablets. To give it to him so that it will definitely work, what do you recommend?
When they say about a monarch that he is kind, it means that he is no good for hell.
“If the sleeping pills are strong, in about 5 minutes he will suffocate himself.” What interesting experiments you have, you can immediately see that you are a humane person. What does blood on the frog mean, where do the worms come from? Call an animal control service or a dog handler with the crap used to catch dogs, take it to a NORMAL veterinarian to normal doctors, calling in advance and saying that the patient... Read more
Chinese car repair, spare parts. Maintenance of outboard motors up to 30 hp, Restoration... · kitayanka-info.ru
take him to the veterinarian, they will do everything there and even bury him. Otherwise, you will exhaust yourself and the animal with your mistakes. Euthanasia is an overdose of sleeping pills in which the body cannot stand it and dies.
How to cope with the death of your beloved dog?
There is a lot of advice on this matter, both from psychologists and simply, but personally it seems to me that the best way is to still adopt a new dog. In any case, she will turn her attention to herself, and it will become easier. In addition, you won’t have to change your habits, and this is also important.
About
Types of sleeping pills for dogs and cases of use
Sleeping pills for dogs may be needed in the following situations:
- with poor tolerability of some procedures. For example, hair and nail trimmings, vaccinations;
- for transportation in public transport and air travel;
- when catching;
- in cases of strong excitement, manifestations of aggression;
- during medical operations;
- before euthanasia.
Depending on the duration of exposure, there are three types of sleeping pills.
Means of short-term effect
Short-term sleeping pills for dogs are used during medical procedures, capture, transportation and to regulate sleep. They are also useful for trimming nails or fur if your pet doesn’t tolerate them well.
The medicine will act for about 30 minutes - during this time you can carry out all the necessary actions painlessly.
The most famous products in this group:
- "Xylanite" - has a calming and analgesic effect. Used during medical procedures, before general anesthesia and during transportation.
- "Cyclobarbital" - this product gives a quick effect, but it does not last long. It is addictive, so frequent use is prohibited. Should not be used for liver and kidney diseases.
- "Thiopentone" and "Introval" are fast-acting drugs. Give to animals in an aggressive state.
Medium-acting drugs
Medications with a medium-term effect are used before anesthesia, after surgery, for severe pain and convulsions.
Among them are known:
- “Barbital sodium” is quickly eliminated from the body and is considered relatively harmless. It can be given before anesthesia, for sleep disturbances and overexcitation.
- “Phenobarbital” is a sleeping pill for dogs used for plague, stress and seizures. Its action is aimed at reducing the excitation of motor centers in the brain. Has a calming effect.
- Noxiron is a lighter product than the previous ones, with a similar effect.
Long term drugs
This type of dog sleeping pill is used to put the animal to sleep for a longer period of time. It is done extremely rarely - mainly before surgery or in case of serious sleep disorders. Such means include:
- "Chloral hydrate" is considered a sleeping pill and analgesic drug. It is usually prescribed for chronic diseases aggravated by serious pain, oncology, and for overexcitation in animals.
- "Etaminal sodium." Produced in tablets, it has a long-term effect. May be addictive, so frequent use is not advisable.
- "Carbromal" and "Barbamil". Suitable for pathological behavioral disorders.
Any strong sleeping pill for dogs is available only with a prescription from a veterinarian.
How to give correctly
Before euthanizing your pet, you must obtain instructions on how to use the prescribed drug from your veterinarian. The specialist will assess the situation and the individual characteristics of the animal. Independent uncontrolled use is unacceptable!
However, there are general recommendations on how to give your dog sleeping pills.
The drug in the form of drops is quite simple to use. When it's time to feed your pet, you can add it to food or water.
If your veterinarian prescribes sleeping pills for dogs, you may need to try a few things:
- Put the pill in food. Usually the dog eats everything in the bowl. But, if the tablet is discovered, the animal will no longer touch this food.
- Form a small cutlet from the minced meat, then put the medicine inside. The pet will be delighted with the treat and will not notice the catch.
- If the previous two options do not work, you will have to give the pill by force.
If you are going to give injections, you will need to correctly calculate the dosage and choose the injection site. It is better to entrust this procedure to a specialist.
When is sleeping pills needed?
Proper and competent care of your pet reduces the need to use sedatives and sleeping pills. But, nevertheless, if there are signs of nervousness or insomnia in your pet, we advise you to immediately consult a veterinarian. Self-medication can only worsen the animal’s condition.
Remember that the use of any medicine, especially sleeping pills, in a high dose, turns it into poison, so do everything strictly according to the recommendation or prescription received from the veterinarian.
Possible side effects
From the central nervous system, low blood pressure, weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, depression are possible (especially in elderly or weakened patients).
In some cases, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, changes in breathing or allergic reactions occur. To avoid side effects, a preliminary examination, consultation with a doctor and observation of the animal will be required.
Natural sedatives
Sometimes dog breeders note that their pet’s own reactions prevent them from falling asleep: anxiety, fear, aggression, depression. In this situation, natural sedatives will be sufficient to eliminate stress.
The safest are herbal drops, decoctions, and infusions. According to the degree of strength of the effect, they are distinguished: valerian, motherwort, passionflower, Baikal skullcap.
Among pharmaceutical products with natural ingredients, it is worth mentioning the following: “Cat-Bayun”; "Fitex"; "Dbd Relax Plus"; Hormone Balancer Flower Essence. They provide the body with useful substances and have general strengthening properties.
Features of application
When choosing a sleeping pill for your pet, be sure to study the instructions and medicinal composition of the drug. In order not to worsen the animal’s condition, we advise you to consult a veterinarian. The doctor will tell you about the likely side effects of the chosen medication and also tell you how they can be eliminated. Ideally, only an experienced veterinarian should choose a sleeping pill; you just have to follow his instructions and under no circumstances increase the dose, as this can lead to tragic consequences.
If your pet, for example, needs a haircut and the journey to the groomer does not take much time, then you should not give sleeping pills. Any use of such medications has a bad effect on the animal, especially on its cardiac activity. In such cases, it is better to use herbal-based products, such as, for example, “Cat Bayun”, “Fitex”, “Stop-stress”, etc.
Remember that sleeping pills are recommended to be given only for complex diseases that are accompanied by pain and insomnia. Sleeping pills for dogs and cats actively act on the first phase of sleep, which speeds up the animal’s fall asleep. If a quick effect on the animal is required, an intramuscular injection is given; in other cases, the use of tablets is recommended.
The use of sleeping pills may cause some side effects in the animal. For example, when barbiturates are abused, addiction occurs, which leads to a new stage of treatment and possible health problems. There is also an individual intolerance of a pet to a particular medicine. Symptoms of intolerance: severe vomiting, increased sleepiness, diarrhea, refusal of favorite food, or the appearance of atypical behavior in the pet. In this case, you must stop taking the drug and take your pet to a veterinarian for a consultation and examination.