Page 3 - Compassion Understood - Euthanasia

Sedation
Some vets will recommend that a sedative injection is given to your pet to help them relax before the final injection. This is usually given painlessly into a muscle in the back leg or as an injection under the skin. A sedative may enable the final injection to be given into the back leg, leaving you more easily able to touch and hold your pet at the front end if you wish to.
Not every pet will be able to have a sedative before the final injection, for clinical reasons. But if it’s something you would like, don’t be afraid to discuss this with your vet. It’s your time to express any wishes you have for your pet’s passing.
Clipping and cannulas
If your pet is to have a euthanasia injection into the leg, an intravenous cannula is often used. The nursing assistant will hold your pet so that
an area on your pet’s leg (this may
be the front or back leg - the latter
is recommended so that you can
hold your pet’s head during the final euthanasia injection if you wish) can be shaved with clippers. This makes the vein into which the euthanasia solution is injected easier for the vet to see
or feel.
Once the area has been shaved, it is cleaned with a cotton wool swab and an intravenous cannula (a tube which is inserted into the vein and secured using skin tape) is put in to allow a secure channel for injection. Sometimes the vet will give the injection directly into the vein with a needle on the syringe. He or she will make the judgement as to what is best for your pet.
You may wish to bring along a blanket for them to sit on, or a favourite bed. Most vets will find a soft bed if you haven’t remembered one. Larger pets such as bigger dogs, will often stay on the floor for the euthanasia procedure, and the vet will come down to their level, to prevent any distress from being lifted up.
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