euthanization of dogs

Question
I was the proud owner of Bailey, a beautiful cream colored Lab.  Bailey was my late father's dog, which I inherited.  She was diagnosed with chronic renal failure a month before I put her down.  I tried everything in my power to help her to get well, spending almost $1000 at the vet.  When I realized that she wasn't going to get better, I decided to have her put to sleep.  Since I wanted to be with her when the procedure was done, I remained there.  What I witnessed was in my opinion the most inhumane thing I've ever seen.  It was performed by a liscenced veternarian in my city.  He told me that he was going to give her an injection in the muscle first, of a strong sedative.  He would then wait 10 minutes to give her a lethal injection IV.  He told me things that may happen, usually in 50 - 60% of the cases.  He said she may go into convulsions, may have muscle spasms and rigidity, may vomit, deficate, or urinate, and also may vocalize.  He said he needed to prepare me for this in case I didn't want to stay.  When it was time for the lethal injection, he came in with a 10 cc syringe, filled completely with a red liquid.  There was no weight taken of my dog, who had never been to this vet before.  He accessed the vein, without using a catheter, nor a tournequet.  I was eye level to my dog on the table.  Her eyes were closed.  The vet asked me if I was ready and I said to proceed.  When he administered the shot, he pushed the medicine as fast as he could.  My dog's eyes opened wide, she started getting rigid, had a total look of distress in her eyes, started coughing and panting heavier than I've ever heard or seen her pant, and it took 4 1/2 minutes for her heart to stop beating.  I want to know if this is normal procedure because everyone I have talked to says it's not.  They said that the transition was very peaceful for the dog as well as the owner.  This was far from peaceful for both of us.  She was more at peace before the injection.  I am a phlebotomist, and I have worked in the medical field for years.  Never in my career have I seen an IV injection given at rocket speed like I witnessed today.  If this is not the proper way of doing this, I would like to contact the animal rights society so that this vet can be investigated.  I paid for him to do this to my dog.  He would not tell me what he was using as medicine to do this.  All he said was that it was a strong sedative in both injections.  I don't want any animal to go through such an awful experience like what I saw, if I can do anything at all about it.  Please let me know.  Thank You!

Answer
Hi Bonnie,

I am SO sorry you had to go through an experience like that. :( No one should. All euthanasias should be stress free.

At my clinic we give a very strong sedative so they are basically under anesthesia (with out the endo tube in place). They all have catheters placed and we make a cocktail of the Euthasol (the red solution you saw) and acepromazine (to prevent the twitching, panting, etc...)

It is distressful they did not weigh her first. Euthasol is dosed out 1cc per 10 pounds. Many vets go far over the limit needed to prevent a second injection. You have to understand that Euthanasia soulution is just a concentrated barbiutate.

It should have not taken 4.5 minutes for her heart to stop- though there are the RARE cases of animals that are so sick, the body does not absorb the medication quick enough.

Yes in my opinion she should have had an IV in place, and the medication given at a slow, steady pace.

If you want your vet investigated, you must contact the Board of Veterinary Medicine in your state- not the animal rights society, they have nothing to do with it. The board will obtain all of her records and contact the vet.

Good luck.