PTS Experiences/Thoughts/Opinions?

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Choccy*Dun

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Sorry that it's a bit of a grim subject, but I've got a few questions that I was hoping people could answer.

I had to have a friends cat put to sleep today (she was on holiday and I was the emergency contact for the cattery - not brilliant as I had to ring her up and ask her permission which has obviously left her very upset :(!).

My first experience of having an animal put to sleep was my horse a few years ago, and it was incredibly peaceful. However, I had to have another cat put down a few months ago for a family member as they didn't want to witness it, and as the cat was given the injection he meowed really loudly. I have complete faith in the vets abilities, so just put it down to the cat objecting to being held by someone he didn't know and having a needle stuck in him.

However, friends cat today also screeched, and now I'm worrying if this supposedly 'painless' method isn't so painless? Obviously I told my friend that her cat just quietly went to sleep whilst being cuddled, but I'm concerned about when it is time for my cat - I'd be horrified if she made that noise! My horse was sedated before he was PTS, so perhaps that numbs the reaction? Has anyone else had these horrid experiences or have I just been very unlucky?

Thanks in advance for your replies, and apologies again for the nature of this post! x
 
I hate the injection. I now know of at least three occasions of dogs being PTS and reacting in a similar way - crying, yelping, struggling etc. Utterly, utterly horrible - and what a tragic way for their owners to remember their last moments :(

The experiences friends have had with horses being PTS by injection would haunt you for weeks, so I won't go into details - but suffice to say I very much doubt I would ever want a horse of mine put down by injection.

I know this might sound harsh, but if the bullet were an option for all animals, I'd gladly take it - even for a cat or a dog. I really worry about the injection and its alleged 'humane' qualities. :(

Sorry you had such an unnerving experience today - RIP poor pusscat :( xx
 
When Koko was PTS he had a capula (SP?) where the drip was going in and they put the medicine straight into this so no needle.

However, he was so ill by this point that he probably wouldn't have noticed the injection anyway. I still believe its as painless as it can be and I think the opjections you are talking about are most likely due to the needle itself as my cat screeches all the time when he has his jabs.
 
It's a difficult one isn't it ... I know of people who have had experiences both ways, but just makes me dread having to go through it again. Like you mentioned MissElz, it's not even as if you have the choice of injection or bullet for the smaller animals :(

Also, Kokopelli I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your boy - it's always the special ones that get taken too soon x
 
_MizElz_ said:
I know this might sound harsh, but if the bullet were an option for all animals, I'd gladly take it - even for a cat or a dog. I really worry about the injection and its alleged 'humane' qualities. :(

Sorry you had such an unnerving experience today - RIP poor pusscat :( xx
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I personally know of two people who refused to allow anyone else to PTS their dogs.
One was an old farmer whose working collie's time had come. His view was |"I brought her into the world, I'll take her out of it" He did, and he sobbed, but he never doubted his actions or reasoning.
The second was very similar, again a working dog, terrier, who became ill and quite incapacitated at a young age. She was taken out to where she had had her last kill, and the deed was done, and she was buried there. Again her owner's view was that no one else would do it.
I admired them both, but don't think I could be that strong myself. But, horsewise, a bullet every time.
 
My experience of Pharaoh being put down was certainly much nicer than having any of our cats/rabbits/hamster. Pharaoh was heavily sedated anyway and from what I have heard most horses are sedated first and then injected. It was quick but peaceful and I doubt he knew what was going on. As far as he was concerned he had put his head down for a sneaky bit of grass whilst we were standing talking and then I pulled him up like I usually do when he does it, like usual he struck out as he wasnt getting his own way and then he went down and that was it, he was gone. With the other animals (mainly the cats and rabbits) they were being held down and then injected, none of them liked being held like that and all put up a fuss which was horrible to see :( One vet even clipped out the rabbits ear to find a vein but caught some skin so the rabbit struggled which made everything worse. The vet that did my hamster was pretty horrible anyway as he kept telling us how we were silly to waste money on putting the hamster down and should have left him - the hamster was 4 years old and had a stroke so couldnt even walk. There was no way I was leaving him to suffer even if he was a hamster!
 
I have had five dogs PTS so far in my life, and all of them went extremely quietly with an injection into the vein in their left front leg (one was on a drip so he went even more quietly, he was still sedated from a general anaesthetic he had had earlier in the day)

I am not sure whether cats react differently to dogs, but I've never heard of a dog making a noise when injected.
 
When my old dog was PTS it was a very peaceful experience - he was given a sedative then the injection, and just fell asleep.
 
Never had a small animal pts but my horse was pts with lethal injection and went quietly. I had heard storys about the injection method with horses getting back up etc which really scared me when he was being pts but he was naturaly a calm dude and never kicked up a fuss. I think i would only use the gun method if it was the only option.
 
Tiggy was peaceful (horse).

Mozart (dog) was peaceful. Lay on the vet's floor, with me lying with her. Her head was down and she was fading in front of our eyes. When the vet put the needle in, she didn't move, other than to lift her head and rest it on my arm, looking me in the eye before she fell asleep.

D, vet and I were crying, but Moz was peaceful.

Miss her.
 
I have been present both times we lost horses to injection. Both times were incredibly peaceful and both times the vet was fabulous. I have no worries that they suffered at all.

I have also had 2 cats PTS by injection and again I held them as they went and it was very peaceful. I do think sometimes animals make an involuntary noise and this is what may have happened sometimes - though I have not experienced it.
 
misst said:
I have been present both times we lost horses to injection. Both times were incredibly peaceful and both times the vet was fabulous. I have no worries that they suffered at all.
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Ditto this

I had my boy Thomas PTS 2 weeks ago and it was so peaceful he never struggled or anythink same as my old mare when she was PTS both had the injection!!
 
The mewling/crying I think is more the initial pain of the needle going in for cats/dogs. In a lifetime, what nice things ever happened at the vets anyway? The associated smells are enough to set most animals on edge.
My old dog was very peaceful when PTS, but had barely had a day at the vets in his life.
I have had an horse PTS via injection, which again was peaceful, but he was very old, and also quite ill when the deed was done, he did not even need sedating.
My oap I had PTS earlier this year was shot. Needle phobic, so injection not an option. Knackerman came, and dropped him before his head even left the bucket of food he had been given. My prefered method every time.
 
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We've only had one cat PTS by injection [all the other animals died naturally or on the road :(] and it was very peaceful.

However, he was really ill - he had cancer, and it was very much his time. He was sedated first, and then they put in the second dose and he slipped away.

I have heard horror stories about the injection but I think that is much more likely if an animal is otherwise fit and well but suffers a horrible injury - whereas if they are ready to go then I think they're more likely to slip away peacefully.
 
Like everything in life people will have had bad experiences or have heard of someone somewhere having an awful time so you can only go by your personal opinion. When Leg was pts a few weeks ago it was so peaceful and quick andthats been my experience with other horses and small animals. Legs passing has even persuaded OHs mum who was very pro shooting that, if she has to make that decision, it will be done by injection.

My issue with shooting them is I've seen it go wrong and plus there is a lot of blood. I have always been with my animals and want my last memory of them to be almost sleeping.
 
I think it must be an issue with cats. I've had dogs and horses pts by injection and a few cats. Two of my cats really fought it and one sadly (even though it was absolutely on its last legs) had to be injected 3 times, including once into the kidney. It was very sad but unfortunately she hated vets so it was always going to be distressing. The other was drowning in his own fluid and was struggling to breathe anyway so whether the upset was caused from that or the needle im not sure. Its never pleasant obviously but the dog which was a huge rotti went in seconds and was extremely calm and my horse was heavily sedated and again just went to sleep with his head in my lap and it was very peaceful.
 
Leg_end said:
My issue with shooting them is I've seen it go wrong and plus there is a lot of blood. I have always been with my animals and want my last memory of them to be almost sleeping.
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Really???? In all my days I have never so much as heard of a shooting go wrong! I've yet to meet a knackerman or huntsman that has had a bad PTS by gun.
Blood yes, there is a bit, but most place a bag straight over the head after to contain this, but its more traumatic for the onlooker than the horse who is already dead.
 
I had my horse PTS last year. The vet was amazing with both me and my horse. I had him injected in his field. The vet sedated him first and then the injection.
He fell slowly to the floor and just looked asleep (i suppose that's why they call it PTS!!!) with grass in his mouth!!
But no noise, blood or stress.
I wanted to be with him until the end but i don't think i could have done that if he had been shot.

My horse from about 15 years ago was shot after breaking her leg on a hack. I wasn't there as i was on holiday at the time so didn't have a choice and the vet shot her. My friend who was riding her at the time can still remember the noise of the gun...I'm glad i wasn't there. I drove home that day and visited the hunt where they took her body to say my goodbyes and she had a bag over her head which i took off but to be honest apart from some blood in her nose and on her forelock you wouldn't have known she had been shot.

It's down to personal preference (if preference is the right word to use when discussing putting an animal to sleep!!) however i would still go for the injection.
 
I know it's not easy bringing memories back of beloved pets that aren't here anymore so I really appreciate all of your replies, thank you very much x

I have read through everyones posts and with the smaller animals in particular I guess it's just a case of 'luck' as to whether it's a peaceful experience or not, but think I will be asking for a sedation before the injection for both of my girls when their times come. Thanks again.
 
xspiralx said:
I have heard horror stories about the injection but I think that is much more likely if an animal is otherwise fit and well but suffers a horrible injury - whereas if they are ready to go then I think they're more likely to slip away peacefully.
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I think it has more to do with the horses natural temperment. My boy was a 7yr old tb fit as a fiddle, broke his leg in the field and was as cool as a cucumber. When it happened he just stood on the hill in the field and waited for me to come get him whilst everyone else galloped around. He was just naturally calm.
 
Over the years, we've had many dogs and cats pts (we always keep them in multiples) by different vets from different practices. I have never heard one make a noise. Some have been difficult to find a vein, because their hearts were so bad and some have taken a while longer than usual to slip away because of poor circulation. The dog who trembled when she had to go to the vet's (because of a prolonged stay when she was younger) was pts at home with absolutely no noise.
We have only had one adult horse pts by injection, she was very ill, hated needles (and vets) and STRUGGLED. All the others have been pts by bullet, whether in an emergency or planned owing to old age. We will always choose shooting in the future. The last horse we had pts, the vets who came as an emergency rang the knacker for us, she really didn't want to do the job herself.
 
Unfortunately, as with most things, different animals react in different ways to situations and to drugs. The majority of small animals go very very peacefully, often not even noticing the needle go in. Occasionally, for reasons beyond our control they will make a noise. Occasionally cats meow, occasionally dogs will make a howling noise- nothing different is happening to these animals than the ones who just "go to sleep", but it does make the whole experience even less pleasant. Cats are more likely to experience difficulties, because many resent being held still.

The word euthanasia means "a quiet death" and, in my experience, 99% of the time it is just that.
 
I've never had problems with cats / dogs etc. I do know a couple of friends who say theirs have tried to get back up - but I know animals that will try and fight a general anastetic (sp??) to start with and I guess PTS is similar in the feeling the animal gets??

Horses I know people that have had problems with both shooting and injection and both now swear by the other method.

The 2 ponies I've lost were both injected (though I was too much of a wuss to be there) and were both peaceful. Though my 1st pony did manage to kick my dad very hard when he went down so managed to leave his mark when he went!!

my personal choice has always been injection though I can't say there is any specific reason why.
 
I havnt seen a small animal PTS we were lucky enough our elderly family doberman went to sleep one night and he didnt wake up when we saw him in the morning he was still curled up in his bed, bit of a shock for me been a teenage girl but it was a lovely way for him to go.

Ive seen quite a few horses PTS by bullet and its always been so quick there gone before they hit the ground, on the one occasion i saw a horse go by injection it was from a broken leg it got hit by a car and was on a pulic highway, even with sedation it was trying to get up of 3 legs and totaly fought it, it was unpleasant experience and would always go for a bullet anyday now.

I think if i have to have a small animal PTS and im sure i will have 2 dogs one been 14, i will have the vet either do it at the stables or at home as im sure the horse probaly fought because of the situation he was in, it would probaly be similar situation for a dog/cat in a vets surgery.

I do think the noises were probaly the needle rather than the injection my friend had a similar experience with her dog recently and said once theyd got the vien the dog calmed down but it was not happy and making noises when they were trying to find it.
 
Have unfortunately had four horses PTS all by injection. Two were on the operating table at the RVC so I wasn't there and two were at home so I was with them.

In one case my horse had collapsed whilst the vet was with him as I thought he was colicky and had called her out as a precaution as had recently had surgery to remove a tumour. He probably had had a stroke and appeared to be paralysed. My other horse was my old mare who was my horse of a lifetime. She came in from the field with a bad kick to her hock and I took the decision to have her PTS rather than travel her to the RVC for an operation which may, or may not, have saved her. I stayed whilst she was given the sedative but then my friend took over whilst the vet injected. I heard her fall before I even got to the yard gate. Neither horse struggled and as both instances were early evening we were able to put them out of their suffering immediately without having to wait for the knackerman.

However a friend of mine had her horse PTS by injection and it was a very distressing experience.
 
I had a dog that reacted really badly when being pts - the vet thought it was a reaction to the drug, he started looking at his backend and crying when he was injected and definitely seemed to be in pain after he was injected, it wasn't he needle as such that bothered him. He was very distressed and it haunts me to this day, and I'm dreading the day when my other dogs need to be done.

I've also witnessed a horse that had to be shot twice as he'd got up after the first time. :(

I'm sure that when things go wrong it is the minority of times, and would never leave an animal suffering in case the pts didn't go smoothly, sometimes you just have to do it and deal with things as they happen, and hopefully things go smoothly and peacefully for all concerned.
 
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