Layla - NSGPR
Teenage Guinea Pig
Very sadly on Saturday evening I had to have Raphael (one of the rescue guineas with me) put to sleep as he had deteriorated very rapidly and was suffering. It was a very difficult decision for me to make, but I felt it was the only choice I had left and leaving him would have left him suffering and to have drawn out painful death.
Usually when I have taken my pets to be pts, which has only been a very few times, I have not stayed with them as I have found it too upsetting. With the little ones I have been told by the vet that they will give them gas to sedate them so they don't feel the needle and suffer and then give them the anaesthetic intravenously to stop their heart.
Now I decided to stay with Raphael when he was put to sleep as I felt I wanted to be with him and comfort him. However, the method of euthanasia I saw I felt was very upsetting, caused him pain and suffering and was not quick and peaceful. And not at all what I was expecting.
As I was signing the consent for the vet came in to the room and put the injection into Raphael's stomach, he cried out at this and struggled. It felt like ages, but the injection certainly wasn't working, and I think he was still conscious, lying on his side trying to run. I suppose this went on for about 60 seconds. The vet then said it wasn't working and that she would give him more. This time she put the needle through his rib cage towards his heart, again he flinched and cried at this, she then removed the needle and put it in his stomach and put the rest of the anaesthetic in. I can't remember exactly what happened then, I think he curled his head under and stopped moving, but his heart continued for another 30-45 seconds. She then said he was dead.
Now I came away feeling shocked and distressed, I felt that although he was out of pain now, he had not had a peaceful death and that he had suffered. It was my understanding that the anaesthetic liquid burnt and I was worried he had felt this. I also couldn't imagine the pain of having a big needled plunged into your stomach and lungs.
I haven't observed a euthanasia before so I wondered if this was a normal procedure and way of doing it? For me I thought it was quite inhumane. I remember watching a documentary showing that vets are taught to pts small animals by injecting into the stomach. Also maybe he was unconscious and it was just reflex reactions I was seeing.
It just wasn't a nice experience for me, and that wasn't what I was expecting to see.
Usually when I have taken my pets to be pts, which has only been a very few times, I have not stayed with them as I have found it too upsetting. With the little ones I have been told by the vet that they will give them gas to sedate them so they don't feel the needle and suffer and then give them the anaesthetic intravenously to stop their heart.
Now I decided to stay with Raphael when he was put to sleep as I felt I wanted to be with him and comfort him. However, the method of euthanasia I saw I felt was very upsetting, caused him pain and suffering and was not quick and peaceful. And not at all what I was expecting.
As I was signing the consent for the vet came in to the room and put the injection into Raphael's stomach, he cried out at this and struggled. It felt like ages, but the injection certainly wasn't working, and I think he was still conscious, lying on his side trying to run. I suppose this went on for about 60 seconds. The vet then said it wasn't working and that she would give him more. This time she put the needle through his rib cage towards his heart, again he flinched and cried at this, she then removed the needle and put it in his stomach and put the rest of the anaesthetic in. I can't remember exactly what happened then, I think he curled his head under and stopped moving, but his heart continued for another 30-45 seconds. She then said he was dead.
Now I came away feeling shocked and distressed, I felt that although he was out of pain now, he had not had a peaceful death and that he had suffered. It was my understanding that the anaesthetic liquid burnt and I was worried he had felt this. I also couldn't imagine the pain of having a big needled plunged into your stomach and lungs.
I haven't observed a euthanasia before so I wondered if this was a normal procedure and way of doing it? For me I thought it was quite inhumane. I remember watching a documentary showing that vets are taught to pts small animals by injecting into the stomach. Also maybe he was unconscious and it was just reflex reactions I was seeing.
It just wasn't a nice experience for me, and that wasn't what I was expecting to see.