Just over two weeks ago, we decided that our beloved Australian Shepherd,
Oche, had such diminished quality of life due to a probable brain tumor,
dementia, severe arthritis, cataracts and loss of hearing, that we made the
painful decision to have him put to sleep. We made this decision and then
scheduled the appointment for the following week to give us time to prepare
and to pamper him. We envisioned a peaceful goodbye with him simply
"falling to sleep" as we comforted him in his final quiet moments. What
actually happened was far different and has left us with deep wounds that
will forever haunt us. I don't want anyone else to ever go through this
pain, guilt and sense of betrayal. I feel compelled to get the word out
that many states, including Florida, DO NOT require sedation prior to the
euthanasia process. Our vet evidently does not routinely sedate larger pets
prior to the beginning of the procedure. This simply did not occur to us
that it would be any other way than peaceful. Instead, Oche panicked at the
sudden noise of the razor being turned on to shave his front leg. My
husband held him tightly, which further aggravated Oche because of his
extreme sensitivity from the arthritis. As the vet attempted to insert the
IV, Oche began yelping and howling, frantically trying to get away and
snapping and biting at my husband and me as we desperately tried to do what
we could to calm him. He tore the IV from his leg, which resulted in
bleeding. I will never forget the terror in his eyes as he looked to me for
help I couldn't give. Only then did the vet call for his assistant to
sedate Oche. Nearly instantly his eyes grew heavy, he calmed down, finally
slept, and the IV was readministered and the lethal dose injected.
This lack of compassion is inexcusable.
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