Methods of euthanesia?

Kusanar

Loving the herd life
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Messages
497
Reaction score
934
Points
172
Location
Roanoke Area, Virginia
Hmm, there is a need and there should be a way. I once ran over my own cat and my landlord at the time had a gun so he shot the cat. I'm not sure which was more traumatic, the poor cat being massively injured or the shot to the head. Now when I have a cat, I make sure to know where it is before moving the car.

Maybe in a murder mystery somewhere will be a clue as to a method for putting them to sleep peacefully? Some sort of magic powder they can eat and just go to sleep. Although, if it's an injured or sick animal, a shot may be easier to administer. Some sort of substance that ordinary folks can get.

She took her rabbit to three different vets and none of them could help her. Several of them just flat out said they don't euthanize animals anymore. I think that would be one of the worst parts of being a vet, but it is a mercy to an animal that needs it.

Anyone remember the movie 'Soylent Green'? The euthanasia centers for humans were a good idea, the horror of the movie was that they were then sending the remains off to become edible cakes of 'soylent green'. Kinda a pity that many folks lumped the ethanasia centers in with the cannibalism as both bad ideas.
There is also an issue with it becoming hard for vets to find and access the euthanasia drugs. The same general drugs are used to put an animal to sleep as to do a lethal injection on a human and people that are against the death penalty have made it hard to produce those drugs because they are trying to make it impossible to do lethal injections. My horse vet was telling me that it's hard for her to access the drugs she needs and is on a waiting list with like 3 companies at all times just to keep enough available.

There is another drug she can use, but it's not nearly as nice, essentially it causes a heart attack rather than them drifting off like you want them to. So, she has 3 methods she can use a) the "pink stuff" which is the preferred method, b) the stuff that gives a heart attack, and c) a bullet to the head.
 

Jesusfreak101

Herd Master
Joined
Jan 29, 2018
Messages
2,867
Reaction score
7,128
Points
413
Location
Texas
I just point out that trying any other drug that you might get on the market could make it worse. I would discuss with her that it might be best if you take the bunny home or someone else and put it down as quickly and calmly as possible. Then you can give the animal back . I don't know what else to say but right now it the bunny that needs to be thought about. Also I would say that you might want to see if the previous poster was right and it being an ear infection. If so then it's treatable.
 

messybun

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
550
Reaction score
1,174
Points
228
When I had to put down my first pet rabbit my dad did it for me. Quick .22 to the head, and we already had placed him in a hole. Painless for the rabbit, rough for us. You don’t have to be a skilled shot at point blank range either. Perhaps a neighbor or hunter friend would be willing to put him down for you?
 

Beekissed

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
3,634
Reaction score
5,546
Points
453
Location
mountains of WV
The euthanasia centers for humans were a good idea, the horror of the movie was that they were then sending the remains off to become edible cakes of 'soylent green'. Kinda a pity that many folks lumped the ethanasia centers in with the cannibalism as both bad ideas.

"The euthanasia centers for humans were a good idea," o_O:th

Never saw the movie but I can't imagine how anyone wouldn't think that euthanasia and cannibalism should be lumped together~each is as horrifying as the other.
 

Niele da Kine

Loving the herd life
Joined
Sep 5, 2020
Messages
259
Reaction score
432
Points
113
Location
Moku Nui Hawaii
The bunny has already been put down, it went to someone who eats bunnies, but my friend is still very sorrowful that the bunny didn't have an easier end.

The euthanasia centers in Soylent Green were very pretty, spiritual, cerebral places where when folks were done living, they could go and have their final services and be put to sleep. Currerntly, if someone has an uncurable debilitating disease that is going to get increasingly painful, what are their options? If they get put into a hospital, it can bankrupt their family and they will be either drugged to insensibility or in pain. At the moment, there's several places with assisted suicide but having it be part of a hospital or church would allow it to be part of the family and community. If you read history, you'll find instances in some societies that had this sort of thing although it was usually elders taking themselves out of the community because of lack of resources. Making the end of life something that each person has some control over instead of just taking whatever happens might be a better way?

A birth equals a death, it's inevitable. So why isn't anything organized to make a better dying experience? A lot of folks are afraid of death, when IMHO they should be afraid of dying. That's the part that is most likely to be traumatic and hurt. That's why we're trying to find some way to make it as pleasant as possible to euthanize the bunnies. We're responsible for them, this is just part of those responsibilities.
 
Last edited:

Alasgun

Loving the herd life
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
204
Reaction score
659
Points
163
Location
South Central Alaska
I cant believe we went from killing a rabbit to killing and eating humans in such a short time period!

Back in the late 70’s i gave up a life subscription to “the mother earth news” when folks started apologizing to they’re vegetables before eating them! And if i continue to see this level of idiocy continue on here, i’ll be gone as well.

The world’s weird enough these days without this sort of thing, especially on a “family friendly site”!
 

Niele da Kine

Loving the herd life
Joined
Sep 5, 2020
Messages
259
Reaction score
432
Points
113
Location
Moku Nui Hawaii
We're not eating humans, we're contemplating death and how to get there painlessly. Whether that's just for our rabbits or for us as well, it seems that there's not a lot of options for easy at this time. At some point everything dies, even this planet will be engulfed by the sun at some point. When we have an elderly sick or damaged animal that is in pain, how can we euthanize it quickly and painlessly?

There is a whole pile of knee jerk reaction to the idea of death, I suppose hoping for folks to look at it logically is too much to hope for.

So when we have the next bunny who should be put to sleep, what can we do?
 

Jesusfreak101

Herd Master
Joined
Jan 29, 2018
Messages
2,867
Reaction score
7,128
Points
413
Location
Texas
I think the suicide is horrible and tragic. Not all who are diagnosed are accurately done so and not all will have extreme pain. Also they are developing new methods to help those who develope these illness. I am sorry but no way i can agree with that. Human life is so much more then an animals and so much would be lost if we made murder ok.
 

messybun

True BYH Addict
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
550
Reaction score
1,174
Points
228
Let’s not forget something. No matter where you stand on euthanasia for those who choose it and want to leave peacefully it will always be pushed further.
 

Niele da Kine

Loving the herd life
Joined
Sep 5, 2020
Messages
259
Reaction score
432
Points
113
Location
Moku Nui Hawaii
Well, applying it to humans takes the discussion into another realm, at the moment, we're just trying to figure out how to help a pet rabbit pass peacefully for both the rabbit and the owner.

Mostly I get any rabbit medications from our local feed store. That's primarily Ivermectin and penicillin. Is there an online source for meds that is more extensive than just the basics? Are there any injectable tranquilizers that can be ordered without a veterinary prescription?
 
Top