How To Put Down An Animal At Home

Introduction

When efforts to prolong the life of a beloved pet serve but to prolong decease, euthanasia (Greek for "adept decease") should exist considered. Veterinarians have the means and training to put animals which are beyond treatment and recovery to sleep humanely. While the services of a veterinarian should be one's first choice, some pet owners, for a variety of reasons, are choosing not to take their dying pets to a veterinarian: The services of a vet may not be available when they are needed; transporting the pet to the vet might be besides disturbing, causing fear and discomfort in the pet's final hours; cost may exist an issue. For whatever reason, some pet owners are attempting calm euthanasia with varying results. The following information is offered, as a public service, to assistance these pet owners succeed, and not, by error or ignorance, add to their pet's suffering by using questionable, untested, or ill-considered methods such as using engine frazzle fumes.

Of those methods for euthanasia approved by the American Veterinary Medical Clan (AVMA) ¹, the only method that could be used safely at habitation involves the use of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is heavier than air and nigh odorless. In depression concentrations (seven.five%) it is an analgesic (pain reliever), and at medium concentrations (30%-xl%) it can be used equally an coldhearted, causing rapid loss of consciousness without struggling, distress, or excitation. ³ At high concentrations (>80%) CO_two causes quick decease. High concentrations, yet, painfully irritate eyes and the respiratory tract, and so it is important to first induce an analgesic effect, then bring nigh deep anesthesia (within i to ii minutes) earlier exposing the animal to high concentrations. Because the AVMA believes that the menstruation of CO₂ can exist regulated adequately merely past using compressed CO₂, only the utilise of CO₂ cylinders is canonical. The following method, beingness adjusted for home utilize, does non crave the utilise of compressed gas cylinders. The AVMA Console on Euthanasia has not been asked to corroborate the following method, and no approval is unsaid. The author is satisfied that the method is sound and readers should judge for themselves.

The AVMA approves the utilize of CO₂ for euthanasia in most small animals including amphibians, birds, reptiles, rodents, and other small mammals weighing less than two pounds (i kg). Some amphibians and reptiles, yet, may breathe as well slowly or be able to hold their breath for long periods of time making other methods of euthanasia preferable. Besides some burrowing and diving animals (such as some species of rabbit and marine mammals) have prolonged survival times when exposed to CO₂. Besides excluded from AVMA blessing would be all cats and dogs, even small ones. The following method has been tested merely on rodents.

Making Carbon Dioxide

You lot may take had occasion to mix vinegar (5% acetic acid) and baking soda (NaHCO₃) together and run into all the bubbling produced. The bubbles are carbon dioxide gas, and one gram of baking soda reacts with 15 ml of vinegar (or other 5% acid) to produce 291 cc of CO₂. In kitchen measurement terms, 1 cup of vinegar reacts with 1.2 tablespoons (3.6 tsp.) of blistering soda to produce i.2 gallons of CO₂, or one gallon of vinegar would react with 1.25 cups of baking soda to produce xx gallons of CO₂. Both white vinegar and baking soda are cheap, and using more blistering soda than the minimum corporeality given higher up does no impairment.

You might want to betrayal the animal to the odour of vinegar to meet if the odor is lamentable or not. Rodents seem to like the olfactory property. If the pet has a strong negative reaction, y'all might consider using hydrochloric acid (HCl) or pond puddle acrid. These acids are full-bodied and potentially chancy, so be sure to determine their concentration and dilute them to brand a 5% solution kickoff (add acrid to water, never add together water to concentrated acid). If y'all are at all uncomfortable treatment or diluting acrid, merely employ the white vinegar. The CO₂ that is produced may or may not accept a significant vinegar smell. The vinegar odor question is probably a not-issue, but merely in case in that location is an odor that the beast might react to, you should put some vinegar in the euthanasia sleeping room and then the animal gets used to the smell before the CO_ii is introduced.

The Carbon Dioxide Sleeping room

Information technology is best to react the blistering soda and acid in a separate container, directing the CO₂ through a hose and into the euthanasia chamber, considering in that location is a possibility that the fizzing audio of the reaction might affright the creature. The simplest bedroom is a plastic bag virtually 1 gallon in size. Put iii tablespoons of blistering soda into the bottom of the bag. Use a ii-cup measuring cup or a xvi oz glass and secure a iii-foot slice of 1/2 inch hose (vinyl hose is sold by the foot in most hardware stores, or a section of garden hose could be used) to the outside of the cup or glass near the pinnacle with a condom ring or tape.

Fill the cup or glass with 2-cups of vinegar, and set information technology in the bag on top of the baking soda. Pull the excess plastic upwards and wrap information technology tightly around the hose, securing information technology with a wire twist tie. Make sure y'all don't spill any of the vinegar.

The Euthanasia Bedroom

If the animal is largely inactive and small enough (CO_ii euthanasia is not recommended for animals over ii pounds), a i-gallon jar or juice pitcher works well, or a one-gallon plastic jug could be used if the top is partially cut off and then information technology will swivel up and tin can later exist taped airtight. A box, open only at the top and about the size of a gallon jug, could also be used. Add familiar litter (for rodents), a special toy, or whatever might condolement your pet. Making a little nest and covering it with a cloth, or wadded or shredded paper, may help calm and condolement your pet as much as possible. Covering likewise prevents wandering near during the final minute. If the brute were costless to walk about information technology would begin to stagger and human activity drunk or confused before loss of consciousness. This is not something you want to run across--non how your pet would want yous to remember them, so limit your pet'south ability to movement about. It may even be possible to get your pet to fall asleep.

If yous are using a jar, embrace the top with a piece of plastic with a pigsty made in information technology for the hose, and another pocket-sized hole to allow the air to escape as the CO₂ enters. You lot might want to suck on the hose to remove well-nigh of the air in the plastic pocketbook containing the baking soda and container of vinegar before putting the hose into the euthanasia container (if y'all do a good task of pulling up all loose plastic, this footstep should not be required).

If you must hold the pet in order to comfort it, y'all could put your arm in the container along with the end of the hose, and wrap a cloth around both to partially seal the opening. The air in the container must be permitted to escape as the CO₂ enters, and then make sure the peak is not completely sealed.

Initially the hose should extend about 2 inches into the chamber. When all is gear up, hold the cup or glass through the plastic pocketbook, and slowly cascade out one-half of the vinegar so that it takes about 1 minute to cascade i cup out and into the purse (leaving 1 cup of vinegar nevertheless in the cup or glass). You will hear a buzz as the acrid reacts with the baking soda. Gas will begin to fill the bag, then menstruation through the hose and into the euthanasia sleeping accommodation. Brand sure the hose doesn't fall into the liquid, as the expanding gas would then force the liquid through the hose. Since CO₂ is heavier than air, information technology will fall downwards into the euthanasia bedchamber mixing with the air, then gradually increment the CO₂ concentration. In 1 to two minutes the animal should be in deep anesthesia and breathing securely. Touching an eye should produce no response. If you lot are belongings your pet, it will be completely limp. If you are non holding the fauna and can't run across it, just milkshake the container a bit and listen. There should be no movement. Do not open the container to cheque or reach in as this will introduce air and perchance reawaken the brute.

Finally, push the hose down near the bottom of the container and pour out the remaining vinegar into the bag. When most of the fizzing subsides, you might squeeze the bag, if information technology seems to comprise a lot of gas, to force out the remaining CO₂. This concluding flow volition flood the chamber with a loftier concentration of CO₂ stopping respiration in minutes if not seconds. Now cover the chamber and await 10-30 minutes before checking (longer for amphibians or reptiles).

Rats euthanized by increasing CO₂ levels to 33% over ane minute, then killed using high levels of CO_ii while still in their home cage showed no signs of stress either by behavior or by subsequent blood tests for ACTH, glucose, and corticosterone which would be abnormal if the rats had experienced anything distressing. ² This is strong evidence that CO₂ euthanasia is as "skilful" a death every bit tin be accomplished in a home setting.

Materials Required

1. One gallon of white vinegar.
2. One pound box of blistering soda.
3. Tablespoon to measure baking soda.
4. I-gallon container: Jar, pitcher, plastic jug, or box with opening just at superlative (euthanasia chamber).
5. Hose, 1/2 inch inside diameter, nearly 3 feet long.
6. 1 gallon size plastic handbag--goose egg-lock works well (carbon dioxide sleeping room).
seven. Twist necktie to secure plastic bag to hose.
viii. sixteen-ounce cup (measuring loving cup) or 16-ounce drinking glass.
9. Condom band or record to secure hose to cup or glass on the outside near the elevation.
x. Plastic or textile to partially seal the top of the euthanasia chamber effectually hose, or arm and hose, if using a jar or box.

Variation in Method

If the animal is too agile, or yous can't obtain the materials needed for the higher up procedure, you could put the animal in a small cage, a travel cage, or box with holes in information technology. Put about 1 and a half cups of baking soda in the bottom of a big plastic bag. Put the cage or box into the handbag raised near 4 inches to a higher place the bottom. Open a gallon jug of vinegar and reach into the bag with it. Y'all might want to put a barrier betwixt the cage and jug so none can accidentally be spilled into the cage. Assemble up as much of the plastic equally you can around your arm so that as much air has been removed equally possible and tie or concord the bag about your arm tightly. Slowly pour out the vinegar so that about a quarter of it has been poured out over a menses of about 1 minute (or until the volume of the purse has inflated and so it is about 1/3 larger than it was). Gear up the jug downwardly inside the bag and fan the air with your hand to mix air and CO₂ for about i minute. Then loosen the bag around your arm a bit to allow gas to escape, and continue to pour the vinegar out until the jug is empty. Remove your arm and close the purse. Wait at least ten-xxx minutes earlier checking to verify death. Equally mentioned, i problem with this process is that the fizzing might affright the beast.

A Euthanasia Machine

A high degree of command is non possible in the procedures described above. The results depend on how fast someone actually pours how much acid; the rate the acid mixes with the baking soda; how much air was initially in the carbon dioxide chamber; how well the CO₂ mixes with the air in the euthanasia chamber as it enters; so there are concerns over operator error. To practice a significantly better chore would require a euthanasia machine. One possible design is shown beneath. It eliminates a lot of variables, is consistently constructive, but requires more than time, money, and tools to build.

In this design at that place are two carbon dioxide chambers. Each is formed by ii plastic glasses. The upper ane fits tightly into the top of the lower one to create an airtight bedchamber. A 1/ii-inch tube runs from each lower glass to the euthanasia chamber. Each upper drinking glass has a 7/64^th-inch hole drilled into the bottom and is plugged by a sharpened dowel (insert with a twisting motion without pushing besides hard and peradventure dandy the plastic). The hose from the starting time glass runs forth the tiptop of the euthanasia chamber, is plugged at the end (a piece of sponge works), and has a dozen or and so holes drilled into it then that the CO_two is evenly dispersed as it enters the chamber. (The chapeau of the chamber had spaces where the handle goes through information technology, so no holes had to exist made to allow air to escape as CO₂ enters.) The hose from the 2nd glass goes to the bottom of the bedchamber. The lesser of each lower glass is covered to a depth of about 1.v inches with bits of moistened sponge, or open-cell foam, cutting into 1/4 inch cubes on top of which the baking soda is added. This prevents the baking soda from forming a solid layer on the bottom of the drinking glass, and and then promotes a more rapid reaction with the acid. Some other way to promote a complete reaction is to identify a moist piece of heavy textile, like a wash textile, in the lesser of the cup and cut then it extends up the sides about one inch, and so put the baking soda on it.

Removing the dowel from the first glass releases the vinegar to begin the procedure of gradually increasing the CO_two level in the euthanasia sleeping accommodation and thereby inducing a state of deep anesthesia. Later well-nigh one minute, the vinegar drains and the dowel is replaced. Afterwards waiting an additional minute, the dowel in the second glass is removed, the vinegar flows into the lower glass, and CO₂ floods the chamber from the bottom up causing rapid death. Afterwards the second cup drains, supplant the dowel and wait at least ten minutes. Be sure to a few test runs get-go, making certain all the baking soda reacts (swirl the glass and if few or no bubbles class, then the reaction was complete).

1 option would exist to cut a circular hole in the end of the euthanasia sleeping room so your hand could be inside to hold and comfort your pet. To seal the hole, use a bracelet or wire band a bit larger than the hole, then stretch a surgical latex glove over it and cutting off the fingers and thumb. Adjust the ring and so that, when your hand is inside, the glove seals the hole.

Concluding Remarks

Important: Any yous do, do one or more than dry out runs without the animal starting time. Exercise the procedures until you are comfortable performing them without mishap before doing annihilation involving your pet.

Since 2003, when this site when upwards, I have had numerous reports of success and merely one written report of failure from someone who had no idea what might have gone wrong and who apparently was unable to understand the instructions provided. The lesson would seem to be: know your limitations.

Some not-believers in science question the need for experimentation, but I am quite sure that the procedures detailed to a higher place could not have been developed without some experimentation, and that to guess without testing would have been grossly irresponsible. Accordingly I wish to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of eight wild house mice, uninvited and subversive guests, who would otherwise have met their cease in a mousetrap (deplorable but allowing mice effectually our house in the state attracts fashion too many rattlesnakes, and I accept a family to consider). Fortunately all I had to exercise was to verify that my methods, based on the inquiry of others, were producing the same results as reported by real scientists who did all the existent work. When I could put a wild, stress-out mouse to slumber without any apparent added distress, I ended my experiments. (Some mice, not partially bars by shreded paper and with room to wander, acted drunkard, and staggered almost for virtually 20 seconds before becoming unconscious--not a pretty sight, only they appeared more dislocated and disoriented than in pain).

Dry out ice is used by some labs for CO₂ euthanasia. Dry ice is a potentially hazardous substance. It is obtainable, but not readily available, and may non be obtainable at all when really needed. The rate of sublimation in air is as well slow, and adding dry water ice to water results in violent, perhaps explosive, boiling. It is difficult to control the charge per unit of menstruation. Cold burns to yous or your pet are a real hazard. Dry water ice is non something you want to fool with at home.

While all vets should know how to perform humane euthanasia properly, some may not want to carp. If possible, practise get to a vet, but make sure you observe the procedure, and if the vet doesn't desire you to discover, get elsewhere. The preferred method (with small mammals) is to induce anesthesia using an inhalant such as Halothane or Isoflurane, followed by lethal injection or overdose of the inhalant. Some vets, when not being observed, may skip the kickoff pace and just inject something lethal into the body cavity.

At-domicile utilise of inhalant anesthesia is advocated by some equally the all-time method of do-it-yourself euthanasia. Halothane, Isoflurane, Methoxyflurane, and other inhalant anesthetics are controlled substances obtainable (so far as I know) simply by licensed veterinarians or researchers and are not legally bachelor to the public. Some are being abused by a few recreational drug users, and then it might exist possible to obtain them, but even if you could, they are not appropriate for home employ. First, with the exception of Methoxyflurane which is no longer available in the USA, inhalant anesthetics tin can just be used properly with an anesthesia machine capable of delivering them at the proper concentration (5% initially), and rate. 2d, for your safety, you would too need a gas scavenger to protect yourself from fumes. Inhalant anesthesia is not a applied method for most pet owners.

Some merits that CO₂ euthanasia is inhumane and should never be considered. This is based on the mistaken conventionalities that CO_two acts just by inducing asphyxiation. Using it is likened to smothering your pet to expiry with a pillow; still information technology is a well established fact that carbon dioxide is a rapid depressant and powerful coldhearted. My observation is that CO₂ acts as quickly and with even less excitation than Isoflurane, mayhap because it is nearly odorless. At high concentration CO₂ does indeed kill the animal by hypoxemia, just merely afterward induction of anesthesia. Even within the scientific literature yous can notice some misinformation. Procedures often call for precharging the euthanasia sleeping accommodation with concentrated CO₂ because this volition cause the about rapid expiry. This is true, simply speed is not the almost of import consideration. Information technology is now realized that high concentrations of CO₂ are noxious and inflict pain before induction of anesthesia. A gradual increase in concentration avoids this.

Some vets are concerned that CO₂ euthanasia is ineffective in causing death and that some additional procedure is required to be certain expiry has occurred. This is an odd concern, at least with rodents, because respiration during the anesthesia phase is quite obvious equally is the abeyance of all respiration shortly after the high concentration CO_ii is introduced. Neither mice nor men can stop breathing for ten minutes and then revive (except in cases of hypothermia or animals that take evolved boggling breath holding abilities). If you have any concerns, expect 30 minutes or longer. The AVMA doesn't seem to have this business concern.

I accept received requests for a method that would be suitable for larger pets. I have recently become aware of the helium/nitrogen bag method of ethanasia advocated by correct to die groups like Final Go out. This method of at home euthanasia for humans works past asphyxiation, only reportedly without causing distress. Helium is readily available for filling party balloons, then this would be a applied method, but 1 I have non tried.

I am glad to have this highly constructive and practical method of at-home euthanasia, and hope others will brand good and responsible use of it should the unfortunate need ascend. Finally, I would like to thank all of those who have written to me to express their appreciation for the information in this paper, and for letting me know that much pointless suffering has been prevented. An unexpected result has been that much human suffering has been reduced as well.

Eric Lee

References

ane. Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia, JAVMA, Vol. 218, No.5, March i, 2001

2. Hackbarth H, Kppers North, Bohnet W. Euthanasia of rats with carbon dioxide--fauna welfare aspects. Lab Anim 2000;34:91-96

3. Leake CD, Waters RM. The anesthetic properties of carbon dioxide. Curr Res Anesthesiol Analg 1929;8:17-19

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