Rats and euthanasia

[RegimeofSwine]

My mother's disgusting idea of putting a rat to sleep is sticking him/her in an exhaust pipe. She seems to think they don't deserve veterinary care like a "real" animal like a cat or a dog.

Wow, that's pretty sad. Even if wild rats are pests, they're totally different from the rats we keep as pets today (or so I like to think. )

As far as I know, they are pretty different from their ancestors, brown rats, as far as aggression and coloring goes and as far as everything else, they are nearly one in the same.

The term pest annoys me, because many of the animals humans deem unworthy are just trying to live their own lives as we grow alongside them or into their habitat. We are a much bigger pest, and to more species, than most things that we call the exterminator on.

She actually got the idea from someone who did this to kill their feeders for their snake. Very sad.

 

[jiffystiffy]

The term pest annoys me, because many of the animals humans deem unworthy are just trying to live their own lives as we grow alongside them or into their habitat. We are a much bigger pest, and to more species, than most things that we call the exterminator on.

She actually got the idea from someone who did this to kill their feeders for their snake. Very sad.

It's not a good method of putting them to sleep whether the purpose is a substitute of letting a vet do it or to feed to a snake. It's just so ... terrifying to think about.

Wild or not, I couldn't hurt any animal like that (and honestly, probably wouldn't know the difference between wild and not wild). I personally don't think of rats as pests (then again, I never had a rat infestation). Even if I did have an infestation, I probably would have thought they were cute as I do with all furry animals.

 

[RegimeofSwine]

The term pest annoys me, because many of the animals humans deem unworthy are just trying to live their own lives as we grow alongside them or into their habitat. We are a much bigger pest, and to more species, than most things that we call the exterminator on.

She actually got the idea from someone who did this to kill their feeders for their snake. Very sad.

It's not a good method of putting them to sleep whether the purpose is a substitute of letting a vet do it or to feed to a snake. It's just so ... terrifying to think about.

Wild or not, I couldn't hurt any animal like that (and honestly, probably wouldn't know the difference between wild and not wild). I personally don't think of rats as pests (then again, I never had a rat infestation). Even if I did have an infestation, I probably would have thought they were cute as I do with all furry animals.

Along with drowning, fire, and being buried alive, being gassed just seems like a scary way to die and I couldn't do it to another animal.

I've actually lived in a house with a rat infestation before, but I was very young and when I saw them in the kitchen I was terrified. Of course, when I was told that they were too smart for baits and traps and that's why we never got rid of them, the impression that they were furry little bada**es was left in my mind. I was in Lowe's the other day getting termite killer, and started thinking about what I would do if I did get a rat infestation. It seems like it would be a very sticky situation to find yourself in.

 

[pandemoniumfire]

The only rat I've had put down was with a needle. It was into the muscle I think (deffiantly not the heart as it was somewhere on the leg) and she was dead within the minute. She wasn't in obvious pain from the injection as she didn't scream or wither, just lay there.

 

[Katy]

I've worked at a small animal for almost ten years and we always make sure the rats are completely unconscious using a general anesthetic (like iso) and then the vet gives the injection in the heart.
It sounds horrible to inject right into the heart, but they don't feel it (they make them VERY deep under the gas) and it is much quicker- And in my opinion, the quicker it is,the better it is for the rat and the owner. Often they will use an induction box (looks like a fish tank) to give the gas or use a mask.
I have helped a few times with this procedure and all staff has always been respectful with the animal. I thnk that veterinarians in Canada must follow very explicit rules governing euthanasia- ie it must be done as humanely as possible.

Euthanizing any furry family member is always a very personal and above all difficult decision. I am so sorry for your loss.

 

Sorry to bring up such a sad thread. I just got momma pts yesterday ..my vet gasses them first and then gives the needle into the heart.

My friend, goes to the animal hosiptal here which I don't go to with rat's because they are not experienced. But she got her rat pts and she said the vet was gone about 10 minutes but when she got him back ..his leg twiched a few times ..[but he was not breathing nor was his heart beating ..is it normal for them to twitch after ? I know when people die they twitch and sometimes sit up ..something to do with the nervous system shutting down?

Also, how long does it take for the whole procedue (gass and the needle?) & if it were not done humanly, would there be signs of stress on the rat?

 

[jorats]

Twitching is normal. Some do, some don't.
There are different methods, some that last longer.
My vet used two procedures. She uses the gas if the rat is able to take in breaths. But some rats have such bad lungs it would take too long for them being gassed so she gives them a sedative, the same that she would do for surgery. She then inserts the needle into the throat, jugular? to have the "stuff" travel to the heart instead of needle into the heart because it would be too much of a big shock to the heart with just the sedative. But when she gasses, it's a needle to the heart. Time wise depends on the rats. Some go instantly while others can take over 20 minutes.

 

[Rattus]

Dont wanna bring up anything uncomfortable but Id think maybe you would know if it was done improperly.. I found rats that died in my home, from gasping or from uncomfortable stressful situatins(when I couldnt get to a vet in the middle of the night) that after they had passed right away their body was already... stiff like they were so stressed it stiffened their body.. and rats that I found I took to the vet seemed very at peace when they had passed.. their bodys didnt seem stressed, they were ..limp and took longer to go..stiff.. this is a touchy thing maybe to some people.. so hopefully I didnt word it morbidly but just to maybe answer the question above about if the procedure is done unproperly.. maybe the body would have shown signs of feeling the pain, the body may have been stiffened afterwards? :?

 

Thanks. The question was not for myself, but for a friend. I will let her know

 

[Moon]

I've had rats take a long time to go under and them succumb to the injection, and others who went under from the gas almost instantly and have the injection act very quickly.

 

[jorats]

Rigor mortis has nothing to do with stress, however, temperature will determine if they stiffen faster.

 

[Rattus]

was just an idea, cuz my boys that died.. like literally the second the died after being stressed they already were stiff.. the ones that I took to the vet then took home took a lot longer.. so I always thought that was weird.. :?

 

[RKEM]

My vet uses a 3 step process. First she induce unconsciousness with anesthetic gas in an induction chamber (like they do for surgery). Then a tiny gas mask is placed on the rat's head and secured with gauze so it doesn't fall off. Then they check for reflexes and gas continues to flow in the mask as the intracardiac injection is given and the vet checks for a heartbeat. On one occasion, more than one injection was required but the rattie remained unconscious throughout. Only when the heart has stopped completely do they remove the mask. If pet owners want (like I do), they allow you to be present for the entire procedure. There is nothing secret, nothing hidden and minimal stress on the animal (some of them stumble a bit in the induction chamber but as far as I know the same probably happens when they are being put down for a surgery).

I don't know if there is any health risk to me being near the rattie when the gas mask is on (it's obviously not an airtight fit) but frankly, I'd risk that any day of the week to be there and have the comfort that it give me.

Also, I frankly can't imagine how a vet would want to even try to do an intracardiac injection on a conscious animal that will move and wiggle ... there is a danger that you miss the heart and lord knows what happens if that chemical ends up in the lungs or elsewhere in the body cavity. With a rat deep under anesthesia, the vet can do the injection and pull back the piston to make sure that they are indeed in the heart. Any place that can do surgeries on rats has the equipment they need for proper euthanasia. I can't understand why they would do it any other way unless they are trying to cut corners and costs.

 

[Dazzle87]

Rigor mortis has nothing to do with stress, however, temperature will determine if they stiffen faster.

My rat Lexis recently died while I had her out for playtime. Her body was limp, but her paws were kinda clenched very quickly after she died. Is that normal? I thought any stiffening would take a long time...

 

[jorats]

The clenching would probably have to do with her final spasms before dying.

 

[KatTheHippie]

I've never had a rat pts, I've come close to it once but by the time we got to the vet's it was already too late, and Eli had passed in my arms.. but after Bennigan passed, his body had these awful spasms. He died in my arms aswell, he was just an old boy, and it was at the point where I just knew he wasn't going to make it through the day and he wasn't in pain, so instead of jostling him around and bringing him to an odd place and stressing him out and forcing his death, I just held him close until his time came, but I will never, ever forget those spasms.. I knew he was gone, his heart had stopped beating prior, but his whole body bucked a good few times before everything was finally through. It was horiffic, I never experienced anything like it with any of the other pipsqueaks that died in my presence.

 

[SQ]

There is no way of knowing unless you are present ........ or you trust your vet to tell you the truth.

 

[Dazzle87]

Just saw that this thread had new replies. Thank you for explaining Jorats.

 

[jorats]

I've never had a rat pts, I've come close to it once but by the time we got to the vet's it was already too late, and Eli had passed in my arms.. but after Bennigan passed, his body had these awful spasms. He died in my arms aswell, he was just an old boy, and it was at the point where I just knew he wasn't going to make it through the day and he wasn't in pain, so instead of jostling him around and bringing him to an odd place and stressing him out and forcing his death, I just held him close until his time came, but I will never, ever forget those spasms.. I knew he was gone, his heart had stopped beating prior, but his whole body bucked a good few times before everything was finally through. It was horiffic, I never experienced anything like it with any of the other pipsqueaks that died in my presence.

Those end seizures and spasms are normal, not fun to witness but a normal body's reaction to shutting down.

 

[MMak]

Called to make an appointment for Marco this upcoming Tuesday...
I asked my vet what method they'd use and apparently they will sedate him first with an injection of canamine in the muscle (not sure where though?)
and then to euthanize, he will be given a euthanol injection in either the abdomen or chest.
I asked the receptionist if they would consider giving him gas to sedate him instead, but she didn't bother asking the vet and just said probably not because thats just the method they use...

Does this method seem fair?