[Gpdd] Health - Euthanasia

[DFHAKES at aol.com]

We are charged with making important decisions for our pigs and the most  
important one is when to let them go.  Your vet will help you make this  
decision.  You have to communicate with him honestly and consistently, as  the medical 
technology will oftentimes keep our little pigs going longer than is  humane. 
 
 
You will be asked to sign a consent form.  This is extremely  difficult.  If 
you know your pig's time is near, you might want to sign it  in advance when 
you are thinking clearly and have the staff keep it on  file.
 
You can choose to be with your pig or let the vet staff help your pig cross  
the bridge.  I assure you that even though they might not show emotion, it  is 
extremely difficult for them.  
 
Your pig will be given some anesthesia gas through a small mask or inside a  
small plastic box.  They might not like the smell of the gas but from that  
point on they don't feel a thing and don't know what is happening.  The vet  may 
ask you to stand back as they don't want you to breathe the gas.
 
The vet will administer a shot of pink liquid to stop the heart.  You  may 
see a little blood drawn up into the needle.  You may also see a little  poop or 
pee.  This is normal.
 
There are some decisions that you probably want to make in advance of your  
final trip to the vet.  A necropsy (autopsy) is expensive and may not tell  you 
anything unless a young pig dies suddenly.  I always ask my vet if  he wants 
to do exploratory surgery for his own benefit.  Most of the time  he declines 
but we donated the eyes from our two boys to the  ophthalmologist.  This may 
sound gross but we knew that it was important to  her research and we believe 
the boys would agree.  
 
You'll want to decide in advance if you want to bury your pig or cremate  
her.  It's more expensive to have a private cremation.  You may also  pick out an 
urn.  These are extremely difficult decisions that you can make  in advance.
 
Finally, some clinics do euthanasia for free and some charge a  little.  You 
may want to keep a credit card on file so you're not signing a  receipt when 
all you want to do is get out of there.  Have someone drive  you, if possible.
 
If you decide on cremation, you'll get a call in about a week to pick up  
your precious pig.  This is always bittersweet.  I feel happy to be  taking my 
pig to his final resting place but of course I miss him  terribly.
 
Remember, your piggie has counted on you to take care of her and this  
decision does not mean that you have stopped caring for her.  It means that  you 
love her enough to make a decision that is best for her.
 
Regards,

Dana F. Hakes
Chapter Manager
Tampa Bay House  Rabbit Society

Please check out our rabbit information and lists of  adoptable rabbits at:
_www.tampabayhrs.org_ (http://www.tampabayhrs.org/) 
http://wwww.tampabayhrs.petfinder.com  (check out our new Petfinder address!)


"It doesn't matter what  the kids say. Rabbits are not disposable like a box 
of cereal or a Disney video.  They WILL get tired of the rabbits and go on to 
the next toy. YOU will have to  deal with the consequences. Unfortunately, 
most people deal with the situation  by DUMPING their rabbits on someone else. 
Ultimately, it is the bunny that pays  for your inability to say NO."