11/13/2021 24,813 Diseases and treatment of cats
Author: Olga
Pets, sadly, live much less than their owners. This is the law of nature. However, it also happens that an animal’s departure to another world is necessary much earlier than would be desirable. In many such cases, cat owners become responsible not only for their lives, but also for their departure to another world. In this article we will talk about when euthanasia is necessary and how to make sure that a real specialist is taking the cat to sleep. When it can be done is also an important point.
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Is euthanasia a necessity?
Euthanasia, or, as people say, putting animals to sleep in Russia is not considered a crime. Based on this, pets have the right to an easy and quick death. This practice is quite widespread. Euthanasia is possible if certain circumstances are stronger than even the owner’s strongest desire for the pet to live as long as possible.
Of course, no professional doctor will euthanize an animal on the baseless whim of the owner, just because the cat is blind or deaf, defecates on the sofa, or meowed annoyingly during her last heat. For any medical procedure, especially this kind, there are indications. If you have already decided to decide on the life of your pet in favor of euthanasia, then think carefully about your decision.
It is important not only to choose a good veterinarian, but also a good veterinary hospital. Half the chance that the cat will not have to undergo the euthanasia procedure is determined by the diagnostic facilities of the veterinary clinic. Only if the veterinary hospital has in its arsenal all the necessary types of diagnostics can the specialist who approved the diagnosis be trusted.
The main reason why an animal is euthanized is because its quality of life is such that no painkillers or medications can alleviate its physical condition, and the prognosis for the pet’s future life is unfavorable.
Diseases leading to euthanasia
Diseases that are the most terrible and from which there is no escape are the most common reason why cats are euthanized. If your pet has the following ailments, we can say that euthanizing your pet is the right decision:
Anthropozoonoses
These are diseases that are common to both humans and animals. They fall into the category of infectious diseases when infection occurs with various microorganisms. There are quite a few of these diseases, but what is very important is that not all of them require the euthanasia procedure. Naturally, if an animal is diagnosed with rabies, the patient must soon be euthanized and the state health service must inform about a possible quarantine in the area.
Also very serious is the disease Leptospirosis, which in both humans and animals is initially asymptomatic, but can ultimately cause death. The list of the most common anthropozoons that serve as a reason for the euthanasia of cats will be completed by Dirofilariasis (helminthic infestation).
Incurable diseases
Sometimes pets, unfortunately, live with a disease that causes them terrible pain and suffering. Often they cannot be made less strong. Such cases include late-stage cancer, the development of metastases affecting one or another important organ for life. Also included in the list of similar diseases is chronic renal failure, in which the cat’s body does not properly cleanse itself of toxins. This can ultimately lead to the most terrible consequences - swelling of the lungs or brain, rupture of the spinal cord.
If your animal has been diagnosed with cancer or another of the listed diseases, and you do not see from the cat’s condition that she is suffering greatly, this does not mean that this is not the case. Cats, unlike people, do not scream or act irritated in this state; they withdraw into themselves and experience pain in a secluded, calm place.
Trauma or congenital abnormalities
Often the reason why an owner decides to euthanize a cat is congenital pathologies or injuries to the pet. Animals receive similar injuries when falling from a very high height or from an unsuccessful fall from a low one. Particularly dangerous are polytraumas - this is a complex of injuries and fractures in the area of the vital internal organs of the animal.
It is important to know here that only those injuries that cannot be cured and that cause the pet to suffer greatly can be resolved by euthanasia. If this or that injury can still be cured, albeit through an expensive operation, do not even think about euthanizing your pet. After all, even if a cat remains disabled, it will be able to live a normal life, pleasing its owners.
In the event that euthanasia is required due to a serious health condition with a disappointing prognosis, we strongly advise you to obtain the recommendation of not just one doctor, but several. Many pseudo-veterinarians, due to financial irrationality, do not want to treat the animal and say that the injury is incompatible with life. It also happens that such doctors simply do not have the proper qualifications in this matter, and they do not know how to heal a pet.
If the doctor you see has a “broad profile,” then he simply cannot know all the diseases and how to cure them. Remember that only a veterinary oncologist can deal with oncological diseases, and spinal injuries are within the professional competence of a neurologist exclusively. In addition, euthanasia of a cat is often, so to speak, a cover for the veterinarian who “healed” the animal by initially choosing the wrong treatment method.
To understand that euthanasia today is carried out quite often on animals and is not painful for them, it must be said that it consists of two short stages. First, put the pet into a full state of anesthesia, and why kill it using drugs that, in large doses, end life. If a veterinarian offers to carry out a procedure without anesthesia, do not agree for anything, because in this case, the animal will suffocate in the awareness of everything that is happening, in terrible agony!
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Pros and cons of euthanizing an animal without the help of a veterinarian
Euthanasing an animal at home without the help of a specialist is associated with a number of difficulties. There is no magic pill that allows you to euthanize an animal easily and painlessly. It is difficult to obtain medications for euthanasia, and even more difficult to calculate the dosage. Most drugs are administered intravenously or intramuscularly. Trying to cope with this task without experience means causing unnecessary suffering to the poor animal.
If you still managed to find a drug that stops the heart, it is unlikely that you will be able to purchase the narcotic drug that turns off consciousness necessary for an easy death. Without it, your pet will die a long and painful death.
Euthanasia of an animal on your own is complicated by the psychological aspect. Giving a cat a lethal injection is morally difficult; in the future, the owner runs the risk of experiencing remorse from the fact that he personally killed the pet, and suffering from difficult memories. The only advantage of self-euthanasia is that it saves money, but you will still have to pay for the removal and cremation of the body.
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Carrying out the procedure at home
If you clearly understand the need for euthanasia, and want this procedure to be carried out in the environment familiar to the pet, namely at home, then contact a truly professional in your field whom you can completely trust. We strongly do not recommend performing euthanasia yourself!
Medicines for carrying out the procedure yourself and in a humane way simply cannot be found in pharmacies, and you cannot get those that are sold in them without a prescription from a doctor. Even if you can somehow obtain drugs to euthanize your cat, measuring out the correct dose is not easy and can vary greatly depending on the drug. If you make a mistake during self-euthanasia, anything can happen to the cat - from painful convulsions to hemorrhage.
If the cat's fate is sealed and you want to say goodbye to it at home, you should prepare for this psychologically. There is a popular belief that the pet feels what the owner is thinking about, so the procedure can be carried out with great difficulty. The cat may resist this, understanding what the owner is up to. In addition, immediately decide what you will do with your pet’s body after its death. Note that many veterinary clinics cooperate with funeral service organizations for pets, where they can perform cremation and then issue an urn with ashes.
Possible drugs
Euthanasia from the point of view of the medical procedure can be carried out in two ways: by intravenously administering a large dose of drugs such as Propofol or Thiopental to the animal, as well as by administering the same drugs, but intramuscularly. Then drugs such as Ditilin, Lidocaine or Magnesium Sulfate are introduced, which complete the procedure.
Instructions
Euthanasia of cats follows the same pattern. Whether it is carried out in a veterinary clinic or at home, euthanasia consists of two stages:
- Immersion of the cat into deep anesthesia - stage 4. The doctor administers a drug that affects the body after 1-2 minutes. After 10-15 minutes, the veterinarian checks the depth of anesthesia in the animal, and if there are no basic reflexes, you can proceed to the second stage.
- Respiratory and cardiac arrest. After administering the necessary medications, the doctor again checks reflexes, namely breathing and heartbeat. As a result, he declares death. The specialist does not have the right to leave the animal until he is 100% convinced that the cat euthanasia procedure is completed. Even if cats were euthanized at home.
Types of tranquilizers and their effects
In the previous section, we already said that sleeping pills are divided into three groups based on the duration of their effect. Let us describe these groups in more detail.
Short term
After taking them, the cat will sleep for 2-3 hours, most often used for transportation, with increased excitability, stress or sleep disorders.
The most effective drugs in this group:
- Xylanite . Available in the form of a solution for injection. Externally it appears as a colorless or light yellow liquid. Has a calming effect on small pets for 1.5 – 2 hours. It also acts as a pain reliever - in this case it acts for 15-30 minutes. The effect occurs on average after half an hour. Xlanit is administered intramuscularly to cats. The dosage is calculated at 0.15 ml per kg of animal weight.
- Intraval . Puts the cat to sleep for no longer than a quarter of an hour. In case of sleep disturbances, it increases its duration. Also used for convulsive seizures. It is introduced into the body intravenously.
- Barbamil . The drug is indicated for surgical interventions or severe stress. It is given to the cat orally. It is advisable to mix the medicine with a treat for the animal. Before use, consultation with a veterinarian is necessary, since the medicine has a number of contraindications.
Medium term
The animal goes to sleep for 4-5 hours. Prescribed for the treatment of serious mental disorders, severe seizures, and also for preparing a cat for sleep.
- Etaminal sodium . The drug is considered harmless to cats, non-toxic. Copes with nervous excitement and stress. The product is addictive, so it should be used with caution.
- Barbital sodium . The animal falls asleep 1.5 hours after administration. The drug is completely eliminated from the body after 10 hours.
- Chloral hydrate . The drug should not be taken by pregnant or lactating cats, as well as pets under six months of age. The drug has an even larger list of contraindications, so its use should begin after consultation with a veterinarian and under his constant supervision.
Long-term
The drugs induce the cat to sleep for 10 hours and are used only during surgical interventions. The drugs are available only by prescription and are used under the supervision of a veterinarian. When using, the dosage must be strictly observed, otherwise the animal may not wake up after sleeping pills.
- Ketamine . In addition to the main effect - a sleeping pill - the drug has an effect on the cardiovascular system: it stimulates the heart, increasing the heart rate and increasing blood pressure. It is administered intramuscularly and intravenously. The medicine should not be used for animals prone to seizures, as well as for procedures that can provoke seizures.
- Ftorotan . It is introduced into the animal's body by inhalation. It must be used with extreme caution, since the wrong dosage can lead to complete cardiac arrest. Anesthesia occurs quickly, without a phase of motor excitation. At the same time, the animal recovers from anesthesia just as quickly.
- Methoxyflurane. The drug is also administered by inhalation. The effect of the drug takes quite a long time, since its components are easily dissolved in lipids. It is used most often when not only a hypnotic effect is needed, but also an analgesic effect.
Important! Medium- and long-term groups of drugs can only be used for a short period, as they are highly addictive.
Sleeping pills are available in tablet form, but are extremely rare. Most often, the medicine is produced in the form of drops or liquid for the preparation of a solution for injection.
Attention! Drugs intended for humans are not suitable for animals, since the concentration of active substances in them is increased by 10-15 times.
Video “Euthanasia of a cat”
Thanks to this video, you can clearly see the procedure for euthanizing cats.
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Temporary euthanization of a pet
This type of euthanasia is used if, for example, hygiene procedures are required. Veterinarians do not recommend using strong anesthetics or barbiturates for this purpose, because this is dangerous. In case of even the smallest overdose, the animal can die. It is better to give preference to sedatives that are available without a prescription. These include Stop-Stress, Cat-Bayun and others. Propofol, Vetranquil and Rothemar are used by veterinarians, but cat owners are better off not touching them so as not to harm the pet.
How to decide to say goodbye to a friend?
Putting a pet to sleep is extremely stressful. But there are times when this is necessary. There is no need to consider it a sin and blame yourself for the death of your pet. A dog cannot make its own decisions, so the burden falls on its owner. It is important to remember that the animal will soon die on its own. The owner’s main task is to make his care easier without dooming him to further suffering.
Euthanasia will help relieve your dog of additional pain and stress. Euthanasia should be treated as a routine procedure that benefits the pet.
