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Can You Euthanize Your Cat or Dog Yourself? [ANSWERED]

Can You Euthanize Your Cat or Dog Yourself? [ANSWERED]

As a pet owner, deciding whether to euthanize your pet is one of the most difficult choices you will ever face. Although, this process is sometimes usually the best, especially when your pet is battling some incurable disease and you do not want it to keep suffering in pain. While this process ought to be conducted by veterinarians, some pet owners often ask if they could also do it themselves.

Yes, you can euthanize your dog or cat; however, it can only be done under specific circumstances. The circumstances are; that the pet is so injured or sick that it is at the point of death, and the pet is medically unfit to live any longer. You can face animal cruelty criminal charges if done illegally.

It is important to know that it is a violation of animal rights to kill a healthy pet. So regardless of the reason why you feel you should euthanize your pet, if it is outside the stated circumstances, you will be prosecuted.

best friends view windowHow To Euthanize A Dog With Tylenol Pm

Euthanizing a dog is a way of making a dog pass on in a very peaceful, painless, and compassionate way. To perform this procedure, the dog would be injected an overdose amount of anesthetics into its vein, preferably in the front leg. The injection is painless, and the period of transitioning occurs within a few minutes.

Euthanizing a dog yourself is not as easy as many people might think. It is often advised that a veterinary doctor does the procedure. However, if you feel you are fully prepared to proceed with the procedure yourself, ensure you do much research, and you could also speak to a veterinarian for more advice.

Aside from anesthetics, other popular medications like Tylenol Pm could also be used to euthanize a dog. Tylenol PM is a combination of Acetaminophen and Diphenhydramine drugs. Tylenol PM is very effective as a pain reliever for the joints, teeth, and muscles and for treating headaches.

As much as this drug has many health benefits, an overdose of it could lead to the failure of a liver and eventually death. To use Tylenol PM to euthanize a dog, you would require about 5 to 6 tablets. Although, the dosage could vary depending on the dog’s breed and size.

Before you begin this procedure, ensure you speak to your vet about it and ask for the appropriate dosage to use. Afterward, prepare your dog for its last meal, or give it water if it can no longer eat. The next thing is to administer the drugs as your vet has advised.

Now, you need to know why this drug is often not the best to euthanize a dog. It could take about 24 to 48 hours before the dog eventually dies. During that period, your dog could be seen suffering in pain and struggling for its life, hence the reason why the use of the drug is often not the best.

The overdose of the Tylenol PM drug makes it difficult for the dog’s liver to break down the Acetaminophen present in the drug. Within 24 to 48 hours, the dog’s liver would eventually shut down, then the dog dies. You should know that only a few poisons will kill a pet acutely and humanely.

Lethal Dose Of Benadryl For Cats

Benadryl, a brand name for diphenhydramine hydrochloride, is a common, effective over-the-counter drug used to treat allergy symptoms, block histamine (a chemical released by the immune system that causes an allergic response), as well as other health conditions in humans.

Although this drug is equally effective in treating allergies and itchiness of the skin caused by bites from fleas or insects in cats, an overdose of it could lead to your cat vomiting, diarrhea, reduced body temperature, drowsiness, and increased blood pressure.

In addition, cats suffering from certain underlying health conditions have a higher chance of suffering more side effects from taking Benadryl. You should note that this drug treats allergy symptoms, not the cause. Before administering Benadryl to your cats, always ensure you speak to a veterinary doctor for proper dosage.

The standard dose for this drug is 1 milligram per pound of a dog’s body weight, which is meant to be taken at every 8 hours intervals daily. So, a cat is not expected to take this drug more than 2 to 3 times daily. The tablet form of Benadryl comes in 25mg. Now, if your cat weighs 25 pounds, you can give it a full tablet every 8 hours.

So, suppose you give your cat Benadryl, and you notice it begins to display some symptoms of overdose like lethargy or excitement, excessive thirst, drowsiness, and inability to urinate; you need to stop the medication. Then, ensure you immediately inform your vet about your cat’s symptoms for further advice on stabilizing it.

The time it takes for Benadryl to kick in for a cat depends on various factors, including the reason. Nevertheless, the medication will take effect within 30 minutes of administering it orally. Benadryl is available in liquid and tablet form, so if your cat rejects the tablet, you can give it liquid Benadryl.

Cat Euthanasia Do It Yourself

You can perform cat euthanasia by yourself, but you still need to first consult with a veterinary doctor and strictly follow the procedures prescribed. First, you must identify the signs that your cat needs euthanasia; remember, euthanizing must only be done when necessary. The signs that the cat is ready are:

It no longer enjoys its favorite activities, it finds no pleasure in getting treats, going on walks, and belly rubs. It may also not seek attention from its favorite person. Another indicator is that the cat becomes weak to the point that it cannot stand or collapses when attempting to walk.

How To Perform Cat Euthanasia

Before you can perform cat euthanasia, you must be psychologically ready for the departure of your cat. One of the best ways to perform cat euthanasia is by giving the cat sleeping pills. This is also one of the most effective ways of giving the cat a peaceful death. You can give the cat an injection containing the pills or oral barbiturates.

The oral barbiturates and the injection likely cause pain to the cat, so it is best to give it a dose of sedatives to keep it relaxed. However, you must consult a vet to know the best sedative to use. The sedatives take effect in about 5 to 10 minutes, setting the cat’s brain into an unconscious mode.

After injecting the sleeping pill, it takes about 30 minutes for the brain to shut down completely and the breathing to be irregular and stop. Within 1 to 3 minutes, the heart beats slowly and stops completely. After the cat is dead, you can either bury it or cremate it.

sad cat and dogCat Sleeping Pills

There are tons of cat sleeping pills, and you will find them important in some situations. Cats are stubborn pets, and you might need a sedative to keep them in check during a veterinary visit, grooming, and bathing.

It is normal for cats to get stressed in these situations, so they try to escape and get injured in the process; they can also bite and scratch a human. By giving the cat sleeping pills, you get it calm and relaxed for what you want to do.

Final Thoughts

Cat Euthanasia is a very painful process; it takes courage to put a pet out of its misery. For some owners, it is comforting knowing that they were with their pet till the end. Moreover, others feel guilty and cannot watch; if you are the latter, you should stay away as panicking can upset the cat.