Is This Normal At Death?, (Warning: Graphic question of euthanasia) Options

[kodiak'smom]

I posted recently that my German Shep was sick and likely in her last days. Last Sunday (after 5 weeks of 24 hour a day care) she no longer could get up and we had to make the horrible decision to euthenize.

I could not go, I loved this dog more than I can say. My older son and husband stayed w/her through the procedure.

We had another dog (12 years) that lost all function in her hind legs put to sleep in Nov. 08. My son was disturbed because she was very alert and when the anesthesia dose hit her she went from a lying (up) position and quickly fell to the side. It was an image that stayed with my son that he did not like. She was sedated ahead of time, but it didn't work well.

This time w/our Shep I requested more sedation, I was hoping she'd be asleep. Instead my son got upset again, that she was so sedated her eyes remained open and her tongue was out of her mouth. This bothered him badly.

The part that is strange to me and I hope you can tell me this is normal - as she was injected with "the dose" her eyes remained open until the syringe was empty and she simply closed her eyes and it was over.

She closed her eyes? Is this normal? Our other dog died with her eyes open?

Of course I fear she just fell asleep. But the Vet said her heart had stopped and it was over.

Is it normal for a dog to close their eyes at death?

Both events I did not watch, I couldn't and both freak me out - of course this is the hardest thing a pet lover can do.

I hope someone can reassure me a pet dying can close their eyes, I have read online all dogs die with their eyes open. My biggest fear would be she fell asleep and didn't die - I only have the hope the vet was correct and that it was truly over.

Horrific - either way - I am heartbroken.

[smokey/lady/max]

Hi Kodiaks Mom
First I am sooo sorry for your loss. I stayed with 2 of my angels and yes they both closed thier eyes. I have heard alot of people say thier dogs eyes remained opened and I wondered why because my experience mine just looked as if they went to sleep. So now you make me feel better knowing mine werent the only ones who closed thiers. We just lost our Bullmastiff 4 weeks ago he died on our bathroom floor I was not home but my husband said his eyes were open and that really bothered me for my Max in Dec was euthenized and he looked as if he was sleeping and at peace. So thank you, you have made me feel better to know that my Smokey and Max werent the only ones who closed thier eyes.
I am sorry for your sons last image but please tell him that Kodiak sounds like he went peacefully to sleep.

Hugs to you and your family
Anna & My Angels
xoxo

[janika]

Dear Dana

Firstly please accept my condolences for the sad loss of your dear Xena. I feel so sorry and know that you will be heartbroken. I hope that Angel is coping and that you are able to be of such great comfort to one another at this time.
My heart goes out to you all.
Please let me try and help you about the final sleep for our darlings. I was with my beloved Tasha all through the process which for me was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I can understand also why you found that it was too hard for you to be there. Our vet came to our home with a vet nurse and I can honestly say that for Tasha it was as if she just 'went to sleep'. Her eyes were definitely closed and she just peacefully left us. I kept saying 'are you sure she's gone. Is she just sleeping?' Loads of questions , but of course the vets do all the checks to make sure their precious hearts are no longer beating. She looked so peaceful and although I cried along with my husband and daughter, we knew that we had done the kindest thing we could for our baby. She was no longer suffering and would be healed and playing with all our Angels at the Rainbow Bridge.
My father had been looking after Noushka (our younger Samoyed) as we made the decision for her not to be present, and when she came back of course she looked everywhere for Tasha. She seemed to know where we had buried her in our garden as she ran to the spot and just sat there. That became her favourite place in the garden and now sadly her ashes are there too.
Like you I love my pets so much it seems unbearable when they leave us, and it makes you think that you can't go through the 'leaving us' part ever again;but what we must remember is that we wouldn't have been without them for one minute, we wouldn't want 'not' to have had them in our lives. They enrich our lives so much as hopefully our love and caring has enriched theirs. A mutual love and bond that is like nothing else.
Please give Angel a hug and know that I am thinking of you and sending prayers and a big HUG to you and your family.
Love Jan and my Angels and Pixie x

[Brutus]

I'm so sorry about your loss of your GS. Brutus was eauthanized about 4 1/2 months ago, it was my first time having to do this. I didn't know what to expect either. It was indeed the hardest thing I ever had to do. They sedated him and he was standing up, he slowly laid down, his back end going down first, he was very glassy eyed but was blinking. When they gave the shot to send him to the rainbow bridge, his eyes remained open. I wish they would of closed. I was told by someone that when they give the final shot to not look into his eyes, so I didn't, but I did peak at his eyes after the shot and they were open...and it bothered me terribly. I wanted to try to shut them, but I was afraid. I guess it's different for each animal. I don't really know.

Hugs to you,
Brutus' Mom

[ladywolf]

I'm so sorry about your loss of your GS. Brutus was eauthanized about 4 1/2 months ago, it was my first time having to do this. I didn't know what to expect either. It was indeed the hardest thing I ever had to do. They sedated him and he was standing up, he slowly laid down, his back end going down first, he was very glassy eyed but was blinking. When they gave the shot to send him to the rainbow bridge, his eyes remained open. I wish they would of closed. I was told by someone that when they give the final shot to not look into his eyes, so I didn't, but I did peak at his eyes after the shot and they were open...and it bothered me terribly. I wanted to try to shut them, but I was afraid. I guess it's different for each animal. I don't really know.

Hugs to you,
Brutus' Mom

I too am so sorry about your loss of your beloved GS.

I've had four dogs euthanized, and two of them died with eyes open, and two of them closed their eyes. So I guess it's the luck of the draw. I definitely preferred it when they closed their eyes, as it seemed more like sleep. All kinds of strange things can occur at the time of death--you're lucky none of them happened in your case. So just go on with your grieving process--nothing weird happened to GS--just normal stuff.

I'm very sorry that you are having to take this painful journey--but you have plenty of support here!

Big big hugs--

Margi and Ladywolf

[kodiak'smom]

Thank you for your reassurances that this can be normal.

Janika - Thank you for asking. Angel is doing ok, amazingly. She has never in her entire 11 years of life lived without other dogs. She looks lonely and it is sad, but she seems to be very clingy to me, she always was, but even more so than usual. The day Xena was taken to the vet for the final time, my son carried her to the SUV (she could no longer walk) Angel ran behind him and jumped up to look in the car at Xena one more time - an image I won't ever forget, her short (pit bull/sharpei mix) body with her two front feet up stretching to look in at Xena for the last time.

I have been so upset, I literally have been dry-heaving at times, I am constantly nauseated w/a headache that is so bad. Soon, I know they will be calling to pick up the ashes. I doubt I can pick them up. I guess I will have a family member go get them. I can't, I just can't.

At the moment of death, even though I was home - I "felt" it...I felt like someone reached into my heart and ripped out a piece of it and I knew it was over. I called the vet and they confirmed I was correct, it had just ended moments before...I knew it, I was very close to Xena, very close - we spent every single day of her life together, I never missed one day, I knew her so well and loved her so much.

It has only been 5 days and in many ways today it seems worse than the day it happened. It is miserable to not see her beautiful, happy face each and every morning. I have lost 7 animals in my adult life - I loved them all very much, but for some reason this seems to be the worst yet.

Comments and stories so much appreciated.

[tanbuck]

Kodiak's mom, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I can relate to the dry-heaving and headaches. Losing both our cats within 7 months of one another, I've run the gambet (sp?) of grief emotions. When we lost Frasier in August, it was my first time losing a pet that had been totally mine. All the others were family pets before I got married. Niles and Frasier were my and my husband's first babies. They were 2 of the only 3 we'd ever had together. They were 15 when they passed so I'd had a long time to build a bond with them. So when Frasier died, I didn't know what to expect from myself. I was shocked at the sounds that came from my body. I was overwhelmed with the physical pain of losing him. I know what you mean about feeling like your heart was being ripped out. I just kept feeling over and over that he was physically being pulled from my chest. Like he had been sewn there or something.
But since Niles died 2 weeks ago, I've had different emotions. I've been numb. I feel like a light was turned off inside me. Those two boys and our sweet dog, Buck, were as close to sons to me than I will ever know. We don't have human children so these babies were my whole world. I think losing Frasier prepared me for losing Niles. I loved and still love Frasier with every fiber of my being but Niles and I had a connection I've never had before. I know you know what I'm talking about. So I think I've just slumped into a depression.
I feel for you. I really do. Other people on this forum seem to have gotten a relief when their pet's remains came home. I so hope that happens for you. And I hope that tomorrow will be a better day for you. Don't expect too much from yourself. Give yourself a break a little. You've been through and are still going through alot.
-Donna

[Ken Albin]

I am very sorry for your loss. As far as your question is concerned, the first sedative shot basically makes them unconscious (usually) so anything that happens after that point is just reflex. Sometimes they will close their eyes at the end and sometimes not. Either way they are not aware of what they are doing. The eye muscles may remain taut or just relax and they aren't controlling them either way.

I can sympathize with you about physical symptoms of grief. After our cat Iona died I developed a severe eczema rash all over my body. I have been incapacitated with this for the past 3 months.

You will be in my thoughts. May the grief process ease with time.

[Stormycloud]

Hi there, just wanted to say hello to you and that I know how hard it is to lose a much loved dog. I lost my sweet Stormy who was a Black Lab/Sheltie cross, he was 14 when he died in February. He died all by himself in our family room, and that really made me sad that he was all alone as it was during the night when he died. I kept thinking he would last through the summer at least, but it was not to be. His last night was so special because we had made salmon for dinner which he LOVED and I had some extra to give him with some rice which he also loved! My husband also took him for a walk that evening while I bathed our kids - he had not been out for a walk in a while as it was hard for him to get up for the last couple of months. We had started him on medication and I sure hope that was not the cause of his demise, but just the same, he would not have been able to get up on his own without it.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and I am so sorry for your loss - the grief and devastation took me by complete surprise - and I completely empathize. Hugs to you.

Moira

[webmasterpdx]

So sorry for your loss first of all.
This is an area that is close to my heart as I've heard of some situations that made me very mad. Sometimes, some vetinary technicians make a mistake and just give the pet the meds to stop the heart. This is immoral and cruel. Basically it induces a heart attack.

I believe that the correct way is to sedate your pet first, and if possible to be fully asleep. Then, administer the heart stopping medication. Then it is without any pain or disturbance to our lovies.
With my dog that I most recently had to euthanize, Wally, the vet gave him a sedative and he fell asleep almost immediately with his head on my lap, so I could tell him he was a good boy and scratch his tummy. Then, when I was ready and had taken a lock of his hair, I told the vet to administer the heart meds.

As to whether the eyes are open or not I think depends on the animal. Some animals can sleep with their eyes open, especially when under the influence of medications.

If I had it over to do again, I would ask the vet to administer just a small amount of sedation so my baby could feel sleepy, but not so sleepy as to be unresponsive to me talking to him, so I can say goodbye and he can lick my hand back in response. Then I'd ask her to administer MORE sedation to put him completely to sleep, and then, finally have his heart stopped.

I hope this helps in some small way.
Again, I hope the pain lessens for you soon. For me it took a little over a year, but occasionally, I'll miss my baby still.

[Foxysmummy]

Hi Kodiak'sMom, I'm so very sorry for your loss. I lost my GSD in March, she had bone cancer and we had her put to sleep. Like you I couldn't go with her to the vets, my DH took her so I can't answer your question. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for your loss.