Veterinary Euthanasia Techniques: A Practical Guide

About the Authors vii Acknowledgments ix Introduction xi 1 Client Considerations 1 Companion animals 3 Species-specific considerations 6 2 Equipment 19 Technique-specific equipment 19 Euthanasia area equipment 29 Drugs 30 Species-specific considerations 35 3 Positioning and Restraint 43 Positioning 43 Restraint 45 Species-specific considerations 45 4 Pre-euthanasia Sedation and Anesthesia 51 Anesthesia 52 Sedation 53 Drugs and routes of administration 55 Assessing unconsciousness and sedation 56 Specific-species considerations 57 5 Euthanasia Techniques 73 How death is achieved 73 Choosing an appropriate method 75 Inhalant methods 78 Injectable methods 79 Physical methods 79 Species-specific techniques 79 Unacceptable methods for domestic animals 164 Death and associated signs 165 6 Body Aftercare 169 Burial 170 Composting 172 Cremation/incineration 173 Rendering 174 Species-specific considerations 174 Conclusion 183 Bibliography 185 Index 191