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>> Euthanasia, the gentle death
Posted by labadmin on Thursday, November 09 @ 18:41:53 GMT (928 reads)
littlelab writes "It seems that everyday on every forum I visit, someone has had the painful and emotional decision of having their beloved companion euthanised or 'Put to Sleep'.
For many it is an end to weeks or months of suffering, some are oldies and some sadly are young animals only just starting out in life. For many, it may very well be an end to years of neglect from previous owners, but whatever the reason for putting the animal to sleep, we are always left with the feeling of guilt, ' if only we could have done more', if only I had spent more time/money with him/her' if only we had got there sooner', 'if only we could have had a few more days'.
How can we really know that Euthansia is the best option for our beloved companion, lets look at the criteria of what an animals basic needs are:
Freedom from uncontrollable pain, distress and discomfort.
Ability to walk and balance.
Ability to eat and drink without pain and vomiting.
Freedom from painful, inoperable tumours.
Ability to breathe freely and without difficulty.
Ability to hold up head when at rest.
Ability to urinate and defecate without difficulty or incontinence.
Ability to see and hear.
Ability to enjoy food.
Pet responds to owner and family.
Not suffering from repeated vomiting and/or convulsions.
Your pet should be able to enjoy a majority of these basic things, but these criteria are intended only as guidelines when used as a benchmark in deciding your pet's wellbeing. Euthanasia may not be appropriate even if some of these criteria are not met. Each case for euthanasia should be judged on its own merits and your vet should always be consulted beforehand. (As the owner you also know your pet better than anyone.)
If you and your vet decide that Euthanasia is the kindest course of action, then don't be afraid to ask questions.
Many vets will offer you either the last or first appointment of the day, go with a relative or friend for support.
You may want to hold your pet whilst the vet adminsters the drug. Most euthanasia solutions are a combination of chemicals whose intent is to effect a quick and painless termination of nerve transmission and to effect complete muscle relaxation. When nerve impulses are not conducted there is no thought, no sensation, no movement.
The vet will then give you time with your pet to say your goodbyes, this is your time, take as long as you need, grief has no time limits.
For those reading this and feeling guilt then please read a wnoderful article called ' A letter from Annie'
http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/annie.html
"
(Read More... | 3092 bytes more | comments? | Score: 4.87)
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>> Camping With Man's Best Friend
Posted by labadmin on Sunday, March 26 @ 15:36:54 BST (624 reads)
LabMum writes "Man's best friend your dog , and you, can go camping and have lots of fun. Look at it as a walk that doesn't end, during which he gets to spend all his time with you. For us campers, it can give us another means of security and another way of bonding.
For those of you who are wanting to get involved in this great adventure with their pet, there are some things you need to do to make this as fun as possible for both of you.
First time camping pooches should be shown the wonders of nature slowly. City or urban dogs need to be brought along slow because of their tender pads on their paws, and they need to get used to all open spaces and wonders of nature. Start with taking them on a some day trips to state, county and conservation Parks
The wide open spaces will help your dog get used to unpopulated areas. He wll also find new odours and sights in this stress free environment. Going on nature and hiking trails will also help your dog gain muscle strength and fitness before you go camping.
As we enjoy the companionship of our dogs, they become a member of our families. Going with us on family outings, walks, trips around town, just about everywhere we go they tag along with us. Thats fine because we care about them so much. Its not always the same with camp owners who feel dogs are not man's best friend in their camping area. They have good reason to be. A lot of dog owners are not very good in keeping their pets leashed or cleaning up after them. They also don't abide by the camp rules the way they should, but many irresponsible dog owners feel the rules don't apply to them and their dogs. Of course because of these pet owners , we all suffer, thus there are now many campgrounds not allowing dogs. Check ahead to see if the campground you' re going to allows dogs, and if so, are they allowed on the trails, or have special trails set aside for dogs. Also some campgrounds charge two dollars a night for dogs as well.
As loving, caring, pet owners, we need to find a way to take care of our dogs while we go out on the trails with our other family members. We could take turns dog sitting with family, friends, other campers with dogs. One thing we need to do is make sure we are good responsible pet owners. Check ahead before you go camping with man's best friend.
Here are some pre-camping tips:
Take with you a current copy of his records and his vet's phone number.
Ensure you have ID tags for your dog with their name, your name, ect.
Microchips, tattoos and pet registries can be used.
Bring medications and a copy of prescriptions.
Try to get a site with some shade for your dog.
Supervise your dog closely around children, other visitors and other dogs.
Keep your dog quiet. Frequent and continued barking disturbs the wildlife and other campers.
Let your dog have time to adjust to his new surroundings. Give him time to rest
Try to use ziplock bags to pick up after him and properly dispose of it in appropriate trash containers.
Keep an eye on how weather conditions effect your dog, heat, cold, rain etc.
Consider use of a crate for travel and short term restraint, while you are near. Your pet could be stolen if not watched carefully.
You should be aware that your dog will have increased exposure to ticks and fleas. Take the proper tick/flea collars, repellants or use Frontline applications. Other diseases can also be transmitted by wild animals and insects."
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