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Putting guinea pigs to sleep

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jess496

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I have a question about putting guinea pigs to sleep.
What is the best way of doing it?.
My exotic vet said the best way of doing it is holding the Guinea pig while the vet injects the sedation first in the back so that the guinea pig goes sleepy and hold them for a while then the vet would inject the final injection into their stomach.
The vet said he does not agree with gassing animals because they are taken away from owners and they are put into the gas box all alone as no one can be in the same room while they gas them. The vet said often animals know something is happening because they can smell the gas so they get very stressed while they look for their owners. He said it's the wrong way of doing it.
The reason I ask on here because I had a discussion with my family last night about how my Guinea pig was put to sleep and the first injection really hurt him as he squeaked tried to run up on my shoulder so I'm wondering if this is the right way of doing it? I told the vet that he was in pain when he injected the injection but the vet said it happens in seconds but it isn't the point though as it still caused him pain before he died. I wanted a painless passing for him and I feel this was the wrong way of doing it as injections really hurt them.
If I have to go through this again, what's the best way of doing it? I'm guessing I can't tell the vet what to do? They have their own ways of doing it, am I right?.
 
Most piggies struggle not to inhale the gas. Normally that's not so bad because they come around again quickly afterwards.
But when it comes to PTS, I prefer the method your vet explained. Yes, the injection hurts a bit but it's only for a short moment and then they dose off peacefully.
 
I had to have one of my rabbits put to sleep two years ago and despite having many animals over the past 35 years he was actually the only PTS I had been present for. It was done the same - via injection. There was a very brief moment that he looked wide eyed as he had the first injection but after that he cuddled into me and we were together until the vet confirmed he had gone.
It was peaceful and I am so grateful I was able to be there with him
 
Piggies&buns said:
I had to have one of my rabbits put to sleep two years ago and despite having many animals over the past 35 years he was actually the only PTS I had been present for. It was done the same - via injection. There was a very brief moment that he looked wide eyed as he had the first injection but after that he cuddled into me and we were together until the vet confirmed he had gone.
It was peaceful and I am so grateful I was able to be there with him
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This was my first time putting a guinea pig to sleep as the first two died naturally. The first injection really hurt him so I questioned if this was the right thing to do as he must have been confused to why we were hurting him and I do wonder if he felt the second injection in his stomach, I hope not. I read online that the final injection is usually injected into the heart? I wonder why that is as that sounds even worse.
 
jess496 said:
This was my first time putting a guinea pig to sleep as the first two died naturally. The first injection really hurt him so I questioned if this was the right thing to do as he must have been confused to why we were hurting him and I do wonder if he felt the second injection in his stomach, I hope not. I read online that the final injection is usually injected into the heart? I wonder why that is as that sounds even worse.
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To put it kindly, its for a quick passing. It would be painful without sedation which is why they always get either the initial injection or the gassing, this then sedates your guinea pig so they really cant feel anything at all.
In smaller animals/rodents they also sometimes put it into the veins as the drugs can move around the body (and then into the heart) much quicker, but certainly in larger animals, straight into the heart is the quickest and kindest way to do it.

I understand seeing your piggy react to the injection can be distressing, and its completely normal to wonder if you did the right thing, but I promise you the second injection would not have been painful for him. Him running up your shoulder/reacting to the injection is completely normal, but in your arms I very much doubt he was in much pain at all. Assuming you have had an injection before the pain isn't that intense, so although not painless, it is a very quick process and the kindest thing to do when a piggy/pet is struggling.

I hope you can find peace in the fact your piggy would not have been in pain during his passing, and it sounds like you have an amazing vet who cares alot about what they do. I am sorry for your loss ❤️
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I wonder why my vet didn't inject into the veins first as he injected into his back then the final one was in his stomach. I think injecting into stomach seems better than the heart as injecting into the heart sounds extreme if you get what I mean. By larger animals do you mean dogs & cats? All of mine always had it done through their arm and they go in seconds. Yeah my vet seems to care, when I got upset I could tell he was upset and usually most vets don't show emotion which I don't like
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If you still have questions, I'm sure your vet would be more than happy to go through it with you as to why/what he did.

I was referring to cats and dogs, yes. I thought this was is standard procedure but maybe not everywhere, it was how my dog was put down and explained to me by my vets :)
 
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