This is from another review I did, I will copy it with parts of her response as the other site won't let me respond to her response.
Needed to euthanize our 14-year-old Lab, Chewy. We just moved to the area a month ago and had been to Brooksville VET 1 time (the week before). Once we got into the treatment room, they came in with a credit card machine right away to pay for the process. They said they would be right back with sedation. After waiting a painful 20 minutes, I had to leave the room and ask about the sedation. A couple minutes later the tech came in and gave sedation, which was an injection to her rear, our dog screamed, they said it was from the burning sensation (our dog in all her vet visits previously never had an issue or made a sound with a needle prick). The Vet came in about 10 minutes later to administer the final drug in her front paw with a needle. I was watching the whole thing, our dog was screaming in great pain. This happened after she stuck her. Chewy was screaming with pain for about 10 seconds in all even after the Vet withdrew the needle (The Vet did not use a Tourniquet to help find the vein). Of course I said to her; we have to find another way. The Vet said it was because it was from the excitable stage from the Sedation and it happens with this breed (Labrador) and that our Labrador was more aware of what was happening. She gave us the option of her taking Chewy to the back room and putting an IV in and doing it back there or trying again in the rear paw, which she recommended we try, we went with that and Chewy finally passed in peace.
After reflecting back on the experience as well as talking to another Vet from our old home, we came to these conclusions: The initial medication was just a sedative and had no anesthetic (the bill we received does not list the medications given). The screaming pain Chewy felt from the 2nd medication was not from the needle prick, But from the vet missing the vein and accidentally injecting the area with the medication that caused a severe burning sensation (This would be expected and would be the norm if the vein was missed as the medication is very caustic). In the end from what we were told from another vet, all the pain could have been avoided if a simple butterfly IV was used, which is very easy to place and the least painful. It also would have assured the medication would have been directed into the vein. We were told this is the most common practice at least in our old area. For us this was too much of a painful experience and would never bring our other dog to this practice. Please, Please make sure if you have to go through this same procedure, Make sure she uses an IV for your dog's sake.
Her response included "As I explained, the schedule was full when you called that morning. Rather than push Chewy off to another day, we squeezed her in, causing me to be double booked." ....this is not true, we called that morning and didn't expect to get an appointment that soon, we were fine with doing it the next day or two (Chewy was chronic and and was in any acute distress), it was the secretary that gave us an appointment an hour later as she said they had an opening.
Another response: " Unfortunately, as soon as you were placed in the room, we had an emergency walk in. " ......not true, no dog came after we arrived and in fact we could hear Dr. Miller in the other room the whole time (must of been in the next room).
Another response: "Some veterinarians will argue that because an intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SQ) injection can sting, it is better to forego a premed altogether."...... Talk to a Vet, most Vets won't use an IM as it can be painful, and depending on the drug given it can create a burning sensation as it did in this case, it was not the stick itself that caused the pain in chewy, not to mention the vet was do busy to give the shot it was an assistant that did that, Dr. Miller wan't in the room at that time or anytime before that. According to my old VET (which I talked to again yesterday). a SQ is common and in almost all cases the dog doesn't feel it as its a very small stick and med doesn't cause a burning sensation. The butterfly catheter is then placed for the final med.
Another response: "I do not believe that Chewy's vocalization was due to pain or that any of the euthanasia solution was injected outside of the vein. I have been a part of and performed more euthanasias than I wish to count, and this is based on my expert opinion." Chewy's vocalization as you called it was a high pitch screaming that went on for ten seconds. You admitted to me on the phone that yes their could have been an accidentally injected outside the vein. Furthermore you also admitted on the phone that you used to use a butter fly catheter in the past and that clients didn't like to see the catheter in, I have a hard time believing that.
In the end, I hope you go back to using the catheter. read more
