What happened when my dog gasped during euthanasia? Was he in pain?

I'm so very sorry that you had such a traumatic experience with losing Lani. What it sounds like you are describing as her last breaths are something called agonal breathing. It occurs after consciousness is lost. It is an unconscious reaction that we will sometimes see just before a dog dies. From your description of events, I suspect that Lani died in her sleep. When her heart stopped, her body had some unconscious reactions that look disturbing to us, but she was likely already gone or at least unconscious by then. I hope that was helpful in allowing you to understand what occurred yesterday. My deepest sympathies in your loss of Lani.

First off, I'm so sorry Choko died! It sounds like you were seeing agonal breathing, which can occur right before death. It's a sign the body is not receiving the oxygen it needs, and is indicative of cardiac arrest. More than likely, his heart rate was pretty slow at first so that it was hard to detect, and then Choko entered his final stages of life before passing away. This can happen in animals as they pass away, and I've personally seen it myself. It can be upsetting to see, but it is considering a natural behavior if that makes sense. It doesn't mean he died twice, so you don't have to worry about that. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss, please accept my condolences.

I am so very sorry you recently lost Mac. Please accept my condolences for your loss. When we put an animal to sleep, they get a sedative first that puts them into a deep sleep. At this stage, they are not aware of anything happening, so when the final injection is given, they just slip away quietly. After the sedative was given, he would not have noticed you weren't there, and he wouldn't be aware what was happening to him. I'm sorry for your loss.

First off, I'm so sorry you suddenly lost Ranger! How horrible for you, please accept my condolences for your loss :-( Please keep in mind that without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain what caused him to pass away, but I can make an educated guess. In senior dogs, heart problems are common, and he could have been suffering from heart failure causing the heavy panting and leading to his death. Unfortunately cancer is also common in senior dogs, especially Labs as a breed, and cancer could have caused him to pass away. Dogs are very stoic with illness, and oftentimes they don't show signs of that illness until they are very sick. Cancer that has spread to the lungs or a primary lung tumor would cause heaving panting and does lead to death. These two diseases would be my top differentials for what caused his death. If you want a definitive answer, you can request your vet do a necropsy (an autopsy for dogs). This would give you some answers. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The decision you are trying to make is an extremely difficult one. I will tell you that pets typically don't die peacefully at home- it is usually a rare occurrence. When it comes to making the decision about euthanasia, I try to have the owner think about good days and bad days. Being a golden owner myself, I know what makes them happy- food, attention, going on walks, treats, attention... When you think of all the things Jacky loves, is he still doing those things? Does he still come to the door when you come home, is he able to get up to go to the bathroom or is he pottying on himself, is he still interested in food? When the bad days outweigh the good days, his quality of life is poor. A friend once told me, it is better to make this decision a day too soon than a day too late. As I said it is a very difficult decision but you need to think about what would be in Jacky's best interest. I hope this helps. Kisses to Jacky!

Although rare a respiratory crisis is possible which is very distressing for both patient and owner. Given the severity of his numerous conditions and his symptoms during sleep I would agree that yes, euthanasia is a valid consideration at this stage.

First off, I'm very sorry that you had to put your dog down. Please accept my condolences for your loss. As for her crying, I'm not sure why she needed to be put to sleep, but if she was sick or in pain, she could have been crying due to feeling so ill. She would not know what was going to happen, dogs don't have that kind of awareness. There could be many reasons why she was crying, but knowing that she was going to be put down would not have been one of them. Again, I'm sorry for your loss!