Folk,
    I have had to do this to our fuzzy friends, and had my own done as well.
I use the somlethal solution intra-cardiac, with a 1 inch needle.  I know it
is disturbing to see a needle enter the chest cavity, so I do explain the
procedure in advance.  I've never had a patient so much as flinch with this
method, so I've never used gas ahead of time.  This is how I had
Scheherazade done (even though I was crying too hard to do her myself, I
wanted her to go quickly with minimal stress in my absence).
 
     This is a very difficult decision, and my heart goes out to you.
 
-Dr. Karen
[Posted in FML issue 1314]