Hi All - I felt I had to add one more small addendum to this topic - hopefully to relieve some minds. My training and experience has been to always give a dose of a injectable anesthetic just as if we were beginning a surgical procedure. This is usually done with clients present, holding or petting the animal, or if the client is to stressed, one of the staff does the reassuring . When the animal goes to sleep and is no longer aware or able to feel pain, we give the owner the option to stay or leave. Only then is the animal given a terminal dose of what ever drug is deemed best under the circumstances. I have no idea where some people are getting this screaming struggling garbage, but if that is in fact what your vet is doing, I would find myself a new vet. Quickly! Sorry BIG, just had to add this bit.... but this whole topic was making me nuts! Take care, Beverly Burge - Jerusalem Zoo http://www.itmi.com/jeruzoo/ [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 2573]