This Question From Veterinarian Jokes | 8 Answers
*So sorry this is so long, I would greatly appreciate if someone could read the whole story and give a thought-felt answer. Please no hateful/joke comments.*
My dog was hit by a car a day and a half ago. I’m having an incredibly hard time dealing with it, he was like my child. I am devastated. I’m full of guilt and fear that he was in pain and feeling alone in his last minutes. I wasn’t at home when he got out of the yard and ran away. He walked into a busy road and was hit hard by a car. The driver neglected to stop, and around 10 to 15 minutes later he was found by the side of the road and picked up by a kind person who brought him to a nearby veterinarian.
When I came to the Veterinary Hospital, not knowing the status of my dog- whether he was even dead or alive, the woman at the front desk simply asked me what I would like to do with the body. After leaving I was so haunted I came back to the Veterinary the next day (today) and told the woman that I wanted closure and was just wondering if she knew if my dog was in any pain before he died. I had heard animals can go into shock during something so devastating and feel little to no pain before their death. I was also hoping maybe he had died immediately after being hit so there was no chance he suffered. The woman simply replied who knows if he was in pain or not it varies by case. She then told me she had heard when he came in “it wasn’t pretty”, that his stomach was so destroyed it was “like he exploded”, and “his eyeball came out and they were trying to put it back in”. Also, he was alive when found and was put to sleep in the hospital with a large amount of anesthesia. Her comments make me want to throw up, and I am horrified by the lack of sympathy she used when speaking towards me.
Sorry for the long rant, I am just still in complete shock by the way she chose to tell me this information.
My Question:
My dog was hit by a car and suffered massive trauma, especially to his stomach region. He is a very small dog, a miniature schnauzer. His pelvis was shattered and his eyeball came out. He lay by the road for anywhere from five to thirty minutes (although most likely around 10 to 15) before he was picked up by a driver. He was immediately brought to an emergency clinic where they at some point (I don’t know how soon, after checking him out and attempting to fix his eye) decided he was not going to survive and gave him an overdose of anesthesia so he could die. Based on this situation, in your professional opinion and experience, what are the chances this animal suffered and experience a great amount of pain? and how likely is it that he went into shock and experienced little pain/emotional distress before his death? I have also heard that some animals go unconscious during this type of situation although their eyes remain open, and experience nothing…is this a likely situation?
Also, if you work with animals in emergency situations, when they go through an experience as devastating as this and are near death do they become quiet or are they very vocal that they are in pain? It kills me to think that my dog was howling or yelping in pain and crying for someone. I guess I hope that with this much devastation he was out of it/not experiencing the situation and he was therefore quiet.
Thank you so very much to someone who takes the time to read this and answer, I really greatly appreciate it.
8 Comments so far
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I worked as an ER nurse. I can tell you that if his eye was injured, he had a head trauma, which would have knocked him out. I really don’t think he knew anything or felt any pain.
I am so sorry for your loss.
This is a helpful site, and I hope it helps you deal with this grief:http://www.petloss.com/
As for the lady at the vet’s clinic. Many people go to work for a vet, because they love animals. Some people can’t stand seeing so much pain, suffering and heartbreak, that they build a stony heart, just to be able to deal with it. It is sad that this happens to some, as they lose a part of themselves. I’m so glad that it doesn’t happen to everyone. Some are able to work amidst such suffering, and remain compassionate. Those are the unsung angels.
Mick J, I haven’t had any problems with my schnauzer.
Oh god, I cried when I read this. How dare that sadistic bitc# say these things to you! Report her immediately in writing and take it as far as possible. I am a nurse and how the body reacts to trauma is usually after a car crash, shock sets in immediately and the body releases lots of pain relieving chemicals to make it easier. In simple terms, people aswell as dogs often go into shock which changes thoughts and reactions. I have seen a dog get knocked down and taken him to the vets before aswell and I know that shock numbs so I feel that he probably did not feel anything but moment of shock. I have nurses people who have gone into shock and they also go very quiet and pain shuts off. My heart is with you, I have two boxers and they are my life.
I think she was trying not to show emotion as if she became upset you will grieve more and it is hard when things become too personal as it was and is a very hard to help council I am sure if I was in that situation I would tear up and it would hard to help another…
Puppy Poem
I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, you found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
“It’s me, I haven’t left you, I’m well, I’m fine, I’m here.”
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at my grave today, you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I’m not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said, “It’s me.”
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair
I tried so hard to let you know that I was standing there.
It’s possible for me to be so near you every day
To say to you with certainty, “I never went away.”
You sat there very quietly, then smiled; I think you knew…
In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over… I smile and watch you yawning
And say “good-night, God bless, I’ll see you in the morning.”
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I’ll rush across to greet you and we’ll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out… then come home to be with me.
Sorry for your pain, but there is NO way to tell if your dog was suffering. Just know that he’s in a better place. I hope that someone will post the Rainbow Bridge.
And LEMONS, what a flippin’ moron you are. Please, everyone report the idiot for it’s post.
That was a very heartbreaking story, I don’t know wether he was in pain, and sometimes they dont feel much. But I’m sure that you two were best buds. You should sue that ***** to hell for he incompitence.
Im guessing that he didnt feel as much pain as the horrible receptionist made it out to be. Animals and people who the go into shock “shut down”, it’s the body’s way of delaing with pain and trauma. We had a young man in my town a few years ago racing his car and he was ejected from it following a crash, and his leg was severed. He had gone into shock and was actually laughing because “he won”. The same goes for dogs- He wasn’t feeling the pain, his body had already shut down.
That’s the only “professional” advice I can give you.
I am so, so sorry for your loss. I looked at my dog laying on the ground and my eyes got misty. I cannot imagine the emotional pain you have right now.
First I would like to extend my deepest sympathies on your loss. I have been a Veterinary Technician for about 10 years. I’m going to be completely honest with you, the animals that are usually in pain are those that have suffered a fracture or break somewhere. I think this case was so severe that your dog may have gone into shock right away. For the most part they are quiet if they are responsive at all. It’s unfortunate that you had to deal with someone that told you all those ugly things. I for one would have done things differently. The large amount of anesthesia is procedure and painless. It puts them under a deep sleep and then takes it an extra step further by stopping the heart and so on. In my professional experience and opinion because your baby was so small he probably went into shock and possibly lost consciousness. Again I am sorry that you were not met with empathy. My condolences on your loss, I hoped this helped.