my mum has just phoned to say that her dog needs to go to the vets today to be pts, but she says the vet just wants her to leave her dog with him and my mum and sister not to be there.

He said that she will need to be muzzled as she hates the vets and can be nasty.  I would never leave any of my dogs just at the vets to be pts.

I would have though that if they muzzle her before they go in, that would be ok.   She is the tiniest chiuhua but can get very nasty.

Your advice needed as I cant go with my mum as I live 400 miles away

The vet may be considering your mothers feelings.  If the dog is tiny and, presumably, unwell it may be impossible to get a vein and therefore the euthansia may require an injection to the heart.  Something quite common with small animals.  Very quick for the dog but possibly very distressing for someone that loves it.
The vet has a job to do and if this is how he feels it can best be carried out they maybe just have to respect his judgement.
Have they suggested they bring the dog muzzled?  Other than that the alternative seems to be to seek another vet but that may not solve all the difficulties. 
It must be a very distressing time for you all :( 

the dog has had heart problems, which no longer are being controled by meds, she is 9 years old. And her quality of life has not be good

Very distressing for all concerned - sorry :(

Perhaps your sister could arrange with the vet to collect some oral sedatives to be given to the dog before your mum taking her to the vet?  This is not entirely uncommon practice for dogs being PTS at home or where despite their failing health they could become over anxious and behave in a dangerous manner.

HTH, Teri

Ask about a sedative for the dog to settle him/her down. If your Mum could pop a muzzel on, then vet take him/her to another area to place an i/v catheter, there is no reason that she cannot stay with the dog once this has been done. Hope things go ok for her.

what about if the vet did a home visit?  My dog hates the vet but is fine with the vet in my house.  It is more expensive but I feel would be worth it to know that the dog felt more comfortable in its surroundings.

>If the dog is tiny and, presumably, unwell it may be impossible to get a vein and therefore the euthansia may require an injection to the heart.  Something quite common with small animals.  Very quick for the dog but possibly very distressing for someone that loves it.

Isabel might be right with this. A few years back now we had to have our Dobe put to sleep (not exactly tiny, but very poorly). During the early hours of the morning of the day she was due to be put to sleep she went downhill rapidly. Our other dog woke us up barking and she was in a right state when we got downstairs (we'd left it too late - never again :-(). We rushed her to the vets and he tried and tried to find a vein but to no avail. We said our goodbyes to her and he took her out the back and injected into her heart. We were upset not to have been with her during the final seconds but I imagine it must take some force to inject into the heart, I'm not really sure how they do it even.

I would just ask the vet straight out if this is what he thinks needs to be done.

How awful for you Zarah :(  If it is any comfort I don't think it would take much force, the vet will feel a way between the rib, it's just rather traumatic for an owner to witness.

It is hard enough to come to this decision without a vet trying to change your wishes, it may be because the vet realises there may be a struggle but if that is the case why have they not suggested a sedative and visiting the dogs home to lessen the stress all round.

Visiting the home could be very beneficial, not quite so sure about the sedative.  Unfortunately this is likely to lower blood pressure and can have other side effects such as nausea.  I used one for my last dog and I am not at all sure that I would again.  We came very close to having to do as Zarahs vet did.
I agree it would be better if the vet discussed all this with them but then some people find even this sort of discussion very distressing.

thankyou all for your advice,
I haved passed theseon to my mum and sister its up to them now to make the decsions which are best for them.

thanks

Let's hope that whatever decisions are reached the least distress possible is felt by your family and of course their very special little friend.
Blessings of comfort for the immediate sadness and also for the times ahead,
Teri x

When I had my Dilita put down I was actually in the room and held her and talked to her.  I have to admit she didn't go straight away and it was very hard.  Would your mum's dog bite if your mum was there holding her?

Hope things go as well as this situation can.  It's hard enough to do without an added strain.

My husband and I were there when one of my dogs was PTS.  I am not sure if I could go through being there again. 

My Bracken was PTS at the vets. She died with my arms around her, kissing her head. We brought her home and she is buried in the garden.

This is how we will want it for Louis when the time comes again.

When Joy was PTS, the vet warned us what we may see happen to her.  Mom and I stayed in the room with her, and thankfully, nothing that the vet mentioned happened.  She just went peacefully off to Rainbow Bridge.  Surrounded by hugs, a blanket, and her favourite toy. 

Maybe the vet is concerned, with the heart condition, if these strange but common reactions could happen, and doesnt want to put your mom through that.  But in the end, it should be up to the owner what they want to do. 

moji.....I would think your mum and sister have a long relationship with the vet, as there have been health problems with this little dog. The vet will know how the dog reacts to treatment, and will have a good idea just how it will react to the final jab, and how that will be, maybe in the heart if not the vein. The vet will know how much distress your mum and sister could go through watching their beloved dog pts, and I think he is trying to save them this distress and allowing them to remember the dog as it is without the death scenes. I could be wrong, but I think he is thinking of everyone, dog and owner. The vet knows your mum and sister far better than any of us here can. Do you think she could cope with seeing the dog pts? if she can, then maybe sedating the dog if possible would be an option, something to talk to the vet about.

my heart goes out to you all though, its never easy when the time comes.

my heart goes out to anyone that as to put any dog down weather it old,sick,or attacking some thing to the owners and the vet that has to do the job.

i have always been there for my dogs to the end.they have been a good friend though out their live to me and my family so the last thing i want them to remmber is me while they go not a strange.
it is upsetting and stressful.what about doing at home in the dog surrounding.

difficult decision, only you can make. I stay with my dogs to say my final goodbyes to them, I would not have it any other way. I felt very robbed and bitter when one of my boys died before I could get to surgery.  a few months later my bitch went in for what might have been life threatening surgery. I sat in my car outside the vets the whole day. So I could be near if the worst happened. It didnt thankfully.