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Euthanasia
By Debbie “The Rat Lady” Ducommun
The lucky rats who live out their full life spans and then die in their sleep from old age probably do so from kidney or heart failure, or from a massive stroke. But what about rats who seem to be suffering as their lives come to an end? Fortunately, we have the option of euthanasia to help our rats achieve a peaceful death.
When is the right time to end a rat’s suffering with euthanasia? This is
always a difficult and very personal decision. In my opinion, the time to help
your rat die is when there is no hope of improvement through the use of
medications or surgery, and he is no longer enjoying life.. If his illness
takes all his energy and concentration; if he shows no interest in food or
physically can’t eat, even with help; if he seems to be constantly in
pain, distress, or misery; or if he has episodes of respiratory distress that
cannot be controlled with medication, this is the time to say goodbye and let
your rat go on to a better place.
Although it hurts, you know it’s the kindest thing to do as a last
gift to a friend who has given you so much.
It is always most comforting for your rat if you hold or pet him as he gently
falls unconscious. Most vet hospitals and animal shelters can euthanize
animals, but you should first discuss the method they use for rats. If they
won’t let you be present during the procedure, go somewhere else. When
euthanasia is done correctly, there is no reason why you should not be present
to comfort your rat.
Under no circumstances allow anyone
to administer an intracardiac (IC; in the heart) injection to a conscious rat,
even if the rat is sedated. Unfortunately, this euthanasia method is commonly
used, but it is not humane. In fact, the “Report of the American
Veterinary Medical Association Panel on Euthanasia,” published in the
March 1, 2000 issue of the Journal of the AVMA and on that
organization’s website at www.avma.org, states that this method is
inhumane. It is also illegal in
Here is the euthanasia method I like to use as long as the rat is not in respiratory distress. First, give the rat diazepam orally or
by SQ injection, either with a 1 cc tuberculin syringe with a 27-29 gauge
needle or an insulin syringe. When a SQ injection is administered in the flank
area, the rat rarely seems to feel it. Once the rat is sedated, an
intraperitoneal injection (IP; in the abdomen) of the correct dose of sodium
pentobarbital is administered, also with a 27-29 gauge needle or insulin
syringe. This injection should be given in the lower right side of the abdomen
in order to avoid causing pain by hitting the liver or any other organs.
If the IP injection is administered correctly, it will cause almost no
discomfort. In fact, a rat will rarely even flinch if a small enough needle is
used and the skin at the injection site is scratched with a fingernail first to
distract the nerve endings. I also have given the IP injection of sodium
pentobarbital without any sedation without it causing any obvious pain.
The euthanasia solution will be slowly absorbed into the rat’s
system and loss of consciousness will usually occur within 5-10 minutes,
although it can take 15 minutes or longer for the heart to stop beating. This
gives you the opportunity to hold, cuddle and talk to your rat as he gently
slips away.
Many people prefer to euthanize their rats with a gas anesthetic;
however some rats do not like breathing in the gas anesthetic. Also, you may
not be able to hold and comfort your rat during the process. To euthanize in this way, the rat must
either be placed in a small closed chamber, or a gas mask must be forced over
his face. Do you want that to be
the last thing he experiences?
However, giving your rat his favorite treat might distract him enough so
he doesn’t mind the gas in the chamber.
Consider asking the veterinarian to anesthetize your rat with the gas,
inject the euthanasia solution in the abdomen while the rat is anesthetized,
and then let the rat wake from the gas so the last thing your rat experiences
is your cuddling him. If, however, a rat is
experiencing respiratory distress, then euthanasia with gas
anesthetic is the only recommended method because an abdominal injection is
slower and can cause increased respiratory distress.
Home Euthanasia
Warning: Some people have reported that their
rats have reacted very badly to this method of euthanasia, while others have reported
that the method worked well. Since
posting this information, I have learned of research which shows that some rats
appear to suffer a feeling of breathlessness with relatively low levels of CO2, while others seem to have no such feeling. Since you cannot anticipate which rats
will suffer, I now recommend only using this method if there is no other method
of euthanasia available. Perhaps it
would help if you are able to give the rat a sedative before hand. If your rat does seem to experience respiratory
distress during this method, you need to either remove the rat from the
aquarium and end the euthanasia attempt, or try to add more CO2 as quickly as possible to shorten the time to unconsciousness.
The only humane ways to euthanize a rat at home without veterinary help
are with carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrous oxide. Euthanasia with CO2
is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Concentrated CO2 is a central nervous system depressant and
actually causes anesthesia. You know how you yawn when you’re
sleepy? This is the body’s
way of getting rid of excess carbon dioxide in your system which is making you
sleepy. CO2 does not cause suffocation. The rat will be able to breathe
normally, will become anesthetized and will then die.
The key to using CO2 humanely is its concentration. The normal
concentration of CO2 in the air is only 0.038%. According to the 2000
Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia, breathing concentrations of 7.5%
increases the pain threshold, and concentrations of 30-40% cause anesthesia
(unconsciousness) within 1-2 minutes. However, concentrations of 50% or higher
irritate the eyes and respiratory tract and cause pain. Your goal is to create
a concentration of 30-40% CO2 and hold it there until the rat is unconscious.
At first I used a cylinder of compressed CO2; however, with this
method, the concentration of CO2 can easily get too high. (Using dry ice
is not recommended because the CO2 amounts cannot be controlled and it
also can cause severe burns.) Then
I learned of a website written by Eric Lee of Maralee Rattery in
The vinegar and baking soda method is quite simple and even better than
using compressed CO2 because the concentration of the CO2 can be
more precisely controlled. I have modified Eric’s method so it is
suitable for rats. I recommend that you practice the entire procedure at least
once before you need to use it on a rat.
I have euthanized 6 rats with this method so far.
WARNING: These instructions require a 10-gallon
aquarium to create the proper concentration of CO2. If you must use a container of a different size, you must
adjust the amounts of vinegar and baking soda proportionately.
You will need a 10-gallon
aquarium in order to follow these instructions and to create the right
concentration of CO2. You also need a small wire and plastic carrier,
about 12" X 8" X 8", with the bottom pan no taller than 2".
You also will need:
4 cups of white vinegar
5 tablespoons of baking soda (be sure to use fresh baking soda, not old stuff!)
a heavy bath-sized towel
You will also
need:
2 containers
containing 2 cups of white vinegar each
5 tablespoons of
baking soda (make sure it is fresh!)
a heavy
bath-sized towel
(If
your rat weighs more than 1 ½ lbs., you need to use an additional cup of
vinegar and 1 ½ tablespoons of baking soda at the end.)
Set the aquarium where it will be comfortable for you to sit next to
it, with your arm inside. Place the
carrier in the center of the aquarium. Put a piece of soft cloth in the bottom of the carrier
for your rat to sit on. The aquarium doesn’t need a lid because CO2 is heavier than air and will
stay inside as long as there is no strong air movement. This means you can
slowly put your hand down in the carrier to pet and comfort your rat during the
process.

For the right CO2 concentration, you need to slowly create about
3 gallons of CO2 until the rat is unconscious, and a total of 5-6
gallons to cause death. Sprinkle 5 tablespoons of baking soda in the bottom of
the aquarium around the carrier.
Place your rat in the carrier and give him a treat if
you want. Pet and talk to your rat. While you pet your rat with one hand, pour
2 cups of vinegar into the bottom of the aquarium with the other hand. When the
fizzing begins to slow down (about 1-2 minutes), pour out about half of the
vinegar in the remaining cup into the aquarium.
Within 1-2 minutes your rat will become groggy, lay
down, and go to sleep. Gently touch the inside corner of your rat’s
eyelids to test if he is unconscious. A conscious rat will blink, but there
will be no blink reflex when a rat is unconscious. An unconscious rat is not aware and
cannot feel anything. You may see muscles twitch, but these are just reflexes
and your rat is not aware of them.
Once your rat is unconscious, pour out the rest of the
vinegar and mix it well with the baking soda solution in the aquarium. Cover
the aquarium with the towel so it won’t be disturbed and leave your rat
there for at least 20 minutes. You can confirm death by feeling the chest for a
heartbeat. The most reliable method to determine death, however, is to wait until
the body stiffens.
If you try this method of euthanasia, please
let me know about your experience.
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