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title: "[Note: discussion of euthanasia of cats and other animals to follow. …"
date: 2022-06-05
source: facebook
type: Archer T. Ships shared a link.
---

# [Note: discussion of euthanasia of cats and other animals to follow. …

*June 5, 2022 · Facebook*

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[https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=edc](https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=edc){target="_blank"}
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\[Note: discussion of euthanasia of cats and other animals to follow. Reader discussion advised.\]\
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My parents live on the outskirts of a rural town in Southern Idaho. As a result, people occasionally dump dogs and cats on their property. If the animals aren\'t spayed or neutered, their numbers can quickly grow out of hand. Spaying costs \$150/animal.\
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\"The first record of using nitrogen to kill animals was from Vinter\
(1957) who worked on ways for the humane killing of mink. She reported that although mink became restless while the gas was being introduced, they became unconscious after about 90 seconds. Death invariably occurred before 5 minutes. Vinter (1965) tested the use of nitrogen on chinchillas and found it satisfactory from a humane viewpoint.\
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The AVMA Panels on Euthanasia (1963 and 1972) recommend that trials with nitrogen should be undertaken on other animals to check its feasibility for euthanasia. This work was carried out by Fitch, et al. (1974).\
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Nitrogen is an inert gas which is a major constituent of air. In high concentrations it can, by displaying oxygen, produce unconsciousness through hypoxia. Death occurs as a result of paralysis of the respiratory center. The gas, obtainable in liquid or gaseous form in pressurized cylinders, is readily available in industrial countries although it tends to be relatively expensive\
in some areas.\
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In their investigations, Fitch et al. (1974) who used the term \"nitrogen flushing,\" killed 313 dogs, 36 cats, 1 pig, 2 rabbits and8ducks. Electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded from 34 dogs as well as electrocardiograms (EKG) and arterial blood pressure. The animals were placed in a chamber for 5 minutes. EEG patterns showed the characteristic for sleep and unconsciousness in an average of about 40 seconds and became isoelectric at 80 seconds. When there had been an isoelectric EEG, zero arterial blood pressure and no spontaneous respiration for 30 seconds, attempts at revival were unsuccessful.\
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Behavior of the animals was summarized as follows:\
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All became unconscious and collapsed within one minute; there were no signs of pain in any animal before unconsciousness including cases in dogs of upper respiratory disease. After unconsciousness, there were instances of muscle twitching, gasping, convulsions and yelping. The authors suggested that these were a result of acute hypoxia occurring in the unconscious animal (Fitch et al., 1974).\
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The same authors noted that the technique was successful in all\
species tested except for neonate puppies and kittens, while reptiles and amphibians were not effectively killed. They add that unborn young were killed in a pregnant female euthanized.\
They recommend that the nitrogen should be exhausted to the exterior of the building where no environmental harm could be caused. In their view, nitrogen would be economically competitive with other approved euthanasia methods in use.\
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Since the end of 1974 three companies8 in the U.S.A. have marketed a cabinet lined inside and out with formica and having plexiglas doors complete with all the ancillary apparatus for nitrogen killing of dogs and cats.\"\
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[https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=edc](https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=edc){target="_blank"}
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