Читать книгу The Dog's Medical Dictionary - Alfred Joseph Sewell - Страница 81

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There is no doubt that the quickest and most painless way of killing a dog is by shooting, providing it is done properly, and the man is a good shot and can be relied on. The best place to hit a dog is either behind the ear, or in the middle of the forehead; but there are many people who don’t like an old favourite destroyed in this way. Personally, I don’t like it. I consider a large dose of morphia, and then chloroform, is better. At any rate, it does not seem such a harsh way of taking an old favourite’s life.

To destroy a dog with morphia and chloroform, from half to two grains of acetate of morphia[1] should be injected under the skin; then after waiting until the dog is in a heavy sleep, chloroform should be slowly administered. It is necessary to do it very slowly indeed, or else the dog will wake up. In this case don’t place anything over the dog’s nose at first, but pour a trifle on a handkerchief or napkin, and hold it from six to eight inches away from the dog’s nose, then gradually get nearer and nearer until at last you cover the dog’s nose over with the cloth. The chloroform must be continued until the dog has stopped breathing for five minutes.

The administering of half[1] to a dram of prussic acid is also a very sudden and quick way of destroying a dog, but it is a debatable point whether this causes acute pain. At any rate, the dog invariably cries out loudly after it has been administered a few moments, and so he often does when going under the influence of chloroform. However, death by freshly prepared and strong prussic acid is very certain and sudden.

When administering this acid, one should be very careful never to stand in front of a dog, for if he coughs while it is in his mouth, and some goes into the eye of the person giving it, the consequences may be serious, as it is most deadly.