Yesterday I took my beloved 12 year old! rabbit Ebony to be euthanized. I held the mask to her face and applied the gas that rendered her unconscious. Her eyes were shut and her body limp. I did want to see the doctor insert the needle into Ebony\'s heart, so I left the room and waited until it was all over. About fifteen minutes later, the vet opened the door to the waiting room where I was sitting and nodded to indicate Ebony was dead. A technician said I could view Ebony\'s body in one of the examination rooms where she had been place. She was lying on a red blanket that was partially wrapped around her posterior. I stroked her for quite a long time, had a good cry, but I must say I was very disturbed that Ebony\'s eye (she was lying on her side) was open wide. Since her eyes were shut when she inhaled the gas, I fear her eyes opened wide upon experiencing pain when the doctor inserted the needle into her heart. Either that or perhaps for aesthetic reasons the technician opened Ebony\'s eye to make her look more \"alive.\" I tried to close her lid, but it would only shut half way.
It may sound silly, but I\'m quite upset about the fact that her eye was open. I\'m terrified that she suffered. I\'m going to call the vet tomorrow, but any thoughts from people on this board would be most appreciated.
Thanks everyone!
Nolevaux
Any time I have experienced one of my rabbits dying, the eyes have always been open. I think it\'s a natural tendency as the muscles relax after death. If she was gassed down first, she wouldn\'t have felt pain as she would have been asleep. I really do think it\'s an involentary reflex.
I\'m sorry for your loss. 12 years is a good, long life, Ebony was a lucky rabbit to have been loved so long.
Thanks N2rabbits. Your email helped a lot. Ebony was my third rabbit, but she was first one I assisted in euthanizing.
nolevaux, I\'d have to agree with N2Rabbits. I recently had to put down a stray kitten that was paralyzed from the neck down and dragged her rear end to get around. I have no clue how she got in my garage but thought if there was any hope of rehab I certainly would try. Although she was a sweet spirit her body was dead so I had no choice.
Anyway, her eyes were open as well, I even tried to close them but I s\'pose the muscles relax and freeze. Its not always how it looks in the movies, is it?
Sorry about your bun -but she lived a heck of a long life.
just to give you some comfort there is no way that ebony could have felt any pain because me being a vets daughter i have had the unlucky experience of seeing my mom put animals to sleep during a surgery when there is no hope these animals die with there eyes closed but my mom always check to make sure they have passed away by checking there eyes i hope this give\'s you some comfort that you rabbit did not die in pain i\'m very sorry for your lose but be glad that your bunny lived for such a long and happy life
Many thanks to you and Lorelei. You\'ve all made this a lot easier for me. I think the vet probably did lift her eyelid to verify death had occurred. I just wish she had closed it again (if possible) after she confirmed Ebony\'s death. In any case, I\'m so glad my darling\'s out of pain, and is free. I loved her very much.
Thanks again.....to you and everyone.
Best wishes,
Nolevaux