Food Animal Euthanasia Flashcards
Effects of administering a bolus of barbiturate to ruminants vs equids
Both: smooth transition from consciousness to unconsciousness & death
Ruminants: lay down
Equids: fall down
The #1 concern of barbituates (pentobarbital) for euthanasia
Residues
What euthanasia method produces no residues, but requires induction?
Intrathedal Lidocaine
Gunshot / penetrating captive bolt location in
- ruminants
- small ruminants
- swine
ruminants: frontal
small ruminants: poll location
swine: frontal
How much energy (foot pounds) is needed in ammunition to euthanize bovine?
need > 200 foot pounds
Which bullet type do you use as ammo to euthanize adult food animals?
Full Metal Jacket
Hollow points may not be able to traverse the skull.
Per AVMA, why is a shotgun preferred over a rifle or handgun?
A shotgun’s bullets only have enough energy to traverse the skull but not penetrate through, unlike the bullets of handguns and rifles.
Penetrating through the skull = major SAFETY concern for bystanders!
When using a shotgun, what are the ideal shell sizes (gauge) and ideal pellet size to use?
“Shotshell”: the smaller a shell’s gauge, the higher number of pellets (shot) it can load.
- 20 gauge, 16 gauge, 12 gauge with pellet size 6 or larger
What is the general protocol if using a penetrating captive bolt?
ONLY MAKES ANIMAL UNCONSCIOUS -> requires a 2nd means of euthanasia!!
- KCl (IV)
- Pithing (scramble SC/brain)
- Second shot
- Exsanguination
How are grown/adult swine typically euthanized?
- IM anesthetic for sedation
- Barbiturate cardiac stick
How are suckling piglets euthanized, and why?
Blunt force b/c their skulls are NOT completely fused yet
How are poultry animals euthanized in normal circumstances vs. disease outbreaks?
- Normal = captive bolt, decapitation, cervical dislocation, electrocution
- Outbreak = CO2 chamber
