Editing Euthanasia

'''Euthanasia''' is the deliberate ceasing of an animals life functions in a painless way so as to relive the suffering of the animal when medical aid has not helped. It is also used when culling fish that have a malformation or are not up to standards when breeding. 

In the aquarium hobby various methods are used. Here is a current list.


==Anesthetic Overdose==
These include: Finquel, Tricaine methanesulfonate (TMS), Benzocaine hydrochloride,  MS-222, etc.
Pros: 
:Easy, and believed to be painless.

Cons: 
:Can be difficult to find. Vet prescription often required.
:If animal is removed too soon they can be revived.
:Fish have shown a stress response to some of these chemicals.

==Carbon dioxide==
This can be put into the water via airstone, Sodium bicarbonate (Bicarbonate of soda, baking soda), health salts (Alka-Seltzer). It is not recommended for amphibians. 

Pros:
:Easy, and painless.

Cons:
:Certain species of fish (surface breathers) and amphibians can survive in extremely low oxygen environments so the use of [[CO2]] may not be a quick method for anaesthetising.

==Clove oil==

Pros:
:Quick, easy, and painless.

Cons:
:Some may have trouble finding it.

==Freezing or Boiling==

Pros:
:Easy.

Cons:
:May not be painless. Freezing not recommended for cold water species.

==Alcohol==

Pros:
:Easily available.

Cons:
:May not be painless, as it may burn the fish’s gills and might be a prolonged death


==Physical violence==
Examples: Sudden blunt trauma, Decapitation, Pithing, feeding to larger fish, etc.

Pros:
:If done properly can be quick.

Cons:
:If not done properly can cause the animal to suffer.
:Most methods require the animal to be removed from the water first which stresses them.
:Many owners may not be able to bring themselves to carry it out due to the unpleasant nature of the result


==Flushing down the toilet==
Pros: 
:No special equipment needed.

Cons:
:Akin to putting a puppy in an outhouse.
:Can introduce disease to your septic system and the environment.
:Animal may not die.

== Links ==
*[[w:Euthanasia|Wikipedia]]
*[http://thegab.org/Articles/Euthanasia.html The Gab on Euthanasia]
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20030406022939/http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/treatments/euthanasia.htm FishDoc on Euthanasia Treatments]
*[http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf Euthanasia guidelines PDF file from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA)]
*[http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/extra/pdf/animalwelfare/UseOfCarbonDioxideForEuthanasia-Jan2007.pdf RSPCA and the use of CO<sub>2</sub>]
*[http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/euthanasia.html The Krib on Euthanasia]
*[http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/324/fish-slaughter-killing-and-euthanasia-a-review-of-major-published-us-guidance-documents-and-general-considerations-of-methods Fish Slaughter, Killing, and Euthanasia]
*[http://depts.washington.edu/iacuc/policies/fish_euthanasia.html University of Washington Policy for the Euthanasia of Fish Species]
*[http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/euthanasia.shtml Euthanasia for Amphibians]
*[http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/disease/a/noflush.htm Don't Flush That Fish!]
*[http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=6288 Time to rethink anaesthetics?]
[[Category:Glossary]]