Agents and Methods of Euthanasia by Species
Agents and Methods of Euthanasia by Species
|
Species |
Acceptable Methodsa |
Acceptable Methods with Conditionsb |
|
Aquatic invertebrates |
S6.3c: Immersion in anesthetic solution (magnesium salts, clove oil, eugenol, ethanol) |
S6.3: Adjunctive methods (second step) include 70% alcohol and neutral-buffered 10% formalin, pithing, freezing, boiling |
|
Amphibians |
S7.3: As appropriate by species—injected barbiturates, dissociative agents, and anesthetics as specified, topical buffered tricaine methanesulfonate or benzocaine hydrochloride |
S7.3: As appropriate by species—inhaled anesthetics as specified, CO2, penetrating captive bolt or firearm, manually applied blunt force trauma to the head, rapid freezing of small (<4 g [0.1 oz]) individuals where immediate death occurs |
|
Avian species (see also Poultry, below) |
S5: IV barbiturates |
S5: Inhaled anesthetics, CO2, CO, N2, Ar, cervical dislocation (small birds and poultry), decapitation (small birds) S7.5: Gunshot (free-ranging birds) |
|
Cats |
S1: IV barbiturates, injected anesthetic overdose, Tributame, T61 |
S1: Barbiturates (alternative routes of administration), inhaled anesthetic overdose, COc, CO2c, gunshotc |
|
Cattle |
S3.2: IV barbiturates |
S3.2: Gunshot, penetrating captive bolt |
|
Dogs |
S1: IV barbiturates, injected anesthetic overdose, Tributame, T61 |
S1: Barbiturates (alternative routes of administration), inhaled anesthetic overdose, COc, CO2c, gunshotc |
|
Fish |
S6.2: Immersion in buffered benzocaine or benzocaine hydrochloride, isoflurane, sevoflurane,quinaldine sulfate, buffered tricaine methanesulfonate, 2-phenoxyethanol, injected pentobarbital, rapid chilling (appropriate species), ethanol |
S6.2: Eugenol, isoeugenol, clove oil, CO2-saturated water (aquarium-fish facilities/fisheries), decapitation/cervical transection/manually applied blunt force trauma followed by pithing or exsanguination, maceration (research setting), captive bolt (large fish) |
|
Equids |
S4: IV barbiturates |
S 4: Penetrating captive bolt, gunshot |
|
Marine mammals |
S7.5(captive): Injected barbiturates (captive) S7.7 (free-ranging): Injected barbiturates or anesthetic overdose |
S7.5 (captive): Inhaled anesthetics (captive) S7.7 (free-ranging): Gunshot, manually applied blunt force trauma, implosive decerebration |
|
Nonhuman primates |
S2.3, S7.4: Injected barbiturates or anesthetic overdose |
S2.3, S7.4 (as appropriate by species): Inhaled anesthetic, CO, CO2 |
|
Poultry |
S3.4: Injected barbiturates and anesthetic overdose |
S3.4: CO2, CO, N2, Ar, low-atmospheric-pressure stunning, cervical dislocation (as anatomically appropriate), decapitation, manual blunt force trauma, electrocution, gunshot, captive bolt |
|
Rabbits |
S2.4: IV barbiturates |
S2.4: Inhaled anesthetic overdose, CO2, cervical dislocation (as anatomically appropriate), penetrating captive bolt, nonpenetrating captive bolt |
|
Reptiles |
S7.3: As appropriate by species—injected barbiturates/buffered tricaine methanesulfonate, dissociative agents with adjunctive method and anesthetics as specified |
S7.3: As appropriate by species—inhaled anesthetics as specified, CO2, penetrating captive bolt or firearm, manually applied blunt force trauma to the head, rapid freezing for animals <4 g where immediate death occurs, spinal cord severance/destruction of brain (crocodilians) |
|
Rodents |
S2.2: Injected barbiturates and barbiturate combinations, dissociative agent combinations |
S2.2: Inhaled anesthetics, CO2, CO, tribromoethanol, ethanol, cervical dislocation, decapitation, focused beam microwave irradiation |
|
Small ruminants |
S3.2: Injected barbiturates |
S3.2: CO2 (goat kids), gunshot, penetrating captive bolt, nonpenetrating captive bolt (goat kids) |
|
Swine |
S3.3: Injected barbiturates |
S3.3: CO2, CO, N2, Ar, gunshot, electrocution, penetrating captive bold, nonpenetrating captive bolt (piglets), manually applied blunt force trauma |
|
Reprinted, with permission, from the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia 2020 Edition. Note: Initial “S” references with associated numbers in table entries refer to specific areas of more detailed information in the AVMA guidelines, available at www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/Guidelines-on-Euthanasia-2020.pdf. a Acceptable methods are those that consistently produce a humane death when used as the sole means of euthanasia. b Acceptable methods with conditions are those that may require certain conditions to be met to consistently produce humane death, may have a greater potential for operator error or safety hazards, are not well documented in the scientific literature, or may require a secondary method to ensure death. c Not recommended for routine use. |
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