Adrienne is certified dog trainer and former veterinary assistant. She has taken several courses on hospice, end-of-life care for dogs. Learning how to analyze your beloved pet's quality of life will help you through the difficult decisions. Pavel Nekoranec. This is a subject that is hard for every dog owner, but learning how to recognize the common signs that an aging dog or one with a terminal illness is dying is important. We owe it to our dogs to learn more about the natural death process since they have filled our lives with so much joy for so many years.

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation



Human mouth - Wikipedia
The gasp which causes our mouths to open when we are shocked is a fast, deep in-breath that evolved to provide a quick burst of extra oxygen to help deal with startling events. This makes the mouth vulnerable, so covering it may be a protective gesture. Many experts say that the response is learned as a form of politeness but, like many other gestures, this behaviour is seen across various different cultures. So the reaction may have some inherited basis, but in modern times it may often just be a way of hiding the fact that you were startled by nothing more serious than a fly, or shocked by what your friend said. Not to prevent our souls leaving our bodies, as some traditions would have it. It is also a way of concealing our emotions from others, to avoid showing that we are afraid, shocked or disgusted.


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This is known as the "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" response. It happens if we see or hear something terrible, or don't want to say something terrible, and stops us from screaming or making noise and thereby drawing attention to ourselves. This gag response is a remnant from times when danger could have been attracted by noise.



End-stage wet respirations, more commonly referred to as the " death rattle ," can occur at the very end of life when a patient is going through the dying process. The death rattle is a symptom that can prove very distressing to a dying patient's family members, friends, and loved ones, even if it's not necessarily distressing to the patient him or herself. If you are caring for a dying loved one , it's important that you are able to recognize the death rattle, understand what causes it, and know some practical tips to help treat it. End-stage wet respirations, known as death rattles, occur when secretions build up in the patient's throat and airway.