Ethical Questions

[AbbeyRoad]

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Hey guys; I came across this ethical question on a website that an applicant was asked at one school, I forget which. I have no idea how to answer it!

You are a veterinarian and your practice is extremely busy. When you intend to give a dog that is near-death a painkiller, accidentally you euthanize it. Do you tell the owner the truth of what you did, or act like it was intentional?

 

[loo]

Absolutely---you tell the owner the truth, apologize, and hope to heck you don't get sued. This for me is a no-brainer.

 

[Joslin]

Statistics have shown that if you are honest with the family, they are much less likely to sue. Usually all they really want is an apology and for someone to acknowledge that a mistake was made. Plus, regardless of the effect on business, at the end of the day you need to be able to look yourself in the mirror.

I'm assuming in this scenario you either administer the wrong drug, or a wrong dose, as the actual euthanasia drug is usually colored.

 

[birdvet2006]

Always tell the truth. You may think lying will help you, but in the long run it can get you into even more trouble.

 

[AbbeyRoad]

Thanks for your responses. That is what I would say, as I couldn't see how lying about the situation would make the veterinarian very trustworthy or responsible.

 

[verbal_kint]

just curious...

what are the consequences of accidentally euthanizing an animal? a lawsuit? how much? is that it? what else can happen?

oh, i've also heard a similar question where there are say two black cats... and you euthanize the wrong black cat.

 

[birdvet2006]

just curious...

what are the consequences of accidentally euthanizing an animal? a lawsuit? how much? is that it? what else can happen?

oh, i've also heard a similar question where there are say two black cats... and you euthanize the wrong black cat.

I think that you would report it to your malpractice insurance carrier ASAP and they would "settle" the case (pay off the client). However, I can imagine the client suing for a TON of money and maybe your insurance wouldn't be enough to cover it.

BTW, I hear AVMA PLIT is a good malpractice insurance company.

 

[Bill59]

In veterinary malpractice lawsuits, the courts in the US have been very reluctant to award money for pain and suffering or punitive damages. It has happened in a few cases, but in general the courts still view animals as property. Therefore in most cases the plaintiff is allowed only direct losses -- the cost of the animal and associated veterinary fees. Although the cost of the animal can be substantial for equine and food animals, it's pretty minimal for most pets. And veterinary fees are usually several thousand dollars at most. These are the main reasons that professional liability fees are still quite low for small animal veterinarians.

The biggest risk for a veterinarian is if a person is injured. For example, the client gets bit on the face while you are vaccinating their rottweiler. This is why is usually a bad idea to allow cleints to restrain their animals.