euthanasia

[cubs11]

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i started my shadowing position at an animal hospital yesterday and it has been incredible. however, on the first day, the vet i'm shadowing, had to put an animal down. this part of the job has always been the one thing i have struggled with. two years ago, my dog of 14 years had to be put down and i still haven't gotten over it. although she was suffering and the vet tried to do everything to relieve her pain, there was nothing that could be done. my mom kept trying to console me by telling me that she wasn't suffering anymore, but it was still too hard to settle with.

this was a similar situation yesterday. i keep telling myself that as vets, our job is to help animals in all situations...taking care of them to help prevent illness and injury, as well as care for after sustaining illness and injury.

does this process ever get any easier? through studying and training, will we learn to focus on different aspects of having to euthanize animals in situations where it is the last option?

i know this might sound like a stupid question...

i definitely won't be one of those vets who will euthanize an animal just because the owner brings it in and tells me to do so. (i can't believe this actually happens, but after hearing the stories from the vet i shadow...from what she experienced during her internship, i was blown away).

 

[Spartanvet4cows]

Cubs, I certainly understand your concern. My husband's parents had to have their German Shepherd of 14 years euthanized around the time I met him. The family still misses that dog and it was over 5 years ago. As veterinarians, I don't think we should ever "steel" ourselves to euthanasia, because that comes too close to getting complacent. I do feel that we need to find our own way to rationalize it. At Michigan State, we do at least 2 terminal surgeries during the first semester of our third year. It's a very emotional experience for most of us, and some have to have alternative experiences because they just can't bring themselves to do it. We have a ceremony at the end of the semester, to say "thank you" to the dogs who gave their lives to help us in our practice of medicine. It's controversial, and we have already been briefed on the experience as first years because of that.

When it comes to euthanasia in practice, it's hard no matter how long you've been a vet, and no matter what species you're euthanizing. Last semester we had a wetlab, where we had the opportunity to perform necropsies on laboratory rats. These rats were old, and getting to the point where the caretakers would find at least one dead per week. We took about half an hour learning how to handle them, and then had to euthanize them. It was hard for me, because I was becoming attached to this little guy, and then I was expected to put him down. It was amazing to learn how to do an intracardiac blood draw, but I still cried a bit while I was doing it.

During my large animal shadowing, we encountered a 3 day old calf that was bloated, not eating and had not passed its first feces. The veterinarian suspected atresia coli, and recommended euthanasia because if that were the case, the calf would die soon anyway, and very painfully. The poor girl was so cute, and so sick, I felt awful for her. We euthanized her and did a full necropsy. The veterinarian made the correct diagnosis, and I learned so much (she was showing me all sorts of stuff, even cut out an eye for me to play with). I know it sounds morbid, but if given such an opportunity, we should take it. It can make us better veterinarians.

Sorry for rambling, but it's certainly not a stupid question, and it's one we should always keep in our hearts, because these animals deserve as much.

 

[VelcroSky]

I'm not sure easier would be the word for it but I have found that after a while you get better at not dwelling on it. Sometimes the emotions are infectious when the client is really upset and crying, it can be tricky to not get caught up in that. This may sound weird but I try not to look the animal in the eye because I find if I do the thoughts of it kind of haunt me a little. I guess it is a case of trying to convince yourself that you are doing the right thing. That you are ending suffering. It's just a little tricky since you can never be sure that that's what the animal would want to do. I don't know. These are some of the questions that I wrestle with. 😕

 

[LuckyJo]

Cubs11,
I went through the same situation, although it helped me. I got my 1st dog when I was 5yrs old and he stayed with me until my junior year in high school. He was to say the least my best friend. He developed congestive heart failure and finally my grandma told me it was time to put him down. She had already called the vet and made an appointment, but we decided to wait until the next day. I couldn't bare finding out we were putting him down and taking him to the vet in a few hours. It just didn't seem like enough time to say good-bye. Long story short, I felt horrible for months afterward. I didn't really understand euthanasia and I felt like it was wrong. Even though he was no longer suffering. I got a puppy about 8 months afterward and it still didn't help. Then I came to college and started shadowing a vet. One morning I walked in and saw a family crying with their dog. I just had that feeling in the pit of my stomach about what the situation was. I proceeded to the back to watch a surgery. A few minutes later, one of the other vets brought in the dog, he was yelping and in serious pain. They had drawn blood the day before and were having troubling finding a vein so that they could administer the euthanasia. They had to flip him over before they finally were able to find a vein. I was standing there, paralyzed by what I was seeing and remembered my own dog and my own feelings. But as the medication worked, the dog relaxed, stopped yelping and finally passed away. The whole thing was over in a matter of minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Then it struck me that it was the best thing to do, and I have since lost the guilt I once felt over my own dog. I don't think it will ever be easy to handle. I know the vet that worked with my dog, said it never gets any easier and that each patient is just as difficult as the last. I also agree that I would never put down a healthy animal, if someone asks then I will recommend other options and simply tell them it's not my policy.

 

[silverelf]

i've only been in a situation where a healthy animal has been put down once...it was a white shepard, and did the crazy white shepard aggressive freakout...it bit its owner in the park (he had to have surgery to repair his abdominal wall) and got away from him and mauled a child. No prior history of aggression, had always been a nice dog, but all of sudden he just snapped (we posted him...no identifiable medical reason). That was one of the worst euthanasias that I'd seen...the dog broke a window in the guy's truck trying to eat us, and we had to use a tranq gun just to sedate it. The poor guy...he knew he had to put the dog down because no one could figure out what was wrong with it and it wanted to kill everything around it...but at the same time it had been his baby and he was sobbing in the waiting room. I sat with him for awhile and we just cried over the dog.

I've spoken to a number of vets, and I don't think euthanasia ever gets easier. The only thing that improves is your ability to control yourself in front of the client...the last thing they need is a vet that is a sobbing mess.

 

[QTkitty]

I've spoken to a number of vets, and I don't think euthanasia ever gets easier. The only thing that improves is your ability to control yourself in front of the client...the last thing they need is a vet that is a sobbing mess.

I totally agree... it doesn't necessarily get easier but you will get better at containing your emotions.

 

[mtrl1]

The day euthanasia stops affecting me will be the day that I will begin exploring a different aspect of the profession. That being said, I have no issues euthanizing an aggressive animal or animals who are suffering from a medically unmanageable condition......does it affect me? Of course. But I'm usually able to keep my emotions in check in front of clients. I've been lucky to work in practices where convienience euths were rare if ever done, so I don't know how I'll handle that situation when it arises. I was asked about it in one of my interviews; I told them that I knew a vet that did a convienience euth and said "I'll never do it again", and it would probably be the kind of thing where I would have to do one and see how I felt about it afterwards to determine if I could ever do it again.

I think it can be argued either way; as vets, of course it's our job to help animals live...at the same time, if the owner takes their dog to a crowded city shelter, and it sits there for 5 days and then gets euth'd...is that more humane? Please don't misunderstand me, I don't advocate convienience euths, but every situation will be different, and should be evaluated before making a decision either way.

 

[silverelf]

I think it can be argued either way; as vets, of course it's our job to help animals live...at the same time, if the owner takes their dog to a crowded city shelter, and it sits there for 5 days and then gets euth'd...is that more humane? Please don't misunderstand me, I don't advocate convienience euths, but every situation will be different, and should be evaluated before making a decision either way.

there are a lot of no-kill shelters where I live, but even if they are full-up and the animal has to go to a county/city shelter...at least you're giving it a chance at a new life. I mean, it won't be home, but its not like the animal is going to be beaten and starved in the shelter. And maybe at the end of the day the shelter will euthanize it anyways...but I wouldn't want to end a life knowing that this euthanasia could have been prevented because there's someone looking for a great dog just like the one I'm putting to sleep.

 

[wivet2011]

I've been lucky to work in practices where convienience euths were rare if ever done, so I don't know how I'll handle that situation when it arises. I was asked about it in one of my interviews; I told them that I knew a vet that did a convienience euth and said "I'll never do it again", and it would probably be the kind of thing where I would have to do one and see how I felt about it afterwards to determine if I could ever do it again.

I think it can be argued either way; as vets, of course it's our job to help animals live...at the same time, if the owner takes their dog to a crowded city shelter, and it sits there for 5 days and then gets euth'd...is that more humane? Please don't misunderstand me, I don't advocate convienience euths, but every situation will be different, and should be evaluated before making a decision either way.

I for one could never be a vet that euthanizes a perfectly healthy and happy animal just because the owner wants it done. I agree with silverelf, that even if the animal is given a few days in a shelter before being put down, at least they had a chance at a new life.

 

[Hollycozza]

I for one could never be a vet that euthanizes a perfectly healthy and happy animal just because the owner wants it done. I agree with silverelf, that even if the animal is given a few days in a shelter before being put down, at least they had a chance at a new life.

It must be so sad being a shelter vet....

We put down a 17 year old cat today which was also sad as the owners loved her, but I can't imagine how sad it would be putting down healthy young animals.

 

[eventualeventer]

I guess I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum. For one, I tend to internalize my emotions. If I cry about a patient, it is usually later that week in the car or some other place like that. I get very tight-lipped and serious at the time of the crisis. Sometimes I worry if I don't appear *too* unaffected. I am affected, it just takes a while for the enormity of it to sink in.

Also, I guess you could say that I am very philosophical about euthanasia. I believe that euthanasia is one of the greatest gifts we can give, and sometimes I wish it were easier for people with no quality of life left to have such a peaceful end. I suppose there's buying a gun and blowing your head off, but if you survive that you've really messed yourself up. Back to euthanasia, I have seen a number of horses euthanized, and I have also seen horses who were suffering whose owners were not ready to euthanize them, and my philosophy is "better a week too early than a day too late". Once they're gone, they're gone, and the only ones left suffering or wishing they had stayed a little longer on this planet are the people who loved them. Contrast this to the mare stretched flat out grinding her teeth from the pain of laminitis.

 

[bubbles525]

I'm basically with eventualeventer on this one. I'll repeat what I said in another topic; I don't think I could say it much better anyhow.

There comes a point in serious illness and in plain old age where pain and suffering can't be mediated anymore, a point where quality of life has diminished so much that I think it is selfish to push on for more time. I feel so blessed in vet med that the clients and I can put a stop to pain and suffering and the loss of quality of life in a painless humane manner. I will have the ability to just make the pain stop. Not only do I just plain not want to work on humans for so many of the reasons already stated but I could not function if my sick and dying patients had to wither away in pain and confusion toward and inevitable death I could do nothing to stop and nothing to hasten.

I'd like to add that for me it has gotten easier. Watching my mother and aunt die of metastatic breast cancer last summer sharpened my perspective on euthanasia. Convenience euthanasia is another story all together, but ending the suffering and pain for an ill or old patient has become much easier after caring for two people I loved very much who could and did tell me exactly how horrifying it was to slowly and painfully die... I know that my perspective is a little morbid, but it's a perspective born from experience.

 

[smhrd]

I'm with eventualeventer and bubbles525.

I had to have my horse euthanized just before Christmas. It was a very tough decision. He was my first horse and he was just 9 years old, but he had a very serious autoimmune disease that unfortunately progressed despite aggressive treatment. I spent hours every day caring for him for an entire year, I contacted specialists at universities, I enrolled him in an experimental drug trial. He got every chance veterinary medicine could offer him. In the end, though, he was losing his fight. His ligaments were giving out left and right, he had terrible ulcerative skin lesions and vasculitis, he was going blind, he was lethargic. My vet told me, flat-out, "He's going to die no matter what we do." I thank God I was able to give him a peaceful, easy death before he was in agony. If we had done nothing, his body would have continuted to disintegrate around him and he would have been terrified, unable to understand what was happening. Instead, he died quickly in a field behind the vet clinic, with me by his side and peppermints in his mouth. I'll never regret my decision.

Like all of us, I've also seen animals whose owners have been unable to let go. I always try to remember that while I might love my animals LIKE people, they are not people. They have different ways of perceiving the world around them, and they have different needs and desires. We must always remember that animals invariably value quality of life over quantity of life.

That's not to say that I think euthanasia is ever easy. Unfortunately, not everyone is as dedicated to their pets as we might hope. I think vets simply have to be the animal's advocate to the best of their ability while acknowledging that we simply cannot own them all ourselves. Even so, euthanasia can be much more compassionate than the alternative.

 

[cubs11]

I think vets simply have to be the animal's advocate to the best of their ability while acknowledging that we simply cannot own them all ourselves.

very good point. you all have shared so many different aspects of this situation and it is very comforting. you have raised points and offered opinions that i had never thought about. as i'm reading through these posts, i find myself thinking "that's exactly right."

it's just a matter of thinking to myself, as an animal cries out in agony, that i have tried everything...nothing is going to get any better, and this animal is going to suffer severely until it finally passes. it's so true that animals see the world through a different perspective than humans, and the quality of their life is much more important than quantity. thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and personal experiences.

 

[4theanimals]

It must be so sad being a shelter vet....QUOTE]

I don't think being a shelter vet is sad. Obviously, I'm not a vet yet, but I have spent many hours in the medical center of my county shelter. I don't know that I can really explain it adequately, but sadness is not the overwhelming feeling. Certainly, there are sad times and angry times. But somehow to me the feeling I come home with the most is fulfillment. We treat many animals who would have nowhere else to go with amazing compassion. Even though spaying & neutering can be mundane you know the signifigance of those 12 cat neuters you just finished - that you won't be having to euthanize that litter coming through the door in the spring. And it does go back to most of the time you know that you are ending suffering. Are there cases where you want to kick and scream and beat somebody because this animal has to be euthanized - oh yeah - but the rest of what you have accomplished in the day makes a huge difference. So at the end of the day remember all the good you accomplished and include in that the euthanasia that let an animal slip away from the pain.

 

[sofficat]

i have sat in for a few 'convenience' euths- most were for felv/fiv cats or kittens. i have heard the docs on the phone saying 'you don't have to euth. this pet. yes he has fiv but there are other options' and 5 minutes later i am holding this 6 yr old tuxxie euthanizing him. yes it sucks, but it is your job to do as much as you can. in the end, the animal belongs to its owner. (or the litter of kittens belongs to no one but are all felv/fiv positive and it is your responsibility to make sure they do not infect others)

one of the worst euth. was a young pit bull with two hips that would require thousands of dollars to fix. what can we do? as vets- what can we do? with the help of the owners, we contacts rescue groups, shelters, universities... but in the end... we euthanized.

a very elderly couple brought in a 12 yo calico to be euth. b/c it was vomiting and had diarrhea. that was 8 months ago and my mom has never had a cat as sweet as her. the v/d still goes on (but getting rid of the tapeworms helped!) but i know that it is b/c of me alone that that calico is alive and making my mom so happy.

so i guess there are a few things we can do, but not always. we are vets and we want to save them all, but we cannot. 🙁

i also agree that euth are a gift that we can give to our patients.

 

[bakaduin]

To me Euthanasia has always been something great and something poor at the same time. Being able to end the pain and suffering of an animal that has no chance at life is a benefit that I wish was extended to humans. In many many cases there is just nothing left for you to do and you have to make the tough, but correct, decision that euthanasia is the way to go. I applaud owners who have the respect for their animals to know when it is time to euthanize. Its certainly a tough thing to do (I have had to euthanize only one dog in my life and it was one of the most horrible experiences, I still miss that dog to this day even though I have new dogs to fill my family life).

But their is also a bad side to euthanasia. Some owners assume wrongly, that their pet cant live without them and if they cant take care of it then it should be euthanised. The great part about this is as future veternarians we can refuse euthanasia. At the office I work at we had a lady come in the other day. Her cat had started urinating outside its litterbox and messing all over the house. She had been going to another vet, tried a urinalysis which revealed nothing, and wanted to put the cat down. THe other vet said she would not do that unless she tried a few more treatments to get rid of the problem. So she came to our vet as a new patient just to euthanise her otherwise perfectly healthy cat. He also refused saying she has so many options, could try Feliway, go to the Board certified Animal behaviorialist in the area, try medication, etc etc. She left and was probably going to look through the phonebook for a vet to do the convenience thing. Poor cat. Anyways just remember you always have a choice.

 

[pressmom]

"The day I fail to be touched by the human-animal connection is the day I will retire from veterinary medicine."

That's what one of the doctors I worked with said, and I try to live by that. I am touched by the owners and their connection to their animals, but I try to keep a professional distance emotionally. I have to. As I said in one of my interviews (which I thought I blew because of this) I think euthanasia should be legal for humans. After watching my grandfather languish in hospice care for 16 months and watching my grandmother waste away from lewy body disease, I think they should have that choice. Anyway, it's so controversial, that I thought I had blown the interview, but I didn't and I'm actually going to UTK!

 

[MelliSpirit]

The clinic I work at refuses to do convenience euth. We have acquired 3 hospital cats by simply refusing to euth. and having the owner sign them over to us. If/When I am a vet I plan to have the same policy.

 

[cubs11]

The clinic I work at refuses to do convenience euth. We have acquired 3 hospital cats by simply refusing to euth. and having the owner sign them over to us. If/When I am a vet I plan to have the same policy.

the vet i shadow refuses to do convenience euths as well. i will have the same policy. it will be hard enough to put animals down that truly need to be, as a last resort and to stop the pain. much less put an animal down just because the owner says so.

this week there was an incident where a man brought in his wife's ferret in a box, handed it to the receptionist and said "i want to have the ferret put down." the vet i shadow asked why, and he gave some lame reason. she said "i don't just put animals down because you want me to. there is no legitimate reason for doing so." she called the wife (who was out of town) and the wife had no idea that her husband was bringing the ferret in and asked the vet to please not put her ferret down. i was completely blown away. what a horrible situation. but like i said, my policy will be the same - i will refuse to do convenience euths.

 

[sofficat]

what are your feelings on felv/fiv positive cats? as i mentioned in my eariler post, those seem to be unnecessary euth that i have seen a lot of. esp ones that have owners but the owners don't want to change the lifestyle of the cat (ex bringing it indoors). or even putting down whole litters of kittens b/c they are positive (even though they could be a false pos and test neg a few months down the road)

 

[cubs11]

i think that could vary by situation. if the cat is around others, it's dangerous because it could spread to others, and perhaps in some situations the cat could be found a new home. i think i will have to deal with those situations as i face them, because i definitely know what you are saying with regards to these cats.

when i mention convenience euth., i'm specifically referring to situations where owners bring animals in and just want them euthanized because they don't want the animal anymore, the animal is costing them too much money, they don't want to explore other options of treatment, the animal chewed up their furniture, etc. in these situations, i personally could not just put an animal down b/c they have other chances at life. although i understand that finances may not allow owners to explore other treatment options, i do know that there are people out there who would adopt the animal and could afford to try other treatments, or...there are other vets who would perform the euth. in those situations. i just couldn't euthanize an animal knowing that i haven't tried every possible option to save it's life or find it a home that could cater to its needs. that's just me. i know we all have different opinions and have been in different situations. that's why i think this is a great field. 😀

 

[Spartanvet4cows]

This is definitely one great discussion to have. I know at MSU we have a full semester of veterinary ethics. One aspect of that class that I thoroughly enjoyed was small group, case based discussions. It's a great way to share opinions on issues in the veterinary field. I know some schools don't have a required ethics course, so I encourage those in that situation to continue to ask these difficult questions on forums such as these. There is also a text by Rollin, An Introduction to Veterinary Ethics that we got most of our cases from in our class.
Convenience euthanasia is something we discussed. Handling clients that come in for it is tough. Sometimes you just know that if you refuse, they'll just find another vet to do it. In many cases you can offer surrender, but some people think if they don't have the animal, no one should. I've also heard of people that, when refused euthanasia, have taken matters into their own hands with a shotgun. I guess you've got to be on your toes, and really know how to read people. I would hate to turn away a convenience euth, only to hear the animal was shot repeatedly in the head because they didn't do it right the first time.
I definitely think that euthanasia can be a blessing, and agree with those that feel it should be available to humans. I adopted a cat that had panleukopenia (I of course, had no clue at the time) and after 4 days he couldn't eat, was vomiting constantly, and had severe diarrhea. It was to the point that he was shedding his mucosa, and I could see that he wasn't going to make it. I was very attached, and holding him during the euthanasia was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, but I knew I had tried my best.

Kudos to those of you who ask the hard questions, and to those who provide their opinions 🙂

 

[ShelterGirl]

Wow, tough subject. I can't say that I would know what I would do until I got into the situation.
Since I work at a shelter I see a lot of surrendered animals with mild-to-moderate medical or behavioral issues that the owners can't or won't deal with anymore, and it is REALLY hard to find them new homes. Everyone wants the totally healthy kitten or puppy. Sometimes animals don't even make it up for adoption - are euthanized - for what I think are not-that-bad of problems, such as chronic conjunctivitis or hyperthyroidism.
If I were a vet, I would have to weigh the animal's chances of really, truly, being able to find another home. Do I send the owner away just to have them surrender the pet to a shelter and possibly die there? Do I risk having the owner take matters into their own hands (yikes!) as someone mentioned earlier? Where do I draw the line between convenience and a legitimate reason for euthanasia? Y'all have definitely got me thinking, thanks.

 

[bubbles525]

what are your feelings on felv/fiv positive cats? as i mentioned in my eariler post, those seem to be unnecessary euth that i have seen a lot of. esp ones that have owners but the owners don't want to change the lifestyle of the cat (ex bringing it indoors). or even putting down whole litters of kittens b/c they are positive (even though they could be a false pos and test neg a few months down the road)

My clinic works with three different cat rescue groups and a few well intentioned if crazy single owners who try to be cat rescue groups and save every cat they find...

I've developed strong feelings on this issue. If a cat is feral or semi feral and positive I always suggest euthanasia. I do not think it is ethical to release a cat with a communicable incurable disease back into the 'wild' where they can infect other cats, and where in the end when the virus has taken over it's body it will die a horrible painful death alone. I think ALL groups that rescue cats should felv/fiv test for this reason. EVERY cat period. And I think every shealther should too. New owners should know what they are getting into.

In the case of kittens it has been my clinic's policy to euthnanize litters that come in that are felv/fiv positive. The Doc is of the opinion that we cannot provide a good foster environment until the kittens can be re-tested (negative clinic cats and all other the employees that have cats have cats have neg cats) and in the event that the kittens were fostered and then re-tested positive we cannot hold kittens until finding them homes, and euthanasia after 4 months of care would be heartbreaking. We now, however, often refer the people who bring in the litter (if kittens are otherwise healthy, and the people are willing) to the cat rescue groups who do have felv/fiv positive foster homes and will provide good care until a cat is to sick to care for or a special needs home can be found.

If the cat being tested is owned by a client we talk to them seriously about keeping the cat indoors and testing their other cats. If the cat has no clinical symptoms we will refer them to the groups that will adopt out positive cats should they feel they cannot keep the cat. In the event that the home has other cats that are negative I feel it is ethical to euthanize at the owners request after a long discussion about options. Especially in the case of FELV. Felv cats in my experpiance get sicker quicker live so much shorter lives and it is easier to transmit. In the event that an owner cannot or will not keep a cat inside I feel it is ethical to euthanize for the same reasons I advocate euthanasia for feral cats. It makes me sad, but I think it is ethical.

If the cat is clinically ill from the disease or clinically ill and the disease is complicating matters I feel it is ethical to euthaize at the owners request. It's hard to effectively treat these cats once they are sick and a lot of our clients have $ concerns. When and owner cannot care for an animal and it's sick it is ethical to euthanize. Unfortunately, a clinic cannot from a business perspective treat every animal when the owners cannot afford the treatment. As long as the client honestly cannot afford what the next step is, cannot use a payment plan, and has gone to the edge of their ability with compassion for their pet I'm ok with euthanasia. Of course this is after a major discussion about options. If a client after all of this discussion wants to keep the cat and treat until the cat can't take it any longer we support that client and cat. I know of some clinics that don't take positive new clients... we do 🙂 and we do our best for them.

Wow that was long winded... I think I covered everything though.

 

[sofficat]

thanks! that was informative and similar to the way we handle them

 

[conservationgal]

I agree with everyone. I worked at a wildlife rehab sanctuary last summer and I had to take an injured osprey to our vet for x-rays, and unfortunately the damage was far beyond repair. I was able to assist in the euthanasia, which I found interesting since the clinic I worked at didn't perform euthanasia regularly.

I stayed strong throughout the procedure, but as soon as I got to my car, I lost it. I think it will get easier to deal with time, but it will never not phase me. I still cry when I watch Animal Cops or E-Vets...🙁

I think that a vet that shows some empathy and sadness (as long as they are not a complete emotional mess) at the loss of a pet will be much more comforting to a family than a vet that goes about it all business-like and is cold towards the situation.

 

[sofficat]

i think that many times it turns into just another procedure. i was working with a vet one day and she euthanized a ferret while talking on the phone. she's an amazing vet, but i thought that was weird. 😕

 

[linzucf]

I work at an emergency clinic and we do a lot of euthanasias. At my particular workplace, it is the technician's job to euthanize animals. I can say that it is difficult at first, but over time it becomes easier. Some people joke about it or forget how it feels to the client, but I always remind myself that this is someone's pet and though it may be my 6th euthanasia that day, it is thier pet they are losing and they are suffering terrible loss and a difficult decision.
No matter how many you have done, there will always be cases that will bother you. There will also be those cases where you feel good knowing that you have given a gift to a suffering patient by allowing them peace.

 

[theunraveler]

i saw my first euthanasia being performed on a female siberian husky, its a young dog too but its been in the pound for so long and no one adopted it so they were gonna put it down so that the 5th year can use it for dissection.

it was quite sad, 🙁 the dog was so frenly and playful , it was juz jumping around, wagging its tail, giving licks and stuffs. its a pedigree dog and i was quite surprised no one wanted her. i asked the vet if she had any medical problems she said no.

then her time came and the vet took out this syringe containing green fluid and then she put her to sleep

 

[sofficat]

it is those situations that i wish wouldn't happen. especially for a pure bred dog, there are rescue groups pretty much for every breed. as i vet, there is going to have to be a better reason to euthanize an animal for me to do it.

 

[4theanimals]

it is those situations that i wish wouldn't happen. especially for a pure bred dog, there are rescue groups pretty much for every breed. as i vet, there is going to have to be a better reason to euthanize an animal for me to do it.

I think theunraveler was talking about a shelter situation. Your right there is a rescue for every breed. Most shelters work closely with breed rescues and from my shelter experience I can tell you that unfortunately many times those breed rescues are full too.

 

[ckgilabert]

I just started at a small animal clinic yesterday. this morning 2 dogs came in and got euthanized. i've seen a cat get euthanized at the shelter---but it was in pain and it didnt have owners around, no one had any emotion when it happened.

today was a different story. the first dog got euthanized and i didnt know it till it was in the plastic bag ready to be put into the freezer.

the second dog...i couldnt handle myself. i stood at the door way, the mom ran out crying, the son stayed behind to pet the dog while it was getting euthanized. right when the doctor was about to give the injection i had to leave. i started crying. the vet came to me afterward and told me why it had to be done, showed me xrays and stuff like that. im glad im working at such a nice hospital.

anyway, its way too hard to control myself. even in the middle of writing this i started breaking down. i'm hoping i'll have the strength to keep it together for the next time.

 

[wildfocus]

anyway, its way too hard to control myself. even in the middle of writing this i started breaking down. i'm hoping i'll have the strength to keep it together for the next time.

oh, ckgil - crying just means you have a large heart. it does get better with time, though. hang in there, you'll see...

 

[CookieBear]

I just started at a small animal clinic yesterday. this morning 2 dogs came in and got euthanized. i've seen a cat get euthanized at the shelter---but it was in pain and it didnt have owners around, no one had any emotion when it happened.

today was a different story. the first dog got euthanized and i didnt know it till it was in the plastic bag ready to be put into the freezer.

the second dog...i couldnt handle myself. i stood at the door way, the mom ran out crying, the son stayed behind to pet the dog while it was getting euthanized. right when the doctor was about to give the injection i had to leave. i started crying. the vet came to me afterward and told me why it had to be done, showed me xrays and stuff like that. im glad im working at such a nice hospital.

anyway, its way too hard to control myself. even in the middle of writing this i started breaking down. i'm hoping i'll have the strength to keep it together for the next time.

I'm sorry, ck. Wildfocus is right. Over time, you may start to realize that in most of these cases, it's the right thing to do at the appropriate time, and it helps a little in knowing/believing and eventually feeling that.

In veterinary medicine, I feel we have the benefit of giving this release to terminally ill patients, or animals that are beyond medicine, technology and love.

Your feelings are natural, and I think most everyone in this forum can empathize with you, including myself.

 

[bakaduin]

CK-

It will defintily get better. I still remember the first euthanasia I saw last year. It was a Golden Retriever and the dog reminded me so much of the family dog I had lost a year before that I couldnt help but tear up. Im certainly not immune to the sadness now after seeing so many but it is much easier. I know its for the best of the animal and I know that the two doctors I work with wouldnt do a euthanasia if that wasnt the case.

 

[VelcroSky]

I just finished reading the book How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Sherwin B. Nuland. The author is a doctor that has seen many deaths during his career and he writes about it here. While this isn't exactly feel-good writing, it did offer me some interesting insight. He points out that most human deaths are not pleasant and that people are often made to suffer for long periods of time at the end. It really makes you realize what a gift euthanasia can be and that the veterinary world is quite lucky that they have this option. Anyway, I would recommend this book to anyone that is getting into this field.

 

[ShelterGirl]

Thanks for bumping this post back up. I just finished getting my certification to be a euth tech in the state of CA. Typically only DVMs or RVTs are allowed to do it, but an exception is made for shelter employees who go through training to get certification.
Now that I actually understand how the drug affects the animal physiologically, it has made it easier for me to handle emotionally (for example, I didn't understand post-mortem reflexes such as agonal breathing and thought the animal was suffering!)
It helps to know that even if their life gets (in my opinion) cut short, as is so often the case with shelter animals, they are usually not afraid or in pain during the process. It's still not EASY, though. 🙁