• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Upcoming dvm360 Conferences
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
Veterinary Heroes
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Euthanasia: Don't judge

January 28, 2019
Deanna Fischer, LVT

When it comes to the practice of putting pets to sleep, I think its time to show their owners some extra compassion.

Euthanasia, or "the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease," according to Oxford Languages, is something we face every day in veterinary medicine, sometimes even several times a day. It can be frustrating and draining on us, but it's part of our job to help ease our patients' suffering and support the family they're leaving behind. The way in which we handle that process is equally important.

Recently, while I was visiting a friend, she shared with me that her family had to say goodbye to their pet. She recalled that while telling a coworker about the loss, they shamed her for not staying with the pet during its final moments. With tears in her eyes, she asked me if I thought she was terrible. She loved her pet so much, but couldn't handle the heartbreak.

My friend's coworker told her how lonely the pet must've been and how awful the veterinary staff must've thought she was. I assured her that I know how hard those moments are and truly did not think her terrible. After that conversation, I got to thinking...

Advertisement

We are human. We work long days during which we see a ton of stuff. It can be easy to judge situations and people that we actually know very little about. Honestly, how many times have you thought that someone was wrongfully putting their pet to sleep? Perhaps you felt that they didn't do enough in terms of testing and treatment, or anything at all. What about the people that we felt waited too long? Or the people who brought their pet in deceased after a night of breathing trouble because they wanted their pet to go peacefully at home? Or the people, like my friend, who could not stay?

Perhaps we are judging too much. We have no idea what happens in our client's homes, heads or hearts. They come to us and entrust their best friends, their family members to us in those final moments and that is what we should be concerned about. Let's pass less judgement and give more love.

Related Content:

MedicalBreaking News
Brief overview of acid-base interpretation
Brief overview of acid-base interpretation
Dog owners are not getting proactive OA information from their veterinarians
Dog owners are not getting proactive OA information from their veterinarians
Performing a health exam on geriatric parrots
Performing a health exam on geriatric parrots

Advertisement

Latest News

The Vets appoints Dr Zach Mills to VP of Medical Performance

Communicating the importance of genetic screening

Purina announces its 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize winners

AmeriVet Veterinary Partners deemed a 2022 Business of the Year

View More Latest News
Advertisement