SAN: Euthanasia

• __% Refer to themselves as Mom or Dad

• __% Buy their pets gifts

• __% Say “I love you” at least once daily

• __% of US households have at least one pet

• 83%

• 93%

• 63%

• 72%

Considerations

• Pet associated with a significant person or event

• Children

• Elderly

• Rescued pet

• Invested significant time, money, effort in long term medical care

• Service pet

• Pet helped through a difficult time

• Veterinarian as untrained therapist

5 Stages of Grief

´Denial

´Bargaining

´Anger

´Depression

´Resolution

**Not always a straight line

Denial: Before Death

*Be Patient

• Communicate clearly and patiently

• Listen actively

  • Paraphrase client’s statements

• Provide time to think

• Proceed at their pace

Denial- After Death

* Be Patient

• Encourage the client to view the body and say goodbye

• Don’t push them through

Bargaining *Be Compassionate

• Focused on what you or they could have done differently

• Ask for second opinions

• Suggest other treatments, foods, etc. Lots of phone calls.

• Grief and Remorse - can stall healing

Anger *Be Patient & Tolerant

• Listen Actively

• Take notes if the client is complaining or criticizing

• Paraphrase 

• Reassure

Depression *Validate

• Encourage talking about feelings

• Follow up with phone call

• Offer privacy and a place to sit

• Encourage/Offer memorial ideas

• Offer professional help

Resolution

• Rarely revisit stages

• Understand pet won’t be replaced

• Able to do normal activities again

Grief & Children

• Encourage honesty

• Children under 8 yrs

• Use concrete words

  • “put to sleep” is frightening

Grief Stages: Vet Staff

• Acknowledge

• NOMV

• Techs in clinics average 3-6 per week

• ICU/ECC/Shelter/Research

• Often unaddressed

• Dark Humor effective coping strategy

AVMA defines Euthanasia

The act of inducing painless death

Euthanasia: Veterinary Roles

• Client decision - provide information

• Disease process (Vet)

• Treatments available (Vet)

• Cost

• Euthanasia process (vet tech)

• Time to discuss with family members/friends

• “What would you do”?

  • Ask client to state pros/cons

  • Client often wants validation for decision

• Decision Made - Staff support

Preparing for Euthanasia

• Client Expectations

• Disposal decisions made in advance

• Take p in back for IVC back leg (Jugular large animals)

• Room: quiet, comfortable, tissues

• Visitation alone before

• Prepare the body for viewing if not present for euthanasia

• Moment alone after?

• Appropriate paperwork

• Update records

Euthanasia: Process

• Staff well-trained, appropriate needles

  • +-sedative for painful/aggressive

  • +- short-acting barbiturate 

    - Minimizes excitement phase

• Propofol

  • Excitement phase: vocalization, struggling

  • Animal not conscious of these feelings

• Barbiturate: Sodium pentobarbital Class II controlled

  • Unconsciousness

  • Breathing stops 

  • Cardiac Arrest

• Talk client through process and check/notify of death