Professional Ethics: Veterinary Ethics and Professionalism

How often do vets face dilemmas per week?

1-5

How stressful are ethical dilemmas on a scale from 1-10 (10 being most stressful)?

7-9

What are examples of ethical issues experienced in veterinary practice?

Euthanasia, “Heroic Treatments,” Elective procedures, Treatment of wild animals, Financial issues

Who are the interested parties in veterinary ethical considerations?

Veterinarians, owners, animals

What may owner-animal ethical conflicts be around?

Their own best interests

What may owner-vet ethical conflicts be around?

Best interests vs cost of treatment

What may vet-practice ethical conflicts be around?

Policies that are enforced

What may vet-public ethical conflicts be around?

Specific issues (ex tail docking)

What are potential justifications for killing animals?

For food, euthanasia, pest control, hunting, research

What are potential justifications for killing people?

Self defense, in ‘just’ war, out of compassion, as a justified punishment for a serious crime

The value of animal life: Only quality matters

Our only obligation in relation to animals in our care is to make sure that they live good lives (as long as they last)

The value of animal life: Quantity matters - but animals are fully replaceable

It is a good thing that animals live - in so far as they through their lives add to the total sum of welfare

The value of animal life: Animals are not fully replaceable

Ending the life of an animal may be a bad thing - and this is not only explained by a loss in welfare (human or animal)

If animals are not replaceable: What is the underlying rationale?

Moral principles- right to life, thinking of companion animals as irreplaceable is part of the human-animal bond

What are indirect consequences of thinking of animals as irreplaceable?

If animals are thought of as replaceable this may negatively affect the way they are treated. Is the point to insist that each and every animal should be treated with care?

Quantity of life concerns cannot justify

Continued life at the expense of quality

Death is NOT a welfare issue

Painless death ends suffering

Death may be considered to be a harm in so far as it

Removes opportunities that continued life would give (ex interaction with owner)

The ethical limits of treatment: Advanced specialties constantly developing for companion animals (oncology etc.) Ethical concerns can include

Animals cannot give their consent to treatment, Treatment may seriously compromise welfare, Owners may not act in the animal’s best interest, Vets have responsibilities to animals, owners, and themselves

Balancing current and future quality of life, this can include

“heroic” treatments that cause short-medium term reduction in quality of life with the justified aim of improvement in the long term

Acceptability of balancing current and future quality of life will depend on

Duration and severity of poor quality of life in the short term, Likelihood and duration of eventual good quality of life, The greater the short term costs, the larger the long term benefits need to be

QOL - Assessment includes

Clinical judgement, Information from owners, (Under development) formal assessment

Owner influences in animal quality of life include

Tendency to over humanize, Tendency to avoid difficult realities, Ultimate legal power

Vet influences in animal quality of life include

Intellectual or technical interest in condition can shift focus away from the animals, Heroic treatments may help us to learn more about conditions that would help other animals and people

Financial considerations in animal quality of life include

Sunken cost may create bias, insures status may give more flexibility

Ethical criteria for ‘heroic’ treatment include

Outcome of treatment for animal can be reasonably predicted, Expected quality of life outcome for the animal is acceptable, Animal suffering will be minimal and/or controlled, Short term QOL reduction is outweighed by assessed long term benefit

Quality of Quantity of life: What must be considered when balancing the two?

Be animal centric, put quality before quantity, need ethical thinking to decide

Engaging in ethical thinking: What factors influence/sway ethical thinking?

Cultural background, ethical principles, public debates

Why do vets need ethical thinking?

Intellectual integrity - justify attitudes, Ethical dilemmas (reasoning, constructing arguments)

Define an ethical dilemma.

Situations in which each possible course seems to be morally wrong

What ethical skills should be practiced regularly?

Identify ethical dilemmas, Analyze the issues, Reason and make a moral judgement, Reflect on your own standpoints, Understand and respect different viewpoints, Apply ethical principles to your own conduct

Vets need ethics!!! What are reasons why?

They have obligations to different parties, these decisions are constantly faced! Ethics are the tools to make these decisions well, Important for the individual and the profession

What is the professional framework of veterinarians (in the UK)?

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)

The RCVS Code of Professional Conduct provides detailed information on veterinary surgeons responsibilities to:

Their patients, their clients, the general public, their colleagues, the law

What are the principles of practice all veterinary surgeons are to maintain?

Professional competence, Honesty and integrity, Independence and impartiality, Client confidentiality and trust, Professional accountability

What groups are veterinarians expected to maintain professional responsibilities with?

Animals, clients, the profession, the veterinary team, the RCVS(or AVMA), the public

What professional attributes should a vet embody?

Respect, Honesty, Integrity, Self reflection, Ethical attitude, Team working

What are the aspects of professionalism?

Clinical competence, Communication skills, Legal understanding, Humanism, Accountability

What is included in clinical competence in regards to professionalism?

Continuing professional development, Evidence based veterinary medicine, Reflection→action cycle

What are aspects of communication skills in regards to professionalism?

Written, verbal, non-verbal, virtual presences

What is included in legal understanding in regards to professionalism?

Up to date knowledge (RCVS advice, relevant animal legislation, use of drugs, legislation related to financial, employment, civil, and criminal acts)

What is included in humanism in regards to professionalism?

Respect for other people, Treat others as you would like to be treated (compassion, empathy, honesty, integrity, good manners)

What is included in accountability in regards to professionalism?

Taking responsibility for your activities, Reliability, Self regulation, virtual presence