I want to be a veterinarian...but I don't think I can euthanize an animal!?

Question

Are there any veterinarians out there who can relate? I love animals and want to devote my life to caring for them. BUT I don't think I have the strength to end a life. Comments or suggestions please!!

Answer 1

Me too. Same problem as you. Do you think all doctors would have the strength to perform euthanasia? So, why do vets HAVE to do euthanasia? I don't think it's fair.
I think a vet should have the right to choose to perform euthanasia or not. The client can go somewhere else. Or, you could ask a colleague to perform it.
Then, I always like to make a distinction between different kinds of euthanasia. It might happen that an animal has a disease, like a cancer and the chemo is not working, and the poor animal is suffering. You may choose to perform euthanasia to end its sufferings, caused by a disease that is apparently untreatable. I said "apparently" 'cos in my opinion, a disease that today is untreatable, tomorrow it may become treatable. What if you euthanised an animal suffering from this form of untreatable disease, and tomorrow they find a treatment? In any case, this is the real euthanasia, the "well-death".
There is another thing they call with the same name, but I don't agree with that. Sometimes, a client is too poor, and doesn't have enough money to pay the veterinarian, so he asks for euthanasia, even if the dog doesn't have anything like cancer or other terrible diseases. How could a vet do that?
Who has the right to put animals down? God, not humans.
I believe if the animal is suffering a lot, you might use some drugs like morphin used for humans, that reduce pain and sensation, but the problem are always the clients: they might refuse to pay further money for their pets. I also believe if an animal is suffering a lot, for example following a road accident, or in his last stages of his cancer battle, he would die by himself, in a short time, so there's no reason of euthanising him. You can use this drugs to reduce pain, or sedate him, until he finally dies, by himself, not killed by someone else. He would die without suffering, you just need to give him a good dose of drugs to reduce his perception of pain.
Look at what I have found: it says
"Note that euthanasia is performed at the discretion of the attending veterinarian, who may refuse an animal owner's request to euthanize if he or she feels it is not medically or ethically necessary (so-called "convenience" euthanasia)" (from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_euthanasia)
Do you know what might happen if an animal is really really ill, and debilitated and you anesthetise him? Just a normal dose of anaesthetic may kill him. So, why don't you just give him this anaesthetic? Just a little dose, the regular one, not a huge one. My rule is, if the animal dies some time after this anaesthesia, it was his time to die, and you didn't gave him any lethal things. If the animal doesn't die, but after the effect of the anaesthesia wakes up, it was not his time to die.
Cheers. Good luck on this delicate topic. This is my opinion.
Make your own now.

Answer 2

If you really want to be a vet you will have to euthanize animals from time to time. Some people bring in perfectly healthy animals to be euthanized, so you may have to deal with that as well. You will also have to deal with animals dying while in your care. You really need a thick skin if you are going to be a vet. It can be greatly rewarding when you can save the lives of animals, but keep in mind you may lose many lives as well. You may want to work at a vet hospital BEFORE you go to vet school to see exactly how you will deal emotionally to see if this is really the right career for you.

Answer 3

diverse Humane Societies have diverse practices. Many are "no-kill." Then there is the Humane Society of usa, that operates no shelters in any respect, yet are a well-known animal advocacy team. Edit: here is the coverage of my nearby Humane Society: Q: How long do you maintain the animals formerly you euthanize them? A: as quickly as an animal is made obtainable for adoption, there's no set date for euthanasia. Our purpose is to make sure that each and each animal in our adoption application is located in a loving domicile. If an animal is healthful and behaviorally sound, we glance after that animal till we detect it a house, which each so often may well be months. Our paintings tension and volunteers socialize and workout our animals to help save them satisfied and nicely adjusted in the process their stay on the shelter.

Answer 4

Its about ending pain. It will be your judgement whether you want to put the animal down or not. I'm a pre-vet and though I'm not sure what its like to do that, I do know that it is only done to help the animal. By the way, keep up the school work and good luck, the pre-vet trail is a long one.

Answer 5

I'm not a vet, but I do know that not all vets have to euthanize the animals they treat. There are plenty of other jobs that vets do.

Answer 6

well, if the animal is dying and in lots of pain, sometimes it just needs to be put down...but, i doubt that i could do it, even though living is hurting the animal.

Answer 7

I have the same problem...
i think we just have to work through it.
i mean...we are doing whats best for the animal.

Answer 8

Unfortunately, that comes with the territory. Maybe you would be better off in research.

Answer 9

i don't think you absolutely HAVE to do it. they might have another person whose job is specifically that. i'm not really sure though

Answer 10

As distasteful as it seems, you will have to do it.