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Austrian Veterinarians' Attitudes to Euthanasia in Equine Practice.
Svenja Springer1, Florien Jenner2, Alexander Tichy3
1Unit of Ethics and Human-Animal-Studies, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria. Svenja.Springer@vetmeduni.ac.at.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|February 2, 2019
Summary
Veterinarians weigh multiple factors, including owner bonds and finances, when deciding on equine euthanasia. Convenience euthanasia requests are generally refused, with shared attitudes among equine vets.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Ethics
- Equine Health
Background:
- Euthanasia decisions for companion animals involve complex medical, legal, economic, emotional, social, and ethical considerations for veterinarians.
- The human-animal bond and financial circumstances significantly influence owner decisions regarding euthanasia.
- Understanding veterinarians' perspectives is crucial for ethical and compassionate end-of-life care in animals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the attitudes of Austrian equine veterinarians towards the euthanasia of horses in various scenarios.
- To identify factors influencing veterinarians' decisions regarding equine euthanasia.
- To analyze demographic and attitudinal variables related to euthanasia decision-making.
Main Methods:
- An anonymous, questionnaire-based survey was administered to equine veterinarians in Austria.
- Data collected included demographic information and attitudes towards euthanasia in different case scenarios.
- Mann-Whitney U tests were employed to assess associations between variables like gender, experience, and workload with euthanasia attitudes.
Main Results:
- Sixty-four veterinarians completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 23.4%.
- Veterinarians acknowledged the importance of contextual and relational factors, including owner-animal emotional bonds and financial status.
- Requests for convenience euthanasia were typically rejected, and veterinarians' attitudes were largely consistent across respondents.
Conclusions:
- Equine veterinarians are cognizant of the multifaceted factors influencing euthanasia decisions.
- Animal-related and owner-related factors play a significant role in the euthanasia decision-making process.
- A shared understanding and ethical framework guide veterinarians in handling equine euthanasia cases.