Handling End-of-Life Situations in Small Animal Practice: What Strategies do Veterinarians Contemplate During their...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Welfare Science
• Decision-Making Processes

Background:

• End-of-life (EoL) decision-making is a critical aspect of veterinary practice.
• Understanding veterinarians' strategies in EoL situations is essential for professional support and development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the decision-making processes and strategies employed by veterinarians in small animal end-of-life care.
• To provide insights that can support veterinarians in managing EoL situations and reduce associated stress.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews.
• Fourteen veterinarians from small animal practices in the Netherlands participated.

Main Results:

• Identified a three-step EoL decision-making process: 1. Assessing animal health and welfare. 2. Considering the owner's position. 3. Advising euthanasia or exploring alternative strategies.
• Veterinarians utilize various strategies when faced with EoL decisions.

Conclusions:

• The findings offer a framework for veterinarians to reflect on their EoL decision-making.
• This research can serve as a foundation for developing best practices in small animal end-of-life care and reducing professional stress.