VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:26:34 GMT

[quote userid="30516" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-veterinary-practice/32347/vetnurse-talking-point-euthanasia/177903#177903"]Can't get the sound loud enough to hear [/quote]

Seems to work well enough on my computer, and I am half deaf! (not joking, have to wear hearing aids now!)

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

jenni99 — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 19:48:27 GMT

Can't get the sound loud enough to hear

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

apache — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 20:52:31 GMT

[quote userid="40831" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-veterinary-practice/32347/vetnurse-talking-point-euthanasia/177880#177880"]Until funding/skills fundamentally change then I would say euthanasia is the only option...[/quote]

I very strongly disagree. If an unlimited fund of money was available for any treatment I could possibly provide, most wildlife presented to me would be euthanised.

Ethically, it is wrong to keep a wild animal in captivity. Hospitalisation and treatment by humans is stressful. Unless a very simple intervention and release possible, euthanasia is the correct choice.

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 10:05:06 GMT

[quote userid="40831" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-veterinary-practice/32347/vetnurse-talking-point-euthanasia/177880#177880"]however they are also known for very publicly posting on social media about how disgusting it is that vets charge them for this[/quote]

Grrrr.

Someone should talk to them about that!

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

chrysanthemum20 — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 09:58:47 GMT

I know a wildlife charity in the general region I am in (not particularly local), do fund treatment at vets where needed, if it's out of hours or they are unable to get out to retrieve and treat themselves, however they are also known for very publicly posting on social media about how disgusting it is that vets charge them for this, highlighting the issue really that you mention. Who could/should fund this? Until funding/skills fundamentally change then I would say euthanasia is the only option...

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 09:35:46 GMT

[quote userid="40831" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-veterinary-practice/32347/vetnurse-talking-point-euthanasia/177876#177876"]On the other side, I have also experienced significant abuse over the phone for not sending a vet out to collect and treat the injured wildlife the person has found.[/quote]

Hi chrysanthemum20, I'm always amazed when I hear stories like that. But I suppose it's just the world we live in these days - people seem to get much angrier if they don't get what they want.

[quote userid="40831" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-veterinary-practice/32347/vetnurse-talking-point-euthanasia/177876#177876"]I wish I had more knowledge and skills to better treat wildlife, and I wonder if more nurses feel that way and perhaps by building on that knowledge gap across the industry it would change the way wildlife was dealt with, for the better, across the board.[/quote]

I think Anna's point, really, is whether it's ever going to be cost-effective to provide the level of specialist care that wildlife need. Is it something to aspire to, or would euthanasia be better in most cases. I've was very struck by the saying by a vet (don't know who it was): "Death isn't a welfare issue, life is".

And actually, if everyone got really good at wildlife care, the question is, why should vet practices be financially responsible for caring for the country's wildlife? Surely that is something that society as a whole should pay for, either from Government funding, or charity.

Are there any charities that already pay practices for the work saving wildlife? (Does the RSPCA do that at all?).

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

chrysanthemum20 — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 12:03:25 GMT

I wish I had more knowledge and skills to better treat wildlife, and I wonder if more nurses feel that way and perhaps by building on that knowledge gap across the industry it would change the way wildlife was dealt with, for the better, across the board.

My experience in practise is that we barely had enough nurses for the registered clients. Any wildlife brought into practice was routinely euthanised.

On the other side, I have also experienced significant abuse over the phone for not sending a vet out to collect and treat the injured wildlife the person has found. Out of hours care for wildlife is pretty much nonexistent (certainly the RSPCA is no longer working out of hours) and OOH practices seem to take the brunt of people's displeasure at this. Given the lack of resources, perhaps euthanasia is the most appropriate course of action currently, but I do wish that would change...

RE: VetNurse Talking Point: Euthanasia

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 09:11:04 GMT

Anyone?!