Moral Distress and Behavioral Euthanasia in Vet Med | Episode 93 | Reviving Vet Med

As an emergency and critical care veterinarian, I don't see many animals for behavioral reasons. But when those cases do come through the ER, they often bring up a lot of emotions, questions, and moral distress among the team.

That's why I was really looking forward to sitting down with Veterinary Social Worker and animal trainer Valerie Bogie for the latest episode of the Reviving Vet Med podcast.

Because at the intersection of medical ethics, human safety, and the animal-human bond lies one of the most emotionally complex and under-supported aspects of veterinary medicine: behavioral euthanasia.

One of the things that struck me most during our conversation was Valerie's perspective on the term "behavioral euthanasia." In more than 20 years of experience, she has yet to meet a pet owner who hasn't exhausted every resource within their means before arriving at this heartbreaking decision.

She challenged me to consider whether separating euthanasia into categories can unintentionally minimize the very real suffering experienced by animals and their families.

Just as we don't say "cancer euthanasia" or "old age euthanasia," perhaps simply calling it euthanasia reminds us that mental and behavioral health matter just as much as physical health.

In this episode, we also discuss:
✔ The invisible labor many pet owners perform before reaching a crisis point
✔ How behavior science and social work principles can help reduce moral distress
✔ The importance of understanding what is happening at home before making assumptions
✔ Ways to support veterinary team members after emotionally challenging cases

This conversation gave me a lot to think about, and I hope it will do the same for you.

🎧 Listen to the episode: www.buzzsprout.com/2011463/episodes/19273014
💻 Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/QfHV6bKjEUM

Thank you to ScribeNote for sponsoring this episode.

Видео Moral Distress and Behavioral Euthanasia in Vet Med | Episode 93 | Reviving Vet Med канала Marie Holowaychuk