Euthanasia, better a day too soon?

Euthanasia is, in my view, one of the greatest and most valuable tools we as vets have. This is true across all species we treat. Being able to relieve intractable suffering, gifting a peaceful and planned death in the company of a loved one and gently ending a life that has come to its conclusion are options I have been grateful for every day of my clinical life.  

Although euthanasia can be upsetting for owners and keepers, I believe euthanasia is not a welfare issue – but delayed euthanasia can be, for both the animals and humans involved. We’ve all sat across from clients who aren’t ready to let go. Some delay for emotional reasons, others on moral grounds. Some may feel forced into decisions too early for them, but perhaps too late for the animal in their care. It can be a difficult conversation. As vets, we advocate for the animals in our care, but we also genuinely feel for the humans involved. Many of the most fulfilling moments of my career have involved delivering a peaceful death to a much-loved patient and being there to support the client at the end. 

Of course, euthanasia can be hard on us too. Some of the moments I remember as being the most difficult in my career, that still occasionally wake me at night, have been those where a euthanasia has not gone well. The cumulative emotional load from frequent euthanasia, moral dilemmas, and compassion fatigue is real. Delayed euthanasia, the “day too late” scenario, causes us moral injury.  

So it's vital to debrief with colleagues, access support networks, and avoid internalising guilt when we've done the right thing by the patient. That means guiding without pressuring, listening without judgment, and being unflinchingly honest when it's clear that continued treatment is prolonging suffering, not life.  

I think it’s also valuable to note that for myself, and many of my vet friends and colleagues, the well-timed euthanasia cases always seem to be the source of the most thank you cards/flowers/chocolates. I believe this shows that for our clients too, this is one of the most important and valued interactions they have with us as vets.