Euthanasia of animals - association with veterinarians' suicidal thoughts and attitudes towards assisted dying in humans: a nationwide cross-sectional survey (the NORVET study).

BMC Psychiatry. January 2024;24(1):2.

Helene Seljenes Dalum¹, Reidar Tyssen², Torbjørn Moum³, Magne Thoresen⁴, Erlend Hem⁵

¹ Department of Behavioural Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1111, NO-0317, Oslo, Norway. Helene.Seljenes.Dalum@lefo.no.; ² Department of Behavioural Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1111, NO-0317, Oslo, Norway.; ³ Department of Behavioural Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1111, NO-0317, Oslo, Norway.; ⁴ Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.; ⁵ Department of Behavioural Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1111, NO-0317, Oslo, Norway. erlend.hem@medisin.uio.no.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Veterinarians are an occupational group with an increased suicide risk. Euthanasing animals may influence both veterinarians' views on assisted dying in humans and their suicide risk. We investigated (I) attitudes towards assisted dying, (II) whether the field of work and the frequency of euthanasing animals were associated with positive attitudes towards human euthanasia, and (III) whether frequently euthanasing animals was associated with serious suicidal thoughts.

METHODS:We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study among veterinarians in Norway (response rate: 75%). Logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratios for both positive attitudes towards human euthanasia and serious suicidal thoughts. The analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic and work-related factors.

RESULTS:Fifty-five percent of the veterinarians agreed that euthanasia should be permitted for humans with a fatal disease and short life expectancy. Working with companion animals was independently associated with positive attitudes towards human euthanasia (OR = 1.66 (95% CI: 1.23-2.23)), while veterinarians' frequency of euthanasing animals was not. Frequency of euthanasing animals was independently associated with serious suicidal thoughts, OR = 2.56 (95% CI: 1.35-4.87).

CONCLUSIONS:Veterinarians' attitudes towards assisted dying in humans did not differ from those of the general population. Veterinarians' frequency of euthanasing animals was not associated with positive attitudes towards euthanasia in humans. However, veterinarians working in companion animal practices were more likely to have positive attitudes towards euthanasia in humans. Moreover, euthanising animals five times or more a week was associated with serious suicidal thoughts. We need more research to infer about causality in these findings.

Keywords

Assisted dying; Euthanasia; Suicidal thoughts; Veterinarians;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Effective treatment with afoxolaner (NexGard) of Trixacarus caviae in a pet guinea pig.
The animal was treated with a single oral dose of 2.50 mg/kg afoxolaner, and the lesions, presence/absence of mites, and intensity of pruritus were evaluated periodically until 2 months post-treatment. A week after the medication, the lesions were milder, but pruritus was still present and was attributed to the healing process. Further examinations showed significant improvement with the complete remission of clinical signs and no mites at the microscopic examination after 4 weeks.

Recovery of ambulation in small, nonbrachycephalic dogs after conservative management of acute thoracolumbar disk extrusion.
Forty-nine of fifty-one (96%) of deep pain-positive and 10/21 (48%) of deep pain-negative dogs recovered ambulation within the 12-week period. The median time to ambulation was 11 and 25 days for deep pain-positive and -negative dogs, respectively. Reduction in spinal cord compression varied among individuals from minimal to complete and apparently was unrelated to the recovery of ambulation.

Effects of intranasal maropitant on clinical signs of naturally acquired upper respiratory disease in shelter cats.
There was no significant difference in clinical improvement score between the maropitant treatment and control groups for conjunctivitis, blepharospasm, ocular discharge, nasal discharge, or total disease severity after 7 days.

Topical and oral emodepside formulations for last-line treatment of multianthelmintic drug-resistant hookworms when given orally to dogs are not bioequivalent.
This study was conducted in 3 phases, during which dogs received single doses of emodepside as the feline topical solution (1 mg/kg) orally, the canine modified-release tablet (1 mg/kg) orally, and the topical feline solution (3 mg/kg) topically. The feline topical solution administered orally at 1 mg/kg is not bioequivalent to the canine modified-release tablet. Markedly higher absorption of the feline topical solution administered orally raises potential safety concerns for extra-label use in dogs to treat multi-anthelmintic drug-resistant hookworm infections. Poor absorption following topical administration suggests it may be unsuitable for treating multi-anthelmintic drug-resistant hookworm infections.

Duration of efficacy and effect of implant location in adult queens treated with a 9.4 mg deslorelin subcutaneous implant.
The average duration of action of the 9.4 mg deslorelin implant was 790 ± 155 days (range 525-1140 days) with no significant difference in duration or efficacy depending on implantation sites. The 9.4 mg deslorelin implant causes pharmacological sterilization for about 2 years in female cats, is fully reversible, and caused no clinically relevant side effects when administered at both interscapular and periumbilical sites.