There are very few studies describing euthanasia complications in non-domestic species. The goal of this study was to survey veterinarians to determine what complications may commonly occur during the euthanasia of non-domestic species. An online sur...
Acceptable methods for the euthanasia of cattle include overdose of an anesthetic, gunshot and captive bolt. The use of anesthetics for euthanasia is costly and complicates carcass disposal. These issues can be avoided by use of a physical method suc...
The reality that euthanasia in veterinary practice can end animal suffering but can also be used in circumstances that do not serve an animal’s interest, can be a benefit for animals, and a burden for veterinary professionals, respectively. Thi...
When dairy cattle become ill or injured to the extent that recovery is unlikely or impossible, on-farm euthanasia should be used as a tool to eliminate pain and suffering. Our study aimed to identify decision-making criteria and the most common facto...
The objectives of this study were to identify caretakers’ perceptions and stressors related to performing on-farm euthanasia as well as potential ideas for intervention strategies to alleviate negative effects of performing euthanasia on careta...
Euthanasia techniques utilised by veterinarians impact the welfare of many dogs in their final moments. Despite euthanasia guidelines, little is known about euthanasia techniques used in practice. We administered an online survey of Australian veteri...
The majority of companion animals seen by veterinary practitioners will die by euthanasia. Yet euthanasia can be a source of moral stress for veterinary team members, even when ethically indicated. In this discussion, I explore when euthanasia is eth...
We sought to document the contemporary feline euthanasia practices among Australian veterinarians and determine the factors associated with the administration of a premedication or sedation prior to euthanasia. Australian veterinarians who had euthan...
Euthanasia of companion animals is a challenging responsibility in the veterinary profession since veterinarians have to consider not only medical, but also legal, economic, emotional, social, and ethical factors in decision-making. To this end; an a...
29 May 2020
Euthanasia is undoubtedly the protagonist of many of the debates around the end of life both among health staff and in the general population. Considering that nurses provide care for terminally ill patients and support families and patients in their...
There are currently no clear guidelines in the US and some other countries regarding euthanasia decision making timelines for dairy cattle that become injured or ill to the extent that recovery is unlikely or impossible. Our study aimed to identify d...
Euthanasia is a critical component in swine production and veterinarians play an important role in euthanasia protocol development and training. This study aimed to understand veterinarian involvement in and perspectives on euthanasia on pig farms. A...
In traditional livestock care, veterinarians often face situations where they have to determine the optimal time for euthanasia to prevent unnecessary suffering and pain. To improve timely euthanasia, this article focuses on the process of decision-m...
20 April 2022
Due to the continuous development of palliative care and methods of pain relief in the last moments of patients’ lives, we are faced with the question of how long we should take measures to delay inevitable death for, without providing prolonge...
The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of euthanasia training, caretaker perceptions of euthanasia, and available resources for individuals who perform euthanasia as part of their job on swine operations in the United States. An...
This Critical Appraisal aims to explore the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications used in organ donors after euthanasia (ODE) and their impact on abdominal organ quality. With the legalization of ODE, the donor pool has expanded, but i...
This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Euthanasia Attitude Scale (EAS) in Greek medical doctors. A cross-sectional study design was conducted, including 120 physicians at clinical setting in 2019 (men 64.5%). A self-report qu...
Euthanasia or assisted suicide—and sometimes both—have been legalized in a small number of countries and states. In all jurisdictions, laws and safeguards were put in place to prevent abuse and misuse of these practices. Prevention measures have incl...
Euthanasia is a valuable management tool utilized on dairies to end the suffering of sick or debilitated cows. Euthanasia should be implemented if an animal’s pain cannot be adequately alleviated and if there is a limited chance of recovery. To...
This study was designed to determine how veterinarians define a good euthanasia experience. This information is used to generate a working definition of companion animal euthanasia that aligns with animal welfare standards and pet owners’ expec...
Using euthanasia to manage dog and cat overpopulation causes health issues and emotional stress in employees involved, increases staff turnover, and has financial, moral and ethical ramifications for communities. Welfare agencies and local government...
Challenges and issues related to the use of pentobarbital euthanasia and disposal of animal remains within the US have recently been reviewed. Environmental and public health challenges increasingly necessitate consideration of alternative methods su...
Multiple products are being developed for use against filoviral infections. Efficacy for these products will likely be demonstrated in nonhuman primate models of filoviral disease to satisfy licensure requirements under the Animal Rule, or to supplem...
Objective: To review the empirical claims made in: Pereira J. Legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide: the illusion of safeguards and controls. Curr Oncol 2011;18:e38–45. Design: We collected all of the empirical claims made by Jose Pereira in “Leg...
Invertebrates are increasingly consumed and kept as pets, research models, and in zoological exhibits, creating a growing need to better understand their clinical management and welfare. However, the knowledge regarding nociception, pain perception,...
The compromised state of stranded cetaceans means that euthanasia is often required. However, current knowledge and implementation of euthanasia methods remain highly variable, with limited data on the practicalities and welfare impacts of procedures...
Objective: To investigate public attitudes in New Zealand towards the euthanasia of dogs and cats and to explore the factors that influence these views. Materials and Methods: Data were collected through a nationwide online survey conducted in 2019 a...
5 November 2025
Since the enactment of Belgium’s euthanasia law in 2002, clinical psychologists have played an increasingly significant role in the multidisciplinary approach to euthanasia, particularly regarding cases involving unbearable mental suffering (UM...
Euthanasia allows inevitable death, ideally embracing minimized, moderated, or eliminated pain, anxiety, suffering, loss of dignity, or distress. [...]
Context: A plethora of actors like individual and professional characteristics, religiosity, personality-related factors, personal experience of death, and empathy form the attitude of health professionals in patient care in clinical settings and eut...
Euthanasia is commonly performed in veterinary medicine to humanely induce the death of an animal when its quality of life is affected by pain or chronic degenerative diseases. The choice of euthanasia is a bilateral decision that represents a challe...
23 June 2022
Background: With an increasing aging population and heavy medical burden, euthanasia has become a controversial topic in Hong Kong (HK) in recent years. Medical students are future medical professionals who may face novel and evolving ethical dilemma...
The objective of this study was to explore perspectives and attitudes about euthanasia specific to the Brazilian dairy cattle industry. Twenty-five Brazilian citizens (13 veterinarians, 4 animal scientists, 3 professors, 3 researchers, 1 dairy owner,...
The effects of a standard protocol for euthanasia on heart rate variability (HRV) as a consequence of stress response were analyzed in this prospective clinical study. The HRV was determined in 40 horses undergoing euthanasia due to various reasons,...
Background: The legalization of euthanasia in Belgium in 2002 positioned nurses as possible participants in the euthanasia process. However, ethical and legal dilemmas necessitate clear definitions of their roles and competencies in this context. Giv...
This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion in the United Kingdom regarding euthanasia and assisted dying, using data specifically related to individuals with dementia. A qualitative approach was taken with data captured via a set of written que...
A non-penetrating captive bolt device, powered by a 1 grain 0.22″ cartridge delivering a calculated kinetic energy of 47 Joules was tested as a euthanasia method on 200 neonate goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) of mean dead weight = 4.425 kg (SD (S...
Moral stress is a major concern in veterinary practice. Often, it is associated with the challenges in end-of-life situations. Euthanasia, however, is also meant to bring relief to animal patients and their owners. The reasons for the moral strain eu...
Hatched male layer chicks are currently euthanized by maceration in the United States. Public concerns on the use of maceration have led to the search for alternative methods. We hypothesized that gas inhalation and low atmospheric pressure stunning...
The decision to request and proceed with euthanasia in a dog is complex and predictors of such decisions are important. This study investigates the risk factors (demographic and clinical) associated with the main clinical causes and methods of death...
This article examines how veterinarians in Istanbul experience and navigate the ethical, emotional, and institutional complexities of performing euthanasia on dogs, with particular attention to the differences between companion and street dogs. Drawi...
Introduction: This study aims to verify if older adults with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder are more prone to euthanasia and identify factors that interfere with their satisfaction with health and capacity for well-informed decisions. Material and...
Animals used in research often have to be euthanised, especially when tissue sampling is essential. Recently, a euthanasia method, utilizing an inhalant anaesthetic ‘nitrogen gas in foam’ in an anoxia box (ANOXIATM), has gained considerab...
To build a sustainable social system in the future, the promotion of animal welfare, as well as human welfare, is essential. In this study, we address the issues related to animal euthanasia that are commonly encountered in animal shelters. Many anim...
15 February 2022
Dairy caretakers experience a variety of occupational risks including stress related to performing euthanasia and making euthanasia-related decisions for cattle in their care. Few supportive interventions exist to help caretakers cope with euthanasia...
The objective of this study was to identify phenotypic characteristics predicting the outcome of euthanasia for dogs entering shelters compared to live release. Individual dog records for 2017 were requested from shelters in five states (Mississippi,...
Newly hatched male layer chicks are considered as “by-products” in the egg industry and must be humanely euthanized at the hatchery. Instantaneous mechanical destruction (maceration) is the predominant euthanasia method applied in poultry hatcheries...
Euthanasia for mental suffering in a nonterminal situation has been decriminalized only in a few countries, including Belgium, under certain conditions. The aim of this article is to provide an overview and an ethical discussion of the arguments of t...
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) have been used in research since the 19th century to collect data due to their physiological similarities to humans. Today, animals perform a vital role in experiments and concerns for laboratory animal welfare are enshr...
Background/Objectives: The extension of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide to individuals with mental disorders presents a profound ethical, clinical, and legal challenge. While increasingly accepted in some jurisdictions, their application in...
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