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Alyssa
Student
San Benito, Texas
1
Question
Asked
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Veterinary Animal Science/ First Generation College Student
I've watched so many yt videos and none seem to give a straight answer does euthanasia in this field really play a big role in early retirement? I am also a first generation college student is college really better in a sense? & what the heck do we bring! #GivingisCaring
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1 answer
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1738
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Alyssa,
I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you saying that you have heard that vets retire early because they get burned out on having to euthanize too many animals? I know there are some people who euthanize pets when they can no longer keep them and are unable to find a home for them. That would be hard to handle. And some who euthanize pets when they need expensive medical care, and they cannot afford to provide it. That would be sad. And, that is why I am a strong advocate of pet insurance.
But euthanizing animals when it is their time to go, is one of the kindest things you can do for animals. In fact, I recently met a vet and that is all he does! He makes house calls, so that the entire family can be present, if they desire, and it is much less stressful on both the humans and the animal. My dog had a painful inoperable tumor, and when we could no longer manage his pain, I realized that keeping him alive was selfish of me. He was euthanized sitting outside under a shade tree. It was very peaceful, compared to previous experiences in the clinic.
If you want to be a vet, but want to deal with euthanasia as little as possible, you could consider specializing. At least in larger cities, there are many vet specialists. This includes internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, orthopedics, etc. Some of these would be preferable to others - for example, in oncology your patients would often die, owners would be making treatment decisions based on affordability, not always picking the best course of action, etc. But there are many different specialties to choose from! Here is one large hospital providing specialty services: https://bluepearlvet.com/hospital/stone-oak-tx/
hope this helps!
Kim
I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you saying that you have heard that vets retire early because they get burned out on having to euthanize too many animals? I know there are some people who euthanize pets when they can no longer keep them and are unable to find a home for them. That would be hard to handle. And some who euthanize pets when they need expensive medical care, and they cannot afford to provide it. That would be sad. And, that is why I am a strong advocate of pet insurance.
But euthanizing animals when it is their time to go, is one of the kindest things you can do for animals. In fact, I recently met a vet and that is all he does! He makes house calls, so that the entire family can be present, if they desire, and it is much less stressful on both the humans and the animal. My dog had a painful inoperable tumor, and when we could no longer manage his pain, I realized that keeping him alive was selfish of me. He was euthanized sitting outside under a shade tree. It was very peaceful, compared to previous experiences in the clinic.
If you want to be a vet, but want to deal with euthanasia as little as possible, you could consider specializing. At least in larger cities, there are many vet specialists. This includes internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, orthopedics, etc. Some of these would be preferable to others - for example, in oncology your patients would often die, owners would be making treatment decisions based on affordability, not always picking the best course of action, etc. But there are many different specialties to choose from! Here is one large hospital providing specialty services: https://bluepearlvet.com/hospital/stone-oak-tx/
hope this helps!
Kim