Stressed by Euthanasias ? Keep Coping Strategies Healthy
Maureen Blaney Flietner
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You ’ re You ’ re passionate about working with animals , relieving animal suffering , and easing the worries of pet parents .
But then there are the euthanasias . One a day , maybe more on those awful days , it ’ s a strain .
Dealing with euthanasia means finding healthy ways to cope . You don ’ t want to grow a callous shell or be overly emotional .
Compassion is paramount
Handling your first euthanasia can be an eyeopener , says Kathy Cooney , past president of International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care and founder of Home to Heaven in-home pet euthanasia .
Maybe you did not observe one in school or during internships and now the procedure is thrust upon you . While you may be technically perfect , you now also must handle the turmoil of the grieving pet parents . If you have not been taught how to manage the situation – and a lot of schools don ’ t have much training – it can burn in the memory .
Cooney says that in more than 10 years in business , she has euthanized about 10,000 pets and she can still remember the first one .
“ When I first started , 75 % of my attention was on the pet , concentrating on doing it correctly . A quarter of my attention was on the family . Now having done this for so long and being technically strong in the technique , my attention is 75 % on the family and 25 % on the pet .”
Focus on the good Remember that you are helping families to end
“ When I first started , 75 % of my attention was on the pet , concentrating on doing it correctly . A quarter of my attention was on the family . Now having done this for so long and being technically strong in the technique , my attention is 75 % on the family and 25 % on the pet .”
Focus on the good
Remember that you are helping families to end the suffering of their pets , and there is a good feeling behind that , she says . Hopefully , the veterinary team has been involved in hospice or palliative care for the pet so the decision to euthanize is not fear based .
Many veterinarians focus on the taking of life rather than on eliminating the suffering and do not consider the gift to the family . Families are so grateful , she says , for walking with them to the end of their beloved pet ’ s life .
“ It is important to train to provide a technically proficient euthanasia , so that it becomes just like tying your shoes . But if there is a problem , remember that the most important thing to your clients is that their veterinarian cares . Families can be quite forgiving as long as you convey the three Cs -- compassion , confidence and control but , whatever happens , the one that must always remain is compassion .”
Warning signs
Sandra Grossman , Ph . D ., of Pet Loss Partners , a certified compassion fatigue counselor and certified pet loss counselor , suggests watching four warning areas :
• Sleep pattern changes . Stress may affect a person ' s ability to sleep or find them experiencing extreme fatigue .