The emotional costs of euthanasia | Sarah Hoggan DVM | TEDxTemecula

Summary

In this heartfelt speech, an emergency veterinarian shares the emotional highs and lows of their profession. They discuss the joy of sending critically ill pets home, and the emotional toll of euthanasia, a necessary yet painful kindness. The speaker reflects on the complex feelings of guilt, grief, and love that accompany these difficult decisions, both for pet owners and veterinarians. Through personal stories, including their own dog’s passing, they highlight the emotional costs of veterinary care and the importance of embracing life with love and compassion, much like the pets they care for.

Takeaways

• 🐾 The joy of a veterinarian comes from sending critically ill patients home healthy, which feels like witnessing magic.
• 🏥 As an emergency veterinarian, the speaker performs euthanasia daily, a difficult but necessary act of kindness to end suffering.
• 💔 The emotional toll of euthanasia includes feelings of guilt, questioning decisions, and the perception of betrayal by pet owners.
• 🔮 The 'crystal ball fee' refers to the regret some feel after an unsuccessful treatment, wishing they could have foreseen the outcome.
• 🌈 The speaker reassures that even in failure, pet owners did everything they could with the information they had at the time.
• 😭 The 'betrayal fee' is the internal conflict felt by owners who believe euthanizing their pets is a betrayal of the love they shared.
• 🐶 The speaker shares a personal story of having to euthanize her own dog, Cooper, illustrating the emotional struggle兽医 also face.
• 🍔 Cooper's last meal, a sundae of his favorite foods, shows how the speaker tried to make his final moments joyful.
• 😢 The grief and questioning that follow euthanasia are natural and a sign of the love the speaker had for her pet.
• 🛡️ The high suicide rate among veterinarians highlights the emotional burden of their work, including performing euthanasia.
• 🚫 The speaker refuses to perform euthanasia for convenience or revenge, emphasizing the gravity of the decision.
• 😭允许自己感受并表达悲伤是该演讲者处理工作中情感压力的一种方式。
• 🐕 The speaker's epiphany to live life like a dog, with love, playfulness, and sincerity, was inspired by the pure love and heroism of the pets she has helped.

Q & A

What is the best part of being a veterinarian according to the speaker?

The best part of being a veterinarian, according to the speaker, is sending a patient home, especially those that were carried in seriously ill and are now well enough to be reunited with their families.

Why does the speaker describe the act of euthanasia as a kindness?

The speaker describes euthanasia as a kindness because it allows suffering animals to have a peaceful end when there are no other options for recovery, prioritizing the animal's peace over the owner’s desire to keep them alive.

What are some of the emotional fees associated with euthanasia mentioned in the script?

The emotional fees include the hindsight fee (questioning if it was the right decision), the crystal ball fee (wishing you had foreseen the outcome), and the betrayal fee (feeling like euthanasia is a betrayal to the pet’s love).

Why does the speaker believe it's important to make the hardest decisions for pets?

The speaker believes that making the hardest decisions, like euthanasia, is important because it shows that the pet's needs for peace are being put above the owner’s emotional desire to hold on.

How does the speaker handle grief after performing euthanasia?

The speaker handles grief by allowing herself to feel everything in the moment, ensuring that she doesn't suppress her emotions, and by intentionally keeping her 'grief vault' empty.

Why does the speaker refuse to perform 'convenience or revenge euthanasia'?

The speaker refuses to perform 'convenience or revenge euthanasia' because she believes euthanasia is a serious responsibility that should not be used to end the lives of healthy animals for the sake of human convenience or anger.

How did the speaker experience the emotional fees firsthand?

The speaker experienced the emotional fees firsthand when she had to euthanize her own dog, Cooper, after discovering that he had widespread cancer. Despite knowing it was the kindest decision, her heart questioned it afterward.

What lesson did the speaker learn from the two dogs that saved their owners' lives?

The speaker learned that if she was going to send animals that lived with such purity, love, and bravery to heaven, she had to live her life up to their standards—showing love, appreciating simple joys, and living with sincerity.

Why does the speaker say living like a dog is important?

The speaker says living like a dog is important because dogs express love without holding back, enjoy life’s simple pleasures, and live sincerely, qualities she wants to embody in her own life.

What message does the speaker convey about grief and love?

The speaker conveys that grief is the natural price we pay for loving, and despite the pain of loss, it is always worth loving because of the joy and richness pets bring into our lives.