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Table 3 Veterinarians agreement with euthanasia or else in nine different euthanasia scenarios in small animal practice

From: Attitudes of Austrian veterinarians towards euthanasia in small animal practice: impacts of age and gender on views on euthanasia

Scenarios

Median (IQR)

“Convenience euthanasia”

F1

Aggressive dog

A dog has twice bitten persons. It has attended training courses and animal psychologists have tried to educate it. However, 2 days ago it severely injured a child that is now in hospital.

9

[7;9]

F2

Rabbit breeder

A rabbit breeder wants to have some of her young animals euthanized because their coat colour does not meet the breeding standards and she will not be successful at exhibitions with those animals.

1

[1;1]

F3

Young dog costly therapy

An animal owner comes to your office with a young dog. This dog is severely ill, but therapy is possible. This therapy would be time-consuming, but there are chances of success. The owner rejects the therapy because he has neither enough time nor enough money. He wants you to euthanize the dog.

3

[1;5]

F4

Rabbit costly therapy

A rabbit owner comes to your office. The animal suffers from a treatable disease, but the therapy would require some time and cost about 150 €. The owner does not want to spend the money on a therapy, but asks you to euthanize the rabbit. He wants to buy a new rabbit for 40 €.

1

[1;3]

F5

Dog not fitting living conditions

A dog owner comes to your office and wants you to euthanize her dog. She argues that the 15 year old dog does not fit to her living conditions anymore because she will travel with her family for some time and does not want to bring a dog at this age to the animal shelter.

1

[1;3]

“Owner’s refusal to euthanize”

F6

Persian cat

An animal owner comes to your office with a severely ill Persian cat. You know that he has a very close relationship to his cat and does not want to part with it. In your opinion, euthanasia would be reasonable, but the owner does not agree. You reject any further treatment apart from analgesia.

7

[5;9]

F7

Old sick dog without owner

A dog sitter comes to your office with a 17 year old dog that suffers from breathing problems. The owners have left for a trekking tour 3 days ago and cannot be reached. You removed a malign tumour in this dog 6 months ago and you are afraid that it has developed lung metastases. The dog sitter refuses to take a decision regarding euthanasia and cannot tell you what the owners might want.

6

[2;8]

“Notification”

F8

Guinea pig veterinary officer

A guinea pig owner comes to your office because the guinea pig does not eat. You find a tumour of nut size in the region of the abdomen. As the animal’s general condition is weak, you think that the prognosis is in Faust and recommend euthanasia. The owner thinks that the animal’s condition is unproblematic and wants to take his pet home instead of having it euthanized. You are obliged to inform the veterinary officer.

2

[1;7]

“Responsibility”

F9

Dog veterinarian decision

A couple comes to your office with a dog of advanced age and asks: “What would you do if it was your animal?” You think that it is a 50/50 situation and that the couple will follow your advice. Would you refuse to make a clear recommendation and take the decision yourself?

7

[5;9]

  1. Medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) of the agreement for the different scenarios. For the scenarios F1 to F7, the veterinarians were asked to gauge their agreement with euthanasia in this case from 1=”I reject euthanasia” to 9=”I fully agree with euthanasia”. In scenario F8 the question was about the necessity to notify an official veterinarian with the answer options ranging from 1=”rejection” to 9=”agreement”. The answer options for scenario F9, asking about the willingness to take a decision concerning euthanasia in the place of the owners, ranged from 1=”I would for sure make no recommendation” to 9=”I would surely make a recommendation”