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how do you deal with the lose of patients when putting them down or having an unsuccessful surgery? is it difficult?

this is a really big question for me, because I don't know how I would handle the passing of patients, and I would like to know from a vet. I want to prepare myself for the misfortunes, so I can be a great veterinarian.
#veterinarian #animal-health #veterinary-medicine

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Thank you comment icon As a Veterinary Technician of five years, it can be very difficult. I know that the Veterinarians would feel the same way. Especially in cases that you’ve helped manage for a longer time. It is part of the job though and being able to provide those services and care to help a family is what the job is about. In the cases of a traumatic event or accident that the patient undergoes, again, being able to ensure the patient is no longer suffering is what we are there for. Raquel Lopez
Thank you comment icon Just because the outcome didn't go as expected does not make you a bad or irresponsible vet. You need to always remind yourself that you have done the best within your power to help your patient. You will be heartbroken and staying motivated will be difficult. It's okay to take a deep breath, take a break and reflect on those other amazing moments you helped your patients and put smiles on your clients' faces. Putting a patient down does not mean you took away their life but ended their suffering. You would rather have your patient have a slow painless death than live a low-quality life of pain and suffering. Nelly Bargoiyet
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Sarah’s Answer

I’m a Registered Veterinary Technician and have dealt with these situations a lot throughout my career. It does become easier with time, but there will still be cases that get to you. As far as euthanasias go, it really helps that I’m working at a practice that does not participate in “convenience” euthanasias so the only animals we euthanize are ones that a vet has evaluated and determined it’s the best option. For these, it’s comforting knowing these animals are no longer suffering but it is always hard when it’s a long term patient that you’ve become close to. The harder part of the job is the animals that die unexpectedly. I’ve had some of my patients pass while recovering them from anesthesia, and one even during anesthesia, some have passed overnight or while we’re working on them. It’s sad but unfortunately it comes with the job. It’s okay to cry about those cases. Sometimes it will bother you for a while, but the good news is, the good cases far out number the bad. You might deal with death every single day of your career, but you’re going to save and help far more animals than the ones you can’t. The best thing to do is just focus on the ones you are saving and know that you did everything in your power for the ones you couldn’t. I’ve seen people work in the field for 15-20 years and they still cry about those sad losses sometimes. So, it’s okay if you get emotional. Highly recommend having outside support for your mental health and well-being. My job has a therapy hotline that they offer for us and I’ve called it on occasion because I just needed to talk about some of these cases that I just couldn’t share with my family and friends. As others have said the best thing to do is to shadow or volunteer in a veterinary clinic to get a feel for these situations in real life. I used to think I could never work in the veterinary field because I’d cry when animals would die in movies, but after bouncing around in different careers I decided to overcome my fears and go for it and it’s been the best decision I ever made. I still cry about sad cases sometimes, but I love my job and I love the work that I do and it’s worth it despite the hard days.
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Krista’s Answer

I work as a Pet Care Technician at a veterinary hospital. As such, I don't deal with the actual process of euthanasia, however, I do deal with the aftermath. Hopefully, my answer provides some insight into vet life but I hope that a veterinarian will answer this question as well.

I have dealt with a variety of clients and patients that I have become close to that have had to be put to sleep. I have seen patients that have come in sick, have been treated intensely, and still unfortunately have not made it. I have had to deal with the proper treatment of the body post euthanasia. Unfortunately, I must admit that it is hard on your emotions. As someone with a passion to be a vet, it is very likely that you are driven, kind-hearted, and compassionate. When unfortunate events like these occur it can be difficult on you, especially as someone who likely carries these personality traits. Your compassion is what makes you an amazing veterinarian but it also makes it hard for you to accept that there might not have been any other course of action. I have seen how these events affected veterinarians and know that it hurts them just as much as it hurts the owners. Veterinarians often experience compassion fatigue, a phenomenon where you can become exhausted and worn out from caring so much. The biggest thing that I will say is: learn that, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER EVENTS OCCUR, YOU DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD FOR THAT ANIMAL AND THE BEST OPTION FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE ANIMAL WAS PURSUED. As long as you keep this thought in your mind and see its truth, your sadness will not hinder you from continuing to be a fantastic veterinarian.

Additionally, I would encourage you to work at a veterinary clinic and take part in procedures like this as well. The only way you are going to know if you can handle it is to actually experience it first-hand. There is no shame in taking a step back from veterinary medicine if this greatly affects you, it just shows that you care greatly. There are a variety of other professions that work with animals that do not include this aspect as frequently. If you think that you can handle this process but are still concerned, I would begin to brainstorm possible coping methods and ways to relieve your stress. Mental health in veterinary medicine is extremely important, so having appropriate coping mechanisms to deal with these experiences will not only make you a great veterinarian but will also better your mental health.

Krista recommends the following next steps:

Pursue shadowing options that allow you to gain first-hand experience
Brainstorm & develop proper coping mechanisms to ensure good mental health
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