Episode 74: How your euthanasia protocols enhance team well-being

The Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) trains veterinary professionals and staff in euthanasia best practices. Their coursework includes programs on the physiology of death, sedation and anesthesia before euthanasia, euthanasia techniques, and challenging situations and dysthanasia.

Founder Kathleen Cooney, DVM, MS, CHPV, CCFP, and academy director Stephanie Messick share their experience and insights into the euthanasia process and how clinicians can improve the experience for patients, clients, and themselves.

Kathleen Cooney, DVM, MS, CHPV, CCFP: "What we found is that those who do a lot of euthanasia-related work in their hospitals, and they do it well, actually gravitate towards euthanasia. [They think], ‘I get a chance to sit down and really be involved with these families and get to see that human-animal bond at such a tender time.’"

"Myself, I got to the point where I was performing 10 euthanasias a day in private practice, in the mobile sector, and I was ready to do it again the next day. So, those of us who are in this field, what are we doing that allows that to happen and how can we share that with veterinary hospitals [so that] we’re not shying away from it. [Instead], we’re saying, ‘Wow, this is actually a really important part of my day and I’m going to feel good about it.’"

Listen to the full podcast below for more.