A couple of weeks ago, I had
a conversation about PTSD with Christina, who is the business manager for the
Natural Health Improvement Center in Alsip.
She related to me that she left previous employment as a veterinary
technician because of events she witnessed that had affected her psyche. A few hours after this conversation, I
wondered if vet techs and veterinarians alike might also suffer from PTSD as a
result of treating countless sick and injured animals. Does it bother them when they have to
euthanize someone’s beloved family member?
I began to research this topic and found
(on the US National Library of Medicine’s website) an article from The Canadian
Veterinary Journal titled Perpetration-induced
traumatic stress- A risk for veterinarians involved in the destruction of healthy
animals (2014). In short, the
article stated that Canadian veterinarians were involved in the mass killing of
healthy piglets (that farmers could no longer provide for) as the result of an
economic downturn. Additionally, the
veterinarians had to euthanize large numbers of starving livestock, as well as
domesticated animals that were found in hoarding situations (2014). The article also referenced research that
questioned the negative effects of euthanasia on the psycho-emotional
disposition of these veterinarians.
The referenced research noted that the
rate of suicide amongst veterinarians in the UK, was approximately 3 times the
rate of the general population. The Canadian
Journal referred to this psycho-emotional upset as Perpetration-Induced Traumatic
Stress (PITS) which is a variation of PTSD.
So what is PITS? Wikipedia notes that PITS, also known as Participation-Induced Traumatic Stress, occurs when the
symptoms of PTSD are caused by an act or acts of killing or similar horrific
violence (2015). With PITS, there is
direct participation in act of killing such as military veterans who are
serving in a war, or in the case of this article, veterinarians who euthanized
healthy animals. The general population,
on the other hand, can suffer from PTSD as the result of indirect, vicarious
participation in a horrific event (remember the countless hours of TV coverage
concerning September 11th, 2001). The difference being, in the case
of the veterinarians, it was the direct involvement in euthanasia that precipitated
the PITS.
The article also spoke about the
“limited efficacy of debriefing, and peer support as a stress management tool”
for veterinarians that work for animal welfare and shelter medicine (2014). In the end, the article made a call to action
by stating that the identification of PITS as a problem, is a good starting
point to look for a solution (2014). So
why blog about this topic?
Several years ago, our dog named
Chief was euthanized after a sudden onset illness. In the days following, I wrote a letter to my
family and friends on the lessons I learned on that very night. I am going to share this letter with you, my
readers, and ask you to think about a couple of important points. First, reflect on powerful lessons that Chief
taught me in his final moments on this Earth.
These were truly wonderful gifts he left Judy and I and I hope in some
way it will also give you comfort as life’s events unfold before you.
Secondly, I am sharing this
story with you as food for thought regarding PITS and veterinarians. Chief’s death had such a profound impact on
me and this letter conveys my feelings and thoughts as I experienced them. So it begs the question: How does the mental,
emotional, and physical anguish of the pet parent effect the veterinarian who
also shared this same experience, as well as repeated experiences?
This segment of the population
needs emotional comfort as well. Some
point in time after the loss of a beloved animal, we should reconnect with that
vet and let them know that what they did was a humane act to end the suffering
of a sick animal. Send a letter of
thanks, give them a hug, or share mutual tears.
It is often said that time heals all wounds, and so does direct
interpersonal communication. Here is my
lessons learned from Chief:
“It is with heart
felt sadness that I am writing to tell you that our dog Chief was euthanized on
October 21st after he was suddenly weakened by an undetected
illness. Chief was rushed to the Emergency Vet who had determined that a
tumor on his spleen had ruptured and caused internal bleeding. He was in a lot of pain and we had always
promised him that we would never let him suffer. Chief was brought into
an adjacent room from ours for initial treatment. Our faithful and loyal friend
had heard the anguish of his parents and came running towards the exam room
where we were waiting to of all things, comfort us.
We were so blessed to share our lives with
Chief, and will one day be reunited with him on the other side. He took
care of us far more than we ever did him. Whenever we were sick or sad,
he was always there to comfort us. In his final moments on this Earth, I
learned two very important lessons from him which were such wonderful gifts to
leave us:
1. When faced
with adversity, always hold your head up high and stand straight
Up to the very end Chief stood proud and
tall with his head held high. The first lesson I learned is that no
matter what curves life throws you (even if you feel in dire
straits), keep your head up and look life straight in the eyes, even if
you have to do so through gritted teeth. In the end, it is going to be
all right, it will just take time.
2. Always hold
true to your values, morals, beliefs, and convictions no matter what others may
think of you.
Facing death in his final moments, Chief
was standing next to us holding to the convictions with which he was
raised: be loyal, always comfort, and protect from harm. When
I looked into his eyes for the last time, I could feel the pain he was
going through. Like the true protector and comforter that he was, Chief
refused to face his illness on a bended knee. The second lesson I learned
was that if you are raised with certain convictions, morals, values, and ethics
hold true to them. People may try to sway or change you to how they want
you to be. Stand fast, and never give in to what you do not feel is
right. We tried to get Chief to lie down and be more comfortable
but he stood literally, by his convictions.
I am still in awe at
how he left me with such wonderful gifts and thoughts to ponder, all the rest
of my days. I hope these lessons will help all of you, our family and friends
as well”.
With Love and
Affection,
Tim
References
US
National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health (2014). Perpetration-induced
traumatic stress- A risk for veterinarians involved in the destruction of
healthy animals. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3119248/
on 12/30/2014.
Wikipedia.com
(2015). Perpetration-induced traumatic stress. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetration-induced_traumatic_stress on 1/9/2015.
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