Impact of Euthanasia on the Healthcare Team

Euthanasia is well accepted as a humane form of relief from protracted suffering in our companion animals. Yet the toll it places on the health care team providing the service has not been well studied. Veterinarians are four times more likely than the general population to commit suicide than the general public. They are two times more likely to commit suicide than any of the other medical professions. What does the impact of performing euthanasia have to do with this statistic, if any? If euthanasia is contributing to the increased incidence of suicide in the veterinary profession can the procedure be done in a manner that promotes compassion for pets, yet protects the healthcare population from burnout and fatigue?