Euthanasia

Which of the following resources is considered to be the final word with regard to euthanasia methods? a) Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 4th ed., 2007 b) The 2013 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia c) The Animal Welfare Act, as amended May 13, 2002 d) Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 12th ed., 2011 e) The 2007 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia

The 2013 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia Most recent is 2020

True or False: The terms "euthanasia" and "depopulation" are synonymous. (1 pt) a) True b) False

b) False- depop and slaughter may employ euthanasia techniques but not all depop or slaughter meet the AVMA criteria for euthanasia "humane killing"

True or False: Euthanasia processes are quite safe for animal handlers. a) True b) False

b) False- people have been killed/ killed themselves w euthanasia methods

Which of the following is a commonly used method to euthanize food animals for humane slaughter? a) Injection of substances leading to direct depression of cardiac and respiratory centers b) Methods inducing hypoxia c) Methods resulting in physical disruption of brain activity prior to exsanguination d) Physical restraint followed by exsanguination

b) Methods inducing hypoxia

A severely lame horse is to be donated to a local wild carnivore refuge for tiger food. Which of the following methods is most appropriate for euthanasia of this animal? a) IV barbiturate overdose b) gunshot or penetrating captive bolt applied to the head c) Exsanguination d) gunshot to the heart

b) gunshot or penetrating captive bolt applied to the head

Deciding when to treat or euthanize an injured or poor-doing farm animal should be based on: (1 pt) a) Cost b) Suffering c) Feed conversion d) A balance between animal suffering and cost of treatment

d) A balance between animal suffering and cost of treatment

In your job as an USDA inspector in a slaughterhouse, you note that a pregnant cow is moving onto the kill floor. The workers are very concerned that the fetus may be drowning inside the uterus and want to rescue it. Is this a good idea? How will you explain this to the workers?

Embryos and fetuses cannot consciously experience any sensations or feeling such as breathlessness or pain, and cannot suffer while dying in utero after the death of the dam, whatever the cause. Fetal sentience during euthanasia of pregnant animals has been extensively reviewed All mammalian embryos or fetuses studied to date have been shown to remain in an unconscious state throughout pregnancy and birth. This occurs in some altricial species due to exceptional neurological immaturity (e.g., certain marsupials) or moderate neurological immaturity (e.g., cats, dogs, rabbits, rats, and mice). In those species which are neurologically mature (precocial species) at birth (e.g., cattle, deer, goats, sheep, horses, and guinea pigs), initial neurological immaturity combined with in utero neuroinhibitors present during prenatal life initially maintains unconsciousness; consciousness occurs within minutes or hours following birth in these species largely due to the combined effect of decreasing neuroinhibition and the onset of strong neuroactivation. Further, an isoelectric EEG, which is incompatible with consciousness, rapidly appears after cessation of placental oxygen supply. Similar conclusions have been drawn regarding the possibility that consciousness may not occur until after hatching in domestic chickens

True or False: An animal displaying violent limb movements or seizures following proper application of a physical euthanasia method, such as the penetrating captive bolt, is conscious and experiencing pain. a) True b) False

b) False- body reacts after consciousness is lost

A shelter worker refuses to participate in the weekly killing of unwanted animals. As their supervisor, you should: (1 pt) a) try to make the process more entertaining b) file a letter of noncompliance in their personnel file c) fire the worker d) respect their wishes

d) respect their wishes

Are inhaled agents ideal for euthanasia? Why or Why not?

They are acceptable with conditions

Which of the following euthanasia methods is unacceptable? a) Gunshot for routine euthanasia of animals in shelters b) Intracardiac injection of a barbiturate overdose in an awake animal c) Intravenous injection of KCl or MgSO4 in an awake animal d) Intravenous barbiturate overdose of animals intended as food e) Intravenous injection with a hospital disinfectant such as Nolvasan-D f) All are unacceptable methods

f) All are unacceptable method