Euthanizing - Kittens & Puppies

[kgcayenne]

An interesting discussion came up recently around euthanizing unborn kittens and puppies. Do vets routinely perform pet abortions? I ask because I was at the SPCA a couple of months ago and was told that was the intent for a pregnant stray that had been brought in to them.

The poll above is set-up in a way that you can answer without discussing, as it may be a sensitive issue.

[Amarow121]

Honestly? Yes.
We took in an abandoned cat and her kittens after the SPCA said they were too full to take any more. (Last year when they were way over capacity)
We got her spayed, despite her being pregnant.
She wasn't ready to have another litter (poor health coupled with having had a litter not long before).
We figured we could re-home the first litter of kittens, but we didn't think we could re-home 2 litters of kittens.
It was a case of triage, we only have so much time, money and ability

I think it was the same situation with a stray cat we adopted when I was a teenager.

I can say one thing though, I'd much rather people spayed an animal while she was pregnant (or better yet well before becoming pregnant) rather than allowing her to birth the kittens/puppies only to drown/shoot/club/burn/abandon them.

[gardengirl]

I think that aborting and euthanizing are two completely different topics.
The poll is not the same as the name of the thread, so the poll is not valid.

[kgcayenne]

I used both terms that way because that is the way the person at the SPCA presented it. She said the unborn kittens would be euthanized humanely. Isn't killing unborn mammals aborting?

Is it that you feel aborting is a term applicable to humans exclusively. Is the term only applicable to humans? If so, then it's a mistaken use of the word on my part; however, the question still remains that of whether killing unborn kittens and puppies is agreeable or not.

[gardengirl]

No. It has nothing to do with humans or other animals. It is terminology.
I don't think you can euthanize something which has not yet been born.
You certainly couldn't use the word interchangeably in the other case. If you were having an ill pet euthanized, you would not say you were aborting it.

It sounds like the person at the SPCA was trying to avoid using the correct term...abortion.

[Fancy]

Can't see a vet doing abortions - can see a vet euthanizing newborns. Would the cost be the same?

[kgcayenne]

It sounds like the person at the SPCA was trying to avoid using the correct term...abortion.

I think you've hit the nail on the head, that is what it sounds like. I have to admit that part of the reason the poll is set up this way is because I'm interested in drawing out some discussion on the depth of feeling people have for pets. Folks often express that pets are part of the family, so when I was told about the termination of this cat's pregnancy, I began to wonder: Is abortion a hot-button topic when it comes to animals? From what I see right now, it's split.

[Fancy]

I think that aborting and euthanizing are two completely different topics.
The poll is not the same as the name of the thread, so the poll is not valid.

I agree.

[oneh2obabe]

Can't see a vet doing abortions - can see a vet euthanizing newborns. Would the cost be the same?

Pregnancy Termination in Dogs and Cats
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pa ... inate.html

[Fancy]

Thanks - I wasn't thinking of breeders - my mind was focused on the SPCA going to the extra expense of abortion and in light of the treatments it seems it could be costly never mind the stress some of those treatments cause the animals. Tough subject.

[gardengirl]

Thanks - I wasn't thinking of breeders - my mind was focused on the SPCA going to the extra expense of abortion and in light of the treatments it seems it could be costly never mind the stress some of those treatments cause the animals. Tough subject.

I am wondering if they terminate, then neuter at the same time. That would make sense to me.

[kgcayenne]

LOL... terminate and spay, right? Neutering is for males.

[Fancy]

neuter:

an animal made sterile by castration or spaying

it's accepted terminology for both.
http://www.canadianveterinarians.net/do ... castration

[kgcayenne]

...ya learn something new every day.

When a female cat is spayed, do they remove everything? If so, it would be interesting to know how much more complex the procedure is if there is a litter in gestation and if it's more harmful to the animal than spaying after terminating.

[Fancy]

http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/ ... dSELn7n9Mw