L20: Euthanasia (Shearer) Flashcards

1
Q

Sentience

A

Ability to feel or perceive pain, or experience some form of emotion whether positive or negative
-requires a nervous system that is functionally capable of cognition (ie. Thinking) and the ability to emotionally experience its status as bad or good

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2
Q

Objective in humane euthanasia

A

“Good death” whereby life is ended without pain or distress to the animal
-requires techniques that induce immediate loss of consciousness followed by cardiac and resp. Arrest which results in loss of brain fx and death

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3
Q

For an animal to experience something, it must be both ____ and _____; an unconscious animal experiences nothing

A

Sentient and conscious

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4
Q

Disadvantages of using barbiturates (non-inhalant agents)

A
  • cost
  • requires restraint of the animal
  • must be admin. By vet
  • carcass disposal complicated by drug residue, and risk for wildlife
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5
Q

Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act

A

Makes it legal for vets to transport, administer, or dispense controlled substances while providing care outside the locations where those substances are registered

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6
Q

Most common method used for on-farm euthanasia of cattle

A
  • gunshot (classified as physical method)
  • effectiveness depends on selection of appropriate firearm, type of bullet, accuracy of aim
  • can take 7-10 minutes for heart to stop
  • causes less fear and anxiety and induces a more rapid, painless, and humane death
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7
Q

Recommended firearms for euthanasia of cattle

A

Handguns: 0.32-0.45 caliber
Rifles: 0.22 magnum or higher
Shotgun: 0.410 to 28 gauge (calves), 12, 16, or 20 gauge for cows

*bullets should be solid point

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8
Q

T/F: death is not assured with penetrating captive bolt alone**

A

TRUE: secondary step is required whenever penetrating captive bolt used (ie. Second shot, exsanguination, pithing, IV KCl)

DOES induce immediate unconsciousness

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9
Q

KCl should never be used as the sole method of euthanasia

A

Only for use in unconscious animals for the purpose of ensuring death

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10
Q

Main advantage of KCl

A

No risk to predators/scavengers

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11
Q

Causes of captive bolt failure

A
  • poor maintenance of cartridge
  • damp cartridges
  • low air pressure in pneumatic stunners
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12
Q

Physical observable parameters of unconsciousness***

A
  • animal collapses immediately
  • animal makes no attempt to right itself
  • body and muscles become rigid immediately after the shot followed by brief tetanic spasms –> uncoordinated hind limb movements
  • immediate and sustained cessation of rhythmic breathing**
  • absence of vocalization
  • absence of eye reflexes
  • eyelids remain open facing straight forward
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13
Q

Optimum position for captive bolt or gunshot for cattle**

A
  • At the intersection of 2 imaginary lines from the lateral canthi to the base of the opposite horns
  • approximately 3 inches anterior to the poll in the mature Holstein cow
  • halfway on a line drawn laterally from ear to ear
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14
Q

Manually applied blunt force trauma is NOT acceptable method of euthanasia - why?

A

Skull too hard to achieve immediate unconsciousness and destruction of brain tissue

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15
Q

Unacceptable methods of euthanasia in beef and dairy cattle

A
  • manually applied blunt force trauma
  • injection of chemical agents or substances
  • injection of xylazine or other alpha-2 agonist followed by KCl or MgSO4
  • air injection into vein
  • electrocution
  • drowning
  • exsanguination of conscious animals
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16
Q

How many cattle are slaughtered per day in the US?

A

100,000 per day

35 million annually

17
Q

Exceptionally immature animals (ie. Oppossums, marsupials) require several months before consciousness appear

A

:)

18
Q

Moderately immature animals (cats, dogs, rabbits, rats) require 4-14 days to reach a conscious state

A

:)

19
Q

Neurologically mature animals (cattle, sheep, horses) are sentient in utero but remain unconscious until birth

A

During the last 40% of gestation, 8 or more neuro-inhibitors actively maintain the fetus in a sleep-like unconscious state

20
Q

Onset of consciousness**

A
  • effect of neuro-inhibition are reduced, and neuro-activation increases
  • respiration relieves hypoxic inhibition of cerebrocortical activity
  • loss of placental influence reduces availability of cortically directed neuro-inhibitors and their precursors
21
Q

3 mechanisms that protect fetus during delivery (physically stressful event)

A

1) O2 use by brain reduced due to sleep-like unconscious state
2) O2 sparing: fetal motor systems become quiescent during delivery
3) “The Emergency Response”: occlusion of umbilical cord leads to isoelectric EEG which reduces O2 requirements by 95%, which protects brain from hypoxia for 5-6 minutes, and after umbilical cord is cut when breathing starts