Introduction to Veterinary Medical Ethics

One of the most difficult issues that confronts veterinarians and staff today concerns the profession’s obligation to the animal and the sometimes conflicting demands from clients, peers and society. The veterinarian’s role has become more complex with new ethical challenges posed by issues such as growing public awareness regarding animal welfare, increasing economic value of companion animals, growth of veterinary specialization, experimentation with alternative and complementary medicine, and concern for pain management and mental well-being of animals.

Written by an acknowledged pioneer in veterinary ethics, An Introduction to Veterinary Medical Ethics addresses the ethical challenges that veterinarians face daily as they seek to balance obligations to animal, client, peers, society and self. The book offers a highly readable and approachable introduction to the nature of ethical theory, reasoning and decision-making, and its practical application to veterinary medicine. Now with over 100 real-life veterinary case histories and analysis, this edition also includes new discussions of animal pain, distress and happiness, ethics of critical care, alternative medicine, legal status and value of animals, and Aesculapian authority.

An Introduction to Veterinary Medical Ethics: Theory and Cases, Second Edition is recommended as essential reading for all veterinary students and practitioners, as well as those interested in general animal welfare.

• New edition from an acknowledged pioneer in veterinary ethics
• Addresses ethical challenges that veterinary medicine, with over 100 real-life cases
• Includes new discussion of legal status and value of animals, alternative medicine, Aesculapian authority, ethics and critical care, and animal pain, distress and happiness
• Ideal for veterinary students and practitioners

The book contains no figures.

This book helps students and practitioners resolve ethical questions by identifying situations objectively, then acting with personal resolve.

One of the most difficult issues that confronts veterinarians and staff today concerns the profession’s obligation to the animal and the sometimes conflicting demands from clients, peers and society. The veterinarian’s role has become more complex with new ethical challenges posed by issues such as growing public awareness regarding animal welfare, increasing economic value of companion animals, growth of veterinary specialization, experimentation with alternative and complementary medicine, and concern for pain management and mental well-being of animals.

Written by an acknowledged pioneer in veterinary ethics, An Introduction to Veterinary Medical Ethics addresses the ethical challenges that veterinarians face daily as they seek to balance obligations to animal, client, peers, society and self. The book offers a highly readable and approachable introduction to the nature of ethical theory, reasoning and decision-making, and its practical application to veterinary medicine. Now with over 100 real-life veterinary case histories and analysis, this edition also includes new discussions of animal pain, distress and happiness, ethics of critical care, alternative medicine, legal status and value of animals, and Aesculapian authority.

An Introduction to Veterinary Medical Ethics: Theory and Cases, Second Edition is recommended as essential reading for all veterinary students and practitioners, as well as those interested in general animal welfare.

• New edition from an acknowledged pioneer in veterinary ethics
  
• Addresses ethical challenges that veterinary medicine, with over 100 real-life cases
  
• Includes newdiscussion of legal status and value of animals, alternative medicine, Aesculapian authority, ethics and critical care, and animal pain, distress and happiness
  
• Ideal for veterinary students and practitioners

Gerald J. Pijanowski

This is a brief introduction to the theory and practice of veterinary medical ethics. The purpose is to ""provide conceptual maps of the nature and role of ethics in general and of veterinary ethics in particular."" This is a much needed book in veterinary medicine. It is written for anyone with a need to make ethical veterinary medical decisions, from beginning students to seasoned practitioners. The editor is a philosopher who has been involved with veterinary medical ethics for over 20 years and is recognized as an authority in this field. There are two sections to this book. The first is an introduction to ethics and the complexity of the moral issues that veterinary medicine presents. The editor explores society's changing views on animals and the implications for the veterinary profession. The second is a collection of case studies originally published by the editor in the Canadian Veterinary Journal. These 82 cases cover a broad range of real practice situations. This is a welcome addition to the relatively few books in print in the field of veterinary medical ethics. It is written in a wonderfully readable style.

Bernard E. Rollin, Ph.D. is University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Biomedical Sciences, Animal Sciences, and University Bioethicist at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, where he developed the world’s first course in veterinary and animal ethics. He is the recipient of the prestigious Henry Spira Award from the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing.