THE VETERINARIAN'S OATH
Learning Objectives
Understanding the concepts presented in this chapter will enable the student to:
Explore the complete details of the veterinarian‘s oath
Describe the key principles that upholds in the oath.
Emphasize the commitment required for ethical practice of veterinary medicine
Analyze the status of veterinary ethics in Ethiopia
The veterinarian's oath is an oath that swears a veterinary's skills and knowledge will be used
for the benefit of animals, public health, and the advancement of the medical field.
[Link] Veterinarian's Oath
Long ago, a Greek physician known as Hippocrates probably wrote what is now known
as the Hippocratic Oath, an oath physicians take to abide by certain rules, ethical standards,
and so forth. The original oath has since been revised for modern standards, but many of its
key principles still hold. Veterinarians take a different oath, called the Veterinarian's Oath,
which is an oath veterinarians take to use their skills and knowledge for the benefit of animal
health, animal welfare, public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge. We'll discuss
it in full in this lesson.
The full Veterinarian's Oath (currently in use in Ethiopia), as outlined by the AVMA (American
Veterinary Medical Association), was adopted in 1954. It has since undergone several revisions
and currently reads as follows:
'Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific
knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and
welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources,
the promotion of public health, and the advancement of veterinary medical knowledge. I will
practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles
of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my
professional knowledge and competence.'
Memorize the Oath, because upon graduation, new veterinarians routinely recite this solemn pledge.
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Key principles in the Oath
As you can tell by that, the Veterinarian's Oath emphasizes a veterinarian's many obligations.
First, there's the obvious obligation to the animal kingdom; that means protecting the health of
animals, preventing disease, advocating for animals, and minimizing their pain and suffering.
To do this to the best of one's ability, a veterinarian should work at or above the appropriate
standards of care. Working below the accepted standards of practice and medical care, whether
knowingly or not, is known as malpractice. Malpractice shouldn't be confused with
negligence, which is a failure to perform what is necessary. For example, performing an
unnecessary surgery is malpractice, but a failure to revise a diagnosis is seen as negligence.
The oath further means a veterinarian must be a proponent of animal welfare, the protection
of animals from inhumane treatment and neglect and follow the principles of veterinary
medical ethics, such as those outlined by the AVMA. These principles of veterinary medical
ethics include things such as:
Always considering the needs of the patient first
Being honest and professional
Providing competent medical care and respect for animal and human health
The oath also upholds the need for veterinarians to be part of public health, which is the
science of protecting community health by preventing disease, through health education, by
controlling communicable disease, and so forth. By that, the oath implies veterinarians are
responsible for the promotion of human health in addition to animal health. This can take shape
in many ways. It could be as 'simple' as informing a client that an animal must be treated for a
certain parasite lest
their child loses their vision as a result of it, or it could mean being part of a big research team
working on vaccines that will eventually protect human health.
[Link] of Veterinary Medicine
The values of the veterinary medicine profession have the following values:
Vet oriented:
Monetary gain
Personal satisfaction
Gaining knowledge
Improving professional skills
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Animal-oriented:
Alleviation of pain
Minimize pain
Preserving life
Conservation of species
Client or society oriented:
Monetary gain
Personal satisfaction
Safeguarding Public Health
Environmental protection
Veterinarians' Responsibilities
What do veterinarians do? Veterinarian job duties play a pivotal role in animal welfare.
Veterinarians conduct a wide range of duties in a day. Some veterinarians' daily
responsibilities may include:
Examining animals to evaluate and diagnose their health: In contrast to doctors working in human
medicine, veterinarians must rely mainly on clinical signs, as animals cannot verbally express what
is wrong with them. However, medical history obtained from the animal's owner can be
informative alongside clinical observations and results of diagnostic tests such as X-ray, EKG, ultrasound,
blood, urine, and feces.
Treating injuries and illnesses: Veterinarians utilize a variety of medical equipment for treatment,
including surgical tools, x-ray, and ultrasound machines. Treatment may involve prescribing
medication, orthopedic procedures, setting bones, or performing surgeries.
Providing preventive care: To avoid possible future issues, veterinarians take preventive
approaches like providing vaccination against common animal illnesses such as distemper and
rabies.
Educating owners about animal health: Veterinarians can provide valuable advice for pet owners
to improve the health and well-being of their animals. For example, veterinarians' nutrition
recommendations help deal with common issues like osteoarthritis, skin allergies, and animal
obesity.
Performing euthanasia when necessary: Veterinarians may consider euthanasia in specific
conditions when an animal is unlikely to survive treatment, or the treatment is likely to result in
more suffering than relief.
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4.3.A Veterinarian's Code of Ethics/Conduct
The Veterinarian's and Veterinary Technician's Codes of Ethics can guide medical
professionals' decisions about the best care for the animal patient. Learn the purpose and
obligations of these guidelines.
Everyone who works with animals in the veterinary world must be an ethical person. Ethics
are rules and standards that govern proper conduct based on what is considered to be morally
good or bad. This is even truer for veterinarians and veterinary technicians (or nurses). In fact,
both have specific ethical standards that must be upheld.
A veterinarian's code of ethics is called the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics (PVME).
Let's take a look at some important points in PVME as they are written in the codes of ethics
themselves.
One of the principles of veterinary medical ethics in the PVME reads: ''A veterinarian shall be
dedicated to providing competent veterinary medical care, with compassion and respect
for animal welfare and human health.'' This statement encompasses far more than meets the
eye. Yes, it means a veterinarian should consider the needs of the patient first to relieve their
suffering. But there's much more.
For instance, a veterinarian's duty to promote animal welfare extends beyond merely treating
the patient. It also involves considering future implications. Suppose an animal presents with a
genetic defect. A genetic defect can be inherited by offspring. It would be unethical for a
veterinarian not to address a genetic defect if it causes harm to the patient. However, it would
also mean that, ethically, it is the veterinarian's responsibility to prevent the animal from
reproducing so no further animals (its offspring) will suffer from the same genetic defect.
Another principle of veterinary medical ethics as stated in the PVME is: ''A veterinarian shall,
in the provision of appropriate patient care, except in emergencies, be free to choose whom to
serve, with whom to associate, and the environment in which to provide veterinary medical
care.'' Again, some things about this ethical standard are obvious and others not so much. It's
obvious that a veterinarian can choose whether or not to serve a client and their pet. But when
it comes to emergencies, veterinarians have an ethical duty to provide at least minimal essential
services to an animal in order to relieve the animal's suffering after an agreement with a client
is made or until such an agreement can be made if no client is present.
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A word of caution, however. This does not mean you can drop off an animal in an emergency
situation near a clinic and expect free life-saving treatment just because you left the animal and
ran away. Depending on circumstances, the minimal essential services can include euthanasia
to relieve suffering, which means you'd lose your pet. In other cases, the animal will legally
become the property of the veterinarian, and they are under no obligation to give the animal
back, especially if payment for the services rendered to save the animal's life isn't made.
The veterinary codes of conduct (way of behaving) can be briefly summarized under the
following points:
Veterinarians should obey all laws of the country in which they reside and practice
their profession
Veterinarians should first consider the needs of the patient: – to relieve disease,
suffering, and pain or disability.
The vet shall promote animal welfare. In decision making concerning therapy, the benefit
to the patient should transcend personal advantage
Vets must not neglect their patient, & must continue to provide professional services until
the patient relieved from the disease.
The vet should act with high social responsibility and sensitivity, when practicing the
profession
In emergencies, vets have an ethical responsibility to provide essential services for
animals when it is necessary to save life or relieve suffering.
The vet shall protect the public from zoonotic disease; and endeavor to provide the
public with safe, wholesome and good quality food of animal origin
The veterinarian should defend the honor, dignity and tradition of his profession
through exemplary conduct
– Vets shall conduct in a manner that will enhance the worthiness of his profession in the
eyes of others (– colleagues, clients, other health professional and the general public)
– Vets should be reasonable, honest, courteous, considerate, & passionate
The vet should be good citizen and participate in activities to advance community's welfare
Every vet should avoid plagiarism i.e avoid presenting someone's scientific paper or
presentation as his own Scientific work
The vet should support professional association and participate in scientific meetings and
discussions. It is unethical for veterinarians to identify themselves as member of the
Ethiopian Veterinary Association if the vet is not a member of EVA
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The vet should not be involved in fraudulent practices, cheating, and illegal commerce or
cooperate with illegal businessmen.
The vet should only sign only true documents.
Vets shall report illegal practices and activities to the proper authorities
The vet should keep professional secrecy. Vets should not reveal confidential matters,
unless required by law or unless it becomes necessary to protect the health and welfare of
humans or animals.
Vets should continuously familiarize themselves with the latest knowledge and practice of
veterinary medicine.
they are encouraged to collaborate with other professionals in the quest for knowledge and
professional development
Vets shall not unnecessarily belittle or defame the professional standing or reputation and
character of another vet or another person‘s professional act in a false or misleading
manner.
Vets should not use certificate, diploma or degree, which they are not entitled to.