Veterinary Technicians’ Experiences With Unusual End-of-Life Phenomena in Animals

The study of unusual end-of-life phenomena (EOLP) in animals is an emerging area of research. This article presents the results of an online survey of 43 veterinary technicians' experiences with EOLP in animals around the time of euthanasia. The most frequently reported EOLP was a surge in vitality or "last rally" shortly before an animal's death, followed by animals seeking to say a "last goodbye" before dying, sensing or feeling the presence of a deceased animal (i.e., after-death communications), and nearby animals reacting to the death of another animal by, for example, vocalizing. Most respondents indicated that they felt comfortable talking about EOLP with their veterinary colleagues. Similarities between animal and human EOLP are noted and suggestions for future research are given.