Veterinary ethics and legal issues Questions and Answers with Rationales 2025.

Veterinary ethics and legal issues


what are some common ethical considerations?

• The use of animals in research

• The use of animals in food production

• The use of animals in entertainment

• The practice of animal breeding and biotechnology

• The use of animals as companion animals




When it comes to ethics in Veterinary Practice, the most frequent ethical considerations often include:

• Euthanasia

• Informed consent

• Complementary and alternative medicine

• Cosmetic interventions

• Non-therapeutic mutilations

• Negligence

• Professionalism

• Religious influences




What is ethics?

Ethics can be defined as:

the system of moral principles that determines appropriate behavior and actions within a certain group.
As children, we learn the differences between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. These are most

, often based on our cultural and societal norms, and allow us as adults to know 'intuitively' what is right,
fair and honest




what are the three classes of ethics?

• Three classes of Ethics

- Social

- Personal

- Professional




what is the code of ethics?

• Code of ethics

- Standards of behavior

- Helps determine right from wrong

- Based on moral principles




what are laws?

Laws are bodies of rules developed and enforced by government to regulate people's conduct in society.
Laws set the maximum limits from which we can deviate from the acceptable norms and are enforced
through legislation




Code of Veterinary Ethics is enforced through:

- CVMA (Canadian Veterinary Medical Association)

- OAVT (Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians)

- OVMA (Ontario Veterinary Medical Association)