Feline Dissection

[ComeTogether]

So, I am a pre-nursing student and just started Anatomy and Physiology II. I have worked in healthcare for about 5 years now and seen many things. I have a really strong stomach, not much bothers me. I find clinical mode and just go. All that being said, I find I am having a really hard time coming to terms with the fact that I am going to have to participate in feline dissection.

My school uses a cat farm. These cats are bread for the sole purpose of being euthanized for students to use as specimens. I love cats, I love all animals. I fully understand and appreciate that animals have to die for us to exist. I'm not a vegetarian, I love me some burgers....LOL.

All that being said, I really don't know how I am going to do this. I feel that it is wrong, truly I do. A huge part of me feels like participating just for the knowledge I will gain, but I cant get past the fact that these animals come from a cat farm. I've never come across a situation in healthcare where I had to do something even though I felt it was wrong. Sure, i've come across many a things I didnt want to do,. I know I don't have a choice, that If I want to pass this class I must participate and Im not going to protest or drag my feet....... I just dont know how I am going to do it.

I live in South Carolina, where there are many kill shelters. So many feral cats are euthanized because homes can't be found. While I appreciate the fact that many of these cats are probably diseased and can't be used by students I still can't get past the fact that somewhere in this country cat's are being bread for us to dissect. It just seem so wrong. Oh, and yes, I have 2 of my own. Arthur and Grey who I freaking love and couldn't imagine my home without.

Mostly I needed to vent. If anyone has any advice or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

K

[ComeTogether, LPN]

This probably isn't the first time you're going to come up against something that upsets you. I had a medical research fellowship while I was an undergrad at a cancer research center. When I started out, my group was working with mice. I didn't have much compunction about the work we did with them (especially after being bit over and over again). When our research moved forward and we had to advance to more complex animals, the animal of choice was beagles because of their size, temperament and the fact that they don't have a lot of inherited health issues. Although I believed in the research we were doing, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about working with dogs. As it turned out, my fellowship ended before they moved on to using dogs. I'm not sure how I would have felt about it. It would have been a hard choice to make but I'm fairly certain I would have continued with the work.

I don't mind doing things that upset me. I just wish i didn't have to do something that I just feel is wrong. If it were for research, I could understand. Its for a bunch of pre-nursing students who may or may not ever end up in the field they're heading towards. If I were further along in my studies, or there was a clear reason that this was going to help me in some earth shattering way---OK. But anyway I figure the cats already dead and it will be a part of my lab group whether I like it or not so I may as well get on with it. *sigh*

[AntMarchingRN, RN]

Judge me if you will....but my cats (I have 3 and yes, I have a husband too. I'm not a crazy cat lady lol) are my children. It killed me when I had to do this. Everyone can give you their opinions on your feelings, but I have some advice that worked for me. You have to do it so you can do a few things to make it easier on you.

#1) Keep in the moment. Do not think of where the "specimen" came from, its there, work with it. We can't change where it came from so do what you have to do and move on.

#2) Keep it scientific. As I said above refer to it as a specimen, not a cat, and by all means DO NOT name it. I don't know why, but people in my class named them. It did not make it easier on anyone. And don't choose one. Just take what you get. I know this sounds nuts but some students picked an orange one b/c they had an orange cat at home, not helping folks.

#3) Keep it covered. By this I mean the face and paws. Yes, you have to work in the abdomen, but it makes it much easier if you don't see the things about it that make it a cat and not a specimen. I love my kitties' little faces and not looking at that made it seem more like a process and less of what it really was to me...cutting up something I could imagine loving.

Last but not least, let them judge you. Who cares? :) You get out your paper towels, cover the cute parts, and do what you need to get through it. It will help you with a great skill you will need for nursing. Getting the job done and walking out with your head held high and a smile on your face.

Good Luck to you!! It will be fine and you will be a better person/nurse for it!

[ashleyjbholmes]

I am a huge cat person to. This is what worries me too. I just started A&P. Animal dissection is so stupid to me.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I'm so thankful that my A&P had no disection.

[Exhaustipated, ADN, BSN]

I had a hard time with it, too, even though our cats were feral. Two things helped me. 1) I did my best to avoid looking at our cat's face; and 2) I approached it clinically. It wasn't a sweet little kitty cat who had feelings and loved and hurt. It was a specimen. It was a heart and lungs and stomach and blood vessels and muscles.

In the end, I found our dissections fascinating. I just had to get past the beginning.

[jetsy62]

Great advice AntMarchingRN. I am starting school in the fall and I will utilize your advice.

[mclennan, BSN, RN]

This is a great opportunity to test your confidence. Either buck up, shore up your courage and just do whatever it takes to get through it........

OR

Do like I did and go to the instructor. I sat him down and said NO. I said I would not, under any circumstances, cut into an animal like that. I didn't cry or tell a sob story and go into some lecture about my "beliefs." I just said no. Then launched into problem-solving mode.

I was polite, articulate, but firm. I assured him it pained me to be a "high maintenance" student with "issues." I think it helped that I was older, and hadn't had any issues in the program up to that point. I was honest, mature and to the point, and also came armed with solutions. There are many dissection videos online and ways to illustrate and graph/identify anatomy of animals on paper and by now, online as well.

I made it clear I wanted to learn what was being taught, wanted good grades and to graduate and desired a sincere knowledge of anatomy. I presented alternatives and a willingness to self-direct. He was delighted. The next week, he emailed me to tell me he'd conferred with the Dean and they'd agreed on a lesson plan for me that excluded live dissection.

In all, the conversation was 30 mins and the lesson took a hour and a half watching videos then graphing on a drawing. It turned out great.

Standing up for yourself, with a calm, firm, mature demeanor really pays off sometimes.

[Exhaustipated, ADN, BSN]

Approaching the instructor with your concerns works in some schools; not so much in others. Our first day of Lab we were told there would be dissection and it was required for us to participate. We didn't have to necessarily do the cutting ourselves if there was somebody else in our group willing to do it, but we HAD to be present. Of course, we could just not show up that day if we chose, but also would not receive a grade for that day. Additionally, that would leave us less prepared for our final (and midterm & final in A&P II), all of which had cats at some of the stations.

Many of us started with apprehensions, most of us finished agreeing on the valuable experience we had just received.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I switched classes to a teacher who did not require participation in this practice. That was 22 years ago and I have done just fine as a nurse without needing to do this.

Gimme a human, gimme a pig, but not a cat or dog. I would appeal. Nobody should be forced to do this.

In this day and age i find it amazing that they would still be doing this on so many different levels. Maybe they could give you an alternate assignments.

Do you have a link to the info about breeding them for this purpose? That is something I want to join efforts to end.

[gaonsi]

Thanks everyone. I would have no problems doing a human, because its human anatomy and I know that human didnt get euthanized for my learning. I guess I'm just gonna have to grin and bear it, it just makes me so sad. I actually started to cry when my biology teacher confirmed they were from a farm. Prior to that I was certain it was just a vicious rumor. Thanks for all the kind words. Xx

"No day but today"

Just keep it professional. Don't be overly emotional. It'll get in the way of your learning. Just like in a code, keep it professional, think in the moment, make wear clinical decisions for the betterment of your team, and cry on your way home. Your semester will be over before you know it. Chin up. You'll be five. Excuse yourself when you need a break. I'll also warn you about the smell. Not to scare you, but so it's one less thing you'll be overwhelmed with.

[irizarryj]

I also had to do the same thing. theres was a girl in my class that couldnt tolerate the smell or chemicals due to pregnancy. the teacher hard her dissect a cat online, being able to identify certain muscle and ligaments was the biggest issue during my class. talk to the teacher. their might be other options.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

It really burns my britches that they are still doing this in this day and age. What a waste as it is totally not needed. There are many other ways to teach the same info.