Pet Guardians:
How to Support Your Veterinary Team

Veterinary professionals often experience "moral distress," which occurs when they are prevented from doing what they believe is right, leading to increased stress. This can happen if a client cannot afford treatment or insists on continuing treatment despite poor quality of life for the animal. A study found that veterinarians face moral distress several times per week, impacting them throughout their careers regardless of experience. On a stress scale of 0 to 10, the median rating for moral distress was 9, indicating that veterinarians frequently face extremely stressful situations.

Student Debt

Veterinary professionals often struggle financially, living paycheck to paycheck. Despite similar years of medical training, veterinarians earn less than their human medicine counterparts, with degrees costing around $200K. Unlike human medicine, which relies heavily on insurance, veterinary medicine uses the same equipment and procedures without the same insurance support. Over 20% of veterinarians and more than 50% of support staff cite poor financial compensation as their biggest stressor.

Cost of Treatments

Operating a veterinary practice involves significant overhead expenses, including the cost of medications, supplies, and equipment. Hiring and training knowledgeable and compassionate staff also incurs costs. Veterinary professionals enter this field out of love for animals and often volunteer their time and expertise. However, even with unpaid staff, material expenses for treatment remain. In fact, a study found that more than half of veterinary practices struggle to pay off their business expenses.

Cyberbullying

In the internet age, client interactions extend beyond office hours, with most veterinary practices maintaining an online presence. Unfortunately, this can lead to cyberbullying, where harmful, false, or mean content is posted about individuals. This includes direct comments, naming individuals, or misusing their photos. Cyberbullying has real, detrimental effects on those targeted, with one in five veterinary professionals reporting being affected.

Cost of Care

The cost of care is driven by the cost of medicine, not individual clinics. Low-cost clinics are often non-profits with grant subsidies, while private practices cover all their own medicine and equipment costs.

Appointment Availability

Advances in veterinary medicine allow animals to live longer, resulting in complex health histories requiring extensive time and attention. Veterinary professionals often work seven days a week, skip lunches, and forego breaks to manage these demands. Furthermore, veterinary teams aren't just local private practices for dogs and cats. Some vets treat horses, cattle, and other large animals, often traveling to rural areas. This reduces the number of patients seen and increases the demand for vets in these regions.

The US Department of Labor projects a 17% growth in demand for veterinarians by 2030, far outpacing most professions. Veterinary debt is growing faster than income, leading to high staff turnover and stress. This results in understaffing and a cycle of overwork and quitting.

Triage

When demand exceeds resources, triage processes determine which patients are seen first based on severity. Veterinary teams, especially in emergency settings, use triage to maximize patient outcomes. Longer wait times are due to the need for urgent care, not preferential treatment. Distance and area coverage also affect ambulatory veterinarians.

Off-hours Consultation

Asking veterinary professionals for "quick questions" during their time off risks their licenses and mental wellness. Many report poor work-life balance, and off-hours consultations contribute to this issue.