When our beloved pets get into something they shouldn’t, we rush to the vet in a panic, trusting the veterinary team to help. Whether it’s a routine visit or the heartbreaking moment of saying goodbye, veterinary professionals offer support and compassion while working diligently to care for our pets' health. However, behind the scenes, many of these professionals silently carry the heavy burden of stress, fatigue, and burnout. In Canada, where pets are often considered family members, veterinarians and veterinary technicians play a vital role in keeping them healthy, but the profession, while rewarding, faces significant challenges, with high levels of stress and burnout being all too common.
Burnout is a term most of us are familiar with, especially in healthcare. But what exactly does it mean, and why is it important to address?
Burnout occurs when stress becomes chronic and unmanageable. It is important to acknowledge that burnout is not an individual problem, but instead the accumulation of various stressful aspects from an environment or circumstances. It’s characterized by three key dimensions:
As with many healthcare professionals across Canada, veterinary medicine is significantly impacted by systemic issues like staffing shortages and heavy workloads, which are major contributors to burnout. Additionally, according to the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), veterinary professionals are amongst the top 3 professions experiencing secondary traumatic stress. These challenges are often beyond individual control, making the impact on mental health even more complex.
Burnout isn’t just a list of symptoms—it’s a deep, emotional exhaustion that goes far beyond feeling tired. For those in professions that require constant giving and caring, like veterinary medicine, the emotional toll can be overwhelming. Without the time or support to recharge, burnout doesn’t stay confined to the workplace—it follows you home, affecting every aspect of your personal life. It’s a weight that lingers long after the workday is over.
In this blog, we dive into the emotional and physical toll of burnout on veterinary professionals and explore mental health resources and strategies.
The numbers that have been captured about burnout in the veterinary profession are more than just statistics. They tell a powerful story of the state of well-being within the profession. Here is some of the data demonstrating the overwhelming challenges faced by the veterinary community today:
These statistics reflect the lived experiences of real individuals, underscoring the significant mental health strain within a profession renowned for its compassion and dedication. However, despite the mental health struggles and burnout the profession is facing, the veterinary professionals continue to be dedicated to their work. This is demonstrated by the feedback from the same 2023 OVMA study, where more than half of participants (58.2%) rated their job satisfaction as a 4 or 5 with 5 being the highest.
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) warns that burnout not only affects job performance but is also one of the leading reasons veterinarians leave the profession early. To better understand the mental health strain faced by veterinarians, Layla reached out to 15 veterinary clinics and animal hospitals. The results were telling—87% of clinics we visited had staff who reported either struggling with burnout or seeking mental health support.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated issues of veterinary burnout that previously existed, as many clinics saw a dramatic increase in patients as pet ownership surged across Canada. As a result, veterinarians faced increased workloads, long hours, and added emotional strain, making it harder to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Similar to many in helping or healthcare professions, through the demands of the work, veterinary professionals are pulled to deliver a level of emotional care and support in addition to their medical knowledge. Studies have shown that higher patient satisfaction in veterinary clinics is actually often linked to poorer mental health outcomes for veterinarians (8) . This reflects the emotional labor veterinarians invest in their work to meet the patient and client needs. Veterinarians cannot only focus on the patient in front of them, but must also take on the role of comforting, educating, and supporting families.
While burnout and mental health challenges can impact many professionals, the veterinary profession faces unique challenges that contribute to burnout and poor mental health, which can include:
In addition to the above, the process of becoming a veterinarian is quite lengthy, difficult, and competitive. Thus, while the veterinary field tends to draw in professionals who are empathetic, it also tends to attract individuals who are extremely driven to succeed. The normalization of excessive workloads, long hours, and high stress levels that starts in the schooling process is deeply embedded in the veterinary profession.
Excessive workplace stress and unsustainable working conditions have been such a strong component of veterinary practice for so long that culturally the profession tends to view it as normal, which contributes to the perpetuation of the problem (9) .
Veterinary professionals are regularly involved in complex decisions regarding animal welfare, which adds emotional strain. Balancing the well-being of animals, clients, and the demands of the job brings forth complex professional and emotional experiences that these professionals are repeatedly trying to navigate through.
Seeking Professional Support
While changing workplace demands and expectations for veterinary professionals would be ideal, system-wide change takes time. In the meantime, these professionals need immediate support. By developing strategies and building self-awareness, veterinarians, technicians, and others in the field can better recognize the early signs of burnout and gain a clearer understanding of their needs, as well as the strategies that effectively manage symptoms.
If you’re a veterinary professional seeking individual support, finding a therapist who truly understands the unique pressures of your role or a high stress position, can make a big difference in your therapy experience. It’s important to take your time and look for someone who specializes in areas like stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, or vicarious trauma. It is important to find a clinician who understands you and with whom you feel safe to discuss aspects of your emotional experiences and daily life.
Here are a few questions you might consider asking when searching for the right therapist:
Peer Support: While not exclusive to the veterinary profession, peer support has proven effective in other high-stress fields, such as with EMTs, in providing valuable insights, coping techniques, and access to resources that support mental health. These groups have become increasingly effective for supporting the mental health of healthcare workers. Studies indicate that 70% of healthcare workers seek support from colleagues, highlighting the importance of shared experiences (13). Peer support programs allow individuals to exchange practical strategies for managing stress and emotional challenges, and similar initiatives can be highly beneficial within the veterinary field. Sharing experiences with others who understand the unique pressures of veterinary care can create a supportive environment and help alleviate feelings of isolation.
Until broader changes are made, it's important to seek out help where it's available. Below are some valuable resources that offer different types of support for the veterinary community.
Additional Resources & Support Options
One of the barriers that veterinary professionals have reported facing when trying to access therapeutic support is the lack of understanding that the general public has about the profession and the unique challenges associated with it. Without feeling understood about what they do, it can be challenging to connect with the right therapist.
At Layla, we recently partnered with the OVMA to try to break down some of the barriers that veterinary professionals face to connecting with a therapist. A cohort of our Layla therapists have undergone training through the OVMA to increase understanding of the specific roles, challenges, and realities these professionals face in their daily work.
The goal of the OVMA training provided to Layla’s therapist community is to inform and raise awareness amongst mental health professionals and care providers about the challenges, struggles, and realities unique to veterinary medicine, so that they can provide more effective mental health support.
If you are a veterinary professional looking to connect with a therapist who understands the unique aspects of your profession, please connect with Layla today!
Veterinary professionals give so much of themselves to care for our pets and support pet owners through challenging moments. Yet, they are facing significant challenges to mental well-being in the workplace, which has had an overwhelming impact on mental health across the profession. By creating supportive work environments, encouraging open communication, and providing access to mental health resources, we can help veterinary professionals continue doing their meaningful and important work.
If you’re a veterinarian struggling with burnout, remember that help is available, and it’s okay to seek support.
- Facing mental health challenges? Layla is here to help - Individuals, couples, and families use Layla for personalized, convenient therapy. Layla matches you to a suitable therapist and manage the therapy process in a warm, dependable manner, supporting you on your journey to better health. Learn more here
- New to therapy? Here's your beginner guide - Starting therapy can evoke feelings of vulnerability, but knowing what to expect can help. The journey is individualized, with no exact right or wrong way. During the first session, typically administrative matters are discussed, goals are set, and you and your therapist will get to know each other. Fit between you and you therapist is very important for your outcomes, and it's okay to switch if the fit isn't right. Therapy is adjusted to your timeline and constraints, and can range from weekly to monthly sessions. Reflecting on what you wish to accomplish can guide the process
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