09/10/2026
Today is World Su***de Prevention Day. Need help? Reach out to Not One More Vet, Inc and/or Stay; For Life
Did you know veterinary medicine ranks among the professions with the highest risk of su***de?
There are several contributing factors that expose vets to such risks... For starters, veterinary bills are undoubtedly expensive.
With rising costs of vet bills and escalating owner demands, it can be tough to accommodate both demands at times, especially when owners cannot afford them... As veterinarians, we are often expected to extend discounts or free treatments because “we love animals and we should save all of them”. But the fact is that clinics are mostly privately-owned, with huge costs for initial set-ups and ongoing operating expenses... Few understand that the modern veterinary clinic is a hub of activities, comprising laboratories, surgical rooms, a radiology department, and even a dental clinic all housed under the same roof. This means that a patient can have its blood test results in just 20 minutes, as opposed to humans getting their results a few days later.
On top of this, the veterinarian does it all: he or she interprets the images almost immediately while in human medicine, most of us would have to wait a few hours for the radiologist to interpret the images and type a written report.
The long and short of this is that operating expenses are hefty as they are labor-intensive.
We are also answerable to pet owners and have a duty to support them so that they can care for their pets...[However], it is easy for vets to be vilified by owners when their demands are not met.... while the needs of pet owners are ever increasing, thereby placing more mental load on vets and our supporting staff, including technicians and receptionists... [Additionally], even though euthanasia is done only for humane reasons, the emotional effects and grief for the vet is profound. Despite the challenges involved, being a vet is a passion and not just a job.
{from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/voices/gen-y-speaks-demanding-customers-exposure-animal-suffering-put-vets-higher-risk-self-harm-i-continue-be-one-4870946}
***dePreventionDay
