Burnout in Veterinary Medicine: What It Is, How to Detect It, and How to Prevent It

Burnout in Veterinary Medicine: What It Is, How to Detect It, and How to Prevent It

By Carlos A. Bastidas C.**

Veterinary Medicine is a beautiful profession—saving lives, helping animals, and being the voice for those who cannot speak. But, like everything in life, it has its dark side, and one of those shadows is called burnout. Yes, that feeling of being completely worn out, as if you’ve run an emotional marathon every single day of your life. This problem affects not only veterinarians, but also the people and animals who depend on them. That’s why it’s so important to understand it, identify it, and prevent it.

Burnout is more than just feeling tired; it’s total exhaustion—physical, mental, and emotional. Imagine the emotional fuel tank you start each day with slowly draining away… and never having the time or space to refill it. For veterinarians, this happens because they face endless challenges: long workdays, hard decisions like euthanasia, angry or grieving clients, and the constant pressure of feeling like you can’t do it all.

You can identify burnout when these things start to happen:

1. You feel exhausted all the time: not even coffee, family time, a movie, or your favorite hobbies help anymore.

2. You treat others poorly (without meaning to): you begin to feel cold or distant with clients, patients, or even coworkers.

3. You feel like nothing you do is enough: even when you save lives, you feel like you’re not making a difference.

Why does it affect veterinarians so much?

Being a veterinarian is emotionally heavy work. You have to be a doctor, a psychologist, and sometimes even a mediator for pet owners. On top of that, there’s easy access to dangerous substances and the loneliness that this career can bring.

The numbers are alarming: according to a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association, veterinarians are 2 to 3 times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general population. In countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, the statistics are similar. This tells us the problem is global and impossible to ignore.

The good news? Burnout is not an unavoidable fate—there are ways to prevent it.

Here are some ideas that can help both veterinarians and the people who work with them:

1. Talk about it: There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. Reaching out to friends, family, or a therapist can make a huge difference.

2. Set boundaries: Veterinarians often want to save the world, but that’s impossible. Learning to say “no” when necessary is essential.

3. Put yourself first: A veterinarian who isn’t well can’t care for their patients. Eating well, sleeping enough, and having hobbies outside of work are key.

4. Healthy workplaces: Work environments should support mental well-being through fair schedules, resources to manage stress, and strong team support.

5. Educate the public: As a society, we can help by being more understanding with veterinarians and recognizing that they are human—not machines that can do everything perfectly.

Burnout in veterinarians is not just a personal problem—it’s a public health issue. We need to take care of each other, and that starts with understanding what’s really happening. If you are a veterinarian or know someone who is, remember this: you are not alone. Talking about it and seeking solutions can save lives, because at the end of the day, mental health is just as important as physical health.

This article is written with affection for my colleagues, my students, and my team at CABC Veterinary Clinic! Remember, you are not alone! See you soon on the PODCAST.

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REFERENCES

Nett, R. J., et al. (2015). Risk factors for suicide, attitudes toward mental illness, and practice-related stressors among US veterinarians. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Volk, J. O., et al. (2020). Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study III.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). Burnout: an occupational phenomenon.

If you are going through something like this, or you know someone who is, share this article and show them they are not alone! Warm hugs!