The truth is very different behind the door to the consultation room.
Veterinarians in Europe and the US are saying that they have too much work, rude clients, and high rates of suicide. For many people, what seems like a dream job is actually a job full of grief, debt, and impossible expectations.
When the job of your dreams becomes a pressure cooker
Most people who go into veterinary medicine do so because they want to help animals. TV shows and social media make that picture even stronger. The vet is kind, smiling, and surrounded by happy owners and fluffy patients who always get better.
In real life, that script doesn’t always work out. Modern veterinary medicine is at a tense crossroads of cutting-edge medicine, high costs, and strong feelings. Every consultation involves making clinical decisions, negotiating money, and the possibility of a serious disagreement.
Research from Germany and other countries shows that vets are about six times more likely to kill themselves than the general population.
That number is not a statistical fluke. According to surveys:
Almost one out of every five vets says they are thinking about killing themselves right now.
About a third are thought to be at a higher risk of suicide.
Almost 30% of them have symptoms of depression that are clinically important.
Those numbers are much higher than what you would find in the general population. And they point to a job that is always putting a lot of stress on the mind.
Money, medicine, and the uncomfortable talk that no one sees
Many small-animal vets have to ask for payment in person, which is different from how doctors treat people in state-funded systems. The credit card machine is like a silent judge between the vet and the client.
When a pet is diagnosed with a serious illness, the vet has to explain the tests and treatments and ask, “Can you pay for this?” That can break the idea that taking care of animals is pure and selfless.
Many people think that every possible procedure should be available, and many people think that love for animals should come before any financial interest. When you get a bill for advanced diagnostics on a cat, rabbit, or even a hamster, you can get angry quickly.
Vets often say that people treat them like they should work for free “out of love for animals,” even though they still have to pay staff, rent, and drugs.
It’s not just awkward to argue about fees over and over again. They take away a vet’s sense of purpose and worth. Some people say that they are making money off of other people’s pain at the same time.
The pet is like family, and the vet is the target.
Pets have gone from being friends to being full members of the family in the last few decades. For a lot of people who live alone, a dog or cat may be the only emotional connection they have. That makes being sick and dying even worse.
Grief often needs something to focus on. When a vet says that euthanasia is the best option, or when treatment doesn’t work, owners may get angry at the only person in the room who is wearing a uniform.
They might say that the vet “gave up too soon,” “kept the animal alive too long,” or “missed something important.” These kinds of accusations can spread on social media with very little context. A one-star review can hurt a vet’s reputation for years, even if they did everything right from a medical point of view.
“When we put the animal down, people are often very angry with us. That’s part of how they mourn, but it can be hard to deal with.
Long-term relationships with clients can help older professionals deal with some problems. Younger vets who just graduated from college and already have a lot of student debt are more at risk. In just a few months, they might have to deal with their first euthanasia, their first complaint, and their first public shaming.
The emotional cost of euthanasia
Routine procedure, repeated sadness
Putting animals to sleep is supposed to be a kind thing to do. But for vets, it’s something they have to do with their own hands over and over again. There are weeks that go by without euthanasia. Some people might bring in a lot in just a few days.
Every case has a story: the old woman whose dog is her last link to her dead partner, the child who is crying on the floor of the consulting room, and the family who can’t agree on what to do and fight while the animal is having trouble breathing.
New pressures have come up in the last few years. Some owners record the process on their phones. In one case in Germany, a family member streamed the whole euthanasia live to relatives in another country without telling the vet first. It’s very upsetting for young professionals to think that their most painful work is going around online.
Simple access to deadly means
“Means access” is one of the hardest parts of suicide research. People are more likely to kill themselves if they can easily get to very deadly methods. Veterinarians use strong drugs every day and know exactly how they work.
That mix of high stress and practical knowledge makes it tragically easy for veterinarians to try to kill themselves. Many coworkers say they have lost friends in what was officially called a “car accident,” but everyone in the area knew what really happened.
Stress in the profession, beyond the small-animal clinic
Veterinary medicine isn’t just for cats and dogs. People work with farm animals, in slaughterhouses, and in government jobs that keep an eye on animal welfare and disease control.
Field: Key stress factors
Rural practice with big animals24/7 on-call work, risk of injury, living alone, and not much time off for illness or vacation
Government and public healthMass culling during disease outbreaks, dealing with neglect, and bureaucratic pressure
Checking out the slaughterhouseBeing around death all the time and being responsible for food safety and following the rules for welfare
When an infectious disease is found on a farm, public-sector vets may have to watch as thousands of healthy animals are killed. Newly qualified professionals, who are still idealistic, may find that morally devastating.
People who work in slaughterhouses know that animals are coming to be killed, not saved. Their main job is to make sure that the rules are followed and that the meat is safe. The emotional burden is different, but the sense of duty is still strong.
Silence, shame, and the need for help
For a long time, it has been taboo for veterinarians to talk about mental health issues. People in close-knit rural areas might say “crash” or “unexpected illness” instead of “suicide” when a vet dies. Many people in the field are afraid that admitting they are in pain could hurt their career or reputation.
That culture is changing slowly. Professional groups in Germany, the UK, and other places have started to talk openly about the numbers. They say that the most important thing about high suicide rates is that no one who is having a hard time is alone.
Veterans are starting to run helplines and peer-support groups for other veterans so they can talk in a safe, private space.
A crisis phone line just for vets and vet nurses has been set up in northern Germany. There is also a pilot crisis-intervention project going on in which trained coworkers go to see people who are in a lot of pain at their practice or home.
Therapy isn’t always the answer. Some vets need help with money because their clinic isn’t doing well. Some people need help dealing with angry customers, while others need legal help after a complaint. Instead of giving everyone the same answer, the new programs want to connect them with the right kind of help.
What future vets should know before they sign up
It’s well known that getting a degree in veterinary medicine is hard. In many countries, they need good grades, long hours of lectures and labs, and unpaid internships. Most of the time, the students who make it through are smart, disciplined, and kind. They aren’t always ready for the real world of running a small business, managing employees, and collecting debts.
Older vets say that young people who want to work in this field should:
Make and keep friends outside of work.
Have at least one hobby that doesn’t have anything to do with animals or medicine.
Find a mentor, like an older vet who can talk honestly about mistakes and how to deal with them.
Get a head start on learning basic business and money skills.
As much as the job allows, set limits on how many hours you can work.
These steps won’t take away the pain of euthanasia or the heartbreak of a case that doesn’t work out, but they can help you get through those times.
Comprehending grief, compassion fatigue, and moral distress
When vets talk about mental strain, they often use the words grief, compassion fatigue, and moral injury.
People other than owners can feel grief. When a patient dies, a vet who has cared for it for years may feel their own loss. That feeling can stay with them if they move on to the next appointment too quickly.
Compassion fatigue is when a person becomes emotionally numb after seeing other people suffer over and over again. A vet may observe that they are becoming irritable, aloof, or inexplicably cold in response to yet another emergency. That reaction is a sign of trouble, not a flaw in your character.
Moral injury is the pain that comes from going against your own values. One classic example is having to put down healthy animals during a disease-control operation or seeing an owner refuse treatment just because it costs too much when the vet knows the animal could be saved.
How pet owners can ease the stress
Veterinary teams can really benefit from small changes in behavior. Here are a few real-life examples:
Instead of waiting for a bill at the end, ask about costs and insurance early on.
Understand that advanced animal care uses the same drugs and technologies as human medicine and will cost money.
When you put your pet to sleep, don’t film the staff or share live on social media.
If you’re not happy, talk to the person directly and calmly before making public accusations.
Say thank you when you feel grateful. A short thank-you email can help make up for the criticism that vets get every day.
For a lot of vets, these small acts of respect and understanding can be the difference between a bad day that they can deal with and feeling like the job is killing them.
The profession is starting to respond with crisis lines, mentoring programs, and more open communication. But there are still structural pressures, like rising costs and the need to be available 24/7. Not only do many veterans think about killing themselves, but also how can the societies that depend on their care be ready to share the responsibility for their health?
