r/Veterinary

Hi everyone - Vet Assistant here. This is going to get deep, and personal, and talk about shit that no one wants to talk about. But we as people in veterinary medivine are 10% more likely to take our own lives than the general population. It is so common in vet med that it's almost assumed you know someone who has lost friends or you yoirself have lost friends to suicide. This is my wake up call and my own personal experience.

I have recently gone through some of the hardest months of my entire life and everything recently caved in on me as I got a termination notice from my current clinic. My clinic is feeling the strain of the economy shrinking, the fact we are a single doctor practice in a small town, and the fact that the doctor is owed fourty thousand dollars from his own business. I am the newest hire, thus the most expendable. Fourteen months of employment and I am given a two month heads up that in December, my employment is ending.

I know where the spare key to the controlled drug box is, just in case the power fails and the lead technician isn't in hospital and the doctor needs me to help him. This hospital is that small. He trusts me because I have the experience to be given that trust. The problem? I know I have access to that box. And I know where and when I can access it.

To say I was tempted to use the trust I was given to get into the box and leave with substances that would ruin my life and his would be an understatement. I had to be talked down by a friend because I was so close to following through with what my suicidal self wanted. The final thing to push me over the edge was that termination notice. I went deeper and got closer to actually taking my own life that day than I ever have in twenty eight years.

I am in active talks with my therapist on taking emergency medical leave for mental health. I could have been part of that 10% that day if my friend hadn't begged me not to take the euthasol and inject myself like I wanted to. I wanted to so badly my skin ached. All of me was begging for anything to stop the pain and the suffering from flooding in anymore.

That's my story. This was my warning, and my reminder. The most put together, well maintained members of your hospital might be going through some truly horrific shit internally you don't know about and they might need your help. You don't have to be their therapist, give them the resources to seek help. Crisis lines, medical leave paperwork, even just a hug and a coffee. All it takes is one bad day - a client being abusive, a euthinasia of a beloved patient, a sharp reprimand from a lead or a manager - and you lose them. And you'll regret having not noticed or said anything when you saw them struggling.

Check in on your team. It could save someone's life.

How is being a vet in the UK? From what i've seen salaries are pretty low for a doctor. How would you describe the situation with finding a job, salary, work/life balance etc

Thank you in advance

Curious how other practitioners relay results (phone call, email, text/message from the medical record system, tech go over results etc). Struggling to find the time to have a dedicated phone call with every single client to discuss results. During my residency (IM), my attendings always had us call to relay results. I feel guilty not calling but at the same time trying to set reasonable boundaries for myself. My human doctors/practitioners never call so why do I feel guilty sending results electronically?

A year and a half ago, my boyfriend's dog was acting off. We decided to take him to a reputable, nearby emergency vet. They discovered he had a mesenteric torsion and required emergency surgery. It was extremely stressful having to scramble together $13,000. (We now are huge proponents of dog insurance because it would have only cost us $3,000 had we had it...now we know). He survived the initial surgery but passed away from complications while recovering there.

It was devastating, especially for my boyfriend. I've always wanted to thank the staff, and am finally getting around to it. I ordered custom vegan cookies with a veterinary theme and was thinking of coffee carafes too (regular and decaf). Is that something they would appreciate? Should I email to schedule a drop off or just drop it off? And would the night time crew appreciate it more since I'm guessing the daytime staff gets more drop offs usually?

I'm looking for any podcast recs! Could be about school, research, or career experience. I know there's some older threads about this but from what I could find they're all at least a year old. Just checking if there's anything new out there

I was requested by an owner to assist with their pet’s euthanasia today, and witness their crippling anxiety over the euthanasia going wrong. She had many questions regarding the process and how we dose them, which I was ready to answer, but I quickly realized she had the failed lethal injection of Christina Pike on her mind. I wish the process had gone easier, as we were unsuccessful in placing a catheter in either front leg and eventually had to give the sedation IM and the Euthasol via a butterfly in the saphenous. The owners were very calm about the catheter process, the only source of anxiety seemed to be the euthasol/pentobarbital not working. We offered as much reassurance as possible and I offered to sit the dog a while after they left. Other than the catheter, the process went smoothly, but she told me as she was leaving that she would be lying awake tonight wondering if he was actually dead and asked me to tell her he was gone one more time. It was heartbreaking and sad to see the publicity of something like this failed lethal injection causing such anxiety in owners saying goodbye to their pets. Anyone else having similar experiences?

TL;DR What happens if I quit my internship? How detrimental would it be for someone interested in fish and wildlife? Would no one hire me or consider me for fellowship/residency programs because I only made it through 6 months of the program?

I'm currently in a small animal rotating internship and it is absolutely the worst thing I've ever done (second to going to vet school, not because it was too difficult but because I clearly should have just gone for a MSc/PhD instead). I am solely interested in fish and wildlife, zoo, and exotics (with a big lean towards free-ranging fish and wildlife or aquaculture, and I think I only like zoo and exotics because it's not dog/cat/horse). When I graduated, there weren't any jobs around that interested me other than biologist work, so I thought why not do an internship with my friends and that way in case I do decide I want to pursue a wildlife residency or something, or if I want to make some money picking up relief shifts during a PhD, I will have that experience (awful reasoning, I know). I applied outside of the Match and don't actually know much about the VIRMP in general because I never intended on going that route.

Turns out it's even worse than I imagined and I would rather quit to be a barista (unsure if I have a non-compete) until my lease is up when I can relocate. And at this point, it has turned me off from all further internship or residency programs, but I could maybe get over that because at least I would never have to work ER again. I know some of the residencies I would be interested in say "one year experience, rotating internship preferred" but is that a slam dunk that I will not be considered because I leave my internship? Some are applications through VIRMP and others are not. It's not that I *could not* complete the internship, it's that the emotional and physical toll is not something I want to continue putting myself through, especially if I don't want to specialize to be a surgeon/cardiologist/internist/etc.

And yes, multiple doctors (not only interns) have tried talking to management to initiate change in the program. In response, we get passive aggressive emails.

Basically that ^ would I be stuck paying the rest of the year? I started there about 2 months ago and don’t plan on quitting or getting fired anytime soon lol but ya never know so it’s just important info to have but hard to ask about.

Tonight we had a retirement party for an incredible DVM. Well over 100 people showed up, half of them bringing their dogs. It was AWESOME. I’ve never felt as comfortable working with someone and it was very clear that our clients feel the same way. She’s not just a vet, she’s a friend to all.

This industry is so hard but we’ve got to remember there’s so much love involved, and people do truly appreciate that.

Do good and be good, the rest just falls into place. You are appreciated more than you know.

At the moment, I'm a bee's phallus away from graduating as a veterinarian. The final year of study in my programme is mostly clinical work - ranging from performing bitch spays all the way to sweeping floors. An issue that I've recently started becoming aware of is a growing sense of apathy. This apathy is not aimed towards my patients or clients, nor the staff around me.

The apathy is aimed at the frustrations of other people.

Perhaps the best way to explain is an example - one day, I picked up a consult that was seemingly routine. That consult ended with an empty carrier due to poor prognosis and financial constraints. He was a sweet little guy and it wasn't his fault that he had been given the winning ticket to the shittiest lottery. Later, I had been cooking dinner as my flatmate vented her day's frustrations - Brenda was back on her bullshit, Michelle from finance had fish for frunch - the usual, everyday troubles of your average person.

And I found that I couldn't muster it within myself to care about Brenda or Michelle or how it had been impacting my flatmate. I thought it was silly, even. How could she care about trivial matters like these when I had felt a little heart beat for the last time only two hours earlier?

That's when the realization hit. While I am responsible for choosing this path, I am also responsible for not allowing the stones on my path to flick onto others.

What have you found helpful in terms of either addressing apathy or remaining emotionally present for your loved ones?

The job situation in the UK feels ridiculous right now. Been looking since i graduated in February, sent over 200 emails and have gotten negligible responses. I frequent 3 different facebook groups (vet employment and locum, vetwings and independent practices) and have made several posts with zero luck. I had signed up for all the corporates but got the same "We had a huge number of applicants and you weren't selected" email from each one.

Anyone got any advice where to look further? It's honestly disheartening how badly this search has been

I am sure everyone is tired of seeing these posts but I am aspiring to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in Southern California and am seeking guidance on how to gain essential hands-on experience. Despite applying for veterinary assistant positions, I keep being passed over due to a lack of technical skills such as placing catheters, taking radiographs, and performing dental procedures. While I previously worked as a veterinary receptionist for a few months, I struggled in that role and am eager to transition to clinical work. Given the limited entry-level or kennel assistant opportunities in my area, I would appreciate advice on where to find entry-level positions willing to train or alternative ways to acquire these practical skills.

Best shoes for vet assistant/kennel work? I usually just buy cheap Nikes because I go through them so fast. I would prefer something with a little more support though. Any men’s recommendations?

2022 grad who recently made the jump from GP to ER. I’m enjoying ER overall, but surgery and wound management are really stressing me out.

On-site mentorship/support isn’t really an option, and I’m being scheduled for solo shifts. I’ve started getting some work anxiety because I’m constantly thinking, “What if an amputation or a really nasty bite wound walks in tonight?”
I theoretically know how to do most common procedures, but I just haven’t had enough real-life repetitions to feel confident.

For those who’ve been in a similar position, how did you get better? I’d honestly be willing to take a pay cut for a year or so if it meant getting high-volume, hands-on surgical and procedural experience.

Would love to hear about any jobs, programs, CE, mentorship, or other routes that helped you build confidence.

Hi everyone,
I am just over 1 year out in practice, and have been really struggling lately with one of the other vets at work. She has been my mentor, and has taught me a huge amount which I am incredibly grateful for - when she is in a good mood we get along great. On the other hand, she tends to run either very hot or cold and you never know what you are going to get with her. If she is stressed she will absolutely take it out on everyone in the practice, including me. I will be told off one day for doing things we have always done, and the next day I’ll be praised. I feel that I am fairly competent at what I do, and the other members of staff are lovely. The whole practice becomes very tense when she is angry, and I absolutely cannot take it anymore. It has gotten to the point where I feel this huge level of anxiety the evenings before I see her at work - I cannot stomach breakfast, my hands are shaking when I arrive, I can’t bring myself to joke/laugh with others because I am anxiously anticipating her mood.
I have always struggled with a level of anxiety, but I guess I just wanted to know whether this feeling is normal and whether I am being overly sensitive? Is this something everyone has to deal with and I should just get on with it? Any advice would be appreciated, I have been close to quitting vet med as a whole multiple times.

I’m considering accepting a veterinary position at VCA and would love to hear from current or former employees. How would you describe the team culture and management? Are there opportunities for advanced mentorship and professional growth?

I’m currently at a privately owned, AAHA accredited, full service clinic with endoscopy, chemotherapy and ultrasound. I’m comfortable with routine GP surgeries, radiographs and dental extractions, and I’d love to hear how the medical resources and day to day practice compare.

Any advice or anything you wish you had known before joining would be appreciated.