Much like any medical professional, veterinary professionals can experience compassion fatigue, a type of burnout brought on by the emotional stress of the job. Those who get into the business of pet care experience a unique set of factors leading to compassion fatigue, which we'll explore in this Q&A with Dr. Q.
Veterinarians get into the business because, just like pet owners, they're animal lovers. They have a passion and commitment to the well-being of all pets they're able to care for. They're also often pet owners themselves. It's easy for them to put themselves in the shoes of every client who walks in their doors.
Unlike medical doctors, their patients can't tell them what's wrong, adding to their stress. Additionally, there is no health care for pets, so they have to handle questions about how expensive things like procedures and medications are, when they are just setting the prices to cover their own costs.
In addition to being doctors, a lot of vets have to play the role of business owners. They have the added stress of managing overhead and upkeep for their practice, and the welfare of their employees. They put in very long days under extreme amounts of pressure.
Most veterinary professionals are tremendously compassionate people, making them prone to emotional burnout. If you're starting out your own animal care practice, be sure to look after your own mental health, and do what you can to keep compassion fatigue at bay!