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Diffusing Difficult Situations with Veterinary Clients
In the fast-paced and stressful world of veterinary medicine, conflicts are inevitable. Very often these disagreements involve upset or angry clients who make statements like “you’re only in it for the money” or “you should have been able to figure out my pet’s problem by now”. When our self-image is challenged, particularly with accusations of […]
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Navigating the Top Stressors in Veterinary Practice
In the heartwarming yet challenging realm of veterinary practice, we, the dedicated professionals, often find ourselves juggling an array of stressors that shape our daily lives. Acknowledging these challenges is not just a necessity for our mental wellbeing; it’s a vital step toward nurturing a compassionate and supportive community. Let’s dive into the most common […]
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Defining Futile Care and Its Impact on Wellbeing in Veterinary Medicine
As an emergency and critical care specialist, I can wholeheartedly attest to providing futile care to patients whose owners who would not consent to euthanasia or discontinuation of intensive care. I remember one dog in particular who had a collapsing trachea that was stented and then had progression of his disease resulting in laryngeal and […]
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Ten Practical Tips for Promoting Brain Health
I am pretty sure that every single adult worries about their cognitive health at some point in their life. A few years ago, when I read the fictional book Still Alice by Lisa Genova (who has a PhD in neuroscience), about a middle-aged Harvard psychologist who develops Alzheimer’s at the height of her career, I […]
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What can be done about the shortage of veterinarians in emergency practice?
Anyone working in companion animal practice in the USA, Canada, and many other parts of the world, is well aware of the current crisis impacting emergency veterinary hospitals. Over the last few months, there have been several news stories with headlines citing emergency practices closing their doors due to insufficient staff to deal with the […]
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What You can Do to Reduce Veterinary Technician Burnout
As a veterinarian specializing in emergency and critical care medicine, I can honestly say that I am useless without my technicians. More appropriately termed veterinary nurses, my vet techs are nothing short of amazing in caring for the unstable or critically ill dogs and cats that I oversee in the veterinary ER and ICU. Which […]
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Let’s Do Our Part to Prevent Suicide Among Veterinary Professionals
It’s rare that a week goes by when I don’t receive a Google alert telling me that another article has been published mentioning the staggering stats of suicide among veterinary professionals. Most of the reports are spurned by the news that veterinary hospitals have had to close or turn away clients due to an ever-increasing […]
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When do coping strategies become harmful for veterinary care providers?
We’ve all been there. Nearing the end of a horrible shift with not an ounce of energy left; all we can think about is getting home to our couch, favourite TV show, and large glass (or bottle) of wine. And if you don’t drink alcohol, I would venture to guess that you have heard someone else […]
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The Harmful Effects of Venting and How to Stop It
I don’t know about you, but I have been on the receiving end of a person’s venting more in the past year than ever before. “Can I just tell you how mean our clients have been lately…” or “I just need to share how brutal work is right now…” or “What is the deal with […]
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How sharing personal pronouns supports LGBTQIA+ veterinary professionals
Recently you might have noticed that more people are sharing their personal pronouns on their LinkedIn profiles, Zoom accounts, and social media platforms. And if you’re anything like me (admittedly late to the pronoun party), then you may not understand why. As an advocate for veterinary professional wellbeing and in honour of Pride Month, my […]
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Five Things We Now Know About the Mental Health of Veterinarians
Several years ago, I wrote a blog “Five things you didn’t know about the mental health of veterinarians”. It was published at a time when news about suicide among veterinary professionals was starting to emerge and studies were underway to learn more about psychological distress among veterinarians. In the largest of those earlier studies, we […]
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How to Deal with a Difficult Co-Worker
If you’re anything like me then you have had interactions with co-workers that were less than desirable. I think you know what I’m talking about. The eye rolls…the rude comments…the standoffish behaviour. These can all create a lot of discomfort and tension in the workplace. Veterinary medicine attracts a lot of different personalities and it […]
