We all know that Vets, Vet students, Vet techs, and everybody else involved in working at a veterinary hospital is going to face hardships sometimes. Unfortunately, the veterinary profession is one of the fields where there is a high suicide rate.
We would like to change this! Help each other in difficult times! Stay together and reach out to someone! Ask your friends, family members, and people you know ” Are you OK?”! Try to listen to them and understand them!
Imagine being a veterinary surgeon, spending long arduous hours in med school just to become a veterinarian. Then starting your new veterinary practice, with excitement and pride at helping animals get better every day.
Suddenly what you love begins taking a turn for the worse, as now your time is spent dealing with difficult clients and sick or injured animals that need care not always easily given.
Veterinarians and veterinary staff usually have to deal with a variety of issues that happen at veterinary hospitals, from client’s attitudes to difficult veterinary surgeries.
In this article, we take a look at the difficulties veterinary surgeons face every day in veterinary hospitals.
Patient Care Versus Owner Communication
One of the most common complaints veterinary surgeons have to deal with is the communication gap between veterinary physicians and veterinary staff and pet owners.
Generally, veterinary surgeons point out that as there are various levels of veterinary expertise, with veterinary nurses interpreting basic care instructions such as feeding an animal or dealing with an injury, it can lead to miscommunication with regard to patient care by pet owners.
For veterinary staff, integrating veterinary surgeons’ knowledge into pet care is integral for the welfare of pets. However, it can be very challenging to communicate this often complex information to pet owners who do not possess veterinary knowledge.
Although veterinary hospitals try their best to provide good service and communication with clients, there are still many difficulties veterinary staffs face in veterinary hospitals.
Differences Between Pet Care and Pet Ownership
Another difficulty veterinary surgeons face is that veterinary surgeons deal with very sick or injured animals as part of their work, often involving long hours in surgery. On the other hand, pets are treated as family members by veterinary owners, who expect veterinary surgeons to provide veterinary treatment for their pets, such as surgery and medication.
Yet veterinary surgeons often have to deal with the issues of euthanasia when veterinary owners request veterinary treatment or surgery is not feasible or an animal has a poor prognosis.
Intricate Diagnoses and Euthanasia
Veterinary staffs in veterinary hospitals often find difficult veterinary cases challenging, especially when veterinary surgeons have to make difficult veterinary diagnoses. Owners are not always willing to accept that veterinary treatment may not be possible or there is a low chance of recovery for their pets.
The veterinary staff has to deal with difficult veterinary decisions regarding euthanasia sometimes being requested by veterinary owners who are unable to afford expensive veterinary treatments. This is not an easy situation for veterinary staff, veterinary surgeons, and veterinary nurses alike.
Complex Veterinary Surgeries with Long, Exhausting Working Hours
Veterinary hospitals are subject to busy veterinary surgeries resulting in long hours of work. Animal owners also expect veterinary surgeons to be on the premises around the clock ready to provide veterinary care for their pets.
This does not always equate to veterinary surgeries being scheduled after regular veterinary hospital hours, as veterinary surgeons often have to carry veterinary work home with them and deal with emergencies at weekends and public holidays.
Difficult Owners – Dealing With Problematic People
Veterinary staff in veterinary hospitals also encounter difficult pet owners who may be rude or abusive when veterinary staff cannot meet their expectations. Veterinary surgeons also observe veterinary owners who may be neglecting veterinary care for their pets, in order to cut veterinary expenses.
However veterinary hospitals remain the only contact that veterinary staffs in veterinary hospitals have with animal owners, and veterinary physicians themselves frequently face challenges when they also encounter difficult pet owners in verterinary clinics.
Veterinary surgeons have to face veterinary treatment difficulties every day in veterinary hospitals, veterinary surgeries, and veterinary clinics. However, veterinary staff who along with their veterinary surgeons fully understand the necessity of veterinary care for pets as family members help make the veterinary work environment a more pleasurable one for everyone involved.
Watch this video by Marlena from Veterinary Adventures.