It’s likely that you, like most veterinarians, became a vet because you love animals. Your practice is built around helping animals.

However, as a veterinarian, you have other responsibilities. And that can be stressful.

Veterinarian Stress Is a Reality

The first mental health survey of U.S. veterinarians, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in March 2015, showed that vets are more likely to suffer from psychiatric disorders, experience bouts of depression, and have suicidal thoughts compared with the U.S. adult population. Almost 10% experience serious psychological distress, and greater than one out of six has contemplated suicide since graduation, the study, which is based on a 2014 Centers for Disease Control survey, indicates.

If you look at the suicide attempt rates for veterinarians, they show that the attempt rate is lower than the general population. Survey authors, however, have posited that, because veterinarians have access to lethal drugs, they are more likely to succeed than the general population. Results of the survey show that 14.4% of males and 19.1% of females who are veterinarians have considered suicide since graduation, 3 times the U.S. national mean.

4 Ways Legal Responsibilities Increase Vet Stress

#1 Legal Liability

Anyone in the medical field has a liability. An animal may not survive a surgery, and its owner may decide to sue. You help with pet adoptions through your clinic, and the new owner claims the animal was sick. One client’s dog attacks another in your waiting room. Experts advise limiting your loss by setting up a corporation.

#2 Insurance

Setting up a sticks-and-bricks business requires a lot of insurance. Consider whether you need insurance for the following:

• Fire
• Property Liability
• Business Liability
• Product Liability
• Malpractice
• Worker’s Compensation
• Vehicle Liability
• Disability

#3 Proprietary Rights

How can you walk a fine line to discourage raiding and use of your proprietary information without discouraging potential employees? It’s not right for employees to go somewhere else and start calling up your customers, but neither is it fair to prevent employees from finding a job in their field. Go ahead and add those non-compete and anti-employee raiding clauses to their contracts, but make sure they closely conform to the proprietary interest and are fair.

#4 Protection of Intellectual Property

The last thing most veterinarians think of is copyrighting their logo, but it should be among the first. Even more important is trademarking or registering innovative new concepts or solutions. Use trademarks and service marks, and reserve all rights to intellectual property in all employment agreements.

Veterinarians Experience Financial Stress

The American Veterinary Medical Association notes that the average educational debt for 2016 veterinary school graduates was $143,757.80, including those with zero debt. The average for those 2016 veterinary school graduates with debt is $167,534.89. More than 20% of 2016 graduates are at least $200,000 in debt.

Veterinarians incur another huge debt when they open up their own practice, either by starting one up or buying into a practice. A 2009 article estimated the cost of starting a stationary small animal clinic was about $1 million, and the cost of a mobile clinic was about a quarter of that amount.

The lowest price for a rural small and exotic animal practice on the Internet was $250,000. Other practices were asking close to $2 million.

Animal behavior expert Steve Dale contends that the pressure of explaining the value veterinarians bring to the table, compared to big-box and online retailers, adds another layer of financial stress to vets.

Emotional Stress

Every day, veterinarians deal with sick and dying animals, as well as their owners, who may have unrealistic expectations or be grieving.

“Many of us deal with death every single day; we tend to learn how to manage this in our own ways on the job,” explained Chicago veterinarian Dr. Natalie Marks.

She adds that the very qualities that make a good veterinarian—compassion, selflessness, refusal to accept defeat—make vets more vulnerable.

“We do need training in this area to give us tools to more adeptly deal with the grieving families, and then how to prevent compassion fatigue,” Marks said.

5 Ways to Combat Stress

Veterinary Practice News published an article on 16 ways to relieve stress. Here are 5 of them:

1. Stretch
2. Take a break outside the office
3. Breathe deeply
4. Exercise
5. Count off 5 things you’re grateful for

Your Covetrus North America representative can provide other tips and suggestions of value to you and your clients! Contact us at: 855.724-3461.

https://www.avma.org/news/javmanews/pages/150401d.aspx

http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/4-ways-veterinarians-need-protect-themselves-legally

https://www.avma.org/About/SAVMA/StudentFinancialResources/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-start-a-mobile-veterinary-clinic-125506

https://us.businessesforsale.com/us/search/veterinary-businesses-for-sale

https://veterinarypracticenews.com/16-simple-stress-hacks-for-veterinarians/