North East vet Nadine Miller talks about veterinarian suicide rates

A lack of staff, high burnout rates and added pressures due to COVID-19 all contribute to the profession's high suicide rate.

Family Vet Services' Nadine Miller said statistics about mental health issues in vets might be under the mark.

"I think the statistics that about 30 per cent of vets suffer from stress is probably even underestimating the level of stress in the workplace," she said.

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According to Vetslife, 25.6 per cent of vets have depression and 26.4 per cent suffer work-related burnout.

The national average for depression in Australia, according to the Black Dog Institute, is 13 per cent.

Ironically Dr Miller believes that the type of people that naturally gravitate towards the profession are susceptible to mental health issues because of their passion for the job.

"We find that vets are the very compassionate, kind and caring and dedicated personality type and that is combined with a demanding work environment that is stressful on your family and time," she said.

"I often will get home, put the kids into bed and then open the computer back up again and go over blood results from cases in the day and research cases."

Dr Miller said that COVID highlighted the need for more vets and industry professionals such as vet technicians.

"We don't understand why but there was a massive increase in the level of work in general during COVID," she said. "There seemed to be more emergencies ... dogs that were at home with family who had gotten access to chocolate or homemade play dough that is super high in salt.

"People were maybe working from home and had more things around the house, or doing more jobs at home like gardening and renovations where pets can access toxins."

Dr Miller said there was a good understanding about what awaits a person who enters the veterinary industry, but at the moment there simply wasn't enough staff for the amount of work on hand.

"I think the hardest days are those where you walk through the door at 7.30am and you might have five or six cases on your mind already that need your immediate attention before consults start at 8.30am," she said.

"Even though you already have those things to do, you'll walk in the door and there will already be one or two pets that have arrived unexpectedly and need your urgent attention.

"Then consults start and you already have six unaddressed ongoing cases, some very, very unwell pets in front of you and then afternoon [appointments] start. You might go home and have dinner or you may more likely simply have to roll on with emergency cases which come in after hours."

The Border vet said that people seemed to be aware of the problems facing her profession and that small gestures from clients helped, such as when someone dropped in flowers and a card.

"It is wonderful when clients have recognised that the work environment of veterinary medicine is demanding right now," she said.

"We're lucky in this profession that even the toughest days aren't that bad because you get to work with animals and get to work with people who love their pets."

Member for Albury Justin Clancy, who is a qualified veterinarian himself, said the advent of social media was adding extra pressures to an already high-intensity job.

"Social media has that added pressure, we have a pressure from within to do our best and then you've got social media feedback," he said.

"There is a person on the other end if you feel you've got a right to give a negative review or be angry or upset towards someone, that's actually having an impact on another person. We as a broader community need to be mindful of that."

According to figures from the Australian Veterinary Association, a vet will lose their life to suicide every 12 weeks.

Dr Miller said one key way people could help vets and alleviate pressure is to act early and quickly when it comes to pet health.

"Understand that pets do come with that extra commitment and consider acting early when your pet is unwell," she said. "If your pet has been vomiting, rather than allowing the pet to vomit for three days, get in and see us sooner."

If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline 13 11 14.