6 steps to tackling veterinary burnout

10 October is World Mental Health Day. What better time to talk about veterinary burnout, and the strategies that can help tackle it? 

Let’s get started.

Let’s talk about burnout

Burnout in the veterinary industry is a well-documented global issue. Stats show that vet professionals face higher mental health risks than the general public.

A 2023 study found that more than half of US veterinarians reported signs of burnout. In Australia, two out of three vet nurses feel burnt out – and nearly half say they have no support for their wellbeing at work. 

Why burnout happens

Working long hours is just part of the problem. Yes, the shift overruns and back-to-back consults are exhausting. But the real strain often comes from what we can’t see: 

• Constant moral pressure and ethical decision-making.
• Emotional fatigue and compassion overload.
• Unpredictable workflows.
• Client abuse and unrealistic expectations.
• Lack of team support, especially after tough cases.
• Poor utilisation of trained staff, especially vet nurses*. 
• Inadequate systems that make admin feel like quicksand.

This chronic, unmanaged stress is often unsustainable. Not just for individuals, but for teams, clinics and the profession as a whole.

*The New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association (NZVNA) reports that 85% of trained vet nurses leave the field within five years. The reason? Low job satisfaction, underused skills and limited career growth.

What does burnout look like?

Burnout can look different from person to person. But common signs include:

• Emotional exhaustion or detachment. 
• Irritability or unusual conflict.
• Drop in motivation or attention to detail.
• Feeling numb, cynical, or withdrawn.
• Sleep disruption or physical fatigue.
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Left unaddressed, burnout can affect retention, clinic culture and even animal welfare. But there’s good news – it’s preventable.

What vet clinics can do about it

A recent study in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, US, and Canada revealed 10 main risk factors for burnout. Veterinary leaders observed that smart, system-level changes can prevent most of these risks.

Here are some steps you can take:

1. Create space for open conversations

Normalise talking about stress, boundaries and emotional fatigue. Build space for regular check-ins, team debriefs and non-judgemental chats.

2. Invest in support systems

This can be access to a counsellor, peer-support programme or mental health training. 

3. Protect time off

Boundaries show trust, and set the tone for the whole clinic.Encourage breaks. Respect rosters. Avoid messaging staff outside of hours unless it’s urgent. 

4. Use everyone’s skills

Under-utilisation is a key driver of dissatisfaction. When people work at the top of their scope, morale and outcomes improve.

5. Promote clarity and fairness

Burnout thrives in messy systems. Clear roles, fair scheduling, and consistent expectations help build a supportive environment.

6. Design workflows that ease the load

What can you automate? Which admin tasks can you simplify or drop completely? If your team is drowning in paperwork, it may be time to change the system.

One small step

Many practices in New Zealand are leading the way by adopting wellbeing-first approaches. 

On World Mental Health Day, why not take a moment to reflect on how your team are feeling. Are they stressed out? What’s causing it? What changes could you make this week, this month or this year that would have the greatest impact?

Even small shifts – a conversation, a new workflow, a review of who does what – can create momentum. 

At Vetdesk, we’re proud to play a small role in that journey. We’re not a mental health tool, but we help clinics like yours ease admin stress and simplify operations, so teams can focus on what truly matters. 

👉 Like to find out more about Vetdesk? Request a demo today.