You’ve probably seen the headlines. Maybe it was a post on Facebook or a news snippet about a local vet who suddenly closed their practice. It’s a heavy topic, honestly. People usually think being a vet is all about cuddling puppies and kittens all day. But if you talk to anyone in the field, they’ll tell you a very different story.
So, do veterinarians have a high suicide rate?
The short answer is yes. It is significantly higher than the general population. But the "why" behind that statistic is way more complicated than just "sad cases." It’s a perfect storm of debt, easy access to drugs, and a personality type that tends to be its own worst enemy.
The Raw Numbers Nobody Likes to Look At
For a long time, this was a "hush-hush" topic in the medical community. Then the CDC released a massive study covering 36 years of data, and the results were pretty gut-wrenching.
Female veterinarians are roughly 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the average person. For male veterinarians, the risk is about 2.1 times higher.
Think about that for a second. These are people who spent nearly a decade in school, often accumulating debt that looks like a mortgage, just to enter a profession where the math on their mental health doesn't quite add up.
📖 Related: How to know if you stopped growing: What the doctors don't always tell you
It’s not just the doctors, either.
Recent data from 2024 and 2025 shows that the risk extends to the whole clinic. Vet techs and nurses are often under even more pressure. They make less money, deal with the same angry clients, and carry the same emotional weight.
Why Is This Happening?
If you ask a vet what the hardest part of their job is, they won't say "blood" or "long hours." They'll talk about moral distress.
Basically, moral distress happens when you know exactly what a pet needs to get better, but you can't do it. Maybe the owner can’t afford the $5,000 surgery. Maybe the owner refuses treatment. In those moments, the vet is stuck. They have to watch an animal suffer or perform what they call "economic euthanasia."
Imagine doing that three times before your lunch break. It wears you down.
The Debt-to-Income Trap
Most people assume vets are rich. They aren't.
The average vet student graduates with over $150,000 to $200,000 in debt.
But unlike human doctors, their starting salaries are often in the five figures or low six figures. It’s a math problem that never ends. They’re essentially paying for a second mortgage just for the "privilege" of working 60 hours a week.
Access to "The Means"
This is the part that’s hard to talk about. Vets have easy access to the drugs used for euthanasia. They are trained on how to use them. They know exactly what they do.
In the general population, many suicide attempts are impulsive and, thankfully, unsuccessful. But in the veterinary world, the "success" rate of attempts is much higher because of this specialized knowledge and ready access to lethal substances like pentobarbital.
The "Type A" Personality Problem
There is a specific kind of person who becomes a veterinarian. Usually, they are high achievers. Perfectionists. People who got straight A's and never felt like "good enough" was actually enough.
📖 Related: Arnica Gel for Under Eyes: What Most People Get Wrong About Dark Circles
In a clinic setting, perfectionism is dangerous. You can't save every patient. You can't please every client. When a case goes wrong—even if it wasn't the vet's fault—they tend to internalize it. They feel like they failed.
Combine that with a culture that, until recently, looked down on "complaining," and you get a recipe for total burnout.
Cyberbullying and "The Client"
Social media has made everything worse. Honestly, it’s brutal.
A vet does everything they can, but the pet dies. The owner, fueled by grief and anger, goes on Yelp or Facebook and calls the vet a "murderer" or says they "only care about money."
This kind of cyberbullying has led to several high-profile suicides in the community. One of the most famous cases was Dr. Sophia Yin, a world-renowned behaviorist. Her death in 2014 was a massive wake-up call for the industry. It actually led to the creation of Not One More Vet (NOMV), which is now one of the biggest support networks in the world.
Is Anything Getting Better?
Actually, yes. But it’s slow.
The 2024 Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study showed some glimmers of hope. More clinics are finally offering Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). More vets are talking about their mental health openly.
There’s also a big push for "Lethal Means Safety." This basically means clinics are getting better at locking up the euthanasia drugs—not because they don't trust their staff, but to create a "speed bump" for someone in a moment of crisis. That extra 30 seconds it takes to find a key or enter a code can literally save a life.
What You Can Do (Actionable Steps)
If you’re a pet owner, you actually have a lot of power here. You don’t need to buy them a gift basket (though they like snacks).
- Be Kind Online: If you had a bad experience, talk to the practice manager instead of venting on a public review site. Your "one-star" vent might be the thing that pushes a struggling staff member over the edge.
- Trust the Expertise: Vets aren't "in it for the money." If they were, they’d have gone to medical school for humans. When they recommend a test, it's because they want to help your pet.
- Respect Boundaries: Don't text your vet friend at 10 PM asking about your dog's itchy ear. They need a "mental off-switch" just like you do.
If you are a veterinary professional reading this:
- Join NOMV: Not One More Vet has a "Lifeboat" program that is anonymous and peer-to-peer. It’s for vets, by vets.
- Audit Your Clinic: Check your drug storage. Is it too easy to access things? Could you implement a "two-person" rule for certain cabinets?
- The 988 Lifeline: It sounds cliché, but it works. If you're in the US, dialing 988 gets you to someone who can help, 24/7.
The "puppies and kittens" myth is dying out, replaced by a much grittier reality. Understanding that veterinarians have a high suicide rate isn't about being morbid—it's about realizing that the people who care for our animals need someone to care for them, too.
🔗 Read more: Signature Health East Bridgewater: Why This Location Matters for Your Recovery
Next time you’re at the clinic, maybe just say "thanks." It goes a lot further than you think.
Resources for Help:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (USA)
- NOMV (Not One More Vet): nomv.org
- Vets4Vets: A confidential support group for veterinarians.