Helpline for veterinarians expands as 70% report extra stress, 1 in 3 consider quitting

An anonymous helpline for Dutch veterinarians, Veterinair Vangnet, is expanding from 30 to 40 volunteers. The veterinarians face growing mental strain from overnight calls, long hours, and increasingly angry clients.

Seventy percent of professionals report extra stress, and one in three are considering leaving the profession as a result, Hart van Nederland found in an analysis. The broadcaster reviewed data from the helpline service, which has been operating for a year.

It provides confidential conversations to discuss stress and mental health issues that veterinarians face. It also acts as a sounding board for other staff in animal care, and office workers in the field.

Veterinarian Sander van der Wal told Hart van Nederland about facing the same pressure. He once received a middle-of-the-night call for a dog suffering from diarrhea. Once the animal was treated, the owner immediately objected to the cost of the visit.

Incidents like that reduce the level of enjoyment at work, he said. The emotional weight of euthanizing a cherished pet can also leave lasting effects on practitioners.

A study by the KNMvD, the Dutch veterinary association, showed that 70 percent of veterinarians feel added stress when clients challenge their rates. The same findings indicated that one in three is thinking about exiting the field as a result.