We all know that veterinarians place profound meaning in their ability to alleviate suffering in animals. This internal drive, when combined with the external pressures and unavoidable stressors of veterinary medicine, too often leads them to feel stretched well beyond their ability to practice effectively. Add in the unique nature of their work, including the preserving or taking of life. Put it all together and veterinarians live in an almost chronic state of exhaustion and burnout.
What steps can we take to relieve burnout in the veterinary community and prevent it from taking over? One thing we must do is keep the conversation going and never hide the issue in the dark corners of our clinics. Widespread discussions help break the stigma associated with talking about the complex mental health issues that veterinarians face.
Dr. Claire
Enter the soon-to-be-released short film The Dog. I am proud to be associated with it through my employer IndeVet’s support of the film. The Dog brings the mental health crisis in veterinary medicine into the spotlight and onto the big screen as it explores the devastating struggles of a veterinarian grappling with the weight of a multitude of emotions. Grey’s Anatomy actor Kate Walsh plays Claire, a veterinarian navigating a persistent inner turmoil that rises to the point of her contemplating her existence.
As Claire contends with her professional responsibilities, she is confronted with Dax, a dog approaching the end of his life. As a viewer, you’re immediately immersed in her world and forced to feel the intense emotional reality of the scene. You’re thrown into a situation that you never want to experience and yet are a witness to a profoundly personal moment.
Helping Dax through a peaceful transition with empathy, resilience, professionalism and compassion is part of Claire’s daily routine. But this time, the case overwhelms her. Among the thousands she has weathered, this night pushes Claire closer than ever to the brink of irreversible self-harm.
Her crisis culminates in a confrontation with her self-reflection in the form of another suffering dog. This dog appears to Claire as a “command hallucination,” in which someone hears voices or sees characters telling them what to do. In effect, Claire asks herself the same question she posed to Dax’s family: “Are you ready?”
Claire’s story comes to a poignant close with a gesture that holds the greatest potential to alleviate the kind of suffering that she, and too many other veterinary professionals, experience. Her student, Joe, utters what we would do well to extend to each other: “I’ve got you.”
With films like The Dog bringing the conversation to light, we can continue to help each other and create the change so needed in our industry. Where there is caring, connection and trust, there’s comfort and, potentially, relief and healing.
No Magic Fixes
Watching Claire’s emotional story was all too familiar and heartbreaking for me, a practicing veterinary social worker and a licensed veterinary technician with training in end-of-life care. I’ve worked with hundreds of people who had suicidal thoughts and survived the loss of colleagues and clients to suicide.
Reducing the suicide rate in veterinary medicine does not need to be driven by experts. Self-care, resilience and wellness programs aren’t magic fixes. For all of us in this industry — veterinarians, practice managers, clinic owners and technicians — it’s about extending a helping hand. For those suffering, it is accepting the help.
If The Dog taught me anything, it’s that the correlation between suicide and euthanizing animals is deeper than we care to admit. And that staying open and communicative can contribute to saving lives. At the end of the day, it’s about truly being there for each other.
HOW TO SEE THE FILM
Clinics, schools, organizations and conferences throughout the veterinary industry may request private, no-cost group screenings of The Dog. To learn more about the film and to host a screening, visit indevets.com/thedog.