TRIALS OF A VET

I’ve always wanted to be a vet and love animals. But 20 years down the line I’ve finally realised how stressful it is and why the suicide rate is among the highest of all professions. There are some things vets can’t fix. We aren’t God. We’re also often expected to carry people’s pet bills or to give them a discount.

To have so many animals when it’s beyond your financial means is a choice you make, but then you make it at your vet’s expense. If you the owner have no clue why your pet is sick, your vet is the one who has to figure out if Fifi was knocked over or poisoned.

It takes six long, intensive years to study and it costs hundreds of thousands of rands. We have study loans to pay as well as our own financial responsibilities. The onus is on you the owner to make a plan and not to burden the vet with your finances or use emotional blackmail. DISILLUSIONED VET, EMAIL