The Veterinarian Suicide Crisis

And how you can help

VAPT New Stethoscope Logo Rectangular Blues 2 1200

The Veterinarian Suicide Crisis

And how you can help

VAPT New Stethoscope Logo Rectangular Blues 2 1200

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control sounded the alarm on a disturbing trend in the veterinary profession.

They had analyzed the death records of 11,620 veterinarians from 1979-2015.

398 were the result of suicide.

Source: CDC

Compared to the general population

Male vet dk blue

Male veterinarians in the U.S. are 2.2 times more likely to die by suicide

Female vet dk blue

That number jumps to 3.5 among female veterinarians

The problem isn’t exclusive to the United States

In some countries, veterinarians are up to 4 times more at risk for suicide than the general population

Source: Australian Veterinary Journal

Australia loses

1 veterinarian

to suicide

every 12 weeks

Source: 9News

koala cropped

Australia loses

1 veterinarian

to suicide

every 12 weeks

Source: 9News

A 2014 survey of over 11,000 U.S. veterinarians found

9%

were experiencing severe psychological distress

31%

had experienced depressive episodes

17 percent

had experienced suicidal ideation

Source: AVMA

That means

1 in 6 vets

1 in 6 blue

has considered suicide

The survey also found that

157

of respondents

157 vets dark bg

had already attempted suicide

Why would people who “get to play with animals every day for a job” want to take their lives?

See Part 2: Leading causes of suicidal Ideation in veterinarians

Why would people who “get to play with animals every day for a job” want to take their lives?

See Part 2: Leading causes of suicidal Ideation in veterinarians

Why would people who “get to play with animals every day for a job” want to take their lives?

See Part 2: Leading causes of suicidal ideation in veterinarians

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