Being an equine vet can be as rewarding as it can be challenging. Although the rewards are often enough to keep veterinary professionals committed and engaged, the job also comes with difficulties which put them under great strain. These include long working hours, the threat of complaints or litigation from clients, and financial concerns which have been highlighted as contributing to high levels of anxiety, depression and poor mental wellbeing amongst UK veterinary surgeons (Bartram et al., 2010). A recent survey amongst Doctors in the UK has revealed how individuals in general practice and those managing emergencies - a similar working profile to many veterinarians- reported high levels of burnout (McKinley et al., 2020).
Sadly, the veterinary profession in the UK is also known for the high suicide rate, up to four fold compared to the rest of the population and two folds compared to other professionals working in the Healthcare system (Bartram et al 2010). The pandemic has only contributed to increased levels of burnout as lock down saw an rising number of families owning pets against the unchanged workforce (Financial Times, 2021). Charities such as Vetlife, who provide mental health support to veterinary professionals, have experienced a 25% increase in contacts since 2019 (Vetlife, 2022). Research published in 2022 by the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative Research Symposium has pointed at 5 main contributors to the alarming stats about burnout and suicide rates: performing euthanasia, compassion fatigue, financial issues, unrealistic expectations, and difficult clients (Hamilton, 2022).
To this general background we can add a few more stressors which are specific to the equine profession: the job can often be physically demanding, and is inherently dangerous (BEVA, 2017). The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has acknowledged such elements and produced some very useful material to support equine vets addressing risk assessment in their daily practice. The “don't break your vet” series is also a useful tool which brings awareness and sets expectations both amongst owners and vets (BEVA, 2020).
Despite the challenging narrative, there is one core element to the job of an equine veterinarian that can help balance the score, a rich and free source of wellbeing and positivity: the exposure to the natural environment. Most equine vets work either around yards in the countryside, or near a rural setting when based in an Equine Hospital. Evidence from a review article by Jimenez et al., 2021 show the wealth of benefits from exposure to a healthy environment, a list which is at least as long as the one accounting for negative factors discussed above. Spending time in nature can reduce stress levels, anxiety, rumination, blood pressure and the risk of depression. Moreover it also enhances positive factors such as sleep quality, cognitive functions and brain activity. Nature is the setting where we can practice physical activity, a known booster for our mental health, and engage in social relationships which is a positive predictor for a happy and meaningful life (Weir, 2020).
If you feel like all these benefits have been kept from you, it’s possible to actively try to build a deeper connection to nature to improve your mental wellbeing, as explained by the research of Richardson and Hamlin, 2021 during the pandemic. Noticing the beauty offered by nature and experiencing the range of positive emotions generated by it, such as joy, awe, calmness and creativity are like a renewable source of wellbeing (Mental Health Foundation, 2021).
Connecting to and protecting our environment represents a daily source of mental and physical wellbeing, which we ought to value and preserve for our own benefit, as well as for our future.
References
About Us, n.d. . Vetlife. URL https://www.vetlife.org.uk/how-we-help/vetlife/ (accessed 9.7.22).
Bartram, D.J., Sinclair, J.M.A., Baldwin, D.S., 2010. Interventions with potential to improve the mental health and wellbeing of UK veterinary surgeons. Veterinary Record 166, 518–523. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.b4796
British Equine Veterinary Association, 2020. Workplace Safety | BEVA [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.beva.org.uk/Guidance-and-Resources/Practice-Managers/workplace-safety (accessed 9.11.22).
British Equine Veterinary Association, 2017. Managing Risk from Working with Horses. Guidance for Veterinary Practitioners. URL https://beva-live-portal.azurewebsites.net/Portals/0/Documents/Working%20For%20Change/Clinical%20Practice/Workplace%20Safety/Risk%20Assment%20Guide%20Document%20-%20FINAL.pdf (accessed 8.28.22).
Financial Times, 2021. Vets feel the strain as pet boom and labour shortages hit, 2021 URL https://www.ft.com/content/bd9dc4ec-e793-4dcf-9926-1c61d32bb733 (accessed 8.28.22)
Hamilton, N., 2022. Understanding and Supporting Veterinary Mental Health. Research Talks Session 1A. MMI Research Symposium, November 2021 Report. https://www.vetmindmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Mind-Matters-Research-Symposium-2021-Report.pdf (accessed 8.28.22).
Jimenez, M.P., DeVille, N.V., Elliott, E.G., Schiff, J.E., Wilt, G.E., Hart, J.E., James, P., 2021. Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18, 4790. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094790
McKinley, N., McCain, R.S., Convie, L., Clarke, M., Dempster, M., Campbell, W.J., Kirk, S.J., 2020. Resilience, burnout and coping mechanisms in UK doctors: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 10, e031765. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031765
Mental Health Foundation, 2021. Nature, How connecting with nature benefits our mental helath. URL https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/MHAW21-Nature-research-report.pdf (accessed 9.7.22)
Richardson, M., Hamlin, I., 2021. Nature Engagement for Human and Nature’s Wellbeing during the Corona Pandemic. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/kd7bz
Weir, K., 2020. Nurtured by nature [WWW Document], n.d. . https://www.apa.org. URL https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature (accessed 8.28.22).