#NOMV

[Moobli]

? Trigger warning suicide ?


Taken from Not One More Vet, Inc:

“If you are linked to a person on social media who works in veterinary medicine you may have noticed them changing their profile picture to include "NOMV". Some of you may know, but if you don't, NOMV stands for Not One More Vet because we have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession.

When you see your friend or social media acquaintance change their profile, it's usually because they have learned of another colleague that succumbed to suicide.

Be kind to your veterinary staff. We are literally dying trying to help you and your pets. We are humans, not punching bags. Your words and behaviour matter.”

We are your receptionists and vet nurses, we are your student nurses and patient care assistants and we are your vets... but we are also mothers and fathers, we are daughters and sons, we are friends and we are human just like everyone else.

We are always here to help the best we physically can everyday 24/7 - there are no days off in the veterinary profession.

We go home and shed tears for your animals diagnoses and euthanasias, we feel joy when they start to show improvement, and we feel love when they want a cuddle and treat from us.

But we are not here to receive abuse and threats, to be sworn at down the phone or to be called stupid and pathetic.

Please be kind, you don't know what people are facing outside of that 15 minute interaction

#notonemorevet #NOMV
#thisisCVS #bekind

 

[Moobli]

The Veterinary Profession has lost three young, extremely talented, hard working Veterinary surgeons in the last two weeks due to them taking their own lives .

The vets and vet nurses at the Practice I use are dedicated, caring individuals who I have the greatest respect and admiration for. One of the young vets who took their own life recently worked for them but I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting her directly. I can only think of her family and friends at this devastating time. Rates of suicide among the veterinary profession are very high (pressure of work, long exhausting hours, the emotional aspect of having to euthanise pets, dealing with anger and accusation from clients must all take its toll). Anyone with animals knows the cost of keeping them fit and well and medical costs are expensive. We are shielded in this country to the cost of medical equipment, medicines, surgery etc due to our wonderful NHS, but if we had to pay for our own healthcare we may have a better understanding of the high costs of running a veterinary practice. When taking on a pet please consider the costs involved and take out insurance and above all please be kind to the veterinary staff who are performing a very difficult job, under immense pressure, doing their very best for you and your pet. #NOMV #bekind

 

[Birker2020]

I agree, vets are one of the highest professions at risk of suicide, so are doctors, nurses, primary school teachers, farmers, police and low skilled labourers in construction are three times higher than the national average.

So sad.

 

[HashRouge]

I saw this on a (vet) friend's profile on Facebook the other day. I would love so many aspects of being a vet but I'd find PTS so difficult, I can't imagine the emotional toll it can take. I always try to treat my vets well and be a good client, it's such a small thing to do.

 

[Red-1]

I agree with all your sentiments but would add that I don't think it is helping, the way big corporations are buying up the smaller practices. They are having to run with different a different ethos that they did before.

I would also imagine that the economic crisis is taking its toll on owners and vets alike.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I feel so lucky to be at a wonderful vets practice who go above and beyond for my animals. Yes sometimes bills are expensive but I know that vets don’t earn an extortionate amount.
It’s very sad ?

 

[Britestar]

I would love so many aspects of being a vet but I'd find PTS so difficult, I can't imagine the emotional toll it can take.

Its not the PTS that pushed them over the edge.
Its the vitriol that's posted on social media about them, about their ability to do their job and the constant abuse from clients.

 

[Tiddlypom]

It’s beyond sad that this is still happening. Our local community was rocked a number of years ago by the suicide of a much loved local vet.

The shock waves from that are still reverberating, tbh.

 

[HashRouge]

Its not the PTS that pushed them over the edge.
Its the vitriol that's posted on social media about them, about their ability to do their job and the constant abuse from clients.

Moobli's two posts mentioned multiple factors, including the emotional toll of having to put animals to sleep.

 

[Starzaan]

Although I’m not a vet, I have worked incredibly closely with several large veterinary hospitals for a long time, and a lot of the time I’m ‘on the front line’ dealing with owners alongside them.

It is gruelling at the best of times, but when you have a rude, abusive and uncaring owner it is absolutely unbearable. I love what I do. I love fixing broken ponies. But I go to bed in tears an awful lot because the owners of those horses have made it too hard to cope that day.

Our vets are incredible. We are so lucky to have them in this country. We need to take better care of them.

 

[MurphysMinder]

It’s beyond sad that this is still happening. Our local community was rocked a number of years ago by the suicide of a much loved local vet.

The shock waves from that are still reverberating, tbh.

Such a loss, and that was a classic case of a vet who cared too much .

 

[View]

The suicide of the vet I worked for while still at school and who looked after our dog still haunts me to this day. Thirty years later, I still remember his patience and kindness to all animals, and with me and his nurse learning so much from him. He was superb with caring owners. Sensible, pragmatic, caring.

Another who cared too much.

It’s so sad that this is still happening.

 

[Supertrooper]

I feel so lucky to be at a wonderful vets practice who go above and beyond for my animals. Yes sometimes bills are expensive but I know that vets don’t earn an extortionate amount.
It’s very sad ?

Without our practice being bought by a corporate though there wouldn’t still be a vet practice because none of the younger vets want to buy and run a practice (understandably so)

There were initially lots of changes yes but actually for both the clients and the staff the majority of these were positive

I am very lucky to work in a fantastic, caring and hugely dedicated team where our clients come first and the vast majority are lovely and treat us with respect

But it is an incredibly difficult job at times and hugely heartbreaking at points. And it is only going to become more difficult because of the economic climate

 

[misst]

I am so lucky that my vets are an independent local vet who offer a wonderful service. They deserve respect and the right to work without public criticism on social media. Mine gave up his BH weekend to look after my dog in August so she would not have to go to the local corporate out of hours service. The bill was amazingly cheap for a laparotomy, drugs,scans, drips 4 night stay, follow up, barium swallow and fantastic care (she still loves going there). It was just under 2.5K for the lot. I dread them being taken over one day. . They have a long waiting list locally as the only independent for a long way. When I said to the receptionist how reasonable the bill was she laughed and said please tell other people this. How much do people expect things to cost?!

 

[rara007]

I doubt any of the younger vets were either 1: offered a chance at partnership or 2: able to have afforded to buy in. The prices the big companies are paying for practices it’s impossible to fight against them as a group of individuals. And they way they’re sold, it’s top secret until the deal is done. People who have put 10+ years working as an associate are having practices sold from under them without warning. You can’t blame the owners, the big guys are fighting it out with a difference in price being millions, with a nice retirement deal too. But to say young vets don’t want to own is misguided.

 

[meleeka]

A lovely vet at my local practice was one of the recent suicides. It’s so tragic and such a sad loss of an amazing vet. I remember when he moved branches, I just followed him there, even though it was a lot further away.
My equine vet took his own life around 30 years ago, so I think there were huge pressures even then. I do agree that the corporate buy outs probably haven’t helped morale. The pressure to make money can’t be helping when most vets didn’t go into the job for profit but to make a difference.