Megan Alderson, owner of The Strand Veterinarian, says financial issues and compassion fatigue are big drivers in the stress vets face.

There was a time when the sound of a ringing phone would send a surge of dread through vet Megan Alderson's body.

Long hours, money worries, managing owners' treatment expectations and arriving at work to find a pet had died in the night took its toll.

Alderson has been a veterinarian for 25 years, she loves her job and has her own clinic in Parnell, Auckland, but said many people don't understand the mental anguish vets face.

"When I was starting out, and this is the same for many vets, I was on call 24 hours. There's this constant anxiety on what's coming next, I would start crying whenever that phone rang, I had insomnia because I was so worried about what would happen."

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During that time Alderson worked at a clinic where there was no after-hours care and said some mornings she would come in and open a cage to a dead pet.

123RF Vets say they face a large number of stressful situations while on the job.

"There would be a very sick animal, and you'd leave for the night and come in the next morning never knowing what you were going to see when you re-opened that cage.

"I try no to think about it too much."

A study of deaths of veterinarians in Australia indicated suicide rates approximately four times that of the adult population, while 24 per cent of vets in New Zealand responded to a 1999 survey reporting feeling depressed at least "reasonably often".

Alderson said of her graduating class in 1992, two out of 40 had taken their own lives.

"The stress of the job is really crippling our profession because we don't have enough vets staying in the job - young vets come out of university all fluffy and bright but they get worn down.

"We work long hours and there's high expectations from our clients," Alderson said.

Melanie Earley Alderson says stress and depression was "crippling" the industry.

Alderson said spending the day solving problem after problem also left vets feeling "compassion fatigued".

"It's an emotional rollercoaster, you can't help but take some stuff home."

A few years ago Alderson was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and thought about spending some time away from the job.

"There was a lot of external stress in my life at that time, I was dealing with a miscarriage and a marriage break up and I was just worn down."

When Alderson asked for time off she was denied.

"I just couldn't afford to stop working," Alderson said. "There's this misconception that vets are rich but we're not, and we're constantly being asked to do work for free."

Alderson said when speaking about the mental health of veterinarians, it was important to note it affected everyone in the industry, including vet nurses and reception staff.

Professional advisor for the Veterinary Council, Wayne Ricketts, said he was aware of two vets who had taken their own lives in the past year.

Ricketts said while there were a lot of stresses in the job, he had no knowledge on whether the suicide rate was as high in New Zealand as in Australia.

Dean of veterinary sciences at Massey University, Jenny Weston, said being a vet was "emotionally draining".

"You see some pretty horrible things," she said.

The worst thing Weston ever encountered was when she was called to help a group of cows who had been hit by a train.

"The level of the pain I saw there was just horrific," Weston said.

Fifth year veterinary student at Massey University, Vicki Lim, has started The Riptide Project as a way to open up the conversation of mental health within the vet community.

Lim shares stories from veterinary professionals from around the world, and also runs a mentor programme to help reduce stigma and provide support within the industry.

To deal with the levels of stress vets face, the Vet Council and Vet Association in New Zealand have also set up an employee assistance programme offering free counselling sessions.

Alderson said awareness of mental health and wellbeing within the industry had increased in the past few years.

"I do still hear a lot of the same issues from young vets but I also hear really good ones about support and mentorship."

​While it is not something that is done in all vet clinics, Alderson and her staff hold debriefs after dealing with difficult cases.

"Recently we had an animal in who had eaten human pills and he was already having seizures when he got here. We tried our best but couldn't save him, we talked about it afterwards.

"I think just having a conversation about it is good, when I was younger there wasn't anyone there for me, I don't want any of my staff to go through what I went through."

WHERE TO GET HELP:

1737, Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor

Lifeline – 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland

Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat

Samaritans – 0800 726 666

Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

What's Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5–18 year olds). Phone counselling is available Monday to Friday, midday–11pm and weekends, 3pm–11pm. Online chat is available 7pm–10pm daily.

Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (0800 kidsline) for young people up to 18 years of age. Open 24/7.

thelowdown.co.nz – or email team@thelowdown.co.nz or free text 5626

Anxiety New Zealand - 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389)

Supporting Families in Mental Illness - 0800 732 825.

If it is an emergency or you, or someone you know, is at risk call 111.