Veterinary Burnout Is Real: How to Recognize the Signs Before They Take Over

We need to talk about burnout — not as a buzzword, and not as something that only happens to “other” people. Burnout in veterinary medicine is real, and it often shows up slowly. It can look like emotional exhaustion, or feeling disconnected from work you used to love. It might feel like patience turning into irritability, or like you’re moving through the day on autopilot. And if your first instinct is, “I’m fine. I just need to push harder,” that may be burnout’s quiet way of slipping under the radar — because denial is one of its favorite hiding spots.

But here’s the thing: burnout is not a character flaw. It’s not about strength. It’s not about resilience. Burnout is a signal, not a failure. It’s your mind and body saying that what you’ve carried has been heavy for a very long time. You are a human being first. A veterinarian second. And your wellbeing matters.

Ask yourself if you’ve been feeling emotionally drained at the start of the day, not just the end. Notice whether you’ve been more irritable or short with people than you used to be. Consider if you’ve been feeling disconnected from your work, even though it used to mean something deeply to you. Pay attention to whether you’ve been moving through tasks mechanically rather than with presence or purpose. Or simply notice if something has felt “off” for longer than you’re comfortable admitting.

Those are signs worth listening to.