"There is nothing more soul-crushing in life than having the skills and ability to help something helpless and you can't do it because someone can't afford treatment." This is exactly it, thank you.

There's literally hundreds of careers that pay the same/better than vet that are a fraction of the stress. No one goes into this field "just for the money."

Both my parents are vets and when I was little it was all I wanted to do. As I got older and watched them get repeatedly barraged at 3am, on holidays, on their few and far between days off, by clients demanding free or discounted work, calling them greedy, calling them horrible things, I decided I couldn’t handle the profession, and I didn’t pursue it as a career. I cannot tell you how much money my parents have spent out of their own pockets giving “free” and discounted work over the decades. I’ve watched them lose loyal clients they’d helped for many years because another client lied about them. You would be shocked to hear the many, many stories vets could tell you. Please, please, please be considerate of your veterinarians.

I am veterinary student. This talk crushes my heart. But this talk really made me 100% sure that I want to be nothing but a Veterinarian.

I’m a pre-vet student right now and this video was so insightful and struck me. I know it’s not going to be easy. I know that I’m at high risk for suicide because of the profession I’ve chosen. But I also know that I love animals and want to help them.

wow definitely changed my view of the veterinarian profession as a pet owner. thank you to all of my vets.

What we're asking is for people to take responsibility for their actions. Don't get a pet if you can't afford treatment, and if you do, don't blame the vet for when your bad decision and inability to properly care for the animal is the primary problem.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm writing a card to my vet immediately

As a small animal veterinarian, this is a beautiful and honest talk.. nothing hits us more than when a sick pet, who can’t afford treatment, say words about how we don’t care.. we have devoted our life to animals, their care, letting them a quality life, and when the time comes, humane euthanasia... I love my patients, it hurts to let them go... we truly spend so many night, after a long day, for the ones we can’t see. Thank you for your talk, and I am going to share it ❤️

I'm a vet, and I'm a suicide attempt survivor, this talk hit me so hard

Honestly, from my experience, it seems like the reason so many people are surprised at a Vet's life is because to this day, people fail to understand that Veterinarians are Doctors, as much as an MD or DO is a doctor. We both study the very same systems, drugs, processes... the list goes on. The difference lies in that while MDs learn specifically about Humans, Vets learn about everything from fish to our closest relatives, the chimpanzees. I genuinely believe a Veterinarian is more capable of treating a human than a Medical Doctor is capable of treating our pets. To a vet, a human is just one more species. To a md, a dog or cat is a whole new world of muscles, bone structures and medications they may have never heard of before. Respect your vets. Society and, unfortunately, even some doctors see vets as our dumber, second cousins but the truth is far from that. I have no greater respect for anyone than I do the vets and vet colleagues I know from my time in medical school, till now.

My daughter is a 28 yr old vet. I am so proud if her. She asked me to watch this. I had no idea what she goes through. Thank you for helping me understand. Greg

Really great job Dr. Bowden. I'm a veterinary oncologist and I was stressed re-living that day with you. Sometimes I want to scream, "I am just one person"

This is so horribly sad. As someone who paid anything and everything i could to save my pets, I have never blamed the vet. I always suspected that it is heart breaking to be a vet

I am now a 4th yr student in veterinary medicine in the Philippines. And, most people (not saying all of them) here dont really appreciate vets, they always say that being a vet is easy because they only take care of dogs and cats... But they dont know the whole truth... I am so proud to be a vet student.. And so proud of all the vets all around the world...

I’m speechless. We have a close family friend who’s a vet. He always seems so happy. I can’t believe he could be going through this and no one knows he’s struggling. I’ve hidden my struggles before and I would never wish that on anyone.

As a kennel attendant, I have never thought about a veterinarian’s day being like this. The vet I work for isn’t always the nicest, but I think I can understand why a little more now. Thank you for your beautiful words and for allowing me another point of view. I hope as many people as possible can see this.

My dog has a vet appointment in an hour. Glad this popped up on my recommended videos.

Pet insurance is literally $10 for me. Most large companies do this. For the people gilt tripping the vet, please do your research.

I'm going to write my vet a thank you card today. Our pet passed away at home this week from old age, and she'd been treated by them for various illnesses over the past year. She was only a little hamster (we're renting, and can only have small pets), but she was important to us and we were always treated with kindness and respect. If it weren't for our vet, she would have died last year when she got sick. Maybe just a few kind words from us might cheer someone up on a difficult day.

Don’t get pets if you can’t afford to take good care of them. After working in a vet clinic for almost a year, it’s one of the biggest issues we run into daily. A pet is not an accessory, it’s a living breathing thing. Also, be mindful with your words when interacting with clinic staff. Contrary to what it may seem, it’s a high stress environment. It’s like a hospital, but the patients can’t talk. So before you do something just think: “Would this be acceptable at a hospital?” Assumptions people make that are incorrect: 1) all vet hospitals and clinics are the same, have the same records on every pet, offer the same services, and accept the same forms of payment 2) if I don’t want to pay for something, I can scream at the billing department/receptionist until I get it for free 3) Vets don’t have the right to refuse me service 4) my pet can be treated anytime I want because I’m a paying customer (This is a big one. If you know something is wrong with your pet, don’t wait until they’re hanging on for dear life before you bring them in. If the vet techs and the doctor have left for the day, you’ll be redirected. No exceptions) 5) baths, nail trims, shots, grooming etc are simple things that should be free (this is another big issue we run into. It’s a service so it will not be free. These things can be so time consuming that there are actual positions delegated to different people to get these tasks done. In order for them to get paid, you need to pay for the service. Otherwise, you can teach yourself to do these things at home). 6) I can continue to ask the doctor questions even after I have left the office/hospital (it’s important you come with your questions. Doctors don’t have much time so after you leave the office, you’re no longer a priority. Not to say you don’t matter, but now that you’re gone we have other things to finish) 7)my vet will have everything I need and I can request anything and get it at the drop of a hat (vets often work with other vendors to have food, medicines, and other products in the clinic. But we do not always have everything at the drop of a hat. Especially with the pandemic happening, items can’t be promised. If you need something, make sure your hospital or office has it in stock before you run out. And if you need medical records, it’s always good to get those ahead of time instead of waiting until you’re in the lobby at your specialist visit. Records include a lot of info and the doctor has to approve them before they can be sent so more than 2 minutes notice would be great). TLDR: Love your vets so they can love on your pets ☺️

As a mixed practitioner for 29 years, it doesn't get any easier. Just last week I lost a dog to something I missed, and the owner graciously forgave me because she hadn't thought the actual problem was a viable one either. I appreciated this doctors perspective. Hang in there, enjoy the successes, learn from the failures. We never reach a point where we've seen it all.

I was so angry at my vet for not saving my dog’s life but you have given me perspective. Thank you

When I was 23 I got two kittens because they were cute. I didn't think about the decades-long commitment I was making. Now, 18 years later they both cats have kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and a slew of other health issues. They will need medications administered daily for the rest of their lives. It's expensive and time-consuming. But I love them and I accept it. I want them to be happy and comfortable in their golden years. Over the last 18 years, I have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on bloodwork, vaccines, dental cleanings, etc. I have had to put expensive vet bills on my credit card and then slowly try to pay it off. If I could go back, I would tell my younger self to do exactly what Dr. Bowden said: get pet insurance or create a savings account specifically for your pets. Thank you to all the vets and vet technicians out there who work tirelessly to care for our fur babies!

Thank you for sharing. Vets are heroes and humans need to respect that.

Dont forget, on top of all that we are also having people arguing about what we learned in school, vs what a breeder or someone of facebook told them. Every day I hear the most outrageous things of what someone without any veterinary education told an owner to do... and in some cases, it becomes a life threatening situation for the pet.

My beloved pomchi became very sick last weekend and I took her to an emergency hospital in Hoboken. Dr Bowden was her doctor. She was wonderful with my baby, but the treatment did not work and we had to say goodbye the next day. This was no fault of Dr. Bowden, and I came across this video while searching for ways to cope with the loss of my little girl. Your commitment makes a difference and I am so glad you are here to do it.

Just emailed my vet to tell her how much I appreciate her lol

This is my day almost daily. You have ultimately have 3 choices. Don't care, quit, or suicide. Everday the pendulum swings from one extreme to the other usually in just an instant. If it doesnt go the way an owner wanted, then you are the next terrible person to vilify on social media. Combine that with your friends expecting you to be their personal vet on call for every little twitch they deem as abnormal. Personally I live a life isolated from anyone besides immediate family. No friends and no social life. After 17 years in this profession I don't like people anymore anyway.

As an emergency vet assistant and an exotic animal nutritionist, I can confirm this is not only accurate, but the compassion burn out is real. We care more about your animals than you think. We cry out of sight, and cheer for basic miles stones. Be nice to us and we’ll give you everything we have in our hearts.

This made me cry. This is my life. Every day. I love veterinary medicine. I love the animals. I hate the unrealistic demands and one angry mean or unreasonable client can ruin the day or even the week...

Pet insurance pet insurance pet insurance! I pay that premium every month and my words to anyone who thought it was silly to get my dogs health insurance was "I never ever want to be put in the place to make a choice between my pet living and me going financial debt and turmoil." My husky once ate an entire bowl of grapes and the relief I had being able to say to the vet "do anything you have to"...I can't even put into words. You should never blame the vet or office bc you can not afford to care for them. It's not their fault. They have to make a living as well. Understand the costs of owning a pet. Thank you for this. More people need to understand how their words can really effect others. ❤️

Being a Mom to a Veterinarian, I will say this is 110% correct. I have watched over the years as she has "suffered" with pets/owners and you can't be a good doctor if you don't feel every situation.

for every vet student watching this but feeling anxious that they chose the wrong paths, if this is your dream, your goal, don't give up, you can't think there can be any profession that doesn't include stress, fatigue, burnout and a lot of work. the world of work is different than any other one, you cannot survive easily, you'll be under a lot of stress, you'll go though a lot of breakdowns, you'll want to stop, lock yourself at home and regret your choices, but nothing would change choosing another career esp if you love being a vet. people are gonna sue you, insult you, hate you, it's very normal, all you need is to clearly prioritize yourself, when you need to rest, do it and take your time to heal when you're hurt, it's gonna be hard, but i bet if you believe in yourself, it will be sometimes okay and sometimes not, at the end i believe you will survive.

Thank you, Dr. Bowden! I’ve been a veterinarian for 20 years and can’t imagine doing anything else, but I found myself sitting here in tears listening to your beautiful talk. I love this profession, but you have also summed up the things I hate about it. Thank you for pointing out the responsibility that our profession needs to take for what needs to change from within, and thank you for clarifying for the public that their pet’s care is THEIR responsibility. I am there to help and give 110% but it’s not all on my shoulders. Please, people, save for pet emergencies, get pet insurance, GET THEM YEARLY CHECK UPS, and don’t get pets that don’t fit your lifestyle.

This was very eye opening. I want to become a veterinarian when I am older, and I knew a bit about compassion fatigue, but wow. Those statistics are crazy. I've never had mental health problem in the past but this does make me nervous. I still want to help animals though!

This just makes me want to become a veterinarian even more.

Thank you Dr. Bowden for starting this conversation on this level. As a veterinary practice manager I also believe that WE have to make this change by opening an honest dialog with our clients to make them aware of how their comments and lack of wiilingness to accept responsibility for their own pets affect us. Change has to come because our entire profession is at a tipping point, not just a percentage of veterinarians. It's technicians, experienced receptionists and managers too; they are all leaving the profession. Thanks again and I'm going to try to start a dialog at my practice.

I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian but I chose practicality over aspiration. I chose to study business because it’s more feasible than Veterinary Medicine. And after watching this video, how I wish I could turn back time to pursue my dream. Being a veterinarian is truly grueling yet rewarding that’s why I have so much admiration and gratitude to them because of the dedication they give to our beloved pets. Thank you, Dr. Bowden and to all veterinarians out there! 💛

All my life I wanted to become a veterinarian. Once I graduated college and was about to apply, I realized that I knew I wasn’t mentally prepared or strong enough to be a veterinarian. Veterinarians are amazing people who are so well rounded and knowledgeable. There needs to be change.

I am a veterinary student. I love to learn but as you know it is hard for whole time. I didn't see many videos about being vet and how it feels like.. this talk encouraged me! Best TEDx talk ever~

One of the best TED talks I have ever seen. In tears. Thank you Dr. Bowden.

I’m a vet student. I want to be a mixed practise veterinarian because I don’t want to deal with small animal workings everyday. I want some large animal work too. At the same time I don’t want to specialise as a large animal vet only. I want to be able to work on anyone’s animal: equine, porcine, ovine, caprine, canine, feline etc.

This was so informative and relatable. I’ve been a veterinarian for 6 years and vet school did not prepare me for compassion fatigue, being a financial consultant and days of burn out in this field. I had to take a year break doing relief so I wouldn’t spiral into a deep depression and almost considered a different career. I wish this was a course offered or educated to students to prepare them for the reality of vet med. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you Melanie. Continue to be strong and soft, thankful and yet cautious, healer and hopefully healed. My 30 years as a veterinary surgeon were the most fulfilling life I could imagine - complete as it was with countless: victories and defeats; saves and losses; solutions and frustrations; and times of elation as well as deep depression - in sum, a noble life. I spent almost as much time encouraging personal growth and development for my staff, my colleagues and their staffs, as I did the quality of veterinary medicine - for these goals are inextricably inter-related. I am not sure if I made much of a difference, but I still think that it is a critical undertaking for anyone in our profession (or not). It is shameful that such debt must now often be accrued by those entering the profession - a true failing of our profession, but more so of our society - and at a time where there is less chance to recoup those expenditures through practice ownership than anytime before. I desperately wanted to keep the ethos of veterinary medicine protected from private equity and corporate influence, came incredibly close to doing that, and failed. I am sorry, for that will forever add a burden to you and other younger veterinarians that few understand and it is now a trend unlikely to ever be reversed. Good luck with your career, continue to love all life, know that you make a real difference in the world, and despite it all, find peace - before scent rolling in it and sharing that peace with everyone you touch.

Crying.... just. Crying. Please Insure your pets when you can, everyone. Thank you for your presentation. Well said

I started college as a bio/pre vet major. Half way through, I changed my major. For a while, I regretted that choice, but as I worked in Vet Clinics for almost 15 years as a tech, I stopped regretting that decision. I saw the toll it took on the doctors and the long hours they had to put in. I said NO THANK YOU ma'am. I respect veterinarians very much for what they do. They deserve kudos for sure.

As a veterinary technician, I can say that everything Dr. Bowden is say is 100% spot on. Thank you for bringing some light to such sad subject. Remember, your veterinarian and vet technicians care about your pets almost as much as you do, so please just be nice to them. I treat every patient like they are my own. This is how veterinary medicine works.

I’m just a technician, but I’m often in the room to either communicate with clients or on the phone with them in addition to my work in surgery, the lab or performing radiographs and assisting in the kennel. This is the most honest description of a veterinarian’s day I’ve ever heard.

Being a vet is an absolute dream of mine, I unfortunately struggle with depression and anxiety which hinders my learning ability, so it's unlikely but I appreciate and love the work you guys do. Thank you so much for your passion and services for our pets.

I just graduated college to be a veterinary assistant. I’ve always had such a high level of respect for veterinarians, and this is a topic I feel extremely passionate about. If anyone in the world wants the best for your animal, it’s a veterinarian. They are there to heal, treat, and care for your pets when they need someone who knows how to do it. They give the gift of euthanasia- which literally means “good death”- when a pet is suffering, instead of letting the animal suffer to death. They are incredible human beings who take on so much more than anyone can imagine, all for their love of animals. They are heroic. I’ve been in the animal care industry my whole working life, including some volunteer work. It hurts to hear when anyone says negative things about the vet industry- but when you hear negativity about the industry from other animal care workers, it is beyond disheartening. I struggle with mental health problems, and just knowing how many people don’t understand the veterinary industry and criticize it- that alone is enough to send me into a really dark place. I don’t like humans, most of them are awful. This video made me cry. I’m going to share it with as many people as I can. Spread the word, hopefully more people will start respecting veterinarians the way the deserve to be respected. No one devoting their life to such an honourable cause should ever have to feel suicidal. What an awful world we live in.

As a former tech for 15+ years, I completely agree with all of this. From my own experience, however, many vets refuse to delegate what they can to others in their practice so they can unburden themselves at least somewhat. Many vets believe nobody can do it as well as they can, even for relaying normal bloodwork results or making maintenance recommendations. The right support staff can lighten that load, and still, so many vets don't utilize their staff correctly. I've found that not only does that make things harder for the vets while not utilizing good techs to the best of their training and abilities, it sets up precedence in practices where the clients expect to get everything directly from the vet and then start to refuse to speak with/deal with anyone else/ Smart vets must make good use of their educated staff, set up good protocols for dealing with clients, and then make sure everyone follows them.

this really shocked me cuz I want to become a vet and I know it is going to be hard but I never expected so much this just gave me a whole other perspective on the reality im kinda scared rn

let us also remember that even though it wasn’t stressed in the video, vet techs and receptionist need to be taken more into consideration. most vet techs and receptionists spend more time with the client than the actual veterinarians do. when it comes to payment, and phone calls, and deciding when to send to emergency clinics because we’re already double booked and understaffed to accept another urgent care exam. this is a profession wide issue. we are struggling. and it is so hard, but so rewarding in the long run. saving lives every day. very well spoken. as a receptionist at a large hospital, the morning she described is exactly spot on with what my clinic goes through everyday. not good, not bad, just flows. some days are harder than others. but we get through. NOMV

When I was younger I wanted to become a vet. Now I'm working with the opposite of a living creature: doing my masters as geologist (rocks, yaay). Even just seing a stray, skinny kitten or a dog with a lumping leg makes me cry and persuing that path would have been a bad idea because I don't have the emotional strenght it takes. So thank you to all the vets out there who are passionate and strong to help those animals in need !!

A must watch for pet owners. Going into vet school this year (hopefully) and I’ve seen my vet friends really struggle and I can only hope that when I am practising, things will have shifted a little for the better.

Thank you, Dr. Bowden. Veterinary medicine is hard, but it is a labor of love.

The emotional blackmail we are subjected to is staggering sometimes. It’s been made worse with the explosion of social media. Previously you’d have had a complaint letter that you could have dealt with simply yet now you get your reputation trashed for all to see, usually over issues with payment. I do still love my job but it’s certainly not a simple one.

Veterinarians are so under appreciated, they study all sorts of animals and help them through years of work. It really is a difficult job. I hope people realize how bad they sometimes treat their vet or more financial programs that could help with their student debt because it’s making more and more take their lives.

This is exactly how my father lives day to day and he's doing is absolute best! for 30 years! Go dad!

Great job shining a light on the issues that need addressing in the veterinary industry

Thank you, Dr. Bowden. I know as my daughter works in an Animal Hospital. Her day crushes her and she is not even the Vet. Her love for animals moves her, as I'm sure is what started you down this path. It is not just a job, it's a ministry. God bless you and strengthen you. ❤

Dr. Bowden nailed it. I watch my closest friends go through this daily. We need compassion, understanding, and change.

When my beagle passed away, I wrote cards to every single vet and vet tech and department that worked with him. They will always be family to me.

This is amazing. My wife is a veterinary oncologist and these are very similar to some of the stories she tells me everyday. When you factor in the emotional weight of a cancer diagnosis it can get very draining. I think open discussions like this that can educate pet owners is one of the many keys to improving the compassion fatigue that can be incredibly consuming.

This video has really opened my eyes. As soon as she talked about the suicide rates I started crying.

I’ve wanted to be a surgeon since before I can remember because “I don’t mind cutting people open, but I don’t have the strength to work on animals”. I have absolutely nothing but respect for all the vets out there and the emotional toll it takes on you guys; I couldn’t do it in a million years. Thank you so much for helping to keep our best friends healthy 💕

Man, I'm a veterinary student in the Netherlands and my debt isn't going to be anywhere near that. I can't imagine having that weighing down on you too!

I work as a vet tech at an understaffed clinic and honestly its amazing to see this information out here like this. So many of our clients get angry or upset when we cant tend to them right away or if the vet is busy. We all care and want to do the best we can everyday. This is really accurate and amazing to see. Thank you so much for shedding light on this career.

I was crying 5 minutes in. I’m a vet tech and this job 100% has a huge impact on my mental health.

I'm a vet in grad school and I'm mostly studying in my lab. I can't practice! I used to love being in clinics when I was an undergrad student but after losing a pet I got too scared to touch an animal again. Vet practice takes a lot of courage and patience and I don't know if I am able to handle it.

Great speach and very nicely expressed. I am lucky to have done my Veterinary Degree in India where Government pays most of my college fees. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to be in debt for 30 years just because you choose your profession. Knowledge and education should be available and affordable to all.

This is literally my sister right now, too much stress...she used to love doing this but now she is getting depressed all the time. Burnout is real😢

Thank you thank you thank you!! I'm a veterinary technician. I relate to all of this. The hectic day, the switching from crying one minute to being cheerful the next. Not every day is like that, but there are enough to weigh on a spirit. I have been accused of not caring about animals and being in it for the money. If pet owners only knew........

honestly, this profession is extremely underpaid

I am a veterinarian and I want to applaud Dr Bowden for taking the time and effort to make this talk. These are ideas that need to be shared! Everything in this video is an exact example of my life on a daily basis. I have been a vet for 18 years and the emotional toll it has taken on me is often overwhelming. The extreme highs and lows on a daily basis are often hard to deal with and I agree that most clients have no idea. I do hope we as veterinarians find a way to change how things are done. Maybe this talk will be a pathway to change.

To all of you Vet's know the majority of us LOVE YOU, and What you do...Thank YOU XO

All of this is true. This profession is absolutely wonderful and terrible at the same time. We often get blamed and guilted by the client because they can't afford treatment for the pet they have 100% ownership for- and then they bash us online. The part that always stings is that the "practice manager" comments in veterinary and tech forums/videos. Managers are usually painted as the villian. Yes, we must be careful stewards of practice finances, that is how we pay for equipment and staff that help the veterinarian. We often don't get to see the puppies/kittens, or the happy owners but we ALWAYS get to see the angry clients- who feel more unshackled to unleash their vitriol on us. They often save the best of their beastly wrath for us. Then there is the staff- who need to be comforted when that client rips them apart on their way out the door. On the flip side- we also often get demonized by the same staff we care for because we ask them to come in and do their job- without gossiping or tearing each other down (because they are redirecting their anger from the clients). We are blamed if we hold the line of accountability (by both sides- because either we don't do enough or we do too much). We become the dumping ground for staff who don't want to deal with the problem they have- and we get blamed for the unsolvable problems- "why doesn't management do something". Sometimes we can't, or we run out of time or resources. Much of the time we say internally- we have a name, and it isn't management. Most of the time we go home feeling absolutely beat down, because we are the problem solvers, soul soothers and first line defense. So if you are a client- remember you start a domino effect when you lay on guilt or anger. And for anyone working in veterinary medicine- remember we are on your side too.

I watched this 3 years ago. And nothing has changed, except I am closer to the end you speak of.

For 14 years i was involved with an animal shelter in many capacities, from foster parent, to volunteer, to spay neuter coordinator, and many more including vet tech. That all ended when a younger less experienced person was hired as full-time vet tech instead of me. I have experienced much of what was talked about here but was committed to continuing my career in animal sheltering, until that day. I ultimately walked away not because of the stress and heartache of the profession but because of the politics of being passed over for the job. I miss it with my whole heart.

I completed a Bachelor Degree of Veterinary Nursing and work alongside many Vets, whom I see as great friends. We are underpayed, underappreciated and often overwhelmed. Particularly with covid 19 restrictions this year in Victoria. My team is currently struggling with compassion fatigue BUT we all chose this career because we are passionate about what we do. It is hard. Very hard. But at the end of the day its worth it. It has to be. Thank-you to the Veterinary staff of the world 💖

This truly rang a bell. Every single thing, every single line. I'm a veterinary practitioner in India and I'm surprised that it's still the same world over. People's attitudes and the way they are ready to put the blame on the doctor. Kudos to you! This was so touching. I hope enough people view this video. If it changes even one person to think or act differently . I think that's good enough. And yes, people should NOT be given pets as gifts. They honestly don't know what kind of committment it is. It's exactly like a baby. And most people don't get that. They think it's all cute and furry. Till it's NOT.

I assisted at animal hospitals for a few years, this is accurate to how the day went . The vets go through alot but so techs and assistants who make probably minimum wage. Just be nice to the people working at your local animal hospital.

I'm not even five minutes into this video and I've already started crying and I have no idea why. I'm not a vet, but I have a deep love for animals and it makes me emotional to hear any animal's struggles. Thank you for what you and all vets do!

Your story touched me greatly. It is inconceivable that you who have sacrificed so many years to provide us with the care of our pets have to work in these conditions. My hope is that there are enough people to advocate for all of you for better working conditions and more consideration, including ourselves as clients. You deserve respect and to work in a healthy environment where there is no risk to your health or life. Best wishes.

As I vet myself, I could not relate more to this.... Thank you for speaking about this, it is all true :(

I am not a vet, but I have pets, so visits to a vet are usual. It is so strange - Dr. Bowden smiles and laughs through her whole speech, while I am crying and sobbing over a pile of napkins. When my dog died last year, I felt like I have lost everything, I just wished I could die there with her. I cannot even imagine how painful it is for vets to see pets die every day, and still stay strong and continue helping people and their fur babies. I just want to say thank you very much to this beautiful woman and every veterinarian out there for everything they do to help animals.

I have been struggling with burnout for so long....this speech took the words out of my mouth. Thank you for making me feel less alone.

I'm a veterinarian as well. Each and every bit of this makes sooo much sense in every day Life. One of the best TEDx talks. Everyone needs to understand this that our duty isn't just about cuddling pets. Thank you Dr. :) XOXO

It's unbelievable how accurate her description is. I am a vet and I just gave up on general practice due to everything she described. As someone who is under treatment for depression, I just need to put my mental health first.

I never knew that being a vet was this hard. I am a students that wants to be a veterinarian in the future. Even after hearing this speech, I still want to be one. I respect all the veterinarians working in our world right now and how hard they are working. I hope that they get the recognition they deserve.

Thank you for this insightful talk. As a practicing veterinarian for 18 years now, your speech rings true. I wish more people would understand and appreciate what veterinarians go through on a daily basis and show compassion for those showing compassion to their beloved furry friends.

people dont realize this but a vet is pretty much same with human doctors

As a Vet Med Professional- this made me cry. Thank you for standing up there and sharing.

I am one of the veterinarians that burned out and left the profession 8 years ago. I knew 2 veterinarians who committed suicide. Your talk resonated....to my gut. You gracefully and successfully covered many points, and particularly hit the nail on the head in explaining what they DON'T teach you in school. That has been a common thread in my answer to "Why did you leave that career?". Your description of your day was true to form for me, plus we had "walk-ins", non-emergent, that we had to see despite timing of scheduled appointments per the bosses. And, a second nail, so true, that if you sit TO WORK and the staff need something, then you can because "You're not doing anything"! Veterinary medicine IS wonderful. I do miss many parts of it, and change agents like yourself will hopefully pave the way for that better future for this career.

I am 4th year DVM student and i spend my time in study and Going to villages and helping people regarding animal welfare and their problems. My focus on every specie of animals either small or large animals because in our country there is shortage of vet. So u have to treat all types animals & birds. All day which patients i deal on night before sleeping i pray for their recovery coz i feel their pain & suffering.

And as a former vet clinic manager, with 3 vets in the clinic...all you clients need to understand what it costs to run a clinic. In 2000, our clinic had to clear 2500 each day just to pay the bills. That was not giving the owner a paycheck. He purchased the practice with clients owing 100,000.00 to the clinic Stop being selfish when it comes to money

Thank you to this brave young woman for “coming out” on the HUGE stress load most vets carry. As a well informed individual, this talk has given me an even better insight into the strains vets encounter. I am forwarding this to one of the complainers!

I am a small animal veterinarian here in the Philippines. Everything Dr. Bowden said about the practice, except for the high suicide rate, happens the same way here in our country. It is a consolation that as the number of small animal veterinarians here are increasing people become more conscious about responsible pet ownership. As a third world country this is a great challenge for us. The struggles of a small animal veterinarian everywhere in the world is one and the same. However, it is a consolation that despite the lockdown in our country pet parents have more time to spend with their pets and veterinary clinics are allowed to operate. We feel grateful that we continue to serve the pets and their human family amidst the global pandemic. To all the veterinarians in the world let us continue to practice our profession with great honor and dignity. To God be all the glory.

This was a very well spoken TED talk. I didn't expect to be brought to tears towards the end of the comment of how after a long day or bad case we tend to go to a dark place. I have done that countless number of times. The only thing that gets me through those tough times is knowing that I tried my best! I am always striving to be a better veterinarian for my patients. I came out of school with a similar debt load and am always feeling the pressure of being in major debt that never seems to get down thanks to interest. Thank you for this speech and I hope more pet owners can see where we are coming from and that we do really care.