published on
04/26/2025
written by
Dr. Yasmin Daradkeh
Dr. Yasmin is a field veterinarian with a strong background in surgery and international veterinary work. She holds a master’s degree in surgery and has worked across diverse settings—from small animal clinics to large-scale field operations and One Health research initiatives. Currently pursuing a PhD in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, she continues to blend hands-on clinical work with research to support sustainable, science-based solutions in veterinary care.
The veterinary profession is both beautiful and challenging. It’s incredibly diverse, with entire specialties within the field, making it hard to wrap your head around everything.
Personally, I’ve worked in small animal medicine and surgery, large animal medicine, and participated in conducting research in One Health and zoonotic diseases. While all of that might sound exciting from the outside, it makes it harder to explain the emotional challenges, complications, and demanding workload to people from other fields. The veterinary field is sadly undervalued in many parts. You’ll often have the rewarding job stories—but unfortunately, you’ll also encounter some heartbreaking ones.
What does it take to thrive as a veterinarian? In this blog post, we’ll explore ways to navigate the emotional demands of the profession, prioritise well-being, and build resilience while advancing animal health.
Being a veterinarian who is passionate about their job is wonderful, it makes you better at what you do. Every case matters, whether it’s a beloved pet, an animal in a commercial farm, or one that could transmit zoonotic diseases to humans. You treat that case as if it is the most important one, and while that makes you a great veterinarian, it also brings with it a mental load and guilt: Did I really do the best I could? What if I didn’t? What if I had done things differently and the animal could have suffered less? Also, the witnessing of people losing their pets, whether it is due to sickness or old age, often happens with a vet around, and as strong as you may be as a person, it eventually takes a toll on you. And a lot of times, you can’t explain it to people because you don’t understand it yourself.
It is in times like these, remember that you’re not alone, veterinarians everywhere go through this, and as humans, it is okay to admit you’re not feeling well and need a break. Listen to your body: if you need to rest then do that, connect with other veterinarians who are in your field, they’re likely going through the same thing you are, be the one to open that line of communication, you’d be helping yourself and others. Your mental health matters. You can’t care for animals if you are not caring for yourself. Remember why you chose this profession in the first place.
Boundaries are great tools for every veterinarian, especially in the work–life balance area. If you’re a veterinarian, you probably already know what I’m talking about, you would get a call from someone you haven’t heard from in years with a vet related question, or one of your clients might meet you after hours and exhaust you with questions or remarks about their pet or animal, while they may stem from a good place, they can be overwhelming when you just want to disconnect from the job after hours and be yourself. It is important to mention that to your friends, and if it is not an option or sometimes, you’re afraid to hurt someone’s feelings, you can tell them you would love to hear about it during the day tomorrow (aka your working hours). And if you are friends with a veterinarian, consider that sometimes, we are tired, and we want to talk to our friends about our personal lives, not just our work lives, if we need a break, it would be nice to know we have you to talk to.
It is okay to feel guilty about your patients, you are only human after all, just remember it is okay to move past that guilt later on. Holding on to those feelings doesn’t make you a better veterinarian, nor does letting go make you any less of one.
Some cases are difficult – they engrave themselves into our memories; I have vivid memories of euthanasias I have performed, of animals whose lives ended on the table, but that same table also holds memories of C-sections that have brought beautiful kittens into the world. It holds fond memories of field visits where camel calves regained the weight they had lost due to illness These are cases that wouldn’t have improved if it hadn’t been for me.
It is important to hold on to such key memories, as they are equally important. In both, I did the best I could, using all of the knowledge and experience I had to treat. Some experiences I would not have acquired if it wasn’t for the difficult cases I have witnessed in the past. There are also moments of accomplishment, like a research paper that wouldn’t have been published if a veterinarian hadn’t done the hard work, mentally or physically. All of this contributes to a bigger cause: where animals don’t suffer because of disease, thanks to the dedication of a veterinarian who has done the work somewhere, ends up saving lives, and helps others do so in the future.
At the end of the day, veterinarians have one of the most unpredictable and rewarding professions out there. We carry the joyful stories, the tough lessons, and the deep sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing our work truly changes lives. Though our patients may not be able to speak, if they could, they’d tell us how we are making a lasting impact on their lives.
The Animal Echo aims to promote individual and collective understanding of animal health and welfare. We bring you insights and opinions from experts across the world. The opinions expressed in The Animal Echo are those of the author (s) and may not necessarily reflect WOAH’s official position.
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