Wellness in Vet Med

There has been much discussion in recent years about the high rate of suicide amongst veterinarians and veterinary staff. Those of us within the veterinary community are unfortunately all too familiar with the statistics. Though a full, honest and open discussion on the various factors that place us all in this high risk category is beyond LAVA’s purview, we feel we need to highlight some places where these types of discussions are being held.

If you are having suicidal thoughts or you know someone who is, please call ot text the Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988 or visit talksuicide.ca

Two past supporters of LAVA have helped our colleagues locally, provincially and nationally in dealing with mental health and well-being.  

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk has blogs, podcasts and webinars addressing well-being in the veterinary community. : revivingvetmed.com

Senani Ratnayake and Vet Alliance has provided LAVA with the following list of resources for those looking to further the discussion around mental health and suicide.

***Click Here For Vet Alliance PDF***

These are but a few examples of how we can help ourselves, colleagues, friends and family. We all know how difficult this profession can be, so we hope we can help support each other by being kind, taking care of ourselves and seeking help when needed. All of you are important to us at LAVA and to the entire veterinary community, so we hope to be able to see you around for years to come!

Warmest regards,

Danièle, Kurt, Tracy (LAVA executive)