Signs of Compassion Fatigue in Veterinary Medicine (And How to Cope)

Veterinary work is deeply rewarding, but it’s also emotionally intense. Day after day, you’re caring for sick pets, supporting anxious owners, and making tough decisions under pressure. Over time, that emotional load can start to wear on you. You might feel drained, disconnected, or just not like yourself.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. You may be experiencing compassion fatigue: A form of emotional exhaustion common among caregiving professionals, especially in veterinary medicine. It’s not a personal failing or a sign you care too much. It’s a natural response to the constant exposure to stress, suffering, and high-stakes work.

In this article, we’ll break down the most common signs of compassion fatigue in veterinary settings, and—more importantly—how to cope. From small self-care shifts to system-level support, you’ll find practical, evidence-based ways to take care of your well-being while continuing to do the work you love.

What is compassion fatigue, and why vets are at risk

Compassion fatigue is a form of emotional and physical exhaustion that stems from caring for others in distress, especially over long periods of time. It often shows up in people who work in helping professions where empathy is part of the job. In veterinary medicine, the risk is especially high.

You're not just treating animals: You’re navigating emotionally intense cases, supporting anxious pet owners, making complex decisions, sometimes under financial constraints, and often ending your day buried in documentation and veterinary record keeping. These pressures—even when well-intentioned—add up.

It’s not uncommon. According to a large study of over 5,000 U.S. veterinarians, more than 50% experienced high levels of burnout, and about 59% scored in the high range for secondary traumatic stress—two major components of compassion fatigue. That means many veterinary professionals are operating under sustained emotional strain (Kogan et al., 2020). 

This isn’t a sign you’ve stopped caring. It shows you’ve cared deeply for too long without the time or space to recover—and that’s normal given what your job demands.

Common signs of compassion fatigue in veterinary professionals 

Recognizing the signs of compassion fatigue early is key to protecting your mental health—and your ability to care for others. These signs don’t always appear all at once, and they can look different from person to person. But in veterinary settings, they often follow familiar patterns.

Here are some of the most common ones to look out for:

Decreased empathy

You became a veterinary professional because you care. But lately, that deep sense of compassion might feel distant, or even gone. Maybe you used to tear up when a pet passed away. Now, it just feels like another part of the job. Not because you don’t care, but because you’re running on empty.

Decreased empathy is one of the first signs of compassion fatigue. It can show up as emotional numbness, impatience with clients, or feeling indifferent to cases that used to move you. When empathy starts to fade, it’s often a sign your brain is trying to protect you from overload.

Emotional exhaustion

After long days filled with tough decisions, difficult clients, and heartbreaking outcomes, you may feel completely drained—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Emotional exhaustion is more than just being tired; it’s that overwhelming sense that you have nothing left to give.

In veterinary settings, emotional exhaustion can build slowly, making it hard to bounce back even with rest. Managing multi-pet vet records and constantly updating medical notes adds to the workload, fueling fatigue and overwhelm. You might find yourself dreading work or feeling detached, like you’re just going through the motions rather than fully engaged.

Pro tip: Using CoVet’s AI-powered veterinary dictation software can help reduce the mental load of record keeping, allowing you to focus more on patient care and reconnect with your compassion. By automating SOAP notes and streamlining multi-pet vet records, CoVet frees up time and energy to better support both pets and their owners.

CoVet automatically generates comprehensive medical notes across cases. All you have to do is click record.

Detachment/emotional numbness

Detachment can feel like a protective shield, shutting down feelings to cope with constant stress. You might catch yourself feeling numb during emotionally intense moments, like euthanasia or critical cases, where you once would have been deeply affected.

This numbness can also spill into how you interact with colleagues, clients, or even your own family. While it might feel like a survival mechanism, over time it can isolate you and reduce your connection to your work and the people around you.

Irritability and anger

Small things that never used to bother you—like a missed call, a stressful shift, or a difficult client—can suddenly trigger frustration or even anger. You might find yourself snapping at coworkers or feeling on edge more often.

This irritability is often a sign that stress and fatigue have built up beneath the surface. It’s a common way compassion fatigue shows up and can make working in a team environment even harder.

Poor sleep or sleep disturbances 

Struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or feeling unrested even after a full night’s rest are common signs of compassion fatigue. The stress and emotional weight of veterinary work can interfere with your ability to relax at home.

Poor sleep affects your mood, and impacts your focus, decision-making, and physical health, making it even harder to cope with daily demands.

Physical symptoms (headaches, stomach issues)

Frequent headaches, stomach aches, muscle tension, or other stress-related physical symptoms can be signs that your body is overwhelmed.

These symptoms may seem unrelated to work at first, but when combined with emotional signs, they often point to chronic stress and compassion fatigue taking a toll on your health.

How to manage and prevent compassion fatigue

Recognizing the signs of compassion fatigue is the first step. But knowing how to manage and prevent it is what helps veterinary professionals protect their wellbeing and continue providing excellent care. 

Here are practical strategies you can start using today: 

Implement self-care tactics you can start today

Self-care isn’t indulgence. It's essential protection against veterinarian burnout. Setting clear boundaries, like no emails after hours or saying no to extra shifts, helps create mental space to recharge. Schedule breaks during your workday and take regular time off to support recovery.

Mindfulness practices such as deep breathing, meditation, or short relaxation exercises can reduce stress and improve focus. Simple stress management techniques like exercise, journaling, and maintaining good sleep hygiene also build resilience and support emotional balance.

Seek peer or professional support

Talking openly with colleagues, supervisors, or friends about how you’re feeling can lighten the emotional load. Peer support groups offer shared understanding and practical advice from others who “get it.”

Professional counseling or Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide confidential help and coping strategies tailored to your needs. Remember, asking for help is a sign of strength—not weakness—and a vital part of managing compassion fatigue.

Create or advocate for system-level changes

Individual actions are important, but lasting change also requires adjustments at the practice level. Advocating for sustainable workloads, flexible scheduling, and emotional debriefs after tough cases can improve the work environment for everyone.

Introducing an AI copilot and scribe like CoVet also supports veterinary teams by automating time-consuming tasks, reducing documentation burdens, and allowing vets to focus on patient care and emotional recovery. CoVet emphasizes enhancing your role—saving you time and mental energy—without undercutting the importance of your work or the care you provide.

CoVet is designed specifically for the veterinary field, making it one of the most accessible and profession-focused solutions available.

CoVet helps you quickly record all patient visit details—from exams to follow-ups—so you have more time to care for pets and yourself.

Taking control of compassion fatigue: Protect your wellbeing and practice

Compassion fatigue is a very real and common challenge faced by veterinary professionals at all levels, from solo practitioners to large multi-location practices. The emotionally intense nature of veterinary work, combined with constant exposure to suffering and high workloads, puts vets and their teams at increased risk. 

However, taking small, practical steps—such as setting firm boundaries around work hours, prioritizing self-care, seeking peer or professional support, and advocating for systemic changes—can make a meaningful difference in preventing and alleviating compassion fatigue. Tools like CoVet offer specialized support tailored to veterinary professionals, helping to lighten the administrative burden and create space to focus on what truly matters: patient care and your own health.

If you notice any signs of compassion fatigue, don’t hesitate to start with one small change today. Whether that’s setting clearer boundaries, reaching out for support, or exploring tools like CoVet, every step counts toward a healthier, more sustainable veterinary practice.

Frequently asked questions about signs of compassion fatigue

What are the 5 stages of compassion fatigue? 

The five stages are stagnation, irritability, withdrawal, emotional numbness, and isolation. Recognizing these helps vets address stress early.

What's the difference between compassion fatigue vs burnout?

While both involve emotional exhaustion, compassion fatigue comes from caring for others in distress and happens quickly. Burnout is long-term work stress affecting motivation and job satisfaction.

How can vets and veterinary care teams overcome compassion fatigue? 

Practice self-care, seek peer or professional support, push for better workplace policies, and use veterinary dictation software and AI copilot tools like CoVet to ease record keeping and reduce admin load.