Ask a veterinarian: What questions do you have about your pets?

One of the things the pandemic revealed is how much many of us love our pets and what good boys and girls they are.

Social distancing and staying home as much as possible gave us more time with the dogs, cats and other pets that live with us. They were by our sides and in our laps as many people worked from home or attended online school. Some became new pet owners by rescuing puppies and kittens from animal shelters and welcoming them into the family.

But what was happening inside the clinics where veterinarians were working to care for all these pets? What changes took place with the workload and the mental health of veterinarians and other vet clinic workers?

In 2018, even before the pandemic began, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study showed veterinarians in the U.S. were at an increased risk of suicide, a trend that has spanned more than three decades. Female veterinarians were three and a half times more likely to die from suicide than the general population. Male vets were twice as likely. 

Host Angela Davis spoke with a veterinarian about how things are going in veterinary clinics in Minnesota and took listener questions about all things pets.

Guest:

• Dr. Justine Lee is a veterinarian and a board-certified specialist in both emergency critical care and toxicology. She’s also the author of two books: “It’s a Dog’s Life but it’s Your Carpet” and “It’s a Cat’s World … You Just Live in It.”