Augustus / August 2025 The Monthly Magazine of the SOUTH AFRICAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION Die Maandblad van die SUID-AFRIKAANSE VETERINÊRE VERENIGING Gastrointestinal disorders of backyard poultry – Part 1 of 2 CPD THEME Women's Month nuus•news Access to CPD Articles: https://www.sava.co.za/vetnews-2025/ VET
Dagboek • Diary Ongoing / Online 2025 August 2025 September 2025 SAVETCON: Webinars Info: Corné Engelbrecht, SAVETCON, 071 587 2950, corne@savetcon.co.za / https://app.livestorm.co/svtsos Acupuncture – Certified Mixed Species Course Info: Chi University: https://chiu.edu/courses/cva#aboutsouthafrica@tcvm.com SAVA Johannesburg Branch CPD Events Monthly - please visit the website for more info. Venue: Johannesburg Country Club Info: Vetlink - https://savaevents.co.za/ Western Cape Branch Congress 01-02 August Venue: Protea Hotel, Marriott Stellenbosch & Conf Centre Info: https://vetlink.co.za/western_cape/ 14th International Veterinary Immunology Symposium 11-14 August Venue: Hilton Vienna Park, Austria Info: corne@savetcon.co.za or visit www.ivis2025.org 22nd Annual SASVEPM Congress 20 -22 August Venue: ANEW Resort White River, Mpumalanga, SA Info: https://sasvepm.org/ or conferences@vetlink.co.za Faculty Day 28 August Venue: Onderstepoort, Pretoria Info: Vetlink: 012 346 1590 / https://opvetfacultyday.co.za/ Eastern Cape and Karoo Branch Congress 12-13 September Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Port Elizabeth Info: https://vetlink.co.za/eastern_cape_and_karoo_branch/ 5th International Congress on Parasites of Wildlife and 53rd Annual PARSA Conference 14-18 September Venue: Skukuza, Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga Info: corne@savetcon.co.za or visit www.savetcon.co.za October 2025 Northern Natal and Midlands Branch Congress 11-12 October Venue: Fordoun Hotel and Spa, Midlands Info: https://vetlink.co.za/northern_natal_and_midlands/ The Middle East & Africa Veterinary Congress (MEAVC) 17 -19 October: Pre- and Main Congress Workshops Venue: Jafza One Convention Centre, Dubai Info: www.meavc.com SAVA Free State and Northern Cape Branch Congress 17-18 October Venue: Goose Hill Guest Farm, Bloemfontein Info: conference@savetcon.co.za KwaZulu-Natal Branch Congress 25-26 October Venue: San Lameer Resort, Southbroom Info: www.vetlink.co.za 11th International Sheep Veterinary Congress 27-31 October Venue: Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia Info: https://intsheepvetassoc.org/11th-isvc-2025 10th Annual South African Immunology Society (SAIS) Congress 30 October – 01 November Venue: Garden Court Marine Parade, Durban (KZN) Info: corne@savetcon.co.za or visit www.savetcon.co.za Southern Cape Branch Congress 31 October – 01 November Venue: Oubaai Hotel Golf & Spa, George Info: https://vetlink.co.za/southern-cape-branch/
Vetnuus | August 2025 1 Contents I Inhoud President: Dr Ziyanda Qwalela president@sava.co.za Interim Managing Director: Dr Paul van der Merwe md@sava.co.za Editor VetNews: Ms Andriette van der Merwe vetnews@sava.co.za Accounts / Bookkeeping: Ms Shaye Hughes accounts@sava.co.za/+27 (0)12 346 1150 Secretary: Ms Sonja Ludik sonja@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Reception: Ms Hanlie Swart reception@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Marketing & Communications: Ms Sonja van Rooyen marketing@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Membership Enquiries: Ms Debbie Breeze debbie@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Vaccination Booklets: Ms Debbie Breeze debbie@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 South African Veterinary Foundation: Ms Debbie Breeze savf@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Community Veterinary Clinics: Ms Claudia Cloete manager@savacvc.co.za/ +27 (0)63 110 7559 SAVETCON: Ms Corné Engelbrecht corne@savetcon.co.za/ +27 (0)71 587 2950 VetNuus is ‘n vertroulike publikasie van die SAVV en mag nie sonder spesifieke geskrewe toestemming vooraf in die openbaar aangehaal word nie. Die tydskrif word aan lede verskaf met die verstandhouding dat nóg die redaksie, nóg die SAVV of sy ampsdraers enige regsaanspreeklikheid aanvaar ten opsigte van enige stelling, feit, advertensie of aanbeveling in hierdie tydskrif vervat. VetNews is a confidential publication for the members of the SAVA and may not be quoted in public or otherwise without prior specific written permission to do so. This magazine is sent to members with the understanding that neither the editorial board nor the SAVA or its office bearers accept any liability whatsoever with regard to any statement, fact, advertisement or recommendation made in this magazine. VetNews is published by the South African Veterinary Association STREET ADDRESS 47 Gemsbok Avenue, Monument Park, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa POSTAL ADDRESS P O Box 25033, Monument Park Pretoria, 0105, South Africa TELEPHONE +27 (0)12 346-1150 FAX General: +27 (0) 86 683 1839 Accounts: +27 (0) 86 509 2015 WEB www.sava.co.za CHANGE OF ADDRESS Please notify the SAVA by email: debbie@sava.co.za or letter: SAVA, P O Box 25033, Monument Park, Pretoria, 0105, South Africa CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS (Text to a maximum of 80 words) Sonja van Rooyen assistant@sava.co.za +27 (0)12 346 1150 DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENTS Sonja van Rooyen assistant@sava.co.za +27 (0)12 346 1150 DESIGN AND LAYOUT Sonja van Rooyen PRINTED BY Business Print: +27 (0)12 843 7638 VET Diary / Dagboek II Dagboek • Diary Regulars / Gereeld 2 From the President 4 Editor’s notes / Redakteurs notas Articles / Artikels 8 Perceptions of Maternal Discrimination and Pregnancy/Postpartum Experiences Among Veterinary Mothers 16 Women practice owners projected to overtake men within a decade 18 Women Veterinarians 23 Women veterinarians discuss their mentors, inspiring the next generation 26 Ministerial Appeal Committee Findings: V-Tech Secures Continued Access to Life-Saving Trilostane for Pets 27 Vet Ordered to Compensate Yorkie Owner for ‘Emotional Trauma’ 28 Women in Practice: A Glimpse into V-Tech's Leading Ladies Association / Vereniging 30 SAVA Awards 34 CVC News 36 SAVA News 39 In Memoriam 40 Legal Mews Vet's Health / Gesondheid 45 Life Coaching Technical / Tegnies 42 Royal Canin Column 44 Ophthalmology Column Marketplace / Markplein 46 Marketplace Jobs / Poste 47 Jobs / Poste 48 Classifieds / Snuffeladvertensies 08 42 28 Click on the image to access Vetnews CPD articles « nuus•news
Vetnews | Augustus 2025 2 « BACK TO CONTENTS The past month has been extremely inspiring. From global congresses to local strategy sessions, I’ve come away with a renewed sense of just how much the veterinary profession is evolving and how important it is that we evolve with it. It also gave me an opportunity to reflect on the principles of good corporate governance and ethical veterinary leadership from both an individual and collective perspective. The scale of the AVMA/WVA Congress reflected the strength of an organisation with over 100,000 members and affiliates. There were over 600 continuing education sessions, an exhibition hall filled to capacity and a global audience, a testament to the depth of scope of our profession. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Sandra Faeh, the outgoing AVMA president and IVOC host, for her warm hospitality, and congratulate Dr Michael Q. Bailey, the new AVMA president. I wish him a successful and impactful presidential term! The WVA’s General Assembly highlighted the work completed by its committees and working groups over the past year. Their focus areas include animal welfare, medicine stewardship, and veterinary education (including ethics). Their efforts in this past year resulted in the development of important position statements on the use, availability, and regulation of veterinary medicines. Updates were also shared on the WVA’s One Health Initiative and efforts to improve access to veterinary services in under-resourced areas and to strengthen the veterinary team globally. I encourage our members to visit their website and stay engaged, as the organisation often sends out calls for experts to serve on their committees. We need to significantly contribute the African perspective, which is usually unique on these platforms. We also need to maintain our membership as there is much to learn, benchmark and contribute. The IVOC meeting was also well attended by the member countries. The focus of the coalition is to share and benchmark on critical veterinary issues, including the veterinary workforce, animal health and veterinary business. Take-homes from this meeting strengthened our business strategy process and confirmed the need to look at our value proposition again. Thus, this month, be on the lookout for a survey in this regard, and I encourage all members to participate so that we can align our activities and member offerings with your needs. We had already started on the SAVA business strategy process as shared earlier in the year, and much progress has been made to reduce costs; ensure we continue with our advocacy for the profession and the creation of an efficient member-centred administration. During July, the long-awaited AMR stakeholder engagement took place. I will feature outputs from this event in the next month. We also had, as a sector, an Indaba on FMD, which continues to be a disease control challenge. The commitment shown by the minister to fight this disease will surely bear long-term dividends. In July, I had the privilege of attending a Good Corporate Governance course—at no cost to SAVA, which is worth noting given the considerable expense typically associated with such training! The course offered a fresh and deeply insightful perspective on what it means to be a responsible professional. Its timing was particularly relevant for me, as we are in a transitional period awaiting the outcomes of the SAVC election process. One of the key takeaways was the reminder that ethical leadership is not confined to policy documents or codes of conduct; it is reflected in our daily actions and interactions (including X and WhatsApp, as our lecturer reflected). As such, how we engage on issues with colleagues, share perspectives, and uphold standards contributes significantly to shaping the culture and sustainability of the profession. For me, this was a powerful teachable moment and one I believe we can all reflect on as we continue to build a profession anchored in trust, respect and responsibility. Lastly, as we celebrate Women’s Month, it was encouraging to observe the increasing emphasis on inclusivity and representation within the veterinary profession. One couldn’t help but note the increased representation of women at the IVOC meeting as CEOs or presidents of associations, as well as the incorporation of younger professionals in influential roles. This diversity can only lead to a more robust and sustainable global profession. I thus urge our early career veterinarians to become more involved in the professional structures. By participating, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of the profession and ensure it reflects your values and aspirations. As we head into spring with a clear sense of purpose. Let’s keep the conversations going, keep learning from each other, and keep doing the work that strengthens our profession. v Groetnis! Ziyanda From the President Dear members, Lessons, Leadership & Looking Ahead
Vetnuus | August 2025 3 Vetnuus | August 2024 3 To find out more: Building better practice, together. The co.mpanion partnership is a co.llaborative model that gives you the ownership, support and autonomy you need to build your individual practice’s legacy inside a growing network. co.mpanion is not a corporate body, it is a professional owned and led veterinary model that is right for you if: You are looking for a support structure. You are looking for a better way to exit from or sell your practice. You want to become a shareholder. www.companion.partners Download Value Proposition View Video WhatsApp Sr Dale Parrish
Vetnews | Augustus 2025 4 « BACK TO CONTENTS A couple of strong quotes by a couple of strong women. August is the month when the resilience, strength, leadership and character of women are celebrated in South Africa. When collecting material for this month’s magazine, I focused more on the international female veterinarians. Only last week, the World Veterinary Association congress was held together with the American Veterinary Association’s congress. Several awards went to women in the Veterinary sphere. A few are included. While the vets were congregating in Washington, D.C., a terrible disaster happened in Kerr County, Texas. An unexpected flash flood hit the Texas Hill Country on the 4th of July. Ripping not only houses off their foundations, but also swept through a summer camp and the kids and mentors of one entire cabin were washed away. The bodies of all but 1 have been found at the time of me writing this. Those girls were 8,9,10 year olds. On the first day, the rescue dogs were deployed and with that also the veterinary support teams. On consecutive days, cadaver dogs were deployed. Mules and horses were also used to reach otherwise unreachable areas and to clear debris where possible. The role of the veterinarian was central and paramount to the well-being of these animals. Direct Animal Care: Veterinarians, including those from the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET), provided medical care for animals affected by the floods. This included examining animals, treating wounds, performing surgeries, administering vaccinations, and operating medical equipment. Disaster Relief Support: VETs worked alongside other emergency responders and organisations to provide veterinary support in flooded disaster areas. They helped stabilise animals for transport to full-service clinics and provided on-site care for minor injuries. Coordination and Planning: The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) highlighted the need for temporary shelter, feeding, and medical care for displaced animals in disaster situations. Veterinarians also played a key role in coordinating with local and state governments and nonprofits for animal-related disaster response. Search and Rescue Support: Veterinarians provided care for search and rescue dogs, ensuring they were healthy and fit to continue their vital work. This included treating injuries and providing preventative care. Advocating for Veterinary Resources: Efforts were made to establish a national network of Veterinary Emergency Teams to better prepare for and respond to future disasters, including those in Texas. Again, a confirmation of how important a role Vets play in natural disasters. Keep an eye out in future Vetnewses for an interview with Dr Cindy Otto. She was one of the veterinarians on Ground Zero after the 9/11 disaster. May the female veterinarian be valued for her contribution and respected for the role she not only plays as a professional in the practice or the field, but also in raising the future generation. Andriette v From the Editor Editor’s notes / Redakteurs notas
Vetnuus | August 2025 5 For pets in recovery, living with serious illness or who are struggling to gain weight. With taste beyond belief. 1 2 3 Helps maintain weight & lean muscle with flavourful fats & highly digestible protein Helps break the cycle of inflammation with added omega-3s from fish oil Helps maintain consistent stool quality with our ActivBiome+ prebiotic blend helping pets on the road to recovery V35207, V35206, V35210, V35205 © Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. 2025 Helicopter/On-Care/VNews
Vetnews | Augustus 2025 6 « BACK TO CONTENTS We, the members of the Association, resolve at all times: • To honour our profession and the Veterinary Oath • To maintain and uphold high professional and scientific standards • To use our professional knowledge, skills and resources to protect and promote the health and welfare of animals and humans • To further the status and image of the veterinarian and to foster and enrich veterinary science • To promote the interests of our Association and fellowship amongst its members. Ons, die lede van die Vereniging, onderneem om te alle tye: • Ons professie in ere te hou en die Eed na te kom • ‘n Hoë professionele en wetenskaplike peil te handhaaf en te onderhou • Ons professionele kennis, vaardigheid en hulpbronne aan te wend ter beskerming en bevordering van die gesondheid en welsyn van dier en mens • Die status en beeld van die veearts te bevorder en die veeartsenykunde te verryk • Die belange van ons Vereniging en die genootskap tussen sy lede te bevorder. CREDO The following SAVA members are available on the SAVA stress management hotline. If required, they will refer you to professionals. The SAVA Stress Management Hotline is there to assist members who are experiencing personal problems by offering access to professional counselling/advice. Ken Pettey 082 882 7356 ken.pettey@gmail.com Aileen Pypers 072 599 8737 aileen.vet@gmail.com Willem Schultheiss 082 323 7019 schultheisswillem@gmail.com Mike Lowry 084 581 2624 mikelowry@sai.co.za Tod Collins 083 350 1662 tcollins@isat.co.za The hotline can assist with referrals or simply offer much needed emotional support when anxiety, depression, anger, grief, lonelinessand fear are at their highest. 24-Hour, Toll-Free Helpline Manned by psychologists, social and frontline healthcare workers: 0800 21 21 21
Vetnuus | August 2025 7 SA EVENT MANAGEMENT ETCON YEARS 2004-2024 www.savetcon.co.za +27(0)71 587 2950 www COMING UP 30 OCT - th 10 South African Immunology Society Garden Court Marine Parade, KZN 2026 1-4 th 13 InternaƟonal Crustacean Society STIAS, Stellenbosch Conference Conference 01 NOV JUN 17-18 OCT SAVA Free-State & Northern Cape Branch Goose Hill Guest Farm, Bloemfontein Congress 14-18 SEPT th 5 InternaƟonal Congress on Parasites of Skukuza Kruger NaƟonal Park rd Wildlife and 53 Annual PARSA Conference 11-14 AUG th 14 InternaƟonal Veterinary Immunology Hilton Vienna Park, Austria Symposium “Excellent delegate experience makes events successful. That’s where we come in.” 11 OCT SAVA Oranje Vaal Branch CPD Day Afridome, Parys Early Bird SPECIAL Confirm your 2026 conference with SAVETCON before 30 November and stand a chance to win between 5%-20% discount on the event management fee! Enquire today with for 2026? corne@savetcon.co.za conference@savetcon.co.za or Busy with budget planning
Vetnews | Augustus 2025 8 « BACK TO CONTENTS Perceptions of Maternal Discrimination and Pregnancy/Postpartum Experiences Among Veterinary Mothers Annie S. Wayne 1*, Megan K. Mueller 1,2 and Marieke Rosenbaum 3 Objective: To describe perceptions of maternal discrimination and to begin to understand patterns around the timing of starting families, infertility, and post-partum depression among veterinary mothers. Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions posted to a social media platform “Moms with a DVM.” Sample: 1,082 veterinary mothers in the United States. Procedures: An online questionnaire was administered regarding perceived discrimination, inequities in the workplace due to pregnant or maternal status, desired accommodations, timing of pregnancy(ies), fertility issues, and postpartum experiences. Results: At least one form of perceived discrimination was reported by 819 (75.7%) respondents (M = 2.6, SD = 2.1, range 0–10). Specifically, 789 (72.9%) reported maternal discrimination. Over half of the sample (n= 632, 58.4%) reported at least one instance of perceived inequity in the workplace due to status as a mother (M= 1.23, SD= 1.4, range 0–5). A majority (906, 83.7%) reported that their career had “definitely” or “maybe” affected the timing of their children. One hundred eighty-nine respondents (17.5%) experienced at least one miscarriage, and 192 (17.6%) used fertility treatment due to difficulty conceiving. Postpartum depression was diagnosed in 181 respondents (16.7%), and 353 (32.6%) reported symptoms consistent with postpartum depression but did not seek medical care. Of 953 participants who needed accommodations for breastfeeding and/or pumping while at work, 130 (13.6%) reported excellent accommodations, 454 (47.6%) adequate, 258 (27.1%) inadequate, and 111 (11.6%) had no accommodations provided. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Participants reported experiences of perceived maternal discrimination, as well as inequities and lack of support services due to status as a mother. These results highlight the need for attention and changes to ensure veterinarians have supportive and sustainable career options. 1 Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, United States, 2 Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States, 3 Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, United States
Vetnuus | August 2025 9 Leading Article INTRODUCTION In the last 60 years, veterinary medicine has shifted from a male-dominated (nearly 90%) to a mostly female-dominated (about 80%) profession (1). Despite these demographic changes, female veterinarians are still paid less than their male counterparts, have a higher debt-to-income ratio (2) and experience gender discrimination (3). The number of women in the United States becoming mothers has increased over the last 20 years, and in 2016, 86% of women were also mothers by the end of their childbearing age (4). A majority (51%) of working women in the United States say that having children has “made it harder for them to advance” in their careers, compared to 16% of men (4). In particular, women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers specifically experience discrimination and face challenges navigating parenting and demanding careers. One recent study found that young parents were more likely to leave full-time employment in STEM careers compared to their non-parent counterparts and that mothers left at twice the rate of fathers (5). A recent survey of physician mothers found that 66.3% perceive gender discrimination and 35.8% perceive discrimination based on their pregnant or maternal status at work (6). Navigating the challenges of parenting and pursuing a veterinary career contributes to overall wellness among veterinary professionals. Previous research by the authors shows that parental support by veterinary schools and training programs is lacking and that many trainees perceive that having children during their training years (veterinary school, internships and residency training programs) is not feasible (7, 8). There is currently no data regarding maternal discrimination and the effects it may have on veterinarian mothers. The goal of this research was to explore perceived discrimination among veterinary mothers in the United States and was modelled after a study of physician mothers (6) to compare experiences with a similar population. An additional goal was to look at baseline data on decisions to start a family, infertility and post-partum depression in veterinary mothers to inform and direct future research in this area. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study Design and Overview This study was cross-sectional in design and used an online anonymous questionnaire, composed of both closed and open-ended questions, that was posted to a social media platform closed group “Moms with a DVM.” Questions were designed to mirror data presented in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) (6) that investigated perceived rates of discrimination among physician mothers, so we could compare their results to the experiences of veterinary mothers. Additional questions about infertility, workplace accommodations for parenting, and postpartum depression were added. Participants were eligible if they were over the age of 18 years, identified as a mother or pregnant, had received a DVM or equivalent degree and lived in the United States. The research was reviewed and granted exempt status from the Tufts University Social, Behavioural, and Educational Research Institutional Review Board. The survey was administered by Qualtrics and was posted to the group three times between November 28 and December 10, 2018, with additional posts to sub-groups in the same time frame. “Moms with a DVM” had over 10 thousand members at that time, with approximately 200 new posts per day. Survey Inclusion criteria selected participants who were members of the group “Moms with a DVM” who were over 18 and who self-identified as pregnant or a mother. The questionnaire was composed of closed-ended questions to obtain the following data: demographic information, number and age of children, level of post-veterinary training obtained, type of current employment, whether participants had “ever felt discriminated against” based on 11 factors: their gender, maternal status, being pregnant or breast-feeding, taking maternity leave, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, mental health status, or physical disability [derived from Adesoye et al. (6) study assessing maternal workplace discrimination in physicians]. Additionally, participants were asked about inequities in the workplace due to their maternal status: pay or benefits not equal to peers, not fairly considered for promotion or senior management, treated with disrespect by support staff, held to a higher performance standard than peers, and not included in administrative decision-making (6). Participants were asked to select the top three workplace changes that would be most important “to you as a mother” from a set list. Options included: more flexible weekday schedule, higher pay, longer paid maternity leave, option to work part-time, support with home services, childcare onsite, backup childcare, option to not work on weekends, more vacation days, option to not take on-call, flexibility to work from home, additional support for breastmilk pumping, more sick days, and other (6). In addition, participants were asked about support and accommodations for breastfeeding or pumping, a question about how career choices influenced the timing of pregnancy(ies), and if mothers experienced any infertility issues or post-partum depression. Finally, there was a space for open comments on any aspect of maternal discrimination. Data Analysis Descriptive statistics and frequencies were calculated using statistical software1. To evaluate associations between demographic variables and material discrimination, adjusted logistic region models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals adjusting for age and race/ethnicity (6). For sexual orientation and race/ethnicity, descriptive categories were collapsed into binary variables for the regression analysis since sample sizes in the non-majority individual categories were low (see Table 1). Qualitative data collected in the open comments section were managed using a qualitative data analysis software tool2. Responses were sorted into themes where each response could be tagged in as many thematic categories as appropriate. 1SPSS version 25 and Stata/IC version 14. 2NViVo 12.3.0. >>>10
Vetnews | Augustus 2025 10 « BACK TO CONTENTS Respondents,n(%) Characteristic Total n = 1,082 Experienced maternal discrimination n = 789 OR (CI) for experiencing maternal discrimination P value AGE IN YEARS ≤30 123 (11.4) 85 (69.1) Reference 31–35 388 (35.7) 278 (71.6) 1.1 (0.7–1.7) 0.596 36–40 384 (35.5) 289 (75.3) 1.3 (0.9–2.1) 0.190 41–45 111 (10.3) 84 (75.7) 1.4 (0.8–2.5) 0.282 ≥46 76 (7.0) 53 (69.7) 1.0 (0.5–1.9) 0.924 RACE/ETHNICITY Non-Hispanic White 1020 (94.3) 740 (72.6) Reference Non-Hispanic Black 2 (0,2) 49 (79.0) 1.4 (0.7–2.6) 0.306 Asian 22 (2,0) Hispanic 27 (2,5) Other, or prefer not to say? 11 (1,0) SEXUAL ORIENTATION Straight/heterosexual 1069 (98.8) 780 (73.0) Reference Gay/lesbian/homosexual 3 (0.3) 9 (69.2) 0.9 (0.3–3.0) 0.308 Bisexual 10 (0.9) Transsexual 0 (0) MARITAL STATUS Not currently married, never married, divorced, widowed. 28 (2.6) 22 (78.6) Reference Married 1021 (94.3) 742 (72.7) 0.7 (0.3–1.8) 0.478 Partnered but not currently married 33 (3.0) 25 (75.8) 0.8 (0.2–2.8) 0.743 NUMBER OF CHILDREN 0 14 (1.3) 11 (78.6) Reference 1 411 (37.6) 285 (69.3) 0.6 (0.1–2.1) 0.389 2 483 (44.1) 364 (75.4) 0.7 (0.2–2.8) 0.662 3 154 (14.1) 113 (73.4) 0.7 (0.2–2.6) 0.572 >3 32 (2.9) 26 (81.2) 1.1 (0.2–5.3) 0.9 AT LEAST 1 CHILD <6 YEARS No 161 (14.9) 115 (71.4) Reference Yes 921 (85.1) 674 (73.2) 1.1 (0.7–1.8) 0.551 CURRENTLY PREGNANT OR GAVE BIRTH IN THE LAST YEAR No 753 (69.6) 560 (74.4) Reference Yes 329 (30.4) 229 (69.6) 0.8 (0.6–1.1) 0.232 PRACTICE TYPE Small animal clinical 775 (71.6) 549 (70.8) Reference Large animal clinical 63 (5.8) 52 (82.5) 2.0 (1.0–3.9) 0.043* Mixed animal clinical 86 (7.9) 68 (79.1) 1.6 (1.0–2.9) 0.072 Laboratory animal/public sector/other 158 (14.6) 120 (75.9) 1.3 (0.8–1.9) 0.25 EMPLOYER Private company/small business 909 (84.1) 664 (73.1) Reference Academic institution /government/other 173 (16.0) 125 (72.3) 0.9 (0.7–2.6) 0.7 POST–DVM TRAINING Current student /intern/resident 17 (1.6) 14 (82.3) Reference Internship trained 177 (16.4) 132 (74.6) 0.6 (0.2–2.3) 0.494 Residency trained 100 (9.2) 72 (72.0) 0.5 (0.1–2.0) 0.367 No internship or residency completed 788 (72.8) 571 (72.5) 0.6 (0.2–2.1) 0.413 Leading Article *Denotes statistical significance of P < 0.05. TABLE 1: Demographic characteristics of the survey respondents and maternal discrimination.
Vetnuus | August 2025 11 Leading Article RESULTS A total of 1,160 respondents participated in the survey. There was a response rate of approximately 10% based on the total number of members in the group. Four surveys were removed for not meeting inclusion criteria, and 74 were removed for incomplete quantitative data (only participants with complete questionnaires were retained), leaving an analytic sample of 1,082 participants. The age of the participants ranged from 24 to 71 years old, M= 36.3, SD= 5.1; demographic characteristics are listed in Table 1. Of the 1,082 respondents, 819 (75.7%) reported experiencing at least one form of perceived discrimination (M= 2.6, SD= 2.1, range 0–10), see Figure 1. There was overlap between maternal and nonmaternal discrimination, with 317 (29.3%) participants reporting both types. Likelihood of experiencing maternal discrimination did not vary significantly by the demographic variables, although veterinarians who worked in large animal practice were more likely to have experienced discrimination (Table 1). Over half of the sample (n = 632, 58.4%) reported experiencing at least one instance of perceived inequity in the workplace due to status as a mother (M = 1.23, SD = 1.4, range 0– 5) (Figure 2). Specifically, 346 (32%) reported not being included in administrative decision making, 312 (28.8%) reported having pay or benefits not equal to peers, 289 (26.7%) were treated with disrespect by support staff, 206 (19.0%) felt they were held to a higher performance standard than peers, and 179 (16.5%) felt they were not fairly considered for a promotion or senior management position due to their status as a mother. Participants were asked to report the top three workplace changes that would make a difference to them as a mother: 602 (55.6%) selected a more flexible weekday schedule, 544 (50.3%) longer paid maternity leave, 324 (29.9%) childcare availability onsite, 298 (27.5%) having the option to not work on weekends, 288 (26.6%) having the option to work part-time, 248 (22.9%) higher pay, 224 (20.7%) having the option to not take on-call, 209 (19.3%) backup childcare, 159 (14.7%) additional support for breastmilk pumping, 119 (11.0%) more vacation days, 97 (9.0%) flexibility to work from home, 107 (9.9%) more sick days, 15 (1.4%) support with home services, and 9 (0.8%) would like other changes. A majority of the sample (906, 83.7%) reported that their career had “definitely” or “maybe” affected the timing of their children. Maternal age at the time of first child ranged from 18 to 44 years (M = 31.2; SD = 3.7). With regard to fertility, 189 (17.5%) of the sample experienced at least one miscarriage, and 192 (17.6%) used fertility treatment due to difficulty conceiving. During the postpartum period, 181 (16.7%) experienced diagnosed postpartum depression, and 353 (32.6%) reported symptoms but no diagnosis, yielding a total of nearly 50% of the study population who experienced symptoms of postpartum depression. See Table 2 for full descriptive results regarding fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum experiences. Of the 953 participants who needed accommodations for breastfeeding and/or pumping while at work, 130/953 (13.6%) reported their accommodations as excellent, 454/953 (47.6%) as adequate, 258/953 (27.1%) as inadequate, and 111/953 (11.6%) had no accommodations provided by their workplace. Of the 521 individuals who needed breastfeeding and/or pumping accommodations at continuing education or a conference, 24/521 (4.6%) reported available accommodations as excellent, 152/521 (29.2%) reported them as adequate, 189/521 (36.3%) as inadequate, and 156/521 (29.9%) reported experiencing no availability of accommodations. Open-Ended Responses There were a total of 269 meaningful responses to the question, open to any comments on maternal discrimination or challenges in the workplace due to status as a parent. Comments that included “none,”“N/A”, or an incomplete thought were excluded. Comments that illustrate the range of responses for each category are provided in Table 3. Sixty-three responses (23.4%) were coded as “sexist, discriminatory or disrespectful comments made by staff due to maternal or pregnant status.” There were 54 responses (20.1%) regarding pay or promotion status. Of these responses, 20/54 (37.0%) describing losing a job due to maternal or pregnancy status, 14/54 (25.9%) described pay or status (full-time vs. part-time) was negatively impacted by maternal or pregnancy status, 10/54 (18.5%) said their promotion status was negatively impacted based on pregnancy or maternal status, 10/54 (18.5%) described being discriminated against during an interview process due to future or current maternal or pregnancy status, and 10/54 (18.5%) said they were not hired for a job due to pregnant or maternal status. There were 53 comments (19.7%) on issues of time pressure related to childcare and working status; 22/53 (41.5%) described difficulties around lack of a flexible schedule related to securing childcare, 18/53 (33.9%) described lack of ability to take time off to care for sick children, and 11/53 (20.8%) described other types of challenges around childcare and working. Forty-six respondents (17.1%) commented on lack of adequate leave time and/or pay. Thirty-six respondents commented on lack of appropriate time (20/36; 55.6%) or lack of appropriate space (14/36; 38.9%) for pumping. Sixteen respondents (5.9%) commented on safety issues during pregnancy; 12/16 (75%) said they had inadequate accommodations and 4/16 (25%) said they felt unsafe during their pregnancies. Five respondents (1.9%) said they regretted their choice to be veterinarians and/or were actively looking to leave the profession. Eighteen (6.7%) had positive comments and 38 (14.1%) were categorized as “other.” DISCUSSION In this anonymous survey of veterinarians who are also mothers, the vast majority (about 75%) reported experiencing at least one type of perceived discrimination, with nearly 73% of respondents reporting discrimination based on their maternal status. >>>12 Figure 1: Perceived discrimination among 1,082 survey respondents. Respondents could select multiple types of perceived discrimination
Vetnews | Augustus 2025 12 « BACK TO CONTENTS In addition, more than half of the respondents reported perceived inequity based on their maternal status. Although these responses targeted a specific social media group, a subjective description of the group is an inclusive, supportive and diverse group of women that offers support and advice on a wide range of topics, both professional and personal. These data were from a small group of women who likely have an interest in this topic; however, the responses indicate that maternal discrimination and other issues for veterinary mothers are problematic, deserve additional research with more robust methodology and should prompt discussion of systemic institutional changes in the profession. Given that the veterinary profession is now largely made up of women (1), the widespread perceived discrimination likely has far-reaching and long-lasting impacts for the profession. As has been demonstrated in the human medicine literature (6), perceived discrimination may impact rates of burnout, retention and career satisfaction in addition to impacting earning power. Overall frequency of perceived discrimination among veterinarian mothers, as compared to a similar survey of physician mothers, was similar: 75.7% of veterinarians and 77.9% of physicians experienced discrimination of any type (6). However, in our study, 72.9% of veterinarians reported perceived maternal discrimination as compared to 35.8% of physician mothers responding to a similar survey (6). Discrimination based on gender demonstrated a reverse pattern, with 39.1% of veterinarians reporting perceived discrimination and 66.3% of physician mothers (6). One possible explanation is that the higher percentage of women in veterinary medicine as compared to human medicine (in 2017, 80.5% of matriculating veterinary school students were women, compared to 50.7% of medical school students) (1, 9) influences the prevalence of gender discrimination. Compared to veterinary medicine, in which the first published papers exploring the social and cultural implications of the increasingly female workforce began to emerge in the late 90s (10) and the first paper focusing on parenting was published in 2018 (7), attention to the struggle of female physicians dates back to the late 70s (11) and attention to the struggle physician mothers face as they balance dual roles (parenting and being a physician) dates back to the late 90s (12). The human medical profession may have dedicated more attention to this issue dating further back, which has resulted in increased awareness and in lower rates of perceived maternal discrimination in physicians as compared to veterinarians. Regardless of the differences between perceived maternal discrimination among veterinary and physician mothers, the high prevalence of perceived discrimination in the workplace in both populations is significant and warrants attention as the professions work to improve wellness. The top three ranked accommodations desired by veterinary mothers were flexibility in the workday schedule, longer paid maternity leave, and childcare onsite. According to a recent survey of veterinarians by DVM 360, 64% of women and 42% of men would take less pay for more flexibility in working hours, highlighting the importance of flexibility in the workforce (13). Our results suggest that employers could improve job satisfaction by prioritising flexibility for parents in the workplace. More research into types of flexibility that are desired by parents (i.e., can leave for an extended lunch break to visit child, taking a weekday off as needed, revisiting schedule yearly as parenting roles change with age) and the feasibility and management systems that can be applied to provide flexibility is needed. This may differ by workplace setting, and this data is skewed toward small animal veterinarians. Additional research to further describe the accommodations desired and possible in different settings would be needed to help guide any future recommendations. Nearly 84% of respondents reported that the timing of children was definitely or maybe influenced by their career choices. Recent literature found similar results among veterinary surgeons and found that women delay childbearing for longer than men (14). Given that the profession is predominantly made up of women and childbearing age overlaps with veterinary training and early career building phases for most people, this is unsurprising. In this study, over 30% of Leading Article Respondent experience n(%) Experienced a premature birth 167 (15.4%) EXPERIENCED MISCARRIAGE No 726 (67.1%) One 241 (22.3%) Two 74 (6.8%) More than two 35 (3.2%) I prefer not to say 6 (0.6%) Fertility treatment due to difficulty conceiving 192 (17.6%) POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION (PPD) Yes, diagnosed and treated by a medical professional 181 (16.7%) Symptoms but not diagnosed by a medical professional 353 (32.6%) No 531 (49.1%) Not applicable (currently pregnant) 13 (1.2%) I prefer not to say 4 (0.4%) CAREER CHOICES AFFECTED THE TIMING OF PREGNANCY(IES) Definitely yes 731 (67.6%) Maybe yes 175 (16.2%) Not sure 22 (2.0%) Probably not 92 (8.5%) Definitely not 62 (5.7%) TABLE 2: Frequency of experiences with premature birth, miscarriage, fertility treatment, and postpartum depression among 1,082 veterinary mothers administered a questionnaire through the closed, online group “Moms with a DVM.” Figure 2: Perceived inequity by 1,082 survey respondents. Respondents could select multiple types of perceived discrimination.
Vetnuus | August 2025 13 Leading Article Comment type Representative comment(s) Number of comments Sexist, discriminatory or disrespectful comments due to maternal or pregnant status The office manager commented that we should only hire male vets in the future so they don’t leave to start a family. I have had clients choose other Drs since I am not as available after office hours. I devote that time to family. A client actually told me she was appalled I chose to be a mom and a vet. She felt I couldn’t do that as a vet since my primary duty should be to my patients as a vet and not my kids. 63 Pay or promotion negatively impacted or loss of job, or not hired due to maternal or pregnancy status I was fired from my last job 2 days before returning from maternity leave. I was replaced by the doctor I recommended to cover my maternity leave. I had been the only associate at the practice for 7 years, and no problems or anything other than praise until I announced my pregnancy. I watched 4 support staff get fired while pregnant or on maternity leave prior to me being fired. I was not considered for partner even though I was a high producer and had a large client base. When I asked my boss for consideration, he flat-out out to my face said no because I chose the family track. At an interview, a male owner told me that I could never be a good vet and a good mom. 54 Difficulties around a lack of a flexible schedule related to securing childcare My Chiefs of Staff were fine with schedule modifications for employees to care for their own pets, yet considered it unfair if I needed to leave at a certain time to meet the school bus or worked fewer nights than the other associates (even though I had reduced pay due to these scheduling necessities to provide care for my child). 22 Lack of ability to take time off to care for sick children The few times my child has been sick, I have been unable to care for her adequately due to a lack of support from my job to help find coverage. 18 Other types of challenges around childcare I requested to move my lunch break to the afternoon to pick up my kids from school, am so was told that I was “stealing company time” when I was simply moving the hour provided to me for lunch. 11 Lack of adequate leave time and/or pay The biggest struggle as a mother was the length of maternity leave: only 6 weeks and unpaid. I work at a small practice, so being short a vet is tough for my coworkers, but 6 weeks was not enough time home with my baby! 46 Lack of appropriate time or lack of appropriate space for pumping I’m having problems finding the time to pump as I’m not allowed to block out time, and when we get busy, that ends up dropping to the wayside. I am also expected to answer phones and write charts while I pump, and therefore can never get a good letdown like I get at home, so I end up engorged and sore at the end of every day. My staff sees me pumping as an inconvenience and gets huffy when I ask them to finish things up while I go pump. I was shamed for pumping at work. I was told it was disgusting and reprimanded for washing my pumping equipment at work after pumping. I pumped in a supply closet with chemotherapeutic waste! 36 Inadequate safety accommodations Unsafe radiation practices continued, although I requested they end (rads taken without warning while unshielded people were in the way). 16 Regretted their choice to be veterinarians and/or were actively looking to leave the profession I am actively seeking to leave the profession. The stress, lack of adequate pay, and time I am required to spend away from my children is not worth it. By the time I can get home from my job, there is minimal to no time to interact with my children. I am seeking to completely leave veterinary medicine. It has been detrimental to my mental, financial, and physical health. 5 Positive I was working in a corporate hospital while pregnant and pumping, and I was treated with respect and given the time I needed. My short-term disability and generous PTO helped pay for most of my 12 weeks maternity leave. I have been very lucky to have a supportive male boss who allowed me with no complaints 3 months of unpaid maternity leave, pumping accommodations, and the freedom to pick the days and hours I wanted to work part time. It has made returning to work very manageable and he has beyond earned my loyalty as an associate to stay indefinitely with the practice. 18 Other My work was supportive - more invasive comments from clients. Previous employer (equine private practice) asked that I give a three-year verbal commitment to not having a baby when I joined the practice. 38 TABLE 3 | Representative comments from 269 meaningful responses to the open-ended question regarding maternal discrimination or challenges in the workplace due to status as a parent.
Vetnews | Augustus 2025 14 « BACK TO CONTENTS Leading Article respondents said they had experienced at least one miscarriage, which is higher than nationally reported rates of 8–20% (15). Reasons for the higher rates are unknown, but delaying pregnancy due to career choices and/or lack of accommodations and unsafe workplace environments may be contributing factors, as it is widely accepted that veterinarians face numerous hazards to reproductive health in the workplace (16). This study also showed higher rates of fertility treatment (17.6%) as compared with national rates (12%) (15), and higher rates of self-reported post-partum depression (over 30% in this study as compared with about 10% reported by the CDC) (17, 18). However, subclinical depression is underexplored and should be an important component of future research in this area. Infertility has previously been shown to evoke distress, anxiety, and feelings of failure, loss and pain (19). This initial survey of veterinary mothers indicates that rates of infertility, and as a result, stress associated with infertility, may be higher among the veterinary profession, contributing to recent literature and commentary on mental health in the veterinary profession. Additional data to determine if this is true across more diverse samples of female veterinarians is needed. The higher rate of fertility treatment observed among our sample may be associated with intentional delays in starting a family among the profession due to the perception that it is not feasible to do both at the same time (7), however more research is needed to determine the drivers of fertility treatment among veterinary women, as well as the financial burden of fertility treatment on a profession known to be plagued by high student debt upon graduation. Veterinarians who worked in large animal practice were more likely to have experienced discrimination than veterinarians in other specialities. A recent study found that among veterinary surgeons, large animal private practitioners worked longer hours and had the most on-call responsibility, and that women earned less than men in this field even after adjusting for all relevant covariates (20). In another study of veterinary surgeons, the same group found that women in large animal practice were less likely to be married, in a domestic partnership, and to have children compared to women in small animal practice (14). Collectively, these findings indicated that there are differences in work culture regarding gender dynamics among subspecialties in veterinary medicine, and that issues surrounding gender equity and maternal discrimination warrant closer attention—and provide an opportunity for meaningful intervention—across the profession.Women in veterinary medicine (14, 20) and STEM professions in general are adversely affected in terms of their earning power and having children may widen the gap. “Even mothers who remain in the professional workforce full time encounter stereotypes painting them as less competent than equally qualified men and childless women, and face salary penalties and career barriers even while contributing the same dedicated work” (5). Maternal discrimination and lack of perceived support for veterinarians who are also parenting contributes to the mental health load and stress of many. This survey was a convenience sample administered through a Facebook group, and limitations include a lack of diversity among respondents, possible selection bias and small sample size. Additional studies are needed to determine if these data are replicable in a larger population of veterinary mothers in the US. Despite these limitations, the high frequency of perceived discrimination among veterinarian mothers should be considered when thinking about the future of the profession and how to support current veterinarians. Recently, an article with a description of parental leave policies during medical training was published and included a call to action in the medical profession (21). The results from this study and prior related work (7, 8) support the need for similar recommendations in the veterinary profession and indicate that veterinarians want changes. Qualitative comments from participants in this survey said, “I feel like we are still in the dark ages. I faced discrimination when all three of my children were born, and it has continued. My children were referred to as parasites. My maternity leave was considered a hardship for my co-workers. The other women without children I work with are resentful and have continued to insinuate I don’t work as hard [as they do] due to my children.” “During veterinary school, one of the doctors in the clinic during my fourth year told me that I could choose to be a mother or a doctor, but I couldn’t do both effectively. She was a woman. I’ll never forget how that statement made me feel, as I already had two children. It was terribly deflating.” The real changes needed to accommodate all veterinarians who also wish to be parents and have work-life balance are far reaching and require commitment at all levels of training and employment. In order to continue to attract top level talent and to create successful long-term careers, the professional organizations should consider implementing changes that support veterinary mothers (and fathers). The findings from this study support the need for future research in this area to further encourage changes to the profession that support veterinarian mothers and fathers as well as to further describe the ways in which maternal and gender discrimination impact the profession and how changes can be incorporated into veterinary medicine in a sustainable way. v DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT The datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author, pending IRB approval. ETHICS STATEMENT The research was reviewed and granted exempt status from the Tufts University Social, Behavioral and Educational Research Institutional Review Board. The ethics committee waived the requirement of written informed consent for participation. AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS AW, MM, and MR contributed to the design of the survey. AW and MR distributed the survey and reminders to closed groups via social media platform. MM and MR performed quantitative data analysis. AW compiled and sorted qualitative data. AW, MM, and MR. References available on request. https://pmc.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/articles/ PMC7069349/?ref=blog. modernanimal.com
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTc5MDU=