Every Veterinary Nurse You Know Cannot Afford Life
The people keeping your pets alive and healthy have been left behind, my friends.
I am going to harbor a guess that most people reading this aren’t exactly crushing it, financially speaking. I know I am not and let’s face it: no matter how you slice it, life is too expensive for everyone but the 1% at this time.
I don’t care for the “why” from those in that demographic, especially members of the veterinary community. I actually don’t even want to hear their opinion anymore. Because those at the top have clearly lost touch with the reality of the very people that provide the care.
If you know me personally, you are well aware of the fact that I will never be accused of being shy. My mom made best friends with almost every person she met, even in the last months of her life. And to be honest, it annoyed the shit out of me. It is also the reason I am able to cry with people without feeling uncomfortable, find common ground through conflict and also make best friends with literally every human that crosses my path long enough to chat. This also makes me a really great veterinarian, which I am incredibly proud to really own for the first time.
Okay so, now I try to “veterinary pill” every pet owner I end up in conversation with and you know what I have found out? The general public has absolutely no clue how dire it has gotten for veterinary workers.
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They haven’t been having a good time either with out-of-reach prices and practitioners who are fighting for their life, professionally and morally.
I typically ask these unsuspecting pet owners one question to get the party started:
“Let’s say your dog’s spleen has suddenly started bleeding…. Bad. He needs an emergency splenectomy or straight up he will die (Please Note: I explain this in a much more loving way to my clients).
So, now we are in surgery and I am elbow deep in your dog’s abdomen removing an organ to save his life… these nurses are the ones administering and monitoring anesthesia, acting as scrub nurse when needed and keeping your dog alive. Now, here is my question: How much do you think these positions are paid?”
I’m yet to meet one person that isn’t shocked and disgusted when they learn that nearly every veterinary nurse they know can’t survive on a clinical job salary alone. Period. Average salary information for these roles was sort of hard to find. US Labor and Statistics reported median salaries at $22.11 per hour in 2024.
But I have a hard time with this data for two reasons: First, I think everyone should remind ourselves the difference between median and average. No shame here, you don’t need to be a doctor to forget simple math. Second, these salaries vary greatly by region and state. This is a more accurate reflection broken down by state. Oh and Tennessee? Girl…. We got some work to do. For shame!
So what are we doing here, people? We are literally choking the life out of the very people that want to be here. They want this industry. They choose the low salaries and the toxic environments, jumping over every hurdle this “rise in productivity” era has thrown at them. And they still show up, until they are so burned out from this grind that they can’t survive. They are being taken advantage of and emotionally abused.
All this to say, because I still believe that this career… veterinarian, veterinary nurse, kennel assistant, receptionist, any position within veterinary medicine is the coolest fucking job in the world. It is the career that every kid wants at 6 years old, but doesn’t pursue for reasons I judge no one for; but we did. We get to use our brains to figure out puzzles that hopefully end in helping the only pure beings on this planet, our beloved animals. We get it and we connect with the animal kingdom in a way many will never experience. So find your mojo again, my loves. Let’s challenge leadership to put energy into new and creative ways to improve salaries for veterinary workers. It’s time for the glow up, don’t you think?
