A veterinarian feeling overworked due to a difficult caseload. A student feeling overwhelmed with exams. A family feeling crushed because of the loss of their pet. All are scenarios Erin Wasson confronts at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

Wasson is a social worker at the WCVM. She provides counselling services to students, faculty and staff, as well as clients who are using the College’s small and animal clinics.

It’s an uncommon position within the veterinary and animal science world, but an important one as studies are now showing the mental health challenges veterinarians and animal protection workers face.

“I think a lot of veterinarians and animal protection officers will tell you that they don’t have a lot of people that they can talk about their day with that wants to hear about their day,” Wasson explains in the episode.

Wasson discusses the mental health challenges veterinarians encounter in their jobs, how she is able to balance personal and professional life, and why she finds her work so fulfilling.

You will also hear from Saskatoon veterinarian, Dr. Sarah Bater. She shares some of the challenges that come with the job and why Erin's role at the Vet College is so important.

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• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis