OHIO, USA — It's a problem many pet parents know well - the long wait at the vet. And right now across the country there are more pets, but fewer vets.
All across the country, including in northwest Ohio, communities are facing a dilemma.
"Essentially, we don't have enough veterinarians right now. We don't have enough veterinarian technicians, which are essentially like veterinary nurses. We don't have enough front office staff," said Jack Advent with the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association.
And that shortage of animal caregivers means longer wait times for appointments and more stress on vets currently in the workforce.
"It’s kind of this perfect storm. A lot of my folks have been working really long hours for a really long time," said Advent.
According to a survey from the American Pet Products Association, about 70% of Americans have at least one pet, and many of them are struggling to see a vet as quickly as they used to.
Ohio is no different.
Advent calls the current shortage here an issue of supply and demand.
"There's an X-number of veterinarians that come out of veterinarian colleges each year and that's been based on some historical needs. But as we're seeing now, if we had the capacity we could graduate and put more veterinarians to work," said Advent.
He says during the COVID-19 pandemic, more people got pets and that in turn raised the need for veterinarians.
With so many people working from home they've become more attuned to their pets' needs, furthering the demand for veterinarian care.
"That was where there was a greater uptick in demand - in existing pet owners just going to the veterinarian more often because they were observing things that were causing them concern," said Advent.
To help ease the shortage.. animal medicine experts called on the American Veterinary Medical Association to support an increase in veterinary college class-sizes, to help get more vets in communities.
The Ohio State University is home to the state's only veterinarian school, and Advent says the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association works with them to recruit and spread the word about Veterinary careers.
The shortage is also having an effect on the back end of veterinary careers.
Less veterinarians means less “downtime” for existing vets, leading some to start feeling burned out and in some cases - quit.
Despite all of these headwinds, Advent says most vets consider their career both a *calling and a labor of love.”
He says he hopes people will understand the situation even if they are feeling frustration from longer wait times.
"Just try and be patient and understand, the veterinarians will be doing the best that they can to see you and just work with them to the extent that you can."
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