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Caught Between Clients, Patients, and Costs? : Veterinarians’ Working Conditions in an Economised Animal Healthcare System

Andersson Cederholm, Erika LU orcid ; Espersson, Malin LU and Bergmasth, Mikael LU (2026) European Sociological Association Conference 2026
Abstract
The working environment of veterinarians in Sweden has received increasing media attention, with reports highlighting inadequate working conditions and high levels of sick leave. Previous research has shown that mental health problems are relatively common among veterinarians, often linked to ethical conflicts. Some studies point to external economic and societal factors as underlying causes, particularly rising veterinary care costs. Since veterinarians are required to communicate treatment costs, economic values become an integral part of the clinical encounter. Increased specialisation within veterinary medicine, together with changing views of companion animals, has further contributed to animal healthcare resembling human healthcare.... (More)
The working environment of veterinarians in Sweden has received increasing media attention, with reports highlighting inadequate working conditions and high levels of sick leave. Previous research has shown that mental health problems are relatively common among veterinarians, often linked to ethical conflicts. Some studies point to external economic and societal factors as underlying causes, particularly rising veterinary care costs. Since veterinarians are required to communicate treatment costs, economic values become an integral part of the clinical encounter. Increased specialisation within veterinary medicine, together with changing views of companion animals, has further contributed to animal healthcare resembling human healthcare. As a result, veterinary practice appears to be a field where boundaries between moral, emotional, and economic values are shifting, generating new expectations and dilemmas.

The aim of this study is to explore how veterinarians experience their work and working environment. The study is based on interviews with veterinarians primarily working in small-animal practice, representing varying levels of experience and employment conditions. The analysis examines how social reality is narrated and justified in order to identify how norms, ideals, and practices are maintained or transformed, and how boundaries between different spheres of value are negotiated. The preliminary findings show a delicate triadic relationship between veterinarian, patient (pet) and customer (pet owner). The study demonstrates how veterinarians balance ethical dilemmas related to care, financial constraints and increasing costs for animal care, and how they experience being caught between a feared mistrust from pet owners and increasing pressure from various levels of management at the clinic. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
in press
subject
conference name
European Sociological Association Conference 2026
conference location
Warszawa, Poland
conference dates
2026-08-25 - 2026-08-28
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
df802733-c51e-44e1-b6d5-9c2ed68e77d1
date added to LUP
2026-05-05 16:16:59
date last changed
2026-09-02 10:28:16
@misc{df802733-c51e-44e1-b6d5-9c2ed68e77d1,
  abstract     = {{The working environment of veterinarians in Sweden has received increasing media attention, with reports highlighting inadequate working conditions and high levels of sick leave. Previous research has shown that mental health problems are relatively common among veterinarians, often linked to ethical conflicts. Some studies point to external economic and societal factors as underlying causes, particularly rising veterinary care costs. Since veterinarians are required to communicate treatment costs, economic values become an integral part of the clinical encounter. Increased specialisation within veterinary medicine, together with changing views of companion animals, has further contributed to animal healthcare resembling human healthcare. As a result, veterinary practice appears to be a field where boundaries between moral, emotional, and economic values are shifting, generating new expectations and dilemmas.<br/><br/>The aim of this study is to explore how veterinarians experience their work and working environment. The study is based on interviews with veterinarians primarily working in small-animal practice, representing varying levels of experience and employment conditions. The analysis examines how social reality is narrated and justified in order to identify how norms, ideals, and practices are maintained or transformed, and how boundaries between different spheres of value are negotiated. The preliminary findings show a delicate triadic relationship between veterinarian, patient (pet) and customer (pet owner). The study demonstrates how veterinarians balance ethical dilemmas related to care, financial constraints and increasing costs for animal care, and how they experience being caught between a feared mistrust from pet owners and increasing pressure from various levels of management at the clinic.}},
  author       = {{Andersson Cederholm, Erika and Espersson, Malin and Bergmasth, Mikael}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Caught Between Clients, Patients, and Costs? : Veterinarians’ Working Conditions in an Economised Animal Healthcare System}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}