Menopause can affect veterinary professionals’ wellbeing and day-to-day work, but practical support is possible: veterinary practices can build an informed, understanding culture and offer adjustments such as breaks, temperature control, restroom access and flexible work. This article is about people working in veterinary medicine—not menopause in animals.
How can menopause affect veterinary professionals?
Symptoms vary between individuals and can change over time. In a Veterinary Woman–SPVS survey conducted in October 2020, respondents described fatigue, irritability, difficulty sleeping, poor concentration, joint pain, hot flushes and night sweats. Some said symptoms affected particular duties, including heavy lifting and farm work.
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The survey report, published in 2021, found that 45% of respondents reported a moderate-to-severe impact on mental health. Among the 204 people who answered the symptom question, 158 reported fatigue (77.45%) and 158 reported difficulty sleeping (77.45%); 48 people skipped that question. These are self-reported responses from that survey, not current prevalence estimates for the veterinary workforce or proof that menopause caused a particular work or health outcome. Read the Veterinary Woman–SPVS report.
Some respondents described reducing hours or stepping away from clinical duties or leadership roles. The survey records those experiences but does not establish menopause as the sole cause of anyone’s career decision. Individual experiences should not be assumed from someone’s age or role.
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What adjustments can help in veterinary practice?
Liz Barton, interviewed by AAHA, groups practical support into “the three Ts”: time, temperature and toilets. The examples below are recommendations from that interview and reported needs from the Veterinary Woman–SPVS survey, not a guarantee that any one adjustment will suit everyone.
| Adjustment | What a practice could consider | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Time and flexibility | Allow short breaks, consider adjusted hours, and explore flexible work arrangements. | Plan cover so breaks or schedule changes can work alongside appointments, urgent care and team responsibilities. |
| Temperature and clothing | Consider fans or air conditioning where feasible, temperature control, and suitable clothing options. | Any change should remain compatible with hygiene, safety and the task being performed. |
| Toilet access | Make restroom access practical during the working day and consider changing facilities where available. | Agree how someone can step away from a clinical or other time-sensitive duty and who will cover it. |
| Physical tasks | Discuss help with lifting or changes to particular duties when needed. | Consider the task and setting, including farm work, rather than assuming one solution fits all roles. |
A portable desk fan may be a simple comfort option in a suitable workspace, but it is not a treatment and may not be practical in every clinical area.
Why team culture and policy matter
Individual adjustments work best when people can ask for them without stigma. Barton recommends empathetic team culture, education, menopause policies and attention to gendered ageism and career progression. She said, “We need to ensure there’s no negative impact on career potential for women going through menopause.” These are her recommendations in an AAHA interview, not a formal AAHA standard.
A policy can help make the process predictable: explain how a team member can raise a need, who will discuss options, and how work will be covered. Team education can help managers and colleagues respond with understanding rather than assumptions. In its March 7, 2025 AAHA Trends feature, AAHA presents Barton’s perspective; the feature states that Trends content does not represent an official AAHA or Board position.
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What the wider workforce data does—and does not—show
More recent profession-wide statistics provide context, not evidence about menopause specifically. The RCVS 2024 profession survey reported that 27% of veterinary surgeons worked part-time, up from 23% in 2019; it also reported part-time work among 34% of women respondents and 17% of men respondents. Those figures do not establish why respondents worked part-time or connect those choices to menopause. See the RCVS summary of its 2024 professions surveys.
The RCVS Exit Survey 2022–2024 describes stress, workload and sector pressures among reasons respondents gave for leaving. It does not identify menopause as the cause of those departures. Keep general workforce challenges separate from menopause-specific findings.
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Where veterinary professionals can look for support
A PubMed record for an August 5, 2023 Veterinary Record item by Anna Judson notes a British Veterinary Association menopause hub intended to support members of the veterinary profession. That record does not confirm the hub’s current contents or availability. The PubMed record provides the dated reference.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallFor practice leaders, a useful starting point is to invite discussion, identify feasible adjustments for the person’s actual duties, and make the process clear to the team. A veterinary professional seeking support can raise specific work situations that are difficult and discuss possible changes with a manager. The appropriate response depends on the individual and workplace.
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