Occupational stress, work-life balance, and coping among female veterinarians in Germany

Introduction Veterinary medicine involves substantial emotional and ethical responsibilities that may contribute to psychological strain. Work-related stressors, including long working hours, euthanasia, client-related challenges, and moral conflicts, have been associated with burnout and reduced mental well-being. This exploratory study examined occupational stress, work-life balance, and coping strategies among female veterinarians in Germany in relation to demographic, professional, and workplace characteristics. Methods Given the gender composition of the veterinary workforce in Germany, with women representing the majority of veterinarians, this study focused on female veterinarians as a particularly relevant subgroup. An online questionnaire was distributed to veterinarians in Germany between September 2024 and September 2025. In total, 152 valid responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results Working more than 40 h per week was associated with lower perceived workload manageability ( p  p  p   Conclusion Overall, the findings suggest that occupational stress and coping patterns among female veterinarians are associated with working hours, work-life balance, professional experience, and support for professional development and continuing education. These results highlight the importance of systemic approaches, including manageable working hours, protected breaks, collegial support, mentoring, improved workplace communication, and accessible psychological support, for promoting sustainable mental health in veterinary medicine.