Sea You at Fetch Long Beach
News|Articles|January 30, 2017

The 3 most common veterinary workplace toxins

Data from the 2017 dvm360 Toxic Teams Survey sheds light on the dysfunction.

According to the 2017 dvm360 Toxic Teams Survey, gossip is the number one most commonly experienced workplace toxin, affecting 90 percent of respondents. Finger-pointing comes in at a close second (79 percent), and at 61 percent each, bullying and favoritism occupy position number three.

When respondents are filtered by role, differences appear. For example, managers feel caught in the middle more often than other veterinary professionals. See where other disparities emerge below.  

For more information on toxic teams and what to do about them, visit dvm360.com/toxicteams.


Related to this article

Q&A: Caregiver burden can begin early in pet illness. Are veterinary teams equipped to support clients, and how can veterinary social workers help both parties?
Caroline Cox, LSW, MSW, and Erika Krick, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology), discuss the role of veterinary social workers in supporting clients, communicating with veterinary teams, and helping practices address the human side of veterinary care in this Q&A from an interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.
Inside veterinary social work
In a slideshow drawn from an on-site dvm360 interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, a veterinary oncologist and a veterinary social worker walk through how the role supports owners and staff across a pet's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care.