Menopause and veterinary medicine: Challenges, opportunities, and solutions

Menopause and perimenopause have gained a great deal of visibility recently, across all industries. Unsurprisingly, that includes veterinary medicine, where a largely female workforce presents both challenges and opportunities.

Liz Barton, MA, VetMB, MRCVS, MCIPR, cofounder and director of WellVet, is leading the charge to identify those opportunities within veterinary medicine. In her work, she shares how these life stages affect individuals, practices, and the broader veterinary industry—and why the need for awareness, empathy, and structural support in this profession is urgent.

Defining menopause and perimenopause

Before we can address the challenges presented by this life stage, we first need to make sure we’re clear about what these terms actually mean.

“Menopause is defined as the single day, one year after a woman has had her last period,” Barton said. Perimenopause, she explained, typically spans around five years on either side of menopause, affecting women usually between the ages of 45 to 55, though it can start much earlier or extend longer.

“There’s a whole host of physical and psychological symptoms that can impact individuals during this period,” Barton said. In fact, there are over 70 recognized symptoms including:

• loss of muscle mass
• anxiety
• joint aches
• sleep issues
• night sweats
• chronic fatigue
• weight gain
• hot flashes/vasomotor symptoms (VMS)
• drastic changes to skin and hair (which can lead to issues with loss of identity)
• weakening of the bones and osteoporosis (making fractures more likely)
• urinary tract infections
• impacts on the cardiovascular system (which makes the risk of heart disease and stroke much higher).

And, she added, menopause doesn’t only affect women: “It can impact any gender where there are ovaries or those hormonal fluctuations of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.”

The individual impact: Beyond hot flashes

The unpredictable nature of perimenopause can be particularly challenging because symptoms vary not only between individuals but also over time. And while menopause might bring to mind symptoms like hot flashes, urinary issues, and brain fog, Barton also emphasized the broader health risks: “Even for those without overt symptoms, there are underlying health changes like weakening bones or increased risk of heart disease and stroke.”

Menopause also often affects mental health, and Barton was quick to highlight one particularly stark correlation. “The peak time for women to actually die by suicide is between the ages of roughly 45 and 55,” she said. While no causal link has been established, the overlap with perimenopause is significant.

Individual empowerment is key

When it comes to individuals experiencing symptoms that impact their day-to-day, the first step toward managing those symptoms is increasing awareness and understanding of those symptoms, then tracking them to facilitate a conversation with their doctor.

“If we go to our health professionals, for example, with one symptom such as anxiety, we may get treated with a blunt tool for that one symptom,” Barton said. However, she said, if we go in armed with the knowledge that other symptoms we’re experiencing, like sleeplessness, night sweats, and sore joints, may be related to perimenopause, and we tell our doctor this, they may be able to put that together in a more holistic picture of our health.

Worried about how to approach that conversation with your doctor? You’ll find loads of helpful tips in the videos on the WellVet website.

Beyond hormone replacement therapy

“We always think about hormone replacement therapy with menopause is the kind of number one and the crux of treatment,” Barton said, “and actually there are a whole host of lifestyle adjustments that we can make as individuals.” Health and lifestyle pillars, such as what we eat, how we manage our stress, our sleep hygiene, our connections, and avoiding toxins (including toxic habits) can make a big difference.

Barton should know—she spent a year making bite-sized lifestyle changes. “I built better habits for myself,” she said. “I do drink less alcohol now, for example. And I’ve completely changed the way I exercise because what worked for me in my 20s and 30s does not work for me in my 40s. I’m having to be much more careful about fueling properly and resting properly. I’ve changed my sleep hygiene so I now get better sleep, and I have certainly made sure I have plenty of social connections.”

That peer support is crucial, she said, whether you’re in the midst of perimenopause yourself or simply showing support for others experiencing it. Sharing what’s working is powerful. “You don’t have to shut up and suffer in silence,” she said.

Team dynamics: Fostering empathy and flexibility

Of course, we can empower ourselves and advocate for our needs all we want, but at the end of the day, if we’re working with other people, we also need support from our team, right? But that support may not come automatically. In fact, if this topic isn’t approached with proper sensitivity and education, awareness could trickle into gendered ageism and bias.

“I think for our veterinary teams, the most important thing is to provide that culture of acceptance and understanding,” Barton said. “I heard a great quote on a podcast which said, ‘There is a culture of acceptance of women’s suffering,’ and I think this is really true—not just for the perimenopause period, but also for menstrual fluctuations.”

Getting the support right for these team members who are impacted through this period also enables us to support others with things like chronic illness, she added. This may require some slightly awkward conversations to ensure all members of the team understand why this support is so important, but it’s the only way to create the kind of understanding that’s needed.

Providing practical support

Aside from empathy, Barton also urged a shift toward practical support, outlining the “three Ts” for helping team members experiencing menopause symptoms:

• Time: Providing time for short breaks or mindfulness practices, especially during episodes of brain fog or anxiety.
• Temperature: Offering temperature control solutions like fans or flexible clothing options.
• Toilets: Ensuring easy access to restrooms, as urinary issues are a common symptom.

Flexible work arrangements can also make a major impact, she said. “Rather than rigid schedules that push people to burnout,  and contribute sustainably,” she said.

After all, the people experiencing perimenopause symptoms are often the very people who have been working in practice long enough to have a great deal of experience to share. They should be taking on leadership and mentoring positions, not figuring out how to leave the very career they’ve worked so hard to build.

Organizational/industry support: Breaking the hero culture

Barton sees a crucial role for veterinary organizations in reshaping workplace culture. She criticized the traditional “hero culture” of veterinary practice, where working long hours without breaks is often glorified. “We know that causes burnout,” she said. “It impacts mental and physical health.”

Instead, she called for a shift toward empathy, training, and policy. She encouraged practices to create menopause policies that outline support systems, symptom management options, and pathways for individualized workplace adjustments.

The industry’s role: Leading the way

Veterinary medicine, as a female-dominated profession, has the potential to lead other industries in menopause support. Barton advocated for robust research to understand the full impact of menopause on veterinary teams, not just for those experiencing it directly but also for their colleagues, clients, and families.

She also warned against gendered ageism, saying, “We need to ensure there’s no negative impact on career potential for women going through menopause.” Recognizing unconscious bias and dismantling it is essential.

A human issue, not just a women’s issue

Perhaps most powerfully, Barton emphasized that menopause isn’t just a women’s issue—it’s a human one. “It affects everybody because we all have colleagues, partners, mothers, daughters, wives, and clients impacted by this,” she said.

She called on male leaders and colleagues to engage with the issue: “This isn’t about women being more trouble than the previous generation. It’s about finally having the agency to speak about something that affects half the population.”

Moving forward

The veterinary profession has a real opportunity to foster a more supportive, empathetic work environment. Barton’s call to action is clear: empower individuals with knowledge, equip teams with practical solutions, and inspire organizations to drive cultural change.

“Please,” she urged, “whether you’re an individual boosting your awareness, a team leader supporting your colleagues, or an organization shaping policy—this is something we all need to understand and act on.”

By addressing menopause head on, the veterinary profession can not only retain experienced professionals but also create a healthier, more inclusive future for everyone.

You can hear more of our conversation with Liz Barton, DVM here:

Photo credit: Liz Barton

Disclaimer: Trends content is meant to inform, educate, and inspire by providing an array of diverse viewpoints. Any content published should not be viewed as an official stance, position, or endorsement by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.