Veterinary podcast spotlights injury reporting culture in clinics

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A new episode of The Veterinary Viewfinder is putting a familiar but often minimized workplace issue back in front of the profession: what happens after a veterinary team member is bitten, scratched, or otherwise injured on the job. In “Bitten, Scratched, and Told to Suck It Up,” Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, argue that some veterinary workplaces still normalize injury as “part of the job,” and that staff who report bites, scratches, or possible zoonotic exposures may face dismissal, pressure to stay quiet, or other retaliation. The episode also points to a broader safety concern: veterinary medicine has an unusually high rate of occupational injury, and research suggests bite and scratch incidents are frequently underreported or treated as too minor to document. (podcasts.apple.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about one podcast episode than about clinic culture, reporting systems, and legal risk. AVMA guidance says practices should have a safety program in place, and OSHA recordkeeping rules require certain work-related injuries to be documented when they involve outcomes such as medical treatment beyond first aid, restricted duty, or days away from work. Recent reporting and research also suggest that injury prevention improves when practices take a whole-team approach to safer handling, rather than relying on staff to absorb risk. (avma.org)

What to watch: Expect more attention on whether clinics pair injury reporting with clear post-exposure protocols, psychological safety, and teamwide handling training, especially as staff retention and workplace wellbeing remain pressure points across the profession. (aaha.org)