A Vet Without Borders | Dr. Sheddy on Sailing From Pet to Pet | Irreplaceable Truths

About this episode

Dr. Sheddy discusses her journey from traditional veterinary practice to creating a floating clinic, addressing issues of burnout and moral injury in the field.

What happens when “gold standard” care starts breaking the people delivering it? And what do you do when the life you were promised in vet med doesn’t match the reality you’re living? Join host Dr. Gershon Alaluf and special guest Dr. Sheddy (The Sailing Vet) for an insightful, deeply honest episode of Irreplaceable Truths. After experiencing burnout, ethical tension, and mounting moral injury in traditional practice, Dr. Sheddy walked away — and built a floating veterinary clinic delivering care to animals in remote coastal communities. This conversation dives into moral injury vs burnout, corporate pressure, rural limitations, empathy overload, therapy, and what autonomy really changes in a veterinarian’s life. 🎧 What you'll discover: – The koala vs. puppy dilemma that exposed the weight of financial constraints – Why “gold standard” can feel ethically misaligned in real-world practice – The difference between burnout and moral injury — and why it matters – How autonomy and mission-based work reshaped her mental health – What therapy, PMDD, and isolation taught her about resilience – The financial and emotional realities of running a boat-based outreach clinic 🐾 Who will love…

People in this episode

Host: Gershon Alaluf

Guest: Dr. Sheddy

Topics covered

• veterinary medicine
• burnout
• moral injury
• animal care
• mental health
• rural veterinary practice

Keywords

• floating veterinary clinic
• ethical tension
• corporate pressure
• empathy overload
• resilience

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: A Vet Without Borders, Irreplaceable Truths, The Sailing Vet

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