Some clinics have not had any applicants at all in the last two to three years, added Dr Chan, who is a Vet Council Member at the Singapore Veterinary Association (SVA).
Adding to the challenges are vets who are quitting the sector entirely, citing the mental toll in the line of work.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, pet ownership has risen by about 30 per cent.
This has led to some vets citing stressful workloads, and often, bad treatment by pet owners.
To attract and retain talent, clinics told CNA that they have had to raise salaries, with the increased manpower cost getting passed down to customers.
One clinic told CNA it is even offering new vets the same amount of salary as a vet with 10 years of working experience.
MORE HELP FOR COPING WITH COSTS
Dr Chan said her clinic has had to increase fees by some 20 per cent over the last few years, to cope with the costs and circumstances.