There is a surge of cases once the pandemic happened. Even before the pandemic, there are not enough veterinarians to support the demand. The ratio right now is 1 vet for every 18 job openings - which means that for every job a veterinarian accepts, 17 clinics were left without a doctor.
Veterinary school is expensive and competitive, hence there are only a handful of new graduates to support the demand.
Also, this industry is mainly female-led - which means that pregnancy, kids, and family life tend to kick in and limit female veterinarians in their availability to see more cases.
The industry has been slammed and overworked, but everyone is trying their best to keep up with the demand and help pet parents as much as they can.