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Veterinarian

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AVG. SALARY

$95,890

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EDUCATION

Doctoral degree

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JOB OUTLOOK

Increasing

What They Do

Veterinarians Career Video

Insider Info

Veterinarians are animal doctors. They are responsible for the care of house pets, livestock or exotic animals.

They identify and treat medical problems and injuries, set broken bones, perform surgery, prescribe medicines and administer vaccinations. By these methods and by doing research, vets help to protect people from diseases carried by animals.

About two-thirds of all veterinarians work with small animals -- cats and dogs and other pets -- in private animal health clinics. The rest work in other branches of veterinary medicine. Here's a look at what they do:

Zoo veterinarians
They care for the animals in a zoo. The responsibilities of people who do this work are similar to those of the small animal vet. But zoos have a wide variety of animals, so these veterinarians have to be familiar with a broader range of animal disorders.
Equine veterinarians
These professionals are horse doctors. Like small animal veterinarians, equine vets are responsible for the care of domesticated animals, but they restrict their practice to horses.
Livestock inspectors
Livestock inspectors are veterinarians who work with animals to be used for food purposes. They detect and treat illnesses or diseases that might harm the animals or be passed on to humans. They also provide advice on the proper feeding and care of livestock animals.
Veterinary researchers
They work in laboratories and study the spread of diseases, parasites and disorders affecting animals. Their goal is to find the causes and cures of these health problems.
Farm veterinarians
Farm vets advise farmers or ranchers on the care, breeding and feeding of their animals. They may also treat these animals for illness and help with births.
Veterinary specialists
Vet specialists deal with specific animal medical problems. These vets may specialize in ophthalmology (vision), dermatology (skin), radiology (X-rays) and pathology (diseases).

Veterinarians have to work well with both animals and people. Since animals can't tell the vet what's wrong, the vet has to get that information from the pet's owners.

"I see 20 to 30 animals a day, and each one comes in with an owner. If you're not a people person, you just can't do this kind of work," says Minnesota vet Mark Pessin.

Diagnosing animals often calls for some strong problem-solving skills. Vets have to be able to take a small amount of information about an animal's condition and come up with a diagnosis.

"You have to be very much like an investigator," says Pennsylvania vet Susan Quigly. "You have to ask the right questions and try the right tests until you find the answer."

A strong work ethic is also important for people in this field. Most veterinarians work between 45 and 55 hours a week, often on evenings and weekends. Since animal injuries or births don't always occur during office hours, vets can be on call 24 hours a day.

"Horses seem to be particularly fond of birthing at 2 a.m., so I can be busy round the clock," says veterinarian Ian Walters. "Also, an animal may need an operation at 4 in the afternoon, but you may not end up finishing until 2 a.m."

Vets work in various settings. While most veterinarians work in animal clinics or hospitals, some travel to farms, ranches and marinas to do their work. They may also work full time in laboratories or zoos.

If you think you want to be a veterinarian, it's a good idea to do some research before committing yourself to six to eight years of education. Experts say volunteer work is the best way to find out if veterinary science is your calling.

"One of the best things you can do for yourself if you're looking at this field is volunteer with a veterinary clinic or hospital. It will tell you whether you're right for the job and if the job is right for you," says Walters.

Pessin also believes volunteering is a good idea. He says the nearby veterinary clinic would be happy to see you.

"By all means, go volunteer for a vet. Veterinarians are always happy to utilize volunteers with a sincere interest in this field. Also, it looks good on your application to veterinary school," says Pessin.

In fact, most veterinary colleges across North America require their applicants to show proof of having worked with animals.

Just the Facts

Want a quick overview of what this career is about?Check out Just the Facts for simple lists of characteristics.

At a Glance

Care for and treat animals

  • You have to be a people person, too
  • Evening and weekend work may be required
  • You'll need two years of university followed by four years of vet college

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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