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.