A veterinarian, often shortened to vet, is a physician for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine.
Veterinarians provide healthcare for animals, including livestock, pets (birds, cats, dogs, etc), and zoo, sporting and laboratory animals. Most perform clinical work in private practices. Of these, most work with small animals, treating injuries and illness, and administering inoculations and health checks. Many careers are open to those with veterinary degrees many may choose to specialise in medical disciplines such as surgery, dermatology or internal medicine, after post-graduate training and certification.
A small number of private practice veterinarians work exclusively with large animals, and in particular horses and cows. These veterinarians usually drive to stables, farms or ranches to provide services for individual animals or herds. This involves treatment for conditions or injuries, plus preventive care to maintain herd health, such as inoculation. They also consult with owners on animal management.
Most of the small animal vet’s work is conducted in the surgery, in consultation with owners. Vets typically have to treat all sorts of family pets. Sometimes, pets are visited in their own homes, particularly if the owner is unable to travel. A veterinarian working with small animals in practice will perform the following tasks, amongst others:
- Diagnosing animal health problems
- Vaccinating against diseases, such as influenza, rabies and distemper
- Medicating animals suffering from infections or illnesses
- Treating and dressing wounds
- Setting fractures and performing surgery
- Advising owners about animal care
- Inserting identification microchips into animals
- Euthanizing animals that are beyond treatment
- Providing suitable paperwork for animals travelling abroad
- Dealing with out of hours emergencies
Vets specialising in large animals conduct most of their work at the stables, farm or ranch. The exception is when an animal needs to be admitted to a hospital for surgery. Typical daily tasks include:
- Handling, examining and treating farm livestock and horses
- Meeting and consulting with owners
- Carrying out diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, blood samples and ultra-sound
- Treating and dressing wounds, setting fractures, and performing surgery
- Advising farmers on breeding, nutrition and herd health
- Providing preventive care to maintain the health of food animals
- Administering immunizations
- Performing surgery, including anaesthesia
- Dealing with out of hours emergencies when on call
- Inserting identification microchips
- Liaising with other professionals
There are many other areas of focus which qualified vets can specialise in, these include:
- Exotic animal veterinarian – Generally considered to include reptiles, exotic birds such as parrots and cockatoos, and small mammals such as ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, and degus
- Conservation medicine – The study of the relationship between animal and human health and environmental conditions
- Small animal practice – Usually dogs, cats, and other companion animals/household pets such as hamsters and gerbils. Some practices are canine-only or feline-only practices
- Laboratory animal practice – Some veterinarians work in a university or industrial laboratory and are responsible for the care and treatment of laboratory animals of any species (often involving bovines, porcine species, felines, canines, rodents, and even exotic animals. Their responsibility is not only for the health and well being of the animals, but also for enforcing humane and ethical treatment of the animals in the facility
- Large animal practice – Usually referring to veterinarians that work with, variously, livestock and other large farm animals, as well as equine species and large reptiles
- Food animal medicine – Some veterinarians deal exclusively or primary with animals raised for food (such as meat, milk, and eggs). Livestock practitioners may deal with ovine (sheep), bovine (cattle) and porcine (swine) species; such veterinarians deal with management of herds, nutrition, reproduction, and minor field surgery. Dairy medicine practice focuses on dairy animals. Poultry medicine practice focuses on the health of flocks of poultry; the field often involves extensive training in pathology, epidemiology, and nutrition of birds. The veterinarian treats the flock and not the individual animals
- Food safety practice – Veterinarians are employed by both the food industry and government agencies to provide advice on and monitor the handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness
- Wildlife medicine – A relatively recent branch of veterinary medicine, focusing on wildlife. Wildlife medicine veterinarians may work with zoologists and conservation medicine practitioners and may also be called out to treat marine species such as sea otters, dolphins, or whales after a natural disaster or oil spill
Veterinary Surgeon
Veterinary surgeons work to safeguard the health and welfare of animals. Vets working in general practice are responsible for the medical and surgical treatment of animals. They work with a range of animals, including domestic animals, zoo animals and farm animals. They also work to prevent disease in animals and the spread of disease. There are veterinary practices which specialise in small animals, food producing animals, equine work and there are also mixed practices. The area that a practice specialises in may depend on whether they are located in a rural or urban area.
The job of a vet is to combine their knowledge of animal physiology, nutrition and medicine with practical skills to diagnose illnesses, prescribe medicines and perform surgery. Vets also use their knowledge to manage anaesthesia during procedures and radiography. Typical work activities include:
- Handling, examining and treating all species of animals, including domestic animals, farm livestock and horses
- Meeting and consulting with the owners of various animals
- Carrying out tests such as x-rays, blood samples and ultrasound scans
- Giving advice to farmers on issues such as nutrition, breeding and herd health
- Routinely visiting farms to check the health of livestock
- Immunising animals against different types of disease
- Euthanizing old and terminally ill animals
- Performing surgery, including managing anaesthesia
- Working on out-of-hours emergency cases when on call
- Providing suitable paperwork for animals travelling abroad, as well as inserting identification microchips into animals
- Maintaining up-to-date records
- Liaising with and referring to other professionals within the industry
- Inspecting certain animal products to check that they are safe for human consumption
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