What qualities are needed to become a veterinarian?

If you are intersted in becoming a veterinarian, you need to be dedicated to animal welfare and to serving the relationship of human and non-human animal. A veterinary career is a lifelong commitment. You must enjoy reading and research. You must be able to handle stress well. You must have physical endurance for the long hours necessary. You must enjoy teaching and communication, as helping animals is accomplished through the humans that care for them.{{more}}

What are the duties of a practising veterinarian?

This is a difficult question to answer as there are so many different branches of veterinary medicine. We tend to picture the private practice veterinarian in a small community hospital, seeing patients and performing surgery; but there are so many other choices. There are veterinarians who treat only horses, for example. Some veterinarians treat food animals, such as cows, chickens or pigs where the focus is on the health of the herd or group, not on the individual. Some veterinarians work in zoos, some with laboratory animals in research settings. Some work academically with microscopic organisms. Some teach. Some work with animal athletes, such as racehorses or sled dogs and some work with only fish. Veterinary medicine is a big world in and of itself, with many choices to make and career lifestyles to choose from.

What is the best aspect of being a practising veterinarian?

Veterinarians serve the human-animal bond. We do so much more than just help sick animals; we help these animals be loved. The reward of seeing a patient recover and be returned to the loving arms of its family is unmatchable. We help bring more love into the world and doing that is the greatest contribution that can be made.

What are the disadvantages of being a veterinarian?

Being a doctor requires staying abreast of an ever expanding body of medical information. This requires regular (if not daily) reading, attending seminars, and basically doing homework. If a lifetime as a student is not what you are looking for, becoming a doctor is probably not for you. Sometimes, emergency hours are required. The work is physically challenging and the hours are long and not always amenable to family life.

Aside from the lifestyle issues of being a doctor, it is important to consider what the work entails. Private practice veterinarians have to euthanize patients, patients that they have seen grow up from baby puppies or kittens into adulthood. Beyond this, there will be cases where all your knowledge and all the resources open to you will not be enough to help your patient. Their owners may be grieving; they may be angry or blaming, but sometimes part of a veterinarian’s job includes guidance through the end of a beloved pet’s life. How will these stresses affect you on a day-to-day basis?

For further information, contact:Dr Collin Boyle

Unique Animal Care Co Ltd Tel: 456-4981

Website: www.uniqueanimalcare.com