Veterinarian

A veterinarian (American English) or a veterinary surgeon (British English), often shortened to vet, is a physician for animals (excluding humans) and a practitioner of veterinary medicine. The word comes from the Latin veterinae meaning "working animals". "Veterinarian" was first used in print by Thomas Browne in 1646.^[1] Many careers are open to those with veterinary degrees (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, D.V.M.) or B.V.Sc. & A. H. (Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry). Those working in clinical settings often practice medicine in a limited field such as "companion animal", pet medicine (small animals such as dog, cat, and pocket pets), production medicine or livestock medicine. Production medicine includes specialties in dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, sheep, and poultry, equine medicine (e.g., sport, race track, show, rodeo), laboratory animal medicine, reptile medicine, or ratite medicine. Veterinarians may choose to specialize in medical disciplines such as surgery, dermatology or internal medicine, after post-graduate training and certification.

Some veterinarians pursue post-graduate training and enter research careers and have contributed advances in many human and veterinary medical fields, including pharmacology and epidemiology. Research veterinarians were the first to isolate oncoviruses, Salmonella species, Brucella species, and various other pathogenic agents. Veterinarians were in the fore-front in the effort to suppress malaria and yellow fever in the United States. Veterinarians determined the identity of the botulism disease-causing agent; produced an anticoagulant used to treat human heart disease; and developed surgical techniques for humans, such as hip-joint replacement, limb and organ transplants.

Like physicians and animal therapists, veterinarians must make serious ethical decisions about their patients' care. For example, there is ongoing debate within the profession over the ethics of performing declawing of cats and docking or cropping tails and ears, spaying or neutering dogs, as well as "debarking" dogs, the housing of sows in gestation crates and the housing of egg laying poultry hens in cages (battery cage).

Small animal veterinarian

In United States and Canada, Small Animal Veterinarians predominantly provide medical care for small companion animals, such as cats, dogs, hamsters, birds and rabbits. Small Animal Veterinarians perform medical procedures, treat diseases and provide routine checkups and vaccinations. Small Animal Veterinarians usually set up private medical practices to allow pet owners to bring their animals in for examination and treatment. Small Animal Veterinarians treat small companion animals for broken bones, superficial wounds and general ailments. Treating diseases, such as canine parvovirus, feline lower urinary tract disease, heartworms and feline panleukopenia, is also a very important part of a Small Animal Veterinarian's job. Furthermore, educating pet owners is a daily occurrence for Small Animal Veterinarians. They teach pet owners many things that small animals require, such as proper nutrition and dental hygiene. Small Animal Veterinarians may perform surgery, such as spaying, neutering and, in some cases, dental surgery.

Education and regulation

A veterinarian gives an injection to a goldfish

Veterinarians must first obtain a degree in Veterinary Medicine and a license to practice. There is ample preparation one must complete before one is able to achieve this, and the competition for admission into veterinary school is steep. Individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine must graduate with either a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree from North America or an equivalent degree for veterinarians who graduate in the U.K. or other commonwealth country is a Bachelor of Veterinary Science/Surgery/Medicine (BVS, BVSc, or BVMS) degree.

In the United States, there are currently only 28 colleges that meet the accreditation standards set by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): Auburn University, Colorado State University, Cornell University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Louisiana State University, Michigan State University, Mississippi State University, North Carolina State University, Ohio State University, Oklahoma State University, Oregon State University, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, Tufts University, Tuskegee University, University of California, Davis, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri, University of Pennsylvania, University of Tennessee, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, and Western University of Health Sciences ^[2]

An alternative to becoming a licensed veterinarian with a doctorate is becoming a veterinary technician. Veterinary technicians are, essentially, veterinary nurses, and are graduates of two or four year college-level programs and are legally qualified to assist veterinarians in many medical procedures. Veterinary assistants are not licensed by most states, but can be well-trained through programs offered in a variety of technical schools.

The prerequisites for admission to veterinary programs vary from school to school. But, interestingly enough, many programs do not require a bachelor's degree for entrance. Instead they require a number of credit hours that range from 45 to 90 semester hours at the undergraduate level. However, most of the students admitted have completed an undergraduate program and earned a bachelor's degree. So despite the fact that a bachelor's degree is not required, applicants without a degree are at a disadvantage.

Preveterinary courses should emphasize the sciences. Veterinary schools typically require applicants to have taken classes in organic and inorganic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, general biology, animal biology, animal nutrition, genetics, vertebrate embryology, cellular biology, microbiology, zoology, and systemic physiology. Additionally, some programs require calculus. On the other hand, some require only statistics, college algebra and trigonometry, or precalculus. Most veterinary schools also require some courses in English or literature, other humanities, and the social sciences as a basic background education. Furthermore, courses in general business management and career development are more and more becoming a standard part of the curriculum.

In addition to satisfying preveterinary course requirements, applicants must submit test scores from standardized tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The decision as to which test should be taken depends solely on the requirement of the college to which the applicant is applying. As of 2007, 22 schools require the GRE, 4 require the VCAT, and 2 accept the MCAT.

Admission to veterinary school is highly competitive, with the number of qualified applicants admitted varying from year to year ^[3]. This is due in large part to the fact that the number of accredited veterinary colleges has remained largely the same since 1983, but the number of applicants has risen significantly. As a result, only about 1 in 3 applicants were accepted into veterinary school in 2005.

Approximately 80% of admitted students are female. In the early history of veterinary medicine of the USA, most veterinarians were males. However, in the 1990s this ratio was nearly even, and now it has been reversed. Most veterinary schools require their applicants to submit application through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) ^[4].

New graduates with a DVM/VMD/BVS/BVSc degree cannot begin to practice veterinary medicine until they have received their license. To be licensed in the United States for example, one must receive a passing grade on a national board examination, the North America Veterinary Licensing Exam. This exam must be completed over the course of eight hours, and consists of 360 multiple-choice questions. This exam covers all aspects of veterinary medicine, as well as visual material designed to test diagnostic skills. Unlike physicians of whom an academic internship is generally required (and 85% eventually board certify in one of a large number of specialties and subspecialties) veterinarians can enter practice after graduation and licensure. The percentage electing further study has increased from 36.8% to 39.9% in 2008. About 25% of those or about 9% of graduates were accepted into traditional academic internships. (2008 -696 graduates accepted a position in advanced study, 89.2% (621) accepted an internship (private practice, 74.5%; academic, 25.3%; and other internship, 0.2%). An additional 6.0% (42) accepted a residency). Approximately 9% of veterinarians eventually board certify in one of 20 specialties. <Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association -www.avma.org/reference/marketstats,www.avma.org/press/profession/specialties. JAVMA.233.7.1067,American Board of Medical Specialties web site www.abms.org/About_ABMS/>

Interns receive a small salary, but often find that their internship experience leads to better paying opportunities later. Veterinarians who then wish to pursue board certification, in medical or surgical specialties (such as internal medicine, oncology, surgery, dermatology, cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology ), must complete a 3- to 4-year residency program that provides intensive training. Other specialties, such as epidemiology or toxicology, require a PhD training.< www.avma.org/press/profession/specialties.asp>

When the application committee decides who gains admittance and who does not, many schools place heavy emphasis and consideration on a candidate's veterinary and animal experience. Formal experience is a particular advantage to the applicant. Formal experience consists of work with veterinarians or scientists in clinics, agribusiness, research, or some area of health science. Less formal experience is also helpful for the applicant to have, and this includes working with animals on a farm or ranch or at a stable or animal shelter and basic overall animal exposure ^[5].

Admittance Comparison

The preparation for veterinary school is immense and the likelihood of acceptance is not in favor of the applicant. Nationwide in 2007, approximately 5,750 applicants competed for the 2,650 seats in the 28 accredited US veterinary school. This statistic results in nationwide acceptance rate of 46 percent ^[6].

Likewise, the preparation for medical school begins long before one fills out an application and the chances of gaining admission is slim. The seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so getting the application in as early as one can helps tremendously. As applications come in and interviews are given, spots are filled. Therefore, as the competition continues to increase, the number of seats continues to decrease. Medical school applications have decreased by about 8,000 from 45,000 applicants in 1994 to 37,000 applicants in 2005, while enrollment numbers have stayed consistent. Acceptance rates have increased from 38% to 48%, resulting in almost half of all applicants gaining admission to medical school but still having the odds of less than half ^[7].

WICHE: Veterinary School Financial Alternative

The Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP) is one of three exchange programs of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Western states, in particular, can place their residents who are pursuing professional, graduate, and undergraduate programs, which are not available to them in their own state, at a financial disadvantage. These exchange programs are designed to give students in these disadvantageous situations another financial option and place them on a more fair and even status. This is done so by providing the outbound students and their families the option to save money through reduced tuition arrangements.^[8]

The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore , is one of the oldest veterinary institutions in Asia . Since its inception in 1882, the staff of this institution has worked enthusiastically and successfully conducted a wide range of programs that have effectively catered to the educational and training needs in the field of veterinary and animal sciences. By now, it has emerged as one of the famous centers of teaching in veterinary education in Asia.^[9]

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, based in Boulder, Colorado, works hand in hand with 15 states to expand educational access and excellence for all of the citizens in the West region. WICHE promotes innovation, cooperation, resource sharing, and sound public policy among states and institutions. WICHE strengthens higher education's contributions to the region's social, economic, and civic life. The states that participate in WICHE include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.^[8]

If selected to receive support, WICHE exchange students pay reduced levels of tuition. This usually consists of paying resident tuition in public institutions or reduced tuition at private schools. The home state of the students then pays a support fee to the admitting schools to help cover the cost of the students' education. Another advantage that WICHE students receive is that they are given some preference in admission selection process. Each state determines just how many fields and students they are willing and able to support. The fields that are to be chosen from are as follows dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, podiatry, and veterinary medicine.^[8]

In further detail for veterinary medicine in particular, a maximum WICHE support is limited to four academic years. The following states are in compliance with the WICHE program and will support students who wish to pursue a DVM Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. States with additional support arrangements include North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The following veterinary Schools are those who are willing to receive students under support of the WICHE program University of California Davis, Colorado State University, Oregon State University, and Washington State University.^[8] Applying for support from the WICHE program is a technical process. If the field of study one wishes to pursue is supported by their state, they would then want to contact their state certifying officer for an application Certification by their individual state. This confirms only that they are a resident according to the definition established by their state, making them eligible for the exchange if sufficient funds are available in their state. This certification is important because some schools will not consider applications from nonresidents without this certification.^[8]

In most states, the deadline for receiving completed applications for this certification is October 15 of the year preceding their admission. However, a few states have earlier deadlines or accept late applications. To be sure of when one's respective state deadline is, one would need to contact the state-certifying officer. In addition to applying for certification, one must also apply for admission to the schools of choice that participate in WICHE's Professional Student Exchange Program, and then follow all the necessary steps to be considered a certified WICHE student at the schools of interest.^[8]

The educational requirements for the veterinarian vary with each country. Typically, it takes from four years to eight years of education after graduating from secondary school. Some countries grant the equivalent of a bachelor's degree - in India, the Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc and AH). Others grant a doctoral degree - in the United States and Canada, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD). In the United States, holders of either degrees are allowed to practice as veterinarians if they succeed in passing national and state board examinations, and after passing three veterinary licensing exams - the Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination (BCSE), the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners' North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE), and the Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE), and a state veterinary law exam, foreign-educated veterinarians may practice as a general practice veterinarian.

Applicants must have earned or be close to earning bachelors' degrees before applying and must take the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), Graduate Record Exam (GRE), or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The chances of admission in one state might be significantly different from those in another state, depending on the number of in-state applicants and the number of places available.

Veterinary school admissions can be highly competitive. The ratio of applications to students accepted varies tremendously between each school. Options are available for students to apply to overseas schools, but the graduates of such schools are often not regarded as highly as U.S. students who have earned a bachelor's degree and a graduate veterinary school degree in the United States.

In the United States, the average veterinary medicine student has an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 and a GRE score of approximately 1350. In the U.S. and Canada, veterinary school lasts four years (again, normally after the completion of an undergraduate degree), with at least one year being dedicated to clinical rotations. In the U.S., one can enter veterinary school (DVM) after completing the undergraduate pre-veterinary requirements in as little as two years, but most veterinary school applicants have completed a bachelor's degree before entry into a professional program.

In many other countries, the veterinary degree is granted upon completion of a bachelor's degree in veterinary medicine and is not a post-graduate program as in the U.S. and Canada. After completion of the national board examinations, some newly-accredited veterinarians choose to pursue residencies or internships in certain (usually more competitive) fields. The entry requirement for residency is 1 year of internship or 2 years of clinical experience plus research publication. The admission in residency programme is highly competitive. Most of the veterinarians work as general practice veterinarian, only few become Veterinary Specialist.

In India, the Veterinary medical degree is known as Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc. and A.H.). The program lasts for a period of five years with 4.5 years of course work and six months of clinical and farm training internships. Admission to the Veterinary Colleges are through the tests conducted by the Agricultural and Veterinary Universities in the respective states or through a National Level Joint Entrance Test. Admission into BVSc & AH programme in India is competitive due to less number of Veterinary Colleges and seats.In Pakistan UVAS takes its own test for admission in M.Phil degree after DVM.

Foreign Graduate Veterinarians (Vets graduated outside the United States and holding BVSc & AH degree) required to pass 3 veterinary licensing exams and a state veterinary law exam in oder to get United States Veterinary License

1st exam : BCSE (basic clinical science exam visit : http://www.avma.org/education/ecfvg/ecfvg_pp_steps.asp#step3)

2nd exam : NAVLE (north American veterinary licencing exam visit : http://www.nbvme.org/?id=12 )

3rd exam  : CPE (clinical proficiency exam visit : http://www.avma.org/education/ecfvg/ecfvg_pp_steps.asp#step4)

These exams are conducted by ECFVG (Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates) and NBVME (National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners). ECFVG conducts BCSE & CPE exams , while NBVME conducts NAVLE exam in the United States.

Salary

Median salary for small animal exclusive veterinarians who do not own their practice ranges from US$70,000 to US$ 120,000. Starting salary for an associate veterinarian in the United States is US $ 70,000. In the United States Federal government, veterinarians have a median income of US $ 85,000 to US $ 95,000 depending upon years of experience.

         Owning a practice, a general practice veterinarian can earn a median income starting from US$100,000 to US$350,000  depending on years of experience, gender, location, competition in that area and type of practice owned. According to American Veterinary Medical Association "Two key factors contribute to veterinary profession income in the United States — ownership status and years of experience." The average salary of a male owner is $158,910, while the average salary of a female owner is $115,768, or 27 percent less.Male associates are earning $115,672 compared to female associates who bring in $83,106, or 19.1 to 25 percent less. 

         Veterinary Specialists earn  more income than general practicing veterinarians. Starting salary for a Veterinary Specialist is $150,000 and salary range/annual income  for Veterinary Specialist varies from US $150,000 to US $550,000, depending upon the type of specialty and years of experience.[10] The mean salary for new graduates in 2008 was US$48,328, but this included nearly 40% going on to advanced study programs.[11] Vets in the UK do tend to make less than those in the US with average new graduate wages starting at an average of £25000. Vets in India on an average earn from INR 240,000 to INR  840,000 per annum.  Vets in Pakistan have an annnual salary of 500,000to 1000,000 rupees.

Work

Veterinarians may:

• Diagnoses animal health problems, and performs diagnostic tests such as X-ray, EKG, ultrasound, blood tests, stool tests, and urinalysis.
• Vaccinates against diseases, such as distemper and rabies.
• Medicates animals suffering from infections or illnesses.
• Treats and dresses wounds.
• Sets fractures.
• Performs minor to complex surgery, depending on training.
• Advises owners about animal feeding, behavior, and breeding.
• Euthanize animals when necessary.
• Provides preventive care to maintain the health of food animals.
• Tests for and vaccinates against diseases.
• Dental work

Skills required of a general practice veterinarian

In many respects a veterinarian is similar to a pediatrician. Animals cannot talk like human beings, and much of the clinical history is obtained from the owner or client; as a pediatrician would obtain from a child's parents. Excellent people skills, and communication skills are required.

What can not be obtained from the clinical history, is acquired with the fingers, eyes, and smell. The ability to listen with a stethoscope and palpate with the fingers and hands will reveal much of the physical findings. The sense of smell is also important, in detecting the fruity odor of the ketotic cow's breath, or the urea from the breath of a cat in renal failure.

What can not be revealed by the history and exam is further supported by diagnostic tests like x-ray, C.T., M.R.I., blood work, urinalysis, and fecal exam. Veterinarians are well trained in laboratory medicine and parasitology.

The general practice veterinarian spends one third to one half of his or her time in surgery. Animal neutering operations are done in most veterinarians' offices. Many veterinarians also perform orthopedic procedures, bone setting, dentistry, and trauma surgery. Surgery requires good hand and eye coordination, and fine motor skills. A vet's job is similar to that of a human doctor.

Focuses of practice

Many focuses of practices exist. 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 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 they are also responsible 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. Some veterinarian are specialists in equine medicine.
• 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 advise 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 specialties

As opposed to human medicine, general practice veterinarians greatly out-number veterinary specialists. Most veterinary specialists work at the veterinary school, or at a referral center in large cities. As opposed to human medicine, where each organ system has its own medical and surgical specialties, veterinarians often combine both the surgical and medical aspect of an organ system into one field. The specialties in veterinary medicine often encompass several medical and surgical specialties that are found in human medicine. Within each veterinary specialty, one will often find a separation of large animal medicine from small animal medicine. Some veterinary specialties are evolving, some are limited only in the teaching universities, and some are practiced only in the field.

• Anaesthesiology - A specialty limited to teaching in hospitals and schools. Most veterinarians practice anesthesiology in their own office.
• Animal behavior - A relatively new specialty, with an increased interest in modulating abnormal animal behavior.
• Cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery - Manages cardiac and conductance disorders; also performs cardiothoracic surgery for the treatment of congenital and acquired heart disease.
• Chiropractic - Adaptation of principles of osteopathic manipulative and chiropractic medicine to animals. Some veterinarians have dual degree in chiropractic medicine and veterinary medicine.
• Dentistry - Relates to prevention and treatment of dental disease.
• Dermatology and dermatopathology - Relates to the skin. Veterinary dermatologists diagnose and treat skin disease. Dermatology in animals encompasses much of the field of allergy and immunology.
• Endocrinology - Important in teaching institution and referral centers. Each species of animals have their own unique endocrine disorders. Endocrine function of animals often varies between breeds of animals of the same species. Most of the endocrine disorders are emerged from macro- and micro-mineral deficiencies.
• Emergency Medicine and Critical Care - Also cover the field of emergency or trauma surgery. The veterinarian is trained in medicine, surgery, and critical care of the severely injured or ill animal.
• Epidemiology and public health - Focus on infectious disease in animals (including zoonotic disease, infectious diseases in animals which are transmitted (in some instances, by a vector) to humans.
• Equine surgery - Encompasses diagnosis and surgical treatment of horses. Including intestinal disorders and orthopedic surgery.
• Food animal surgery - This is a specialty mainly present in teaching hospitals. Most large animal veterinarians also perform surgery in the field and in their clinics. Veterinarian assistants can not perform any surgery on animals.
• Infectious diseases and foreign animal diseases - A very important specialty in the control of infectious diseases in the herds, and the spread of economically important foreign animal diseases. Specialists in this field work in the regulatory agencies, and teaching institutions.
• Internal medicine - As opposed to human medicine, where an internist is often considered a primary care physician of adults; a veterinary internal medicine specialist, is a specialist. The specialty in the United States require 2 years or more of residency training. They are trained to manage complex medical conditions, and often work at teaching universities and hospitals.
• Neurology and Neurologic Surgery - Veterinary neurologists are both surgeon and neurologist in practice. This is different than in human medicine, where neurologists are the medical side of the specialty, and neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeons focus on the surgical side.
• Nutrition - An important food animal medicine, and herd medicine. Specialists in this area include veterinarians and animal scientists. Most large animal veterinarians are also excellent nutritionists. Nutritionists also work in the pet food industry in quality assurance and research.
• Oncology - Covers the diagnosis and management of malignancies in animals. As animals are considered to be a part of the family, curative and pallative care is often demanded when malignacies develop. The best of chemotherapy, radiation oncology, and surgical oncology is now available for animals.
• Orthopedic surgery - Most veterinarians perform some orthopedic procedures in their offices. Specialists in the field perform complex internal fixation and external fixations, including joint replacement in the small animals. Some equine surgeons also practice limited internal fixation in horses.
• Ophthalmology - Focuses on eyes, the diagnosis of eye diseases, and surgery of the eye and eyelid.
• Pharmacology - The study of drug action. As animals metabolize drugs in many different ways, veterinary clinical pharmacologists are important in the study of drug use in animals.
• Parasitology - Focuses on study of parasites such as whipworms, fleas, and ticks. While almost all veterinarians encounter parasites in some patients, parasitology specialists are usually found in teaching hospitals and universities.
• Pathology and hematology - A broad field covering multiple species, organ systems, and domestic and foreign animal diseases. The veterinary pathologists perform necropsies (autopsies), collect specimens, and read pathological slides. They assist clinicians in the diagnosis of illnesses and seek causes of deaths in animals.
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation - Important in the recovery of neurosurgical and orthopedic patients. A relatively new field with application in both small animals and equine medicine; used to relieve pain, restore mobility, strength, and function so as to further enhance the ability of animals following injury, surgery, neurological problems, or orthopedic conditions. Animal physical therapists are evidenced-based health care professionals that often work with the owner, veterinarian, and sometimes other healthcare professionals to help animals achieve maximal performance.
• Radiology and radiation oncology - Interpretation of imaging modalities, including X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT scans), ultrasounds, echocardiograms, and Doppler devices; administration of radiation treatment for malignancies and endocrine diseases.
• Soft tissue surgery - Surgery of the skin, muscle, and gastrointestinal tract.
• Theriogenology involves the study and treatment of reproductive disorders. Reproduction is an economically important aspect of bovine, porcine, ovine, and equine practices.
• Urology and nephrology - Treatment and surgery of kidney and bladder diseases.

In popular culture

Well-known depictions of a veterinarian at work are in James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small, made into a BBC series.

Doctor Dolittle is a series of children's books, one of which was turned into a 1967 movie. The movie was remade in 1998 with Eddie Murphy as Dr. Dolittle.

US-based cable network Animal Planet, with animal-based programming, frequently features veterinarians. Two notable shows are Emergency Vets and E-Vet Interns, set at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver, Colorado.

The song Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, performed by the husband and wife duo "Elmo & Patsy", is a song performed by a veterinarian, Elmo Shropshire, DVM.

Fictional character veterinarians in TV series include Steve Parker in Neighbours; Jim Hansen in Providence, and Vincent Ventresca in the horror film Larva

Workplace

Small animal veterinarians typically work in veterinary clinics or veterinary hospitals, or both. Large animal veterinarians often spend more time traveling to see their patients at the primary facilities which house them (zoos, farms, etc.).

As opposed to a human doctor's office, which only have exam rooms, a veterinarian's office is more like a hospital with a full pharmacy. Waiting rooms are available often with separate areas for dogs, cats, and exotics. There may also be a laboratory to include a microscope, parasitology preps, chemistry analyzer, and blood count capability, a full surgery with orthopedic and general surgery packs, and general anesthesia equipment, a kennel for hospitalizing sick animals, and to quarantine infectious ones, an X-ray machine with a dark room for processing films can still be found, although digital radiographs are increasingly more commonplace, and a full dispensary pharmacy with oral, topical, and injectable drugs.

See also

• Animal breeding

References

External links

• Veterinarian at the Open Directory Project