Perhaps one of the most challenging yet most rewarding careers that includes working with dogs as well as other animals is that of a veterinarian. Historically veterinarians have been more generalists and train to treat animals from household pets to domestic farm animals such as sheep, horses, cattle and even swine. Now it is much more common for a vet to take basic classes in both small and large animal treatment, but then to specialize in one or the other throughout their formal education. After graduation vets can also further specialize into treatment of specific types of disorders within a particular type of animal, get involved in research or train to become a holistic veterinarian.
Training
Vets, like all licensed and credentialed professionals, have to fulfill the requirements of their licensing board to be able to practice veterinary medicine. All vets in the United States, Canada, Britain and the United Kingdom as well as Australia, New Zealand and Europe have to be fully licensed in order to practice, completing a minimum of a four-year graduate Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.M.V) degree. In the United States there are 28 colleges that offer D.M.V degree programs and it is very competitive to be accepted into these programs.
Once into the degree program students will complete a wide variety of courses from emergency treatment, husbandry, animal nutrition, animal behavior and psychology and even business management classes. Often undergraduates that are applying to veterinary colleges have a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, Biology, Physical Sciences or a related field of study. In addition most colleges also require that the applicants complete the Graduate Record Examination and either the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) or the VCAT (Veterinary College Admissions Test). Scores of these test combined with an evaluation of the application, related work experience and undergraduate class and degree grades will all determine if the applicant is allowed admission to the college.
It is estimated that only one of every three applicants to veterinary college is accepted and certainly not all of the students will graduate. The classes are very challenging and combined with the surgical work and medical classes it can be a very tough program of study.
Once students graduate they are then apply for their license and, upon being passing the exam to earn their professional license they can open up their own clinic or animal hospital or start a one-year internship. Other vets may choose to pursue a specialization that will include 3-4 additional years of residency and training within a particular area to become what is known as board certified as a specialist. Some vets also choose to specialize in a particular type of practice and there is an increase in the number of holistic vets that are now certified in the United States through the AHVMA, also known as the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.
Work and Salary
The vast majority of vets, almost three quarters of all licensed professionals, work in their own clinic or in a partnership group with other vets. These are the vets that have small or large practices in urban and rural areas. Out of this group, almost a full seventy percent work exclusively with small animals including dogs, cats and other domestic pets. Some small animal vets may also be board certified in exotic small animals such as reptiles, amphibians and birds.
Most small animal vets set their own office hours and times, however days are usually long and very busy. Once a vet has a reputation for being kind, considerate and caring he or she will find that they have more clients than they can typically handle. Small animal vets that specialize in dogs or specific dog health conditions can be found in both urban and rural areas, however the vast majority are in the medium to large sized cities.
Vets that have their own small animal practices are going to have a lot of variety in the types of cases they handle. There will be routine yearly examinations and vaccinations, treating health conditions in puppies and dogs of all ages, working with kennel owners and breeders and of course handling emergency cases. Vets also have to help to counsel and educate dog and pet owners, provide nutritional information, determine the best course of treatment for chronic health conditions and ultimately help pet owners make decisions about best course of action for their dog. In some cases vets may also have to help patients understand treatment options including euthanasia in cases where treatment is not possible or where the quality of the life for the dog cannot be maintained.
Vets also need to be able to explain health conditions of animals to owners in a way that is easy to understand yet answers all the owner's questions. A vet that has a great "bed side" manner will also have time to get to know each dog a bit as well, ensuring that they gain both the dog's trust as well as the owners. Vets that spend this little bit of extra time are usually highly regarded in the community and tend to be vets for life for the respective animals that they treat.
Most vets work five to six days a week for normal office visits plus they also respond to emergency situations outside of regular office hours. Vet technicians and assistants can help out with some of the routine treatments and care of the animals, but the vet is in a direct supervisory role when it comes to working with any of the animals in the clinic or animal hospital. In addition if the vet owns his or her own clinic they also have to make business decisions as to expansion, equipment and even hiring and firing of office staff.
Considering the responsibility and work hours that a veterinarian puts in they really do earn every penny of their salary. Most vets working in their own office or clinic will earn just over $70,000 per year, with the top bracket of vets, typically those that are board certified specialists earning over $133,000 per year according to the United States Department of Labor. Salaries do vary depending on location and the type of services that the vet provides.
Other articles under "Careers with Dogs"
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