What Vets Do

Veterinarians are responsible for treating living creatures in all their varied forms. Just as there are different types of doctors there are also many types of veterinarian. There are vets who specialize in farm livestock, companion animals and treating animals in the wild.

Vets also do specific types of work such as research, anesthesia and animal nutrition studies. Vets work in private practice, for the government and universities.

Vets do volunteer work

Sometimes vets do their work in unusual circumstances. Some really good examples of this involve giving aid to injured wild animals. Vets and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in Louisiana work together to treat injured sea turtles and vets even work in the heat of battle. U.S. military vets worked hard to treat injured zoo animals in Iraq during the Iraq war.

Companion animal vets specialize in the treating the animal people keep as pets and counseling their owners to keep them healthy. Because people keep a wide assortment of animal companions these small animal vets must be general practitioners having knowledge in treating many different types of animals.

According to University of California at Davis small animal vets examine and treat pets to prevent illness, do lab work and even surgery on small animals. Small animal vets often operate small clinics staffed with veterinary technicians and animal handlers.

Veterinarians who specialize in treating large animals work closely with farmers and ranchers to maintain the health of their animals. This type of vet often has a practice covering large rural areas and may travel many miles to treat his patients.

Sometimes called farm vets, large animal vets specialize in treating cows, sheep, horses and other livestock. Much of the work of a large animal vet includes traveling to farms and ranches providing preventive care such as inoculating cattle and advising clients on livestock nutritional needs.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association food supply vets play a vital role in maintaining public health by working to prevent disease in the cows, pigs, and sheep that are reared as food animals. Food supply vets also work for the USDA inspecting animals for signs of disease before they are slaughtered and processed.

Zoological veterinarians have specialized knowledge in the treatment of wild and exotic animals. This type of vet is often a member of the staff at zoological parks and wildlife refuge areas. The zoo vets job involves conservation efforts as well as keeping the animals healthy.

This is often more difficult because wild animals instinctively hide the fact that they are ill as protection from predators. The vet spends time with the animals and observes their behavior and diet to ensure their health. According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park zoo veterinary staff works closely with the zoo keepers and technicians. The vets and staff make rounds of the campus treating and checking the animals. Outside specialist such as veterinary dentists are called in as the need arises.