Small Animal Veterinarian Information
Veterinarians are doctors who diagnose and treat illnesses affecting animals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that about 77 percent of practicing veterinarians treat small animals, such as cats, dogs, birds and reptiles. Small animal veterinarians need to work well with pet patients and their owners, and most are employed in group or private practices.
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A small animal veterinarian's day might be spent completing patient care tasks, such as prescribing antibiotics, performing surgery and giving vaccinations against diseases such as rabies. When an animal is severely ill or injured, a veterinarian may have to euthanize it. Veterinarians work long hours and are sometimes on call, just as their counterparts in human medicine.
Training
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A four-year degree in veterinary medicine prepares small animal veterinarians to practice. Aspiring small animal veterinarians take courses in chemistry, physics, biology and calculus at the undergraduate level and must submit standardized test scores when applying to one of the 28 veterinary schools accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA). While in veterinary school, students interested in pursuing a career working with small animals can take electives in areas, such as reptile medicine, avian (bird) medicine and small animal dentistry.
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Certification
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Veterinarians practicing in all 50 states, including those working with small animals, must be licensed, according to the BLS. Graduation from veterinary school and passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination qualifies veterinarians for licensure. Small animal veterinarians can earn additional board certification in a specialty, such as internal medicine, dentistry or dermatology. Board certification is granted by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Foundation (ACVIM).
Types
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While many small animal veterinarians work in practices that treat a variety of small animals, some choose to enter a specialty small animal practice. Specialty practices treat one type of animal, such as cats or reptiles. Small animal specialists can join organizations, such as the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) or the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV).
Potential
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Veterinarians who treat small animals exclusively earned a starting salary of $64,744 in 2008, according to the BLS. While overall employment was expected to grow by about 33 percent from 2008 through 2018, the BLS notes that most veterinarians work with small pets. There is a strong demand for feline practitioners, which can be attributed to growth of the cat population and increased interest in keeping cats as pets, according to the BLS.
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- Photo Credit cat image by matko from Fotolia.com
