Equine Veterinarian Job Description
Equine veterinarians are animal doctors who specialize in treating illnesses and injuries that affect horses. Training for equine veterinarians consists of four years of veterinary school. While in veterinary school, aspiring equine practitioners can gain hands-on experience with horses. After graduating, residency programs offer extended training in caring for horses.
Other People Are Reading
-
Features
-
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) states that equine veterinarians are responsible for performing a variety of functions when in practice, and the skills necessary to perform them should be learned in veterinary school. Skills include performing physical exams, restraining foals, treating a foot abscesses and applying bandages to limbs.
Training
-
Aspiring equine veterinarians will often select large animal or equine medicine specialty tracks while in veterinary school. The tracks provide students with exposure to equine medicine and hands-on experience treating horses. Students at the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school, for example, can complete clinical rotations at the school's New Bolton Center, which houses an equine sports medicine facility.
-
Types
-
Equine veterinarians can select from numerous specialties. Cardiologists treat conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat) in horses, while orthopedists diagnose and treat lameness through methods such as MRI and surgery. Alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, may also be performed by an equine veterinarian to help ease back pain in horses.
Career Development
-
Equine practitioners can benefit from becoming AAEP members. Veterinary school students can join AAEP as student members and access the association's online database of internships and externships in equine practices. Student members can also attend AAEP's annual convention, which features a career night. Practicing equine veterinarians and veterinary school graduates are eligible for full membership and can take advantage of business workshops, continuing education courses and an online job database.
Potential
-
The AAEP notes that there are numerous employment opportunities for equine veterinarians. Some 35 percent of the association's members devote their entire practices to treating horses. Equine veterinarians may work treating race horses, working horses on ranches and mares that are bred to produce future racing horses.
-
References
- Photo Credit horse image by ann triling from Fotolia.com
