3 answers
3 answers
Updated
Kimberly’s Answer
When I was a practicing small animal Veterinarian. My days were filled with taking appointments for animals who needed their yearly vaccinations and for those who may be not feeling well or have some type of illness. There was a lot of paperwork to do to make sure everything you did for each patient was captured (their medical history). The day would also entail surgeries, mostly spays and neuters, but occasionally there would be other types ( tumor removal, etc). It was also important to follow up with your clients who wanted to speak with me about how their pet was doing if they were hospitalized for an illness, or just recovering from surgery that day. Or, it could be someone just wanting to ask a question about their pet or whether they need to bring them in to see them. Toward the end of the day, I would help the staff give treatments to those pets that are in the hospital, and cleaning up to get ready for the next day! It seems like a lot, but it was quite enjoyable, especially seeing the animals who were sick get better, and being able to play and meet all of the pets coming in to see me!
Updated
Krista’s Answer
This typically depends on what type of veterinarian you choose to become! Other types of veterinarians can answer this question as well, but from my experience shadowing and working at a small animal vet hospital I have a very general answer to this question.
Small animal clinical veterinarians typically have general check-up appointments during the day. During this time they might give vaccines and/or a physical exam. Physical exams include checking the eyes, ears, mouth, legs, belly, tail, rear end, and reproductive areas of the animal. There are also typically allotted times for "emergency" appointments. Depending on the type of clinic/hospital you work at this can mean different things. At a clinic, this typically refers to day-of appointments generally for non-urgent emergencies, for example limping or vomiting that started the day before and has not gone away, etc. At a hospital, this can range from sudden seizures to dog fight injuries to animals hit by a car, etc.
In addition to these tasks, a veterinarian might also have euthanasia appointments and surgeries (spays, neuters, dental work, foreign body surgery, etc.). These procedures typically have a pre-allotted time during the day and can take anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours depending on the surgery.
And don't forget, there will be paperwork that comes with it! While veterinarians typically do have a pretty hands-on and active job, they unfortunately don't get to escape the paper-work aspect.
Equine veterinarians typically travel to their clients. These veterinarians can have a much different schedule. The number of clients they see a day as well as the types of procedures they do can vary from day to day. One day, you might see one client with 20 horses that all need vaccines and routine dental work, and the next day you might see 4 clients with 2 horses each that need vaccines, dental work, stitches, etc.
Hopefully, this helps! Remember though, this information can vary depending on the type of veterinarian you choose to become, the type of practice you work at, and can also vary from one business to another. For example, XYZ Vet Hospital might only do general practice while ABC Vet Hospital is a full-fledged hospital with an emergency department. Do your research on the practice before you apply! Good luck!
Small animal clinical veterinarians typically have general check-up appointments during the day. During this time they might give vaccines and/or a physical exam. Physical exams include checking the eyes, ears, mouth, legs, belly, tail, rear end, and reproductive areas of the animal. There are also typically allotted times for "emergency" appointments. Depending on the type of clinic/hospital you work at this can mean different things. At a clinic, this typically refers to day-of appointments generally for non-urgent emergencies, for example limping or vomiting that started the day before and has not gone away, etc. At a hospital, this can range from sudden seizures to dog fight injuries to animals hit by a car, etc.
In addition to these tasks, a veterinarian might also have euthanasia appointments and surgeries (spays, neuters, dental work, foreign body surgery, etc.). These procedures typically have a pre-allotted time during the day and can take anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours depending on the surgery.
And don't forget, there will be paperwork that comes with it! While veterinarians typically do have a pretty hands-on and active job, they unfortunately don't get to escape the paper-work aspect.
Equine veterinarians typically travel to their clients. These veterinarians can have a much different schedule. The number of clients they see a day as well as the types of procedures they do can vary from day to day. One day, you might see one client with 20 horses that all need vaccines and routine dental work, and the next day you might see 4 clients with 2 horses each that need vaccines, dental work, stitches, etc.
Hopefully, this helps! Remember though, this information can vary depending on the type of veterinarian you choose to become, the type of practice you work at, and can also vary from one business to another. For example, XYZ Vet Hospital might only do general practice while ABC Vet Hospital is a full-fledged hospital with an emergency department. Do your research on the practice before you apply! Good luck!