Veterinarians are doctors whose patients are pets and wildlife. They perform many different services and may treat their patients at animal clinics, zoos, aquariums, or farms. In North America there are nearly seventy thousand practicing veterinarians.
Many veterinarians say they decided what career to pursue at a very young age. In most cases, it was because they loved animals. Yet even though this is an important quality for veterinarians, there is much more to it than that. The road to a career in veterinary medicine is long and difficult, and involves years of college study, hands-on training, and hard work.
Depending on their specialties, veterinarians’ jobs often differ from day to day. They perform regular checkups, give shots, clean animals’ teeth, and prescribe medicines. They are also called during emergencies when pets are sick or injured. Sometimes veterinarians care for female pets throughout a pregnancy, and then deliver their babies.
Dr. Holly Knor decided to become a veterinarian when she was just five years old. Her parents bought her a toy poodle, which she named Pepi. From that point on she was an animal lover. “Having my own dog nourished my love of animals,” she says. “I didn’t even know what veterinarians were until I got Pepi. But after one trip to the vet’s office, I was hooked. I knew I would become a veterinarian someday. Actually, I believe that was God’s plan for me.”
