What Does a Veterinarian Do?
Veterinarians diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases and injuries in animals, including pets, livestock, and wildlife. They perform surgeries, prescribe medications, and advise animal owners on proper care and nutrition. Veterinarians play a critical role in animal welfare, public health, and food safety.
Veterinarian Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a veterinarian include:
- Examine animals to diagnose illnesses, injuries, and other health conditions through physical exams and diagnostics.
- Perform surgical procedures including spaying, neutering, orthopedic repairs, and emergency operations.
- Prescribe medications, vaccines, and treatments to address animal health issues and prevent disease.
- Interpret diagnostic test results including blood work, urinalysis, X-rays, and ultrasound images.
- Advise pet owners and farmers on animal nutrition, behavior, breeding, and preventive care.
- Administer vaccinations and perform routine wellness examinations for companion animals.
- Treat and dress wounds, set fractures, and provide emergency care for injured animals.
- Maintain detailed medical records for all patients and communicate findings to animal owners.
- Supervise veterinary technicians, assistants, and support staff in delivering patient care.
- Stay current on veterinary medicine advancements and emerging animal diseases that affect public health.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a veterinarian, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Animal examination and diagnosis
- Surgical techniques and procedures
- Pharmacology and therapeutics
- Diagnostic imaging interpretation
- Client communication and education
- Emergency and critical care
- Anesthesia administration and monitoring
- Practice management
Education and Training
Veterinarians must earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree from a college accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The program typically requires four years of professional study following completion of undergraduate prerequisites in biology, chemistry, and animal science. Admission is highly competitive, and most applicants have significant animal-related experience. All states require licensure, which involves passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE). Veterinarians may pursue board certification in specialties such as surgery, internal medicine, or cardiology through additional residency training.
Salary and Job Outlook
Average Salary: $90,000 - $130,000 per year
Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 19% over the next decade, much faster than average. The growth is driven by increasing pet ownership, rising spending on pet healthcare, and expanding roles in food safety and public health. The shortage of veterinarians in rural areas for large-animal practice creates additional opportunities. Veterinarians specializing in emergency medicine, oncology, and exotic animals will find strong demand.