Veterinarians

Veterinarians diagnose, treat and prevent animal diseases, ailments and injuries.

What the job involves

• Treating animals medically and surgically, and administering and prescribing drugs, analgesics, and general and local anaesthetics

• Determining the presence and nature of abnormal conditions by physical examination, laboratory testing and through diagnostic imaging techniques including radiography and ultrasound

• Performing surgery, dressing wounds and setting broken bones

• Rendering obstetric services to animals

• Participating in programs designed to prevent the occurrence and spread of animal diseases

• Inoculating animals against, and testing for, infectious diseases and notifying authorities of outbreaks of infectious animal diseases

• Performing autopsies to determine cause of death

• Advising clients on health, nutrition and feeding, hygiene, breeding and care of animals

• May provide professional services to commercial firms producing biological and pharmaceutical products

• May specialise in the treatment of a particular animal group or in a particular specialty area such as cardiology, chiropractic, dermatology or critical care