5 types of veterinarians you should know about

Many of us are familiar with the term ‘specialist’ when we talk about human doctors. But a very few are aware of the fact that there are specialists in veterinary medicine too. As people are inclining more towards pet ownership, the demand for veterinarians is increasing exponentially. According to the National Pet Owners Survey report, about 67 percent of people in the US own pets in their homes. The survey was conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) between 2019 and 2020. So, it’s the best time to know all about basic sciences veterinary courses to make a career in vet medicine.

The profession of a vet is way more than a passion. It requires compassion, dedication, communication skills, care, a sense of responsibility and reliability to treat animals and keep their illness at bay. Now when you have learned the importance and demand for veterinarians, we will familiarize you with five different types of vets.

1. Companion animal veterinarians

These are the most common animal veterinarians that you will have an interaction with. Considered to be the largest veterinarian group, approximately 75 percent of the vets only work with companion animals, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) report suggests. Popularly known as General Practitioners, these vets deal with small pets like cats or dogs. These vets diagnose ailments of the pets and treat them with medications or surgery.

2. Veterinary Specialists

Just like human medicine, veterinarians can also choose to specialize in a particular area such as dentistry, cardiology, anesthesiology, pathology, diagnostics or others. Veterinary physicians can also specialize in certain species of animals like cats, dogs, horses, or wildlife. Mainly companion animal veterans refer their patients to a specialist for a particular type of treatment.

3. Research veterinarians

Also known as laboratory veterinarians, these vets work behind the scenes. Research veterinarians work at a government-funded or private research facility to produce medicines or medical devices that improve animals’ health. They also work at universities and contribute significantly to students’ knowledge in the field.

4. Animal behaviorist

These vets are a kind of psychiatrist for your pets as they read the behavior of animals and determine the potential reason behind it. Animal behaviorists are specialized in animal behavior and focus on treating them with a strategic treatment plan. They mainly work on pet’s fear, anxiety or other mental illness.

5. Livestock and large animal veterinarians

These vets focus on treating livestock or farm animals like horses, sheep, cows, buffaloes, ox, pigs, camels or goats. As they are large or milch animals, they need a special kind of treatment to remain fit and fine. Livestock and large animal veterinarians treat wounds, administer vaccines and perform surgeries to cure animals.

There are various kinds of veterinarians that focus on different types, species and categories of animals. If you are an animal lover and aspire to make a career in veterinary medicine, scroll through the list of different types of veterinarians to make a well-informed decision. Aspiring vets can attend veterinary school in the Caribbean to ensure a successful career in the field.