It’s that time of year again. You get the notification in the mail stating that your dog or cat is due for his vaccinations and shots. Along with that, there is the occasional illness that needs a cure. And, who better to help than our wonderful veterinarians. I remember as a child wanting to become a veterinarian. I used to have this play doctor’s equipment, but instead of pretending to be a doctor for people, I would put my stuffed animals on a table and pretend to give them shots. As a child, I didn’t realize the effort and sacrifice it takes to do the work of a veterinarian.
I have high respect for veterinarians. Not only do they spend extensive time in school, but they are often sacrificing their personal time to be on call for those pet emergencies. These veterinarians are confident and love what they do, and they have a passion for animals. They often have the hard job of breaking the news to a pet owner that their dog is ill or that their cat has to be put to sleep. These are not easy tasks to handle, and after much consideration, I realized that I probably could not endure the rigors of being a veterinarian. Besides, I really don’t like biology and genetics. Not my favorite classes. I’m not going to sit here and pretend to know and understand the work of a veterinarian, but I want to talk about some of the facts regarding a veterinarian’s job. I have been reading a book from a perspective of a young graduate right out of veterinary school. Hopefully from this blog, you will be able to better understand all of the work and time this career path takes.
First of all, why do veterinarians become vets in the first place? I think most of us would say that they want to follow this career path because they love animals. But really, how many of us think about the fact that a veterinarian not only has to gain knowledge about animals but also has to learn people skills? How does a veterinarian handle all of those pet owners who just do not understand exactly what vets do? They have to get used to complaining owners saying that, ever since the dog got that shot, he is sick. I think it is pretty safe to say that veterinarians deal with this type of thing on a daily basis. Veterinarians also have a great responsibility.
If an animal is in the care of a vet, the vet must do everything to keep that pet as comfortable as possible. From this compilation of stories written in this book by the new veterinarian, he had a dog escape the clinic before the surgery even happened. Now, I don’t know about you, but that would make me a nervous wreck if I was in charge of a dog and lost him. I honestly don’t know what I would do. However, veterinarians are placed into many different situations that require them to work under pressure even if they are not sure exactly what to do. Along with that, the work of a veterinarian can be emotionally draining.
Sometimes it’s nice having an 8-5 job. You come home, make dinner, and plop in your recliner or couch to watch TV. You may have faced many trials at your job that day, but you are glad to leave it behind you and wait to deal with it tomorrow. Now, in some cases, this may be true for a veterinarian, but consider the fact that emergencies arise and things don’t work out. Doctors of any type, whether it be a doctor who operates on humans or a veterinarian, must figure out a way to separate their personal life from their professional life. I’m sure this is sometimes hard to do. There is so much we don’t know about work, time, and strength that is required of a veterinarian. These doctors could probably tell you a lot more about their job that you might find fascinating and interesting. I know I would.
To me, these veterinarians are heroes, and I thank them for their hard work. Who else can we depend on? So, next time you take your pet to the clinic for her shots, remember to thank that wonderful veterinarian for being willing to work so hard in order to keep our pets happy and healthy.
https://www.petsbest.com/blog/hardest-part-of-being-a-vet/
http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/5-most-difficult-veterinary-clients?pageID=1
https://hstdvm.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/the-thing-i-hate-about-being-a-veterinarian/
http://www.amazon.com/All-My-Patients-Have-Tales-ebook/dp/B002LA0AK2/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1
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