Animal Veterinarians

There is no more a demanding animal then a pet dog. While they can be left to themselves for short periods of time they require constant companionship, due to the fact that they are pack animals by nature. Taking care of a dog requires more then just food, water and a dog house, because if you are a dog owner sooner or later you are going to require the services of a veterinarian.

Of course it will need its shots when you first bring your new friend home but it will eventually get its nose stuck in an empty can or cut its foot on some glass, or any one of a number of things that dogs tend to get into. This is why you should find a vet before it is needed for an emergency. Things that you will want to know is its hours and if it isn’t available twenty-four hours a day then you might want to also locate a twenty-four hour service in case it is ever needed.

You will want to know if if they specialize in disorders that might tend to afflict the breed of dog that you have. Also, some vets will do house calls and you might be interested in that, because if you have a large dog that doesn’t like to get in the car you might have a problem. Check their prices for their services and see how much they charge for an overnight stay and if they seem too high, you might want to shop around a bit. You will definitely want to take your dog in for a check up after you bring it home, because it may have heart worms or any one of a number of problems that you will want to have it treated for if it is afflicted.



By: Alesandra Gibson

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A veterinarian (from Latin veterinae, “draught animals”) is an animal doctor, a practitioner of veterinary medicine. Although veterinarians hold doctoral degrees in veterinary medicine, not all veterinarians enter clinical practice. Those that work in clinical settings practice medicine in specific fields, such as companion animal or “pet” medicine, reptile medicine, ratite medicine, livestock medicine, equine medicine (e.g. sports, race track, show, rodeo), or laboratory animal medicine. Other veterinarians research areas of human medicine, veterinary medicine, and pharmacology. Research veterinarians were the first to isolate oncoviruses, Salmonella species, Brucella species, and various other pathogenic agents. They also helped conquer malaria and yellow fever; solved the mystery of botulism; produced an anticoagulant used to treat human heart disease; and developed surgical techniques for humans, such as hip-joint replacement, and limb and organ transplants.

Like all physicians, veterinarians must make serious ethical decisions about their patients’ care. There is ongoing debate over the ethics of performing certain controversial procedures, like declawing cats and docking tails, cropping ears, and debarking dogs. In some countries, these procedures are illegal, and therefore their practice is contentious. The Veterinarian’s Oath was adopted by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s House of Delegates July 1969, and amended by the AVMA Executive Board, November 1999. It goes as follows:

“Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.

I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.”

Some veterinarians work in a field called regulatory medicine — ensuring the nation’s food safety by working with the USDA FSIS, or work by protecting us from imported exotic animal diseases by working for the USDA APHIS. The emerging field of conservation medicine involves veterinarians even more directly with human health care, providing a multidisciplinary approach to medical research that also involves environmental scientists.

More than 3,800 veterinarians in the USA currently work at veterinary schools where they teach student vets what they need to know to graduate — teaching is another career path for a veterinarian.

Veterinary school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, which is involved in the education of future veterinary practitioners (veterinarians). The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of veterinary programs offered at veterinary schools vary considerably around the world. In the U.S., a doctorate of veterinary medicine degree (D.V.M.) (Or in the Veterinary Medical School at the University of Pennsylvania, a degree of veterinary medical doctor (V.M.D.) is awarded) is a four-year program. The program generally consists of 21D2 to 3 years of mostly traditional classroom coursework followed by the clinical rotations. Currently, unlike human medical school, a subsequent internship and/or residency are not required, but are optional to those who choose to seek further education and possible accreditation. Unsurprisingly, the number of veterinarians pursuing internships and/or residencies will continue to increase as the understanding of veterinary medicine continues to grow greater. A good veterinarian enjoys working with animals and their owners. Admission into veterinary medical school is so competitive that in the United States it is far easier to gain acceptance into either a medical school or a top Law School than to meet the GPA requirements for most veterinary schools. This situation occurs mostly because there are far fewer schools, allowing the schools to be much more selective. According to the US Department of Labor, only 1 in 3 applicants were accepted into a veterinary program in 2002. Prerequisites for admission include the undergraduate studies listed under veterinary medicine and extensive veterinary experience (typically about 500 or more hours) in private practice or other veterinary environment. The average veterinary medical student has an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 and a GRE score of approximately 1800. US graduates are awarded either a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or the less common Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD) degree, depending upon the traditions of the veterinary school.

Public health medicine is another option for veterinarians. Veterinarians in government and private laboratories provide diagnostic and testing services. Some veterinarians serve as state epidemiologists, directors of environmental health, and directors of state or city public health departments. Veterinarians are also employed by the US Agriculture Research Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Library of Medicine, and National Institutes of Health. The military also employs veterinarians in a number of capacities — caring for pets on military bases, caring for military working animals, and controlling various arthropod-borne diseases or other such things.

Veterinary medicine is the application of medical, diagnostic, and therapeutic principles to companion, domestic, exotic, wildlife, and production animals. Veterinary Science is concerned with the scientific basis of animal production, health and disease. It requires the acquisition and application of scientific knowledge in several disciplines and uses technical skills towards the solution of animal production, health, management and welfare problems.

Veterinary medicine is informally as old as the human/animal bond but in recent years has expanded exponentially because of the availability of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for most species. Animals nowadays often receive advanced medical, dental, and surgical care including insulin injections, root canals, hip replacements, cataract extractions, and pacemakers.

Veterinarians assist in ensuring the quality, quantity, and security of food supplies by working to maintain the health of livestock and inspecting the meat itself. Veterinary scientists are very important in chemical, biological, and pharmacological research.

In many countries, equine veterinary medicine is also a specialized field. Clinical work with horses involves mainly locomotor and orthopaedic problems, digestive tract conditions (including equine colic, which is a major cause of death among domesticated horses), and respiratory tract infections and disorders.

As in the human medical field, veterinary medicine (in practice) requires a diverse group of individuals to meet the need of patients. In addition to veterinarians, many veterinary hospitals utilize a team of veterinary nurses and veterinary assistants to completely care for healing, critical and well animals. Veterinary nurses are generally registered as “veterinary technicians” in most states and are legally qualified to assist veterinarians in many medical procedures. Veterinary assistants, who are not licensed by most states, but can be well-trained at facilities such as The School for Veterinary Assistants, are also becoming increasingly in-demand in the veterinary industry due to a wide range of treatments and services being offered to meet the higher expectations of pet owners in the United States.



By: Josh Stone

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Caring for wildlife presents many challenges. Veterinarians are seldom familiar with the biology or veterinary care of most of the wild species that are presented to them for examination and treatment. This is compounded by the fact that there are often strict laws governing the protection of wildlife species which must be abided by, not to mention the numerous ethical dilemmas.

Are vets duty bound to deal with wildlife casualties?

Over the last 20 years, the attempted rehabilitation of injured wild animals has become widespread. Many of those involved are members of the public with varying levels of experience and training. Veterinarians have often assisted in such activities to some degree, and there are several reasons why this occurs and will continue despite the usual absence of any financial remuneration.

Many vets do not mind offering their assistance because:

1. Professional ethics dictate that a veterinarian should provide attention to an animal of any species in an emergency.

2. Legislation in some countries specifies that only a registered veterinarian can carry out certain tasks, making the profession obliged to provide a service.

3. Treating wildlife can be good publicity for veterinary practices, via local newspaper articles and TV or radio mentions.

4. As more and more studies reveal links between pet and wildlife diseases, knowledge of wildlife is increasingly important if vets are to understand the transmission and pathogenesis of certain diseases.

5. Some vets enjoy the challenges of treating wild animals, adding variety to their day and providing a feeling of altruistic satisfaction.

What are the ethics of treating wildlife?

Potential issues include:

Does the rescuer know enough about the biology and natural history of the species to be able to fulfil all its dietary and husbandry needs?

Does the rescuer have suitable facilities to keep the animal in, not just in the emergency period but also at a later date during recovery, when the animal might need more space and become difficult or dangerous to handle?

Could the animal pick up an infection during captivity that it could then transfer to other wild animals on release?

Does the animal have good long term prospects? Will it be able to return successfully to the wild, as the law often requires, or will it have to remain in captivity?

If the animal has to remain in captivity forever, is this against its welfare interests and is the cost of long term care feasible? Remember, an animal born in captivity is completely different to one accustomed to the wild and then forced into captivity due to injury. Though usually an unpopular decision with the general public, often euthanasia at an early stage is the most humane action a veterinarian can take. Euthanasia is the sensible option if the veterinarian decides that the needs of the animal cannot be satisfied, and if there are no alternative options such as local wildlife rehabilitation centres.

The success of rehabilitating an injured wild animal is measured by whether they are able to prosper when returned to the wild. However, this in itself is impossible to measure. Numerous animals have been released back to their habitats over the years, but their fates remain a complete mystery.

What are the legal implications of treating wildlife?

The first point of note is that the law regarding wildlife rehabilitation is changed from time to time, and it is important to be aware of the current law. The law also varies between countries, for simplicity any laws referred to below are those currently valid in the UK.

Animals injured on protected land, or in a restricted area, might require a permit to be obtained before the rescuer is allowed to take it. Taking game species requires the landowners consent, to avoid accusations of poaching. An animal may only be taken if it is sick or injured, and only kept until it is no longer disabled. An animal may only be killed if it is too ill or badly injured to stand a reasonable chance of survival.

Catching the injured animal can itself be a feat. Certain traps are inhumane and illegal, while other methods such as nets and firearms require authorization.

Transporting a wild animal has certain legal requirements, namely that the animal must not be caused unnecessary suffering or injury while being transported.

A written record should be kept detailing the circumstances of the rescue and ownership, and this should accompany the animal wherever it is transported to.

Generally the person looking after the rescued wild animal does not need a license to do so. However, certain animals do require registering with the local environmental governing body. Some birds must be ringed and some dangerous animals, such as venomous snakes, require special licenses. Veterinarians usually have a 6 week period during which they can hospitalise an injured animal that would normally require a license, before they are required to apply for one.

There are also rules governing the type of intervention allowed, according to the level of training. While lay persons are permitted to give first aid in an emergency, only veterinarians are allowed to give medical or surgical treatment.

Many countries have laws concerning the care for an animal once it is in captivity. Usually a bird must be kept in a cage large enough for it to be able to stretch both its wings fully.

The laws regarding the release of wildlife necessitate careful deliberation of all the health, welfare, ethical and legal aspects. A balance has to be struck between the legal obligation to release a casualty if it is fit, and risking the accusation that the animal has been abandoned if it is not quite fit enough.



By: Matthew Homfray

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sharpeningtech asked:

scissor sharpening availiable for veterinarians and pet hospitals

Chris B asked:


if i could i would get wolf eyes.

illinoisspirit1 asked:


My finacees mother has very limited eye sight and has a sheltie that is her companion, though not specifically trained as a service animal it helps her control depression, loneliness and lets her know when people are around which she can not see. The apartment she moved into said that if she had a doctors slip she stating that a service animal would be beneficial she could have him, then after she moved into the apartment complex, they gave her a note saying they want certification of the dog, or she must get rid of it. Is this a violation of the ADA???

Actually, more superstition than you would imagine.

The science part, we all know. By application of laws, theories, and technologies borrowed from physics, biochemistry, and engineering, veterinary medicine takes on the appearance of a science.

But, surely, mere application of scientific principles does not make an enterprise a science. After all, belief systems of all kinds use scientific principles. Religions apply the principles of economics, engineering, and more. But no one would confuse religion with science.

A science is a coherent system that produces consistent outcomes. Orthodox veterinary medicine has value, but it is neither coherent nor consistent.

The lack of consistency is obvious. Anyone having an animal treated at a vet knows that the outcome is chancy. Maybe the treatment will work and maybe it won’t. Vets make no excuses for this lack of certainty and everyone, including myself, accepts it. Animals are extraordinarily complex creations and no one should expect predictable results.

The lack of coherence, though, is another matter. After all, we expect any credentialed group, especially one authorized to deal in sickness and health to have a logical coherence. We expect their facts to be part of a real, objective analysis. Many of the “facts” of veterinary medicine are not facts at all.

A complete analysis of the logical flaws in veterinary medicine would take a much longer article and will be dealt with in the future. However, their most flagrant disregard for reality has to be the reliance upon disease entities.

Disease entities do not exist! At least they do not exist in the way that we ordinarily understand a thing to exist. Things, entities, objects have a mass that can be measured and weighed. Diseases do not have extension in time or space. There is no there there. They have no factual basis. Disease entities are a focus for treatment, a shorthand notation to explain a complex biological process.

No problem with veterinarians using shorthand to focus their treatments. The problem arises when a convenient way of talking about a condition takes on a life of its own. The problem arises when we start to confuse the label of a disease entity for the reality of a disease process.

Take for an example, Parvo in dogs. What is it? It is not the Parvo Virus. The Parvo Virus existed before 1984. But Parvo, the disease, did not. Before 1984, dogs contracted the Parvo Virus but most of them did not contract Parvo, the disease.

Even today, most unvaccinated dogs contracting Parvo will recover. Some, though, will die within 24 hours. The virus is the same. The dogs are different. Parvo, and all diseases, describe a complex response between host and pathogen. Parvo is not a thing. It is a process.

Facts are stubbornly solid. They have a solidity that superstitions lack. So the veterinarian inability to affect the immune strength of dogs is a fact that should be addressed but for many reasons is not. So since the vets lack the tools, they do not talk about treatments for immunity. In its place, they substitute an imaginary enemy they can deal with–the disease of Parvo.

Parvo, a non-existent entity, can be conquered with a vaccine, itself a very dangerous treatment. That would be acceptable except the Parvo was never there to begin with. What happened with the advent of modern veterinary medicine was that dogs were getting immunologically weaker. One treatment the vets devised for that immunological weakness was to initiate an immune response to the Parvo virus. The result of the Parvo vaccination, and the many other vaccinations, is that while dogs are now immune to Parvo and other common canine diseases, their overall immune strength continues to fall as they get sicker and sicker.

Now dogs are free of the common canine diseases. Only, they get more immune-related diseases than ever. Dogs are diabetic, cancerous, dyspeptic, allergic, and inflamed. The vets focused on disease entities rather than on the interaction of a pathogen and the host. The result is a domestic canine population more immune to a narrow spectrum of diseases and more susceptible to a much wider spectrum.

Superstition, especially the kind that denies the facts underlying sickness and health, is counter-productive. Superstition does have a positive value, though. It is a tool of the powerful against the powerless. When diseases became things, medically authorized persons gained a great deal of power but lost their credibility, effectiveness, and scientific legitimacy.



By: Stephen Becker

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The idea of having a pet is an idea that many people consider but they rarely take the various needs of their new pet into account when they start the process to adopt this pet. These people will just see about adopting any pet that they see in pet stores and at the pet shelters that look cute. It is only when the animal adoption process is finished and they have taken the new family member home, that they are confronted by the reality of their having adopted an animal.

For this reason and many others when you decide to adopt any type of pet you should see if you have the ability to take of that pet. There are many different animals that can be considered as pets. These pets are generally dogs, guinea pigs, cats, parrots, rabbits, hamsters, and different varieties of fresh water fish and saltwater fish.

While these are the main types of animal adoption pets that people consider having as companions or just plain pets, there are other exotic pets that some people think would be appropriate as pets. These types of pets include snakes, turtles, other reptiles and hawks, and even lion cubs.

Regardless of the type of animal that you may consider owning there are certain factors that need to be thought of before you go through with an animal adoption procedure. These factors will include the animal’s emotional state, mental state and the physical condition of this animal once you have taken the animal to your home.

While you may think that owning a pet is easy there are many requirements that your new pet will need seen to. As these various animals have different temperaments and requirements for their happiness and health, you will need to talk with an animal veterinarian or staff at animals shelters to understand the various needs of your new pet.

In an animal adoption you are taking home a pet whose likes and dislikes are already probably well established. These likes and dislikes will extend even to their dietary requirements. When you are looking into the types of food that are suitable for your new pet you should understand what are the foods that will provide them with a good nutritious meal.

These many facts are needed to be thought of when you are looking into an animal adoption. Even though there are lots of pets who need a home and lots of love you have to be suitable for their future needs and happiness. So until you are sure about giving a 100% of your time and attention to these animals you may want to wait a while before you adopt a pet.



By: Muna wa Wanjiru

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An animal hospital is the best establishment to take your pet to if you notice that it is sick. This type of hospital is complete with the facilities for each pet-related concern. Furthermore, an animal hospital is managed by health specialists that are capable of giving excellent veterinary services.

If you notice that your pet is sick, or if you simply want to ensure that it is well and okay, going to an animal hospital is usually the best thing to do. This is an institution that is dedicated in diagnosing and curing ailments experienced by dogs, cats, birds, and other types of pets. Also, an animal hospital is where pet owners can bring their pets for a regular checkup.

An animal hospital is complete with facilities for every pet-related concern. This type of hospital has a section for internal medicine for pets whose ailments resulted from bacteria, viruses, or ingestion of certain substances. This establishment has a dermatology section for pets that have problems with their fur or skin. Furthermore, an animal hospital has a section for surgical procedures where pets that need immediate operation can receive treatment. Advanced diagnostic facilities such as MRI and CT Scan are present in certain animal hospitals. If the pet’s ailment requires a longer period for treatment, animal hospitals have wards and rooms where owners can leave their pets for a day or two.

Apart from these sections, there are grooming and health care divisions in most animal hospitals. Grooming services ensure that the outer appearances of pets are clean and well-maintained. Pet health care deals with proper diet and nutrition. Certain products related to these aspects of caring for pets are provided by animal hospitals. The cost of acquiring these services differ depending on the devices that are used and the procedures that are carried out.

In addition to the said facilities, another notable aspect of an animal hospital are the men and women behind this type of institution. All of the above-mentioned sections are managed by experts in the field of animal care. These people consist of veterinarians and experts in animal health such as cardiologists and neurologists. Aside from performing the operation and usage of the facilities stated above, rendering advice and suggestions to individuals regarding their pets is another service given by these animal care specialists. Moreover, to extend their veterinary services, these health specialists oftentimes provide home service to owners of pets that need medical attention.

In certain instances, veterinarians can also give their services to owners of cattle, poultry, and other kinds of livestock. In this case, the said animal care specialist personally visits the farm, inspects the living condition of the livestock, and diagnoses and treats any animal that may have an ailment or disease. The veterinarian may also give recommendations on how to improve the environment for the livestock and prescribe medicine should certain animals experience an illness. Through the help of veterinarians, people can ensure that their farms are producing high-quality livestock.

As a final note, in order to find an animal hospital in your city, you can go to the nearest pet shops in your area. Most likely, these shops have information about an animal hospital near you. You can also try to look for animal hospitals in the yellow pages or on the World Wide Web.



By: David H. Urmann

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Starting a business takes time. Most small business owners will tell you that they were working on a business plan and all the other important aspects of starting up a new business for a year or two before they finally opened their doors. If you are planning to start your own animal massage practice, it’s important to do all the research necessary before quitting your job and hanging up your sign. Below are a few points to take into consideration.

1. Marketing. How would you market your services? You might want to do a marketing plan, outlining your strategies for the first year. Keep a pad of paper with marketing ideas at hand at all times and write down any new ideas you get. It’s important to constantly market your business, not just in the beginning or when business is slow.

2. Training. Where can you learn animal massage therapy? Remember that even after you have graduated from the massage program you choose, continuing to learn is very important. Take classes in other modalities, or classes that explore traditional massage more in depth or from another angle. You never know what might strike a chord with you.

3. Insurance. What kind of insurance do you need? Liability insurance is a good idea; the International Association of Animal Massage & Bodywork (IAAMB) offers this to their members. If you are planning to set up a massage studio at your house, look into what’s covered by your home insurance. Be careful about this though, I heard of someone who called her insurance company asking what she needed to do when she opened her business, and they immediately canceled her home insurance policy. Something to keep in mind.

4. Legal matters. In addition to deciding what legal form your business should be (sole proprietor, LLC, Inc.), you also need to look into the laws regarding animal massage therapy in your state. They vary quite a bit, and some states only allow massage to be performed under the supervision of a veterinarian. To find out what the deal is in your state, go to AVMA’s website (the American Veterinary Medical Association). Since this is a new field, the laws are expected to change all over the country, so make sure you stay up to date with what’s going on. IAAMB also tracks updates to these laws, listed by state.

Note

In the spring of 2008, The National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure & Massage (NBCAAM) was founded to develop a set of core competencies for animal massage and acupressure. This resulted in four national certification exams: Equine Massage, Equine Acupressure, Canine Massage and Canine Acupressure, hosted by Hocking College.

NBCAAM states “The purpose of NBCAAM is to establish and uphold professional standards for animal acupressure and massage practitioners. We have taken important strides toward promoting and increasing the level of professionalism within the animal massage and acupressure disciplines. Taking the examination is entirely voluntary and we are excited to be able to offer this option to people who are serious about enhancing the professional standing of animal massage and acupressure in the United States.”

If this all sounds a bit daunting, keep in mind that every business has to start somewhere, and nobody knows it all right from the start. And if you love animals and want to make a difference in their health and lives, a career in animal massage is a fun and extremely rewarding choice.



By: Cattie Coyle

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