Equine Veterinarian
By Calista Ramsdale
Why This Job?
I`ve always wanted to be an Equine Vet because horses are my passion and helping them is what i want to spend my life doing.
Job tasks and Responsibilities
On this job, you can treat anything from minor injuries to major surguies and gaping wounds, give biannual checkups, vaccinations, diagnose and treat diseases, and help with information on diet, stabling,performance improvement, and breeding.
Skills Needed
Transferrable skills for this job are patience, responsibility, accountability, marketing/business skills, gentleness, socialable, compassion, determined, discernment, and investigational skills, to name a few.job specific skills are knowing the anatomy of a horse, animal vaccines/medicines, diseases, surgical procedures, and emergency medicine and response.This job is NOT for you if you hate school, have a queasy stomach, are antisocial, or lazy.
Values
A good equine vet values compassion, enthusiasm, exceeding expectations, integrity, relationship building skills, teamwork, respect, accountability, communication, and promoting a safe, happy, and healthy environment.
Working Conditions
Most of the work takes place at the office, outdoors, other peoples farms and ranches,and anywhere else they may be needed.Health and safety risks of this job are being kicked, bitten, or trampled by the horses, athsma attacks/severness, and allergies being bothered.A normal work week/day is 40-60 hrs. a week and about 8-12 hrs. a day, not including emergency responses.
Education
The best high school courses are zoology, embryology, genetics, physiology, biology, trigonometry, maths, sciences, animal science, and equine science. it also helps to be involved in FFA and Rodeo Team.In college, it helps to have an internship at an equine vet, a bachelors in science in biomedical sciences, and a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.Connection to people, business management, community involvement, and leadership are some lifelong learning strategies for this career.
Salary
Salary ranges from $40,000 at entry level, to $90,000 at professional level.
Aspects of a Good Match
This job deals with working around horses, helping people, travel, meet tons of people/horses, be social, work as a team, and be in control of the situation, but if you don`t like talking on the phone, check elsewhere for jobs.