Kelly Pinkston was no exception. As a practicing veterinarian, she treats everything from horses to hamsters. Aside from maintaining a clinic in Greenup County, Kentucky, she helps to control pet overpopulation by spaying and neutering dogs and cats at the Tri-State Regional Animal Center for Sterilization. Pinkston says caring for animals is not so much different than caring for people. In many ways it involves the same qualities as a pediatrician.
People love their pets like children.
Just like very young children, animals can't tell you what's wrong with them. Pinkston is among the thousands of veterinarians nationwide who are up to such challenges. According to the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, there are about 55,000 practicing veterinarians in the United States, of whom about 15,000 are women. Many veterinarians work for federal, state or local governments, inspecting food, supervising laws that protect human and animal health, or dealing with environmental problems. Veterinarians also help to protect people from more than 100 animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans.