So, I dedicate this article, which will discuss careers in veterinary medicine, to my daughter. Whether she becomes a veterinarian one day, or anything else her heart desires, may she always follow her dreams. Nature of the Work Veterinarians are concerned with the physical well-being of animals, including pets, livestock, and zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Those who care for pets are called Companion Animal Veterinarians and those who care for livestock are called Large Animal Veterinarians. Some veterinarians work to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems.
Most veterinarians perform clinical work in private practices.
More than one-half of these veterinarians predominately, or exclusively, treat small animals. Small animal practitioners usually care for companion animals, such as dogs and cats, but also treat birds, reptiles, rabbits, and other animals that can be kept as pets. Some veterinarians work in mixed animal practices where they see pigs, goats, sheep, and some nondomestic animals, in addition to companion animals. A small number of private practice veterinarians work exclusively with large animals, focusing mostly on horses or cows but may also care for various kinds of food animals. These veterinarians usually drive to farms or ranches to provide veterinary services for herds or individual animals.