vet

A vet, also Veterinary called, deals with the research, diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases in the broadest sense. Basically, depending on the location and area of ​​responsibility, a distinction is made between rural veterinarians and small veterinarians. In order to be able to work as a veterinarian, a corresponding university degree must be completed.

What is a vet?

Veterinarians, called veterinarians in technical terms, are state-approved veterinarians. Their task is to avoid or alleviate the suffering of animals, to maintain the health of animals of all kinds and to protect people from harm caused by animal diseases.

Before starting to work as a veterinarian, you must study at a university of at least ten semesters. After completing a corresponding dissertation, the graduates bear the title Dr. med. vet. You can already specialize in one of the subject areas during your studies.

These are decided either according to the area of ​​responsibility (internal medicine, dentistry, etc.) or according to the animal species to be looked after. It is also possible to specialize in the treatment of farm animals or small animals, although these are not actually subject areas.

Treatments & therapies

Veterinarians primarily have the task of looking after animals so that their health is preserved and possible diseases are treated professionally.

Which tasks are carried out by them depends, among other things, on whether a specialization has taken place and which animal species are looked after at all. A country veterinarian deals with vaccinations, obstetrics, clipping of claws and the treatment of common diseases that occur in farm animals. The subject of species-appropriate husbandry, to which the veterinarian must pay attention, also plays a very important role.

Veterinarians in small animal practices have very similar tasks: They look after small pets such as cats, dogs, rodents and birds and are responsible for grooming their fur and claws, castration or sterilization or the treatment of specific diseases and complaints. These include digestive problems as well as allergic reactions, colds or cancer.

In the small animal practice, the emotional bond between the animal owner and the patient must also be taken into account. If veterinarians are employed in research or, for example, in the food industry, special attention is paid to the scientific aspect of veterinary medicine. Hygiene and the associated disease prevention must not be neglected either; The official veterinarian also takes on this task.

Diagnosis & examination methods

Veterinarians use very different diagnostic and examination methods depending on their individual area of ​​application and task.

These now hardly differ from those used in human medicine. In addition to an apparent examination of the patient and a detailed discussion with the animal owner, a blood or urine test can take place, depending on symptoms and suspicions. Imaging methods such as ultrasound or X-ray examinations or computer tomographies are also used nowadays in veterinary medicine to detect broken bones, internal injuries or inflammation, tumors or the like.

If surgery is necessary, the veterinarian will use appropriate anesthesia, depending on the species and size, to numb the animal. The surgical instruments used in a surgical procedure also differ at most in size from the devices known from human medicine.

Since animals do not always stand still during the necessary and sometimes unpleasant examinations in the veterinary practice, it is more often necessary in veterinary medicine to administer anesthetics (albeit in small doses) in order to be able to make an exact diagnosis or to carry out certain interventions.

What should the pet owner pay attention to?

When choosing the right one Veterinarian pet owners should pay attention to how well the veterinarian in question is familiar with the respective species.

Not every small animal practice is equally experienced in treating different animal species. The way the vet deals with the individual animal and also with the animal owner provides information on whether there is a sufficient degree of empathy. Last but not least, the question of the right veterinarian is not only a professional but also a personal one.

If possible, a conversation should take place before the first actual treatment appointment, in which technical skills are clarified and ideally a relationship of trust is built up.