SAS 25

• Veterinary medicine is one of the oldest healing arts
• Veterinary medicine is involved in both animal and human health
• A main function of veterinary medicine is the control of diseases transmissible from animals to humans
• Veterinary medicine contributes to the discovery of new knowledge in comparative medicine
• Veterinary medicine has come to the rescue of a disappearing food supply
• Doctors of veterinary medicine monitor the food supply
• Doctors of veterinary medicine guard the health of all domestic protein producing animals
• Doctors of veterinary medicine set and enforce standards for our food from animal sources
• Doctors of veterinary medicine ensure livestock health and wholesomeness
• Through their work, doctors of veterinary medicine serve the whole population
• Responsibilities and Work Description

  • Veterinarians are responsible for many other safeguards to both humans and animals.
  • Their special knowledge of diseases that affect both is essential to the control of diseases transmissible from animals to humans.
  • Rabies is an example of one of those diseases that no longer affects human health, because veterinarians have brought it under control in domesticated animals.
  • The veterinary profession of today is in the forefront of space and marine research, as well as efforts to discover new and safe treatments for human and animal diseases.
• Responsibilities and Work Description:

  • Veterinarians diagnose medical problems in their animal patients, perform surgery, and prescribe and administer medicine and drugs.
  • Veterinarians who treat animals use medical equipment, such as stethoscopes; surgical instruments; and diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic and ultrasound equipment.
• Responsibilities and Work Description:

  • Companion animal medicine encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pet diseases— typically found in dogs and cats.
  • Veterinarians in this field provide these services in animal hospitals or clinics.
  • Food animal veterinarians specialize in the health care of cattle, poultry, swine, fish, and sheep.
  • They provide preventive care by advising ranchers and farmers on the proper care and management of livestock.
• Responsibilities and Work Descriptions

  • Some veterinarians are in regulatory medicine or public health.
  • They inspect food, investigate outbreaks of disease, and work in scientific laboratories.
  • Some veterinarians teach in veterinary colleges, work in zoos or animal laboratories, or engage in a combination of clinical and research activities.
  • Veterinarians help prevent the outbreak and spread of animal diseases, some of which —like rabies— can be transmitted to humans.
• Anesthesia: Veterinarians focus on ensuring animals feel less or no pain during veterinary procedures
• Animal Welfare: Veterinarians with specialized training and experience in animal welfare
• Behavior: Veterinarians with additional training in animal behavior
• Dentistry: Veterinarians perform procedures on animals' teeth
• Dermatology: Veterinarians study diseases and conditions of the skin
• Emergency and Critical Care: Veterinarians specialize in emergency medicine and intensive care
• Cardiology: The study of diseases and conditions of the heart and circulatory system
• Neurology: The study of diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system
• Oncology: The study of tumors and cancer
• Laboratory Animal Medicine: Veterinarians ensure proper care for laboratory animal species
• Microbiology: Veterinarians study viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc
• Nutrition: Veterinarians work to ensure animals' diets meet their nutritional needs
• Ophthalmology: Veterinarians study diseases and conditions of the eye
• Pathology: Veterinarians study disease in animals
• Pharmacology: Veterinarians study how medications/drugs affect animals
• Poultry Veterinarians: Veterinarians work with chickens, turkeys, and/or ducks in food production settings
• Preventive Medicine: Veterinarians study disease spread and prevention
• Radiology: Veterinarians specialize in imaging procedures such as x-ray, ultrasound, and MRI
• Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation: Veterinarians focus on returning animals to normal function after injury, lameness, illness, or surgery
• Surgery: Veterinarians specialize in performing surgical procedures
• Orthopedics: Surgeons focus on bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, etc
• Soft Tissue Surgery: Surgeons focus on internal organs and non-bone tissues
• Theriogenology: Veterinarians specialize in animal reproduction
• Toxicology: Veterinarians study the effects of poisons and toxins on the body
• Veterinary Practitioners: Veterinarians in clinical practice with additional training in specific animal species
• Zoo Medicine: Veterinarians work with zoo animal species