31103 – Veterinarians
31103 – Veterinarians
Veterinarians prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders in animals and advise clients on the feeding, hygiene, housing and general care of animals. They can also perform surgical procedures. They work in private practice or may be employed by animal clinics, farms, laboratories, government or industry.
Profile
Index of titles
Animal behavior veterinarian
Animal pathologist
Avian veterinarian
Companion animal veterinarian
Doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM)
Emergency and intensive care veterinarian
Equine veterinarian
Farm veterinarian
Food animal veterinarian
Laboratory animal veterinarian
Large animal veterinary internist
Poultry veterinarian
Preventive medicine veterinarian
Research veterinarian
Small animal veterinarian
Small animal veterinary internist
Small animal veterinary specialist
Veterinarian
Veterinarian practitioner
Veterinary anatomist
Veterinary anesthesiologist
Veterinary bacteriologist
Veterinary dentist
Veterinary dermatologist
Veterinary epidemiologist
Veterinary inspector
Veterinary internist
Veterinary laboratory diagnostician
Veterinary microbiologist
Veterinary neurologist
Veterinary oncologist
Veterinary ophthalmologist
Veterinary parasitologist
Veterinary pathologist
Veterinary pharmacologist
Veterinary physiologist
Veterinary radiologist
Veterinary surgeon
Veterinary theriogenologist
Veterinary virologist
Zoo veterinarian
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Diagnose diseases or abnormal conditions in individual animals, herds and flocks through physical examinations or laboratory tests
Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery
Vaccinate animals to prevent and treat diseases
Perform routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations
Advise clients on feeding, housing, behaviour, breeding, hygiene and general care of animals
Provide a range of veterinary services including obstetrics, dentistry and euthanasia
May supervise animal health technologists and animal care workers
May be responsible for overall operation of animal hospital, clinic or mobile service to farms
May conduct veterinary research related to areas such as animal nutrition, health care products development and disease prevention and control
May enforce government regulations in disease control and food production including animal or animal-based food inspection.
Employment requirements
Doctor of veterinary medicine
Two years of pre-veterinary university studies or completion of a college program in health science and a four to five year university degree in veterinary medicine and successful completion of an examination leading to a national certification are required.
A provincial licence to practice is required.
Veterinary specialists
Completion of a degree in veterinary medicine and three to four years of additional postgraduate studies or residency program in the specialty of their choice are required.
Veterinary specialists must be accredited by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) or the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). In Quebec, they must be accredited by the Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec and only 18 specialties are recognized.
A provincial license to practice is required.
Research veterinarian
Two years of pre-veterinary university studies or completion of a college program in health science and a four to five year university degree in veterinary medicine and successful completion of an examination leading to a national certification are required.
Entry into research positions may require postgraduate study.
A provincial license to practice is required.
Additional information
In its regulations, the 'Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (OMVQ)' recognizes only the following specialties: Animal behavioural medicine; Laboratory animal medicine; Large animal internal medicine; Large animal surgery; Pet internal medicine; Pet surgery; Veterinary anesthesiology; Veterinary clinical pathology; Veterinary dermatology; Veterinary emergency and intensive care; Veterinary medical imaging; Veterinary microbiology; Veterinary neurology; Veterinary oncology; Veterinary ophthalmology; Veterinary pathology; Veterinary theriogenology; and Zoological medicine.
The duties of veterinarians performing research may be similar to those of some biologists.
Exclusions
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (32104)
Biologists and related scientists (21110)
LINK:
Previous page: 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians
Next page: 31110 – Dentists