You have to love medicine more than you love animals if you want to become a good veterinarian, says Dr. Penny Richards, co-owner of the Central Nova Animal Hospital in Truro. She said vets work long hours and need to be able to think on their feet. (CATHY VON KINTZEL / Truro Bureau)

IF YOU LOVE animals a lot, you might want to think twice about becoming a veterinarian, says the co-owner of a Truro vet clinic.

It sounds counterintuitive, but Dr. Penny Richards says if you love animals too much, you can't do some of the things you have to do to be successful in the profession.

"You have to take X-rays of animals that don't want to have X-rays taken. You have to give cranky cats needles. You have to do a lot of stuff the animals don't appreciate. If you're too soft, you won't be able to do them effectively."

The 18-year vet and co-owner of the Central Nova Animal Hospital says wannabe vets should like animals, but they need to love medicine. They need to love surgery. They need to love hard work and they need to love solving puzzles.

"Every day there is always something coming through the door that's sick with something I've never seen before," she says. "You have to be thinking at lightning speed, especially in the emergency cases. It's never boring."

With the exception of a few specialized clinics, she said workers at most clinics have to do all the work, from taking blood samples to teeth cleanings to setting broken bones.

"With a broad skill set required, it has to be one of the most versatile of professions."

Vets need to be able to deal with people as well as their pets, so good communication skills are essential.

"People expect us to be able to fix everything and, unfortunately, despite our best efforts it doesn't happen that way. And when it goes badly, people can be devastated. You have to be ready to deal with that."

Veterinary medicine is a very competitive field. For a leg up, Dr. Richards recommends interested individuals should volunteer at a vet clinic or an animal rehab centre and try to work with not just small ani­mals, but horses and cows as well.

To learn more, read on.

WHAT DO THEY DO?
Veterinarians care for pets, livestock, sporting animals and laboratory animals, and protect humans against diseases carried by animals. They also diagnose, treat, control and prevent animal disorders and disease.

Typically, veterinarians diagnose medical problems in their patients, perform surgery and prescribe and administer treatments.

The roles of a veterinarian also include advising clients on feeding, breeding and care of animals; and managing animal hospitals. They may choose small- or large-animal practices, a mixed practice or specialize in a particular species or field.

Although many veterinarians work regular hours, those in private prac­tice often work long hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays.

WHAT ARE THE WORKERS LIKE?
To work in this field, you should have compassion, a fondness for animals and an interest in science, especially biology, chemistry and physics.

Good health, stamina and emotional stability are necessary, as veterinarians often work long and irregular hours.

You must be patient, reliable, mature and responsible. Good oral and written communication skills are also needed. Some business knowledge would be helpful in running a private practice.

WHAT TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED?
Veterinarians must be licensed to practise in Nova Scotia. To be licensed, you must have a four-year degree in veterinary medicine from a recognized school. You must also write the National Examining Board exam and become a member of the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association.

WHAT ARE WORK PROSPECTS?
Employment in this occupation is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. Larger livestock operations, increased emphasis on scientific methods of breeding and animal management, and the importance of maintaining disease-free stock for export make the veterinary professional a key resource for livestock operations. New graduates willing to work in large-animal clinics in rural or isolated areas will have better employment prospects than those who wish to practise in urban areas specializing in care for domestic pets.

Most vets in Nova Scotia are between 35 and 44 and the overwhelming majority are female.

Some job creation may occur due to entrepreneurial veterinarians setting up their own practices.

Outlook: Growing
Employment in 2005: 180 Estimated average annual number of job openings for new veterinarians: 8 Earnings in 2005: averaged $34.50 hourly with a maximum of $38.50

TYPICAL JOBS
Large or small veterinarians, zoo veterinarians, veterinary pathologist.

For information, or to explore over 300 other careers in Nova Scotia, visit the Education Department's Career Options website: novascotiacareeroptions.ca

On the Job is a weekly feature looking at career opportunities in Nova Scotia. Past columns are archived at www.jobspress.com