Feline veterinary medicine is a unique and exciting field that affords people the opportunity to help cats and people alike. Whether working as a veterinarian, a surgeon or in research of some kind, feline veterinary specialists are responsible for treating pets for a variety of different conditions. Cat medicines like feline amoxicillin were developed especially by feline specialists for use in veterinary medicine, and many more medical drugs are being created and adapted all the time in order to address the constantly-changing mixture of diseases and other conditions that affect cats.
Veterinary Careers
The day-to-day work of a feline veterinarian involves examining a number of cats, each suffering from a particular ailment of some kind. A veterinarian works to diagnose the disease or condition and also to help the owner to treat his cat promptly and adequately. Veterinarians also work to ensure that healthy pets do not become sick by conducting regular check-ups and ensuring that owners take proper care of their pets. A veterinarian may also work with other animals besides cats, although there are feline veterinary specialists.
Becoming a veterinarian requires a degree from a specialized veterinary school and time spent observing working veterinarians in a residency program. Many people without the time or desire to become so specialized find the opportunity to work in a veterinarian's office to be adequate. Veterinarians require assistants of various types, including animal handlers and administrative staff. These people may be students of veterinary medicine or untrained laypeople with an interest in veterinary medicine or in animals.
Surgical Careers
While many veterinarians perform standard surgeries like spaying and neutering, more complicated surgeries are often left to surgical specialists. These people work in a veterinary hospital and conduct surgeries of various types to help correct broken bones, remove unusual growths and more. A career in veterinary surgery requires a similar educational path as that of a veterinarian.
Research-Based Careers
Many doctors and chemists work to develop medicines specifically for veterinary use. In many cases, these medicines are adapted from preexisting human formulations. There are a number of different paths that can lead to work of this kind, and some students of veterinary medicine opt to go into this field instead of working as practicing vets. Other chemists and pharmacists working in veterinary medicine began by specializing in human medicine first.
Whatever your particular interest in veterinary medicine is, a conversation with a vet can help to shed light on the education and training process, as well as on the locations of veterinary schools and other career opportunities. Many vets recommend volunteering with animals in a vet's office or animal shelter before considering applying to a veterinary school.