Hey animal lovers, this is Greta. I am Shana and have we got a job for you. Isn't that right? We do, yes, good girl Greta. Imagine getting paid to care for these guys. That is how veterinarian Vanessa Rolf spends her workdays at the bird and exotic hospital.
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And then we look at the quality of the beak, look at the tongue.
Oh, he is so good for that.
Looking down the throat.
Vets are responsible for keeping pets, livestock, and even zoo animals healthy. They diagnose diseases, administer vaccinations, prescribe medications, and perform surgeries on animals.
We have a patient here named Kawai, Kawai is a little guinea pig that was here for surgery today.
Dr. Rolf said she is also a teacher.
A lot of time is actually spent with the owners telling them how to take care of their animals.
Most veterinarians work long hours in private practices. What is a typical workday like, do you work 9 to 5 every day, 5 days a week?
I am on call 24/7.
Wow.
So, I end up usually working 7 days a week.
As for your offices, it can be a bit noisy.
[ Animals in background ] Being a vet, you don't expect a lot of peace and quiet in here, do you?
No, whether it be dogs barking, cats meowing or birds screaming.
You should also know being a vet can be risky business.
There is sometimes danger associated with animals attacking people and vets can get injured.
If noise and danger don't deter you, schooling is the first step to becoming a veterinarian.
You have generally 3 to 4 years of your general college and then your 4 years of veterinarian school on top of it.
Then once you get your degree, you have to pass state exams to get your license. So what is next?
Definitely, the most common track is to go into canine, feline, private practice. They see the dogs with skin problems, the cats with urination problems and they spay and neuter and give shots and take heartworm tests.
It might be tough to get into vet school, but it is well worth the hard work. Since there are limited number of vet school grads, there is a good chance you will land a job. On average, vets earn nearly 72,000 dollars per year. Seriously considering become a vet, Dr. Rolf recommends working with animals in a rescue or breeding environment first.
This job is not for the faint of heart. We deal with blood. We deal with urine. We deal with feces. We deal with vomit. We deal with all sorts of unpleasant things.
Dr. Rolf says the good outweighs the bad and it is moments like this that she is happy she is a vet.
She relaxes when I kiss her.
When it comes to birds, kisses are the key to relieving stress.
[ Bird chirping ]
Do you think I am ready for surgery yet?
We will see.
Time to put my skills to the test. All right, your ears look good, you are ready for surgery, little buddy. I am Shana for YouniversityTv, see you guys next time.
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