Veterinarians

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.

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.

• The duties of veterinarians performing research may be similar to those of some biologists.