Week #1 Prompt: 10 Questions about Wildlife Vet. Medicine

What exactly does a Wildlife Veterinarian do?

“Deworming of a cougar kitten. Photo by MyFWCmedia, Flickr“

Wildlife Veterinarians help sick animals similar to the way traditional vets do; however, wildlife veterinarians work with animals a little less tame. Wildlife Veterinarians work with exotic animals such as jaguars and elephants and pretty much any species you can find in the wild. Some of their job duties are monitoring the habits and behavior of animals, developing meal plans and nutritional needs for each species, and if they are working in a facility with closed animals, examining blood work, x-rays and so on for every animal. Wildlife Veterinarians also monitor endangered species and perform surgery or any other treatments that any animal may need. [2]

What are the requirements to become a Wildlife Veterinarian?
A Wildlife Veterinarian must first take preveerinary courses which require classes in organic and inorganic chemistry, many different biology classes, animal nutrition, genetics, zoology, etc. After taking all the required courses, applicants for veterinary schools require high standardized test scores such as Graduate Record Examination, the Veterinary College Admission Test, or the Medical College Admission Test. Wildlife Veterinarians then have to complete vet school, while also volunteering and participating in internships where they work around exotic animals. [1]


How many vet schools are there?
Veterinary schools must meet certain standards which are accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medicine Association. In the United States, there are 28 accredited veterinary schools. One of which is Michigan State University. [1]

How competitive is this field?

Veterinary Medicine is a very aggressive field, one of the reasons being that vets are required to earn a degree in by an accredited school. Because there are not many veterinary schools in the United States, the field of Veterinary Medicine is very competitive.  [1]

What are the job opportunities?
There are many different fields and job opportunities for Wildlife Veterinarians. Jobs can range from zookeepers, to professors, to international wildlife experts, which is what I want to do. [2] With the range of possibilities endless, employment of veterinarians is predicated to grow 12 percent in the next 10 years which is average, but means more jobs are going to open up for people like to me join the filed. [3] 

What is the work environment like?

  

Working as a Veterinarian for exotic animals is similar to conditions of a zookeeper. They can work anywhere from a hospital setting to an animal’s natural habitat somewhere in the wild. Also, like people, animals need care no matter the weather or time of day. Wildlife Veterinarians work everyday of the week, at any time of the night or day. [2]

What is the average salary for Wildlife Veterinarians?
Although, in my opinion those who become Wildlife Veterinarians are not doing it for the money, it should be taken into account. The average salary for starting off vets is around $48,000. However, while traditional vets start their own private practice earn around $110,000, Wildlife Veterinarians who work for the government earn an average of around $100,000. [1]  


How long does it take to become a Veterinarian?
The time it takes to become a Veterinarian is different in every case. The average Veterinarian takes about 8 years in school before they can start their career. However, some vet students who are in accelerated programs complete their education in 6-7 years. Other vet students who specialize in certain species generally spend  11-12 years in school and training. [4]

Is working with animals in the wild dangerous?
Yes. Animals tend to be more aggressive and are more likely to injure people around them when they are stressed or in pain. Even vets with years of experience are sometimes hurt or even killed by animals. Being kicked or suffocated by a fallen animal are only some of the risks to working with large animals and wildlife. [1]

What is the difference between Wildlife Medicine and the traditional Veterinarian medicine?

Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Cranfield, started an organization
 called Gorilla Doctors where they treat and work with gorillas.  

          Traditional Veterinarians take care of animals like dogs and cats in a pet clinic, while wildlife veterinarians diagnose and treats animals like giraffes and elephants. Wildlife Veterinarians specialize in exotic animals; therefore, have many challenges that differ from those who work with domesticated animals. Wildlife vets are required to know not only the anatomy, but also the behavior of hundreds of different species. [2]

   


    In this post I attempted to use a textbook to answer my questions about the field of wildlife veterinary medicine. Because most answers vary depending on the person, animal, place etc. textbooks were not the best way for me to find information. For the questions I couldn't find in the textbook, I used the internet. The internet, in my opinion, is the easiest and fastest way to find information. Another resource that could have been helpful would be if I could have talked to a Wildlife Veterinarian in person to ask them the questions I had.

References

• [1] Whatley, Oneida. A Beginner's Guide to Become a Professional Veterinarian, The English Press, 2012. Print
• [2] Wadmin, J. I. "Wildlife Veterinarian Job Description." Jobs in Wildlife. Weaver, 6 Dec. 2011. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.
• [3]Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Veterinarians, 
  web http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm (visited January 22, 2014).
• [4] N.a. "How Long Does It Take To Become A Veterinarian?" Access 2 Knowledge. Access2Knowledge, 19 Sept. 2013. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.