Starting a Career as a Veterinarian Today - by Josh Stone

Starting a Career as a Veterinarian Today - by Josh Stone: "A veterinarian (from Latin veterinae, 'draught animals') is an animal doctor, a practitioner of veterinary medicine. Although veterinarians hold doctoral degrees in veterinary medicine, not all veterinarians enter clinical practice. Those that work in clinical settings practice medicine in specific fields, such as companion animal or 'pet' medicine, reptile medicine, ratite medicine, livestock medicine, equine medicine (e.g. sports, race track, show, rodeo), or laboratory animal medicine. Other veterinarians research areas of human medicine, veterinary medicine, and pharmacology. Research veterinarians were the first to isolate oncoviruses, Salmonella species, Brucella species, and various other pathogenic agents. They also helped conquer malaria and yellow fever; solved the mystery of botulism; produced an anticoagulant used to treat human heart disease; and developed surgical techniques for humans, such as hip-joint replacement, and limb and organ transplants.

Like all physicians, veterinarians must make serious ethical decisions about their patients' care. There is ongoing debate over the ethics of performing certain controversial procedures, like declawing cats and docking tails, cropping ears, and debarking dogs. In some countries, these procedures are illegal, and therefore their practice is contentious. The Veterinarian's Oath was adopted by the American Veterinary Medical Association's House of Delegates July 1969, and amended by the AVMA Executive Board, November 1999. It goes as follows: "