Individuals who are interested in veterinary medicine should have a curious mind and eager powers of examination. Skill and interest in the biological sciences are important. Veterinarians need a life long interest in scientific learning as well as a like and understanding of animals. Vets should be able to meet, talk, and work well with a variety of people. Vets may have to euthanatize an animal that is very sick or severely injured and cannot get well. When an animal dies, the vet must deal with the owner's grief and loss.
             Veterinarians play a major role in the health of animals. They take care of many sick animals and help to protect humans from getting a disease carried by an animal. Vets diagnose medical problems, dress wounds and broken bones, perform surgery, prescribe and give medicines, and vaccinate animals against diseases. "Most vets perform clinical work in private practices." More than one-half of these vets treat small animals. They usually care for companion animals, such as dogs and cats. Some vets work in mixed animal practices where they treat: pigs, goats, sheep, some nondomestic animals, and companion animals. A small number of the vets that work in private practices only work with large animals, like cows and horses. These vets usually drive out to the farms or ranches to provide veterinary services for herds or individual animals. Others specialize in fish and poultry. Some vets are involved in food safety. Vets who are livestock inspectors check animals for contagious diseases, advise owners on treatment, and may quarantine animals. Vets who are meat, poultry, or egg product inspectors examine slaughtering and processing plants, check live animals and dead ones for disease, and enforce government regulations regarding food cleanliness and sanitation.
             Veterinarians often work long hours. They usually take care of pets in hospitals and clinics; these facilit
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