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Veterinary surgeon
Veterinary surgeons (vets) diagnose and treat sick and injured animals. They also prevent disease and ill health, for example, through immunisation and giving advice to owners. Some vets specialise, for example, in domestic pets, livestock, horses or zoo animals.
Also known as:
- Vet
Work activities
Veterinary surgeons (vets) diagnose and treat animals, using scientific and medical knowledge, practical skills and a variety of tools and equipment. Contact with each animal’s owner is very important, first of all to discuss the animal’s symptoms or behaviour. The vet will also need to consult with owners and give advice on any treatment that is needed. To diagnose disease, vets can use a number of techniques, including physical examinations, test results (such as of blood and urine samples), X-ray images and ultrasound scans. Having made a diagnosis, the vet will need to decide on treatment. This could be, for example, cleaning and dressing wounds, operating, or prescribing medicine. To operate on animals, vets use practical hand skills, surgical tools and their knowledge of anaesthetics. They work closely with one or more veterinary nurses during the operation. Apart from practical treatment, an important part of the work involves giving owners advice and guidance on how best to care for their animals. This includes specific advice on treatment, e.g., medication and how to care for an animal after an operation.
Advice is also important in helping to prevent disease and illness. For example, vets discuss issues such as nutrition and exercise with owners. Another important part of preventive medicine is immunisation. This helps to keep the animals healthy, as well as preventing the spread of disease from animals to humans. Vets sometimes have to euthanise (“put down”) animals that are too sick or injured to be treated. They sometimes have to perform post-mortem examinations on deceased animals to investigate the reasons for their death. In a town or city general practice, they will spend most of their time treating domestic pets (often cats and dogs) while vets in rural practices are more likely to treat livestock and horses.
Important roles for vets dealing with farm animals are to oversee the welfare of livestock, give advice on maintaining the health of the herd, and ensure the safety of food produced from animals. Vets must certify that animals going for slaughter and export are free from disease. Vets must oversee the welfare of these animals. In general practice, there will usually be more than one vet. Vets are usually supported by veterinary nurses, and, sometimes, by animal care assistants and clerical staff. Vets who manage their own practices have to run the business, including recruiting and supervising nurses and other staff. They have to look after the practice’s finances and market their services. General practice vets sometimes make home visits, and farm animal vets travel to farms in the local area. Farm animal vets can be working outside in all types of weather.
Some vets work in research, either in universities, research institutes, industry or commercial laboratories, helping to investigate the causes of disease and developing new treatments and medicines. Some vets work for governments or government agencies at both a national and international level, helping to investigate and deal with disease outbreaks and developing policies and systems to ensure the health of the public.
Personal qualities and skills
To be a veterinary surgeon, you’ll need:
- A concern for animal welfare.
- Emotional strength; you must not be squeamish. You will be working with, and sometimes “putting down”, very sick animals.
- Problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- An interest in science and medicine.
- Observational skills and attention to detail to diagnose disease.
- Practical skills to carry out treatment.
- Communication skills to work with people such as pet owners, farmers and veterinary nurses. You must be able to explain things clearly and give clear advice.
- Empathy, understanding and tact.
- The ability to calm and reassure people who are distressed.
- Willingness to keep up to date with advances in veterinary science and technology, and with relevant legislation.
Many vets in practice are self-employed, so they need the skills to run their own businesses. This includes using a computer to keep and update records on patients and finances. A driving licence is desirable and is often essential for vets working in rural areas.
Pay and opportunities
Starting salaries are around £30,000 a year. This can include allowances for accommodation, fuel, continued training, and professional membership fees. Veterinary surgeons with five years’ experience and more can earn around £50,000 a year.
Veterinary surgeons in private practice usually work around 40-45 hours a week. However, work at weekends and on-call duties will usually be required. Part-time and temporary posts are available.
Employers include:
- Private veterinary general practices.
- Government departments such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and its agencies, such as the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
- Commercial firms doing research work with companies that make agricultural food and pharmaceutical products.
- Charities such as the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
- Universities, and research institutes such as the Animal Health Trust.
There are also a few opportunities in zoos, safari parks and the armed forces. Opportunities for veterinary surgeons occur in towns, cities and rural areas throughout the UK. There are also opportunities for veterinary surgeons to work in other countries.
Experienced veterinary surgeons can “buy in” to a practice, as a partner. Some veterinary surgeons start their own practice. However, this requires considerable financial investment.
Where are vacancies advertised?
Vacancies are advertised in the Veterinary Record and its website, which is the official publication of the British Veterinary Association, on general and specialist job boards, in local newspapers and on veterinary employment agency websites.
Entry routes and training
To become a veterinary surgeon, you will need to complete a degree in veterinary science/medicine that is approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). A range of colleges and universities offer degrees in Veterinary Science. Very high grades at A-level are required at entry. Most courses are for five years.
Although you cannot currently train to be a vet through an apprenticeship programme, apprenticeships exist in the following related roles:
- Veterinary nurse (level 3/advanced)
- Vet technician (level 5/higher)
After graduation, most people start in general practice. They usually begin as assistants, working with senior veterinary surgeons. Many newly qualified vets continue their studies.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.
Qualifications
For entry to an approved degree course in veterinary science/medicine, the usual requirement is three A-levels including at least three science subjects. Chemistry and/or biology will usually be essential. You will usually need very high grades.
Adult opportunities
Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.
Universities expect candidates to show evidence of their commitment to this career by having relevant work experience. This experience might include working alongside a vet in practice, dealing with animals on a farm, working in kennels, catteries or stables, or working in a research or medical laboratory, for example.
