Veterinarians do so much these days, and their duties definitely expand far beyond the traditional services of diagnosing, treating and operating on animals, and providing information for animal owners. While diagnosing animal health problems, vaccinating against diseases, medicating animals suffering from infections or illnesses, treating and dressing wounds, setting fractures and performing surgeries are obviously important, veterinarians can do much more. Veterinarians like those at the Animal Care Center can coach owners about how to feed, train and breed their animals, perform ultrasounds and provide dermatological or dental services. And this is just the beginning.

There are also veterinarians who perform research in an effort to find new methods of treating and breeding animals. This specialized type of veterinary work requires a certain level of education, specialization and expertise. Many people are also surprised to find how modern veterinarians that treat average house pets use similar medical equipment as that which is used by medical doctors for humans. Veterinarians use stethoscopes, surgical instruments and diagnostic equipment such as radiographic and ultrasound devices. Some specialized veterinary hospitals offer the newest and most sophisticated laboratory equipment for their veterinarians to use as well.

In light of recent animal food contaminations that led to the deaths of multiple cats and dogs, some veterinarians have been given responsibilities that concern food safety and inspection. And some illnesses can cross from animals to human, or work very similarly in humans to the way they do in animals. For this reason, there are also other veterinarians who work with physicians and scientists to research new methods of preventing and treating human health problems like yellow fever, botulism, as well as new methods for certain surgical procedures.

Even the average veterinarian who performs thinks like spaying and neutering dogs and cats will have a much different career than a veterinarian a couple decades ago. Since people think of their animals as best friends, family members and true companions, many of us have come to look upon the veterinarian with the greater level of respect they deserve.