Veterinarians (NOC 3114)

Nature of work

Veterinarians prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders in animals and advise clients on the feeding, hygiene, housing and general care of animals. Veterinarians work in private practice or may be employed by animal clinics, farms, laboratories, government or industry.

Main duties

Veterinarians perform some or all of the following duties:
- Diagnose diseases or abnormal conditions in individual animals, herds and flocks through physical examinations or laboratory tests
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery
- Vaccinate animals to prevent and treat diseases
- Continued…
- Perform routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations
- Advise clients on feeding, housing, behaviour, breeding, hygiene and general care of animals
- Provide a range of veterinary services including obstetrics, dentistry and euthanasia
- May supervise animal health technologists and animal care workers
- May be responsible for overall operation of animal hospital, clinic or mobile service to farms
- May conduct veterinary research related to areas such as animal nutrition, health care products development and disease prevention and control
- May enforce government regulations in disease control and food production including animal or animal-based food inspection.

Employment requirements

• * Two years of pre-veterinary university studies or completion of a college program in health science and A four to five year university degree in veterinary medicine and Completion of national certification examinations are required.
• * A provincial licence to practice is required.
• * Entry into research positions may require post-graduate study.