What is a Veterinarian?

Have you ever thought about how many different kinds of doctors you may need dur ing your entire lifetime, from birth to your death. During your lifetime there a re 23 different specialists who can and will take you from your birth to your de ath. They include: the obstetrician, pediatrician, orthodontist, endodontist, d ermatologist, internist, surgeon, radiologist, anesthesiologist, gynecologist, e ndocrinologist, psychiatrist, urologist, neurologist, psychoanalyst, pulmonologi st, oncologist, ophthalmologist, nutritionist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, geriatrist, and pathologist. Veterinarians need to know something about all of these specialties in order to provide diagnosis and treatment of your pets. A veterinarian has to have just as much schooling as your family physician. The y are involved in four years of veterinary school and know how to practice preve ntive medicine, diagnostic medicine and medical and surgical treatment of your p et. There are even specialists who undergo further training and provide services such as specialized surgery and emergency and critical care or pathology. The l ist is just as extensive as in human medicine. The human-animal bond is very strong and has lead to the development of diagnost ic and treatment methods for pets that rival human medicine. Veterinary medicine has advanced and expanded over the last 20 or 30 years and there are available just as many different diagnostic tests and treatment methods as you have for yo urself in human medicine. Veterinary hospitals have also grown into state-of-the art facilities, using technology such as ultrasound, lasers, sophisticated moni toring equipment, and increased methods of anesthesia to make surgery safe, even for older animals. The result is a much more thorough diagnosis of our pets tha t can lead to more successful treatments or management of their illnesses. This means that the care is available to our pets that will allow them to have the op portunity to live longer and be healthier as they go about their life. The veterinary profession not only takes care of our beloved pets, it also works to maintain the health of our livestock and the animals in the zoo; most import antly, they play a critical role in human health. There are diseases that affect animals and that can also infect people. Veterinarians work in areas that benef it people everyday by identifying and managing diseases so they cannot be transm itted from animals to humans, developing vaccines and pharmaceuticals, and looki ng at ways to prevent the spread of infection to humans through animal products such as meat or milk. All diseases that are a threat to our personal health are studied and monitored in animals as this affects the human health experience. Your veterinarian really studies hard and knows a lot in order to treat your pet and keep them healthy and happy.