I am often asked what it is like to be a veterinarian. Many people assume that I have this job because I love animals and get to spend all day playing with the cute puppies and kittens. Although this is true to an extent, it is still a job. Like most jobs we have to take the good with the bad. The most difficult part of my job is having to break bad news to a client about their loved one as I not only love animals, but I also love people. With only one exception which I can recall, the pet does not normally come to my practice and knock on the door (yes, we did have one dog visit us on a regular basis by himself!), but normally the pet is carried in or walked in by a human being. I cannot image doing this profession without a genuine desire to help people as well as animals. Communication skills are a must! Along with those cute puppies and kittens come those pets that regardless of how much I may care about their well- being, they are simply not interested in being friendly and would on occasion prefer to take my face off. Those days are sometimes difficult for the doctor, the staff, the owner and the pet as well.
I arrived at my decision for this career at a very early age and have never looked back. The road was long and took many years of school and investment of time and money to earn my D.V.M. but there is honestly no other profession which I could enjoy more. My favorite part of the job is the daily variety. We get to see more than one species of animal and each and every animal and each and every human experience is different. Life is truly like a box of chocolates and I love each and every one of them. I have been very blessed to be a part of this wonderful profession!