As a child, Geeta (who goes by her first name) loved not only the cat she adopted, but also the dogs that her pet was afraid of. That affection for animals drew her to veterinary science and now she handles them throughout the day. “At the first meeting, a vet must win the animal’s confidence, so that it doesn’t get ferocious during routine check-up,” she says. Dr Geeta worked with an NGO’s animal hospital for a couple of years before setting up private practice recently. “At the hospital, I used to operate upon 15 patients a day, but you don’t feel the pressure of work if you love the work you do,” she says. When treating a pet, experience counts far more than hi-tech machinery and medical tests. As Dr Geeta says, “If it’s a human being, you can put them through CT scan, blood tests and ultrasound to be sure about the ailment, but few pet owners are willing to spend that kind of money on an animal. So, most of the times, we have to bank upon our experience for the diagnosis.”Keeping the animal calm is another concern. A vet first checks with the owner about the pet’s temperament and then proceeds to touch the animal. Even then, an aggressive animal may have to be muzzled and leashed before treatment begins. In case of a zoo or a large dairy operation, big animals are first driven into a small enclosure that gives them little room for causing injury to the vet, and only then does the doctor examine them. Since the curriculum in India does not cover animal psychology, a vet has to acquire the skill of soothing a fretful animal only through practice.Job opportunities are aplenty. In urban areas, opening a pet clinic is a good bet. One can also work in the dairy industry or research and development. Some vets even work in the sales and marketing department of pharmaceutical companies or pet food firms. “I have done BVSc and now I handle sales and promotion of products. A managerial role is not uncommon for a veterinary graduate,” says Dr Saurabh Shekhar, regional manager, sales and marketing, Mars India, a company that makes pet foods. A vet can be an Army officer, too. With 325 of them in the Remount Army Corps, around two dozen officers are recruited almost every year. “You can join directly as captain in the short service commission. After two years in service, you can write an exam for induction in the permanent service commission,” says Colonel Brijmohan Gupta (name changed), a vet in the Indian Army.If a life outside the cities appeals to you, the dairy industry or government health care centres could use your vet skills for their cattle. “I not only treat animals but also ensure their hygiene to minimise the transfer of disease from animals to humans,” says Dr Om Ahuja, a vet working with the National
Dairy Development Board in Bulandshahar. “Around 70 per cent of animal diseases are contagious, so we try to pre-empt the damage.” Ahuja, who has also got an MBA degree in agri-management, now wants to move to the corporate sector.Research and development is another avenue. Dr Sonia Sharma, who did her MVSc in veterinary pathology, joined Dr Reddy’s Labs and worked as an associate scientist, finding the cause and effect of animal diseases.With such a gamut of options, there is every reason to let the animal lover in you turn into a professional.
What's it about?A veterinarian, or a vet, is a physician/surgeon for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine. Most vets look after dogs, cats, or other domesticated animals, while some treat wild animals, too, like the big cats and other animals kept in a zoo
Clock work9 am: Open clinic9.30 am: Examine the pets, conduct check-ups and prescribe medicines11 am: Instruct assistants on pet grooming1 pm: Lunch 2 pm: Read medical journals if time permits4 pm: Resume seeing pets6 pm: Consult with pet owners7 pm: Wind up
The payoffIn the private sector, salaries start at Rs 20,000-25,000 per month, which will rise with experience, designation and performance. At a higher level, after about 10 years in the profession, you can earn Rs 1 lakh per month. The money is better in sales and marketing, but your performance speaks more than your knowledge does. As a manager, you can make as much as any other sales professional. In private practice, your income entirely depends upon your clientele. In a posh area, where pet clinics also double as grooming centres, a client could be willing to pay thousands for a 30-minute job
Skills. You must have deep affection for animals. It is only this that can make the animal feel comfortable. Be ready to work in rural settings, too. This could be necessary if you want to do research or work in a government set-up . You should be a great observer — your patients will not be able to communicate their problems to you. You need some persuasion skills to make a pet owner give detailed answers to all the questions you ask
How do I get there?You will have to finish BVSc & AH (Bachelor of veterinary science and animal husbandry), a five-year programme, from a university recognised by the Veterinary Council of India. For specialisation, go for MVSc in one of these areas — medicine, surgery, biochemistry, genetics and breeding, poultry science, biotechnology, pharmacology, physiology, immunology, etc. After MVSc, you can work in research or academics at centres of repute like the Indian Veterinary Research Institute or a state university
Institutes & urls. Bombay Veterinary Science College www.mafsu.in/bvc/bvccollege/bvc_main_page.html. College of Veterinary Sciences, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar www.hau.ernet.in/covs/covs.htm. Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur www.csauk.ac.in. College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Udgir, Maharashtra www.mafsu.in/udgir/udgri_main.html. Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana www.gadvasu.in
Pros & cons. You have many avenues before you, besides private practice — government job, sales, NGO or research . The money is reasonably good from the start. You become a qualified doctor but may not get as much as respect as a doctor who treats human beings. A lot of the job options are in rural areas
Dairy Development Board in Bulandshahar. “Around 70 per cent of animal diseases are contagious, so we try to pre-empt the damage.” Ahuja, who has also got an MBA degree in agri-management, now wants to move to the corporate sector.Research and development is another avenue. Dr Sonia Sharma, who did her MVSc in veterinary pathology, joined Dr Reddy’s Labs and worked as an associate scientist, finding the cause and effect of animal diseases.With such a gamut of options, there is every reason to let the animal lover in you turn into a professional.
What's it about?A veterinarian, or a vet, is a physician/surgeon for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine. Most vets look after dogs, cats, or other domesticated animals, while some treat wild animals, too, like the big cats and other animals kept in a zoo
Clock work9 am: Open clinic9.30 am: Examine the pets, conduct check-ups and prescribe medicines11 am: Instruct assistants on pet grooming1 pm: Lunch 2 pm: Read medical journals if time permits4 pm: Resume seeing pets6 pm: Consult with pet owners7 pm: Wind up
The payoffIn the private sector, salaries start at Rs 20,000-25,000 per month, which will rise with experience, designation and performance. At a higher level, after about 10 years in the profession, you can earn Rs 1 lakh per month. The money is better in sales and marketing, but your performance speaks more than your knowledge does. As a manager, you can make as much as any other sales professional. In private practice, your income entirely depends upon your clientele. In a posh area, where pet clinics also double as grooming centres, a client could be willing to pay thousands for a 30-minute job
Skills. You must have deep affection for animals. It is only this that can make the animal feel comfortable. Be ready to work in rural settings, too. This could be necessary if you want to do research or work in a government set-up . You should be a great observer — your patients will not be able to communicate their problems to you. You need some persuasion skills to make a pet owner give detailed answers to all the questions you ask
How do I get there?You will have to finish BVSc & AH (Bachelor of veterinary science and animal husbandry), a five-year programme, from a university recognised by the Veterinary Council of India. For specialisation, go for MVSc in one of these areas — medicine, surgery, biochemistry, genetics and breeding, poultry science, biotechnology, pharmacology, physiology, immunology, etc. After MVSc, you can work in research or academics at centres of repute like the Indian Veterinary Research Institute or a state university
Institutes & urls. Bombay Veterinary Science College www.mafsu.in/bvc/bvccollege/bvc_main_page.html. College of Veterinary Sciences, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar www.hau.ernet.in/covs/covs.htm. Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur www.csauk.ac.in. College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Udgir, Maharashtra www.mafsu.in/udgir/udgri_main.html. Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana www.gadvasu.in
Pros & cons. You have many avenues before you, besides private practice — government job, sales, NGO or research . The money is reasonably good from the start. You become a qualified doctor but may not get as much as respect as a doctor who treats human beings. A lot of the job options are in rural areas
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