Veterinarians put in a lot of hard work not only in the 8+ years of schooling but every single day that they work. So if they work so hard, why are the doubted so much? There are so many times that people shrug off advice from their veterinarian because they don't take them as seriously as they would their own doctor. So what are some of these misunderstandings, myths, and assumptions?
"Hes not fat! He's big boned!"
Wrong.
Sadly, more than half of americas pets are obese or overweight by the standard. So many of these animals are overweight that people don't even recognize it as a problem when their cat is 5 pounds over weight because in their mind, its normal. Its not normal. Its extremely unhealthy and can lead to a slew of other health conditions. It is difficult to see your pets ideal weight and this is why it is important to trust your vet when they are only trying to help you and your furry friend! We have to start trusting out veterinarians because they honestly only have the best interest in mind.
"Vets get paid a lot."
Right. But still wrong.
In contrast to what most people believe, vets are not "loaded". On average, they don't make more than people in human resources or marketing. The work load is much higher though. They put in long hard hours and often get called out in the middle of the night. You don't see your office manager doing that.
"Anyone could be a vet if only they didn't get upset over putting animals to sleep."
Nope.
Dragging yourself through 8+ LONG years of schooling and maintaining high academic performance is the main obstacle people try to avoid before becoming a vet.
"Vets love ALL animals!"
Do they though?
Yeah, sure, they all have a few favorite patients. The ones that bite, kick, claw, and pin them down on the other hand, not so much.
"Vets know everything about animals"
Veterinarians don't know the specifics of every single animal. Dont expect to present them with some unheard of species and have all of your questions answered.
The introductory text book that I used to cover some of the information was not as helpful as I hoped, it left me flipping through page after page trying to come up with answers that are generally not covered in this sort of book. It did not necessarily change my understanding of the field but could potentially for someone who is not versed in the ins and outs of veterinary medicine. I knew most of these myths were true because of my experience with vets and animals throughout my life but someone else could learn a lot. This basic resource was not really that effective for me because of the questions I was investigating.
"11 Funny Veterinarian Signs." ROMP Italian Greyhound Rescue Chicago. N.p., 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
Lawhead, James B., and MeeCee Baker. Introduction to Veterinary Science. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning, 2005. Print.
The part about how many pets are obese is so true! As someone who trained their dog ever sense he was a puppy and has helped to keep him healthy it annoys me when people will shrug off their pets health. Not to mention that picture made my day!
ReplyDelete- Ian O.
Im glad to hear that you enjoyed the post! It is very frustrating that people shrug off their pets health, thats one of the main reasons why i am choosing to go into this field!
Delete