What is a Veterinarian?

I'm writing this column after a conversation with a friend.   Our discussion went through the gauntlet of healer, aider of animals; restoring health and vitality to injured animals through nutrition, surgery or rehabilitation were our basic definitions.   

There are a couple of facets that need including.   Grief counselor has to be on the list.   Public Health observer, food animal issues with milk, meat or animal based nutrition.   Rabies suspects, "mad cow disease", milk products such as mastitis, Leptospirosis, Listeria montocytogenes (a virulent foodborne pathogen transferred via milk products),  is a short list of public health issues a veterinarian gets included on a public health team.   Listeria causes a type of meningitis with up to a 20 percent mortality rate.    

Helping animals, young or old, is certainly one of my favorite things.   Prevention of  diseases such as heartworm, avoiding lethal viral infections, correcting oral pain and discomfort,  proper nutrition for growing puppies and kittens, preventing pet over population by correct surgical  procedures, ovariohysterectomy (spay) or neutering (castration) males and referral to specialists when indicated.   These are some other things that define a veterinarian.   

"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day.   Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.  " This has a parallel in veterinary medicine.   As a veterinarian if I start the healing of an ear infection, for that specific event a pet is cleared of pain and infection.   If as a veterinarian / educator I heal a pet AND teach the pet owner how to manage the ears to prevent future ear problems, they have the power to heal that pet for a lifetime.   This simple concept has to be backed up with proper diagnostics of cytology, culture and sensitivity (bacterial anaerobic and aerobic and fungal cultures as indicated.  ) Think of the pain this dog is missing by having the ear free of infection.   What a relief. 
Veterinarians are dedicated to prevention of disease, healing injury and reducing chronic pain from arthritis.   Continual efforts of veterinarians and their super support staffs allow us to act as client educators.   Our support staff helps by repeating the essential message being delivered.   Time spent with clients helps us leverage our educational contact time with owners.   The whole team needs to let clients know how important preventative medicine is.   Our team limits problems with pets by:
        Semiannual physical examinations.  
        Regular intervals for vaccinations.  
        Heartworm prevention medications (both dogs and cats). 
        Minimum of annual heartworm and intestinal parasite testing. 
        Monthly application and year-round use of flea control products and flea prevention. 
        Presurgical testing prior to anesthesia and evaluation of organ systems. 
        Spaying female pets prevents reproductive tract disease (pyometra), mammary cancer, and pet overpopulation.  
        Neutering male pets to prevent prostate disease and pet overpopulation.  
        Baseline laboratory testing for pets young and old.  
        Geriatric workups for older pets blood test, blood pressures, urinalysis, and ECG's. 
        Regular dental prophylaxis and home care for pets' teeth, gums, and oral cavity.  
        Interventive ear care focusing on cleaning, medicating and observation.  
        Proper nutrition for life stage needs and special diets for medical conditions.  
        Prenatal and postpartum care for breeding females and their offspring.  
The above list are ways your pet's doctor focuses on keeping your pet healthy and ensuring preventable disorders never get a chance to inflict itself on a loved one in our care.   Not on my watch, thank you. 
 If it is more than six months since your pet was examined by their veterinarian, call their office today.   With the educational tools we can help prevent disease(s) through education.  


After reviewing this article I keep stumbling over the definition of "healer".   I have a confession to make.   I have never healed a case in my 36 years as a veterinarian.   I put part A to part B in a clean and prayerful manner.   I do everything possible to prepare an animal for God to do the healing.   Controlling things on a molecular or cellular level implies more powers than I have.   I am diligent in prepping and evaluating if a disease or condition will allow modification.   There are cases that will not turn out positive, no matter how much you wish.   
Life is good.   Life is better with pets.  
Come to think about it, it would not be life without pets. 
For more information about a specific case, consult your veterinarian.