Most vets decide on their career path at a fairly young age, but they may not have decided on the type of vet they want to be or what animals they would like to treat. In this blog, we take a look at the key differences between small and large animal vets and outline who is best suited to each role.
What is the difference between a small and large animal vet?
The job titles give a lot away here, but a small animal vet is the type of vet that we most commonly think of, the type that treats pets or companion animals such as cats, dogs and rabbits. A large animal vet is a licensed practitioner who is trained to attend to the medical needs of bigger animals such as cattle, sheep and horses.
Small animal vets tend to work in a standard veterinary practice or animal hospital and perform regular check ups, administer vaccines, and treat any wounds or broken bones.
There are three specialisms within the field of large animal veterinarians: livestock, equine and zoo animals. The role of a large animal vet can be varied and duties range from undertaking full health examinations, giving vaccinations, assisting with problematic births, and performing important surgeries.
Rather than being based in a practice, large animal vets more regularly work on the road, visiting different farms. They should be prepared to work long hours and travel around.
Who is best suited to be a small animal vet?
A small animal vet will primarily treat cats and dogs so it’s important to have a passion for these species if you want to be a small animal vet.
They also tend to be tied to a particular practice, so this is suited to someone who wants a single place of work, rather than travelling around and ‘working on the road’.
Small animal vets will spend a lot of time communicating with (and reassuring) the owners of pets, so you should be willing to have a lot of human as well as animal interaction and be able to communicate in a clear and friendly way.
Who is best suited to be a large animal vet?
Large animal vet work is more physically challenging so you must be fairly strong and be prepared to restrain large animals. It is important that you are aware of the health and safety risks that are involved in the role.
You may also have an interest in a specific breed of farm animals, such as cattle or horses, and a role as a large animal vet will give you the opportunity to treat them and learn more about them.
Those who do want to pursue a career as a large animal vet should keep in mind that the job often requires long working hours, physical exertion and travel. Having said that, it’s very rewarding work and allows you to be outside and travel around a lot.
Related article: The Importance of Large Animal Veterinarians
Mixed veterinary practices
If you aren’t sure how to decide between being a small and large animal vet, you might be interested in being a mixed practice veterinarian. Mixed practice veterinarians are practitioners that specialize in health management of both large and small animals.
Most mixed practice veterinarians offer veterinary services for some combination of large animals – cattle, horses and other livestock – and small animals such as dogs, cats and other pets. These types of practices are more common in small rural towns where it’s more common to get a combination of small pets and large farm animals.
It can be rewarding to work with a variety of animals, although some people feel that specialising is important and helps you to focus more on your skills.
We hope you have found this article on small animal vets vs. large animal vets useful. If you have any questions, you are welcome to get in touch with us, or you can browse our current vacancies for an idea of the kind of work available.