What are large animal vets?
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. 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.
There are some health and safety risks involved in large-animal veterinary practice which means that the role differs significantly from those who treat smaller animals. It is important for large animal vets to be aware of risks involved in handling large animals (which often have the potential to cause damage) and, if you are a livestock vet, you should be aware of moving vehicles and farm equipment if you visit the site.
How do you become a large animal vet?
There are veterinary courses available at many universities in the UK so that’s the first important step towards becoming a large animal vet. After graduating, most vets will work in a general practice. This will mainly involve treating small animals but you will also be required to treat large animals such as horses. This is where you will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the field, and you can later choose to specialise and become a large animal vet.
Why are large animal vets important in the veterinary field?
It is important to have dedicated specialists to treat large animals as they often require a different approach to smaller animals. It is also often necessary for a large animal vet to travel around and perform treatment on the site – it would be pretty difficult to bring a horse or other large animal into a regular veterinary practice!
Livestock vets are very important because farmers rely on healthy animals to make a living and to provide the population with a good-quality source of food. Zoo vets are also very important in the large animal vet field because they do important work on the conservation of endangered animals, and ensure the welfare of animals in the zoo.
A large animal vet might not be the first path that springs to mind if you’re considering a career in the veterinary field but they do an extremely important job. It is a difficult role that often requires long hours and hard work but it is also very valuable and rewarding!
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