Dr. Chris Bern
21 Years Experience
Cartersville, GA
Male, 49
I have been a practicing veterinarian since 1997, but have been in and around the profession since 1984. I am a general practitioner and see most pet species, from dogs and cats to parrots and snakes. In my job I do everything from routine vaccinations to complex surgeries and difficult medical cases. Becoming a vet takes hard work and dedication but can be very rewarding.
You should go and look at a similar response I made to another case comment a few months ago. This kind of question should NOT be asked on the internet. There is no way that I or any other doctor can tell what is going on with your pet. Any ideas? Yes, quite a few. In fact, I can think of several dozen conditions that could cause a symptom like this, none of which I could conclusively diagnose without an exam and likely some blood tests. The bottom line is that you need to contact your vet and take your dog in for a full exam. It is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis on the internet, especially with limited information.
Share Answer: 
In order to maintain our license, we are required to take a certain amount of continuing education every year, with the number of hours varying between states. We mostly get this through attending one of many professional conferences around the country (and even the world!). In these conferences we attend lectures that both refresh our memories and inform us of new developments. Additionally, there are many journals to which we can subscribe, each of them focused in different areas and giving us the ability to read and learn about current trends and treatments. Medicine changes quickly and new drugs are released each year, so it can take a lot of effort to stay current!
Share Answer: 
First, the picture isn't showing up. Second......my opinion is that you need to take your pet to a veterinarian. I know this may come across as rather snide, and I'm sorry for that, but if your pet has a health problem you need to take her to a vet, not look for free information on the internet. Even if I could give an accurate opinion (which I can't via a computer) there would be no way to properly treat either problem outside of a veterinarian's prescription or in-person advice. Taking the time to seek advice and opinions online may seem like a good idea, but it will NEVER take the place of a doctor seeing a pet in person, and may only delay proper treatment.
Share Answer: 
You won't be able to find an answer to this problem by asking on a website. You need to take your dog to your vet to have him examined.
Share Answer: 
School Teacher
Are teachers underpaid?
NHL Team Marketer
Is fighting in hockey good or bad for the game?
Call Center Representative
Are you allowed to hang up on a caller if they're being very rude?
Start off by looking at some veterinary schools to which you would consider applying and see what their admission requirements are. If you have a business degree there is a strong possibility that you will have to go back to school to take various biology and chemistry classes that your previous major wouldn't have required. Each school is slightly different, so you'll have to check out several. Many also require some experience working in a veterinary clinic, so you'll have to seek out that kind of work. You may also find out that you really don't like the kind of work that a vet does when you spend a long time behind the scenes at a clinic. Lastly, look at your financial situation as vets have the highest debt-to-income ratio of any medical professional, and the debt load when starting as a vet is very burdensome.
Share Answer: 
I don't know any vets who have only 8 hour days. Mine are typically 10-11 hours. Most vets work 40-50 hours per week. Also, your schedule can be very unpredictable. It's unusual for me to get to take a full hour for lunch every day. We rarely leave as soon as closing time comes around as we're typically still finishing up patients and notes. If you work for a clinic that does its own emergency work you will have times when you have to come in at odd hours during the night and weekends. So if this kind of a schedule really doesn't appeal to you, don't become a vet. Being able to work consistent 8 hour days, leaving right at closing, and never having to come in outside of this schedule isn't realistic for a vet.
As far as whether you should be a vet or a technician, that's impossible for me to answer based on this question. It is a highly variable answer dependent on numerous factors, including what kind of responsibilities you want to have, how much school you can tolerate, and what kind if debt load you can survive.
Share Answer: 
Many times! And by many different species! Here's a list just of the top of my head....dogs, cats, bearded dragon, snakes, parakeets, cockatiels, hamsters, guinea pigs, a horse, and probably others I can't think of right now. Thankfully most of those were minor, but I do have some scars on my hands and arms from the bad ones. We try to avoid these kinds of injuries, but at some point they are inevitable.
Share Answer: 
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
