By April Karbowsky
VeterinarySchools.com Editor & Staff Writer
April 25, 2005

Dr. Doolittle, one of the most famous animal doctors in literature, once sang:

He, like most people who have animals, wished that he could speak with his animal friends. This wish is never as important as when an animal is sick. People who work with animals, such as veterinarians, veterinary technologists/technicians, and other specialists in the animal healthcare professions, often wish that they could speak with animals, as it would make their jobs easier. Yet through their training and day-to-day work, these practitioners get closer to understanding animals than most of us can ever hope to. They learn to read animal behavior in an effort to help them when they are sick, injured, or ill-tempered - looking for clues such as eating and sleep habits, socialization problems, and other non-verbal signs that indicate pain or suffering. This connection to animals is necessary for individuals who provide healthcare to animals.

The jobs related to animal healthcare are important and diverse. While most of us usually only think of veterinarians and veterinary technologists/technicians working with "everyday pets", their involvement can include many types of animals - just like some of those listed in the lyrics above. Some individuals specialize in zoo animal, lab animal, or even wild animal care. Others choose to specialize in particular animal patient services, such as doctors who work only on issues of health and disease related to the heart, or technicians who work exclusively on laboratory analysis.

To learn more about these professionals and what education you'll need for working in these fields, click below: