RUSVM Stories & News

In a year that challenged us to persevere, grow, and innovate, we look to the future with optimism. We focus on what’s within our grasp and what can make a difference in the moment.

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (Ross Vet) alumna Vanessa Mitchell ‘11, knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from the time she was 5 years old living in Boston. After a horse she was riding cut his leg, she watched intently as a veterinarian skillfully treated the wound. She was hooked and immediately began envisioning her career.

Having a pet can be a rewarding experience for any individual or family. It helps teach children (and adults!) how to nurture and care for another being, provides companionship for individuals, and can even have significant health benefits for people. Some pets are easier to take care of than others, but all pets require daily care. Whether you’re a first-time pet owner or just want to know what’s involved in taking care of animals before taking the plunge, the following will serve as an animal care guide and give you some basic guidelines for keeping a healthy pet.

If you’ve personally experienced dental problems, you know how painful they can be. But did you know that animals suffer from the same oral and dental ailments as people? Now imagine the pain of a cracked tooth without the ability to tell someone where it hurts! Enter the animal dentist, an essential member of any animal healthcare team. Animal dentists, also called veterinary dentists, are veterinarians who have been trained to treat oral and dental issues in animals, from cavities to periodontal disease and beyond. They perform such tasks as regular dental cleanings, pulling teeth, and examining an animal’s oral cavity to check for injury or signs of disease.

The vast majority of veterinarians opt to work with pets and other small animals, but some animal doctors prefer to go a bit bigger and specialize in large animal medicine—the veterinary specialty dealing with the health and well-being of cows, horses, and other animals too big to be offered a bed inside the house. Specialists in large animal medicine provide complete health care for livestock and other big animals, but they are also key to human health. Because many large animals are also food animals—meaning they are raised and used for food production or consumption by humans—their health can have a direct impact on human health.

The word equine is an adjective meaning of horses. A doctor of equine medicine, then, is a horse veterinarian. Such veterinarians provide complete health care for horses and ponies as well as donkeys and mules, and some even care for their zebra cousins. Horse veterinarians are large animal specialists who still make “house calls”, often traveling to see their patients. They may deliver a foal, administer a vaccine, or perform a surgery—all in one visit! If you are interested in specializing in equine medicine you should be aware that it can be a long and intense—but rewarding—path. Your veterinary path includes undergraduate study and veterinary school. Some horse doctors further their studies with internships or specialist residencies.

Just like humans have regular checkups with their doctor, regularly scheduled dog wellness exams with a qualified dog veterinarian are essential to maintain the overall health of canines. They are the doctors who staff animal clinics and hospitals in towns and cities across the United States and Canada. Wellness visits for humans and dogs alike center on preventive medicine, which concentrates on promoting health and well-being and preventing disease, disability, and death. During regular canine wellness exams, a veterinarian checks out a dog’s overall health with a full dog physical exam and blood screening or other procedures when needed. Canine wellness exams can catch developing health problems and help ensure an active, happy, and healthy dog year ahead.

What does an aquatic medicine doctor do? Doctors of aquatic veterinary medicine provide complete health care for animals that live in water—everything from whales and sharks to alligators, mollusks, and penguins. An aquatic veterinarian may draw blood samples from clownfish, perform surgery on an anaconda, or protect the health of an entire salmon fishery. Read on to learn more about an aquatic veterinarian's role and responsibilities and how to become one!

Looking to become a veterinarian that treats vision and eye problems in a variety of species? Then you may consider specializing in animal ophthalmology! Just like ophthalmologists for people, specialists in ophthalmology for animals perform exams and non-invasive procedures as well as surgery and therapy. They may correct, protect, or even restore an animal’s vision. Read on to learn more about how to become a veterinary ophthalmologist.

Planning for your veterinary career path can be easy by knowing what lies ahead. The path requires dedication and patience, as well as excellent grades and test scores. It also requires a desire to learn and the compassion to help animals as well as their owners. In this blog we outline the steps to earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. It is a big decision to start down the veterinary path. Having a good sense of how to become a veterinarian can aid in determining if this is the right career for you.