What is a typical day like for a veterinarian?

Answer 1

For a small animal private practitioner, a typical day starts with rounds and treatments for hospitalized and boarded animals. Then the day gets going with appointments and surgery. The vet will typically work a 9-10 hour day (depending upon the clinic), only going home after the last client has been seen and the hospitalized/boarded animals have received their treatments and medications.

For a large animal practitioner, a typical day starts with turning on the truck. The vet will then spend the day traveling between farms, barns, pastures and fields treating the livestock of their clients. The day ends when the last animal is seen and the last farmer served.

For veterinarians outside of traditional practice, the work day can be anything from a nice office job to working in a lab to being in uniform with the military to being splattered with blood in a slaughter plant.