Career in Veterinary Science

What: Veterinary science is a medical profession that deals with the control of disease in animals. A veterinarian or a doctor of animals’ primary responsibility is to look after the health and welfare of the animals. It also includes the breeding and scientific handling of livestock.

Veterinarians can choose to work in urban areas, where the work would mostly include the care and handling of domestic pets, or with the government’s animal husbandry departments. The job profile of veterinarians is probably much more than that of a general physician or a surgeon. They diagnose the disease; work to prevent and control animal diseases; treat sick and injured animals; prevent the transmission of the animal diseases to people and advise owners on proper care of the pets and the livestock.

Their initial pay package will be as much as Rs.10, 000 – Rs.15, 000 a month. Governmental departments will also take in professionals in the post of livestock development officers.  Monthly salary of these individuals will be just about Rs. 20, 000 – Rs. 30, 000 a month on the basis of the number of years of experience they have in their chosen field. In colleges, vets in the post of Assistant Professor will get approximately over Rs 4,000.

In general, a vet can make around Rs.5, 000 to Rs.80, 000 each month.

How: Veterinary doctors deal with the treatment, care and handling of domestic pets, livestock, animals in the zoo, laboratory, sporting animals or animals with the government’s animal husbandry departments. They take up practice exclusively of either large animals such as cattle including horses, pigs, sheep; poultry etc. or small animals mainly household pets including dogs, cats, birds etc. or both. The approach in treatment vary according to different animals. The vets must be familiar with the many breeds of pets or livestock and the characteristics of each so that they can recommend diets, exercise regiments and treatment, specific to the breed.

To practice as a veterinarian it is essential to have a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science. To be eligible for B. V. Sc & Animal Husbandry course, you should be 10+2 with science subjects such as Physics, Chemistry and Biology.  It’s an allied medical science. Second best to medicine is Veterinary Science and Dentistry followed by Pharmacy and Biotechnology.

The demand of vets is on the rise in view of huge livestock population vis- a- vis demand of quality animal products. Due to commercialization of veterinary industry and liberalization of policies more and more international industries dealing in food manufacturing, pharmaceutical, diagnostic and vaccine production etc. have opened the doors for veterinarian.

Canine and feline keeping in cosmopolitan cities, establishment of dairy and poultry industries, meat and milk processing ventures, establishment of livestock business and marketing etc. are gaining momentum.

Where: To cater to the needs of huge livestock population, many national and international companies in the field of nutrition, pharmaceuticals, milk/meat processing centers, diagnostics and for vaccine production have also been coming ups. Again the demand of technocrats increases in these sectors. Many NGO’S run by animal lover’s animal welfare boards/clubs, private agencies are also coming for animals help and are employing the veterinarians. Similarly zoos, national parks and sanctuaries recruit the veterinarians to take care of their animals.

Institutions:

• T. Rama Rao College of Veterinary Science- Gannavaram
• Faculty of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Guwahati
• Faculty of Veterinary Science, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Agri. University, Pusa, Samastipur         
• Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi