Job description Small Animal Veterinarian in the Lower Mainland–Southwest Region

Find out what work is like for a small animal veterinarian in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Veterinarians (NOC 31103).

Veterinarians

Description

Veterinarians prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders in animals and advise clients on the feeding, hygiene, housing and general care of animals. They can also perform surgical procedures. They work in private practice or may be employed by animal clinics, farms, laboratories, government or industry.

Work week duration

Veterinarians usually work between 35 to 40 hours per week.
Between 35 to 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Veterinarians have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Diagnose diseases or abnormal conditions in individual animals, herds and flocks through physical examinations or laboratory tests
  • Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery
  • Vaccinate animals to prevent and treat diseases
  • Perform routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations
  • Advise clients on feeding, housing, behaviour, breeding, hygiene and general care of animals
  • Provide a range of veterinary services including obstetrics, dentistry and euthanasia
  • May supervise animal health technologists and animal care workers
  • May be responsible for overall operation of animal hospital, clinic or mobile service to farms
  • May conduct veterinary research related to areas such as animal nutrition, health care products development and disease prevention and control
  • May enforce government regulations in disease control and food production including animal or animal-based food inspection.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Standing
  • Handling material manually
  • Bending or twisting the body
  • Walking and running

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Veterinarians are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Governments
  • Farms
  • Industry
  • Animal clinics
  • Laboratories
  • Private practice

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Biological agents
  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Skin injury
  • Radiation
  • Dangerous chemical substances
  • Sound and noise
  • Standard safety equipment

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Physically touching or very close

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 31103), and a list of similar occupations:

  • farm veterinarian
  • small animal veterinary specialist
  • veterinarian
  • veterinary inspector
  • veterinary pathologist
  • veterinary physiologist
  • veterinary surgeon
  • zoo veterinarian

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Veterinarians in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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