r/Veterinary

I’m entering my first year of veterinary school this fall. I’m a 26M and married, and one of the things I’ve been thinking about is what it will be like entering a profession and school environment that is overwhelmingly female.

I have absolutely no issue working or studying with women, in fact, my current clinic is almost entirely female, and I’ve enjoyed working with everyone there. However, I’ve noticed that being one of the only men in a learning environment can sometimes feel isolating for me. I find it harder to approach people to ask questions, and I sometimes feel like I’m intruding when I approach established groups of people.

I’ve worked as a veterinary assistant for about a year, but I also sometimes feel behind compared with other people with similar experience at my clinic. I’ve wondered whether some of that is simply because I haven’t always felt as comfortable asking questions or getting involved in certain learning situations.

Going into vet school, I’d really like to avoid falling into that same pattern. I’m not expecting to make lifelong best friends with everyone, but I’d like to feel comfortable approaching my classmates with questions, and generally feeling like I’m part of the class rather than on the outside of different groups.

For the older students and men who have gone through veterinary school:

• Did you ever experience this kind of isolation as one of the few men in your class?
• Did being older than many of your classmates make much of a difference?
• Did you find it easier to connect with other male students, or did you mostly make friends regardless of gender?
• What did you do during your first year to establish an academic group?
• Is there anything you wish you had done differently when you started?
• And, perhaps most importantly, did this feeling of being “the odd one out” improve as you got further into vet school?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from men who felt similarly going into vet school but eventually found their place. I’m trying to go into the first year with realistic expectations.

Interesting case/vent. I’m a tech and last week we got a pitbull in as an emergency that was suffering from apparent heat stroke. The dog was non responsive with an otic temp of 108.5. We managed to get his temp down quickly and his owners shared he was at Banfield for a dental procedure earlier in the day. We didn’t receive records from Banfield until the next day, where his temps were reported as high and rising and they sent him home anyway, leading us to determine malignant hyperthermia as his diagnosis. The dog woke up extremely aggressive, lunging/attacking at us through the cage doors and was incontinent. We warned his owner of this and at an attempted pick up, the dog was aggressive towards his owner and didn’t seem to recognize him. The owner opted to leave him with us for another day because he had children and cats at home. The dog was not previously aggressive toward anyone, but was (of course) an intact male and a clearly backyard bred pitbull. We contacted the Banfield and the DVM who performed the dental did apologize and verbally admitted it was their negligence that the temperature was not addressed and the dog was sent home. After another day with us he settled back to “normal” behavior and returned to his owners… but damn. If this case isn’t proof that Banfield’s philosophy of volume is dangerous and offensive to patients, clients, and professionals alike, I don’t know what is.

This post will probably be the opposite of many others in here, so please bear with me.

I’m a new graduate vet and I recently started my first job abroad. It’s been about a month. For the first two weeks I was shadowing because I was waiting for my license to be approved, and once that came through, my clinic started giving me vaccination and healthcare appointments.

My team is genuinely lovely. They take mental health very seriously, constantly check how I’m doing, ask if I’m stressed, and they really want to make sure I’m not overwhelmed. I’m honestly very grateful for that, especially because I moved to a completely different country alone.

But now I’m starting to wonder if they’re being too cautious with me.

For example, I currently have a nurse with me for vaccination appointments. She takes the history and does the billing, while I do the actual consultation/vaccination. But I actually WANT to do the history, enter everything into the system, do the billing, etc. How else am I supposed to become comfortable with the clinic’s system and workflow?

There are also currently more vets than consultation rooms/appointments available. Another vet who is around my level (although she has been at the clinic slightly longer) has a completely full schedule, while I might have 1–2 appointments and then nothing. So I end up shadowing again.

And honestly… I feel embarrassed and slow.

I know it has only been a month, and I know I’m a new graduate. I’m not expecting to be thrown into complicated cases without support. But I also expected that, over time, I would gradually be given more responsibility.

The strange thing is that they tell me they’re happy with me and that they believe in me. They’re very supportive. But when I look at my future schedule, I barely have anything booked, while the other vets are practically desperate for a break. And I’m starting to wonder: is this simply because there aren’t enough consultation rooms/appointments, or is there something they’re seeing in me that I’m not?

I also find the whole system here quite strict compared with what I’m used to. I’m still trying to understand how much clinical freedom I actually have as a new vet and what I’m allowed to prescribe/do independently versus what needs approval.

I will definitely talk to them about this before my probation period ends. I don’t want to come across as ungrateful because I genuinely appreciate how supportive they’ve been. At first I was actually so relieved to have a workplace that cared this much about me.

But now I’m starting to worry that I won’t be able to develop if things continue like this.

I moved countries specifically because I wanted more opportunities to learn, grow and become a better vet. I sacrificed a lot to make this move happen, including being away from everyone I know. So it’s difficult to sit here and feel like I’m barely doing anything.

Am I being impatient after only one month? Or is it reasonable for me to tell them that I’d like to take on more appointments/responsibility, even if I feel a little slow and nervous?

I’d really appreciate hearing from other new grads, especially those who started working abroad. How did your first few months actually look? Did you have to push for more responsibility, or did your clinic gradually increase it naturally?

I’m currently entering my second year of vet school. I worked my ass off to get into veterinary school, i accumulated over 1000 hours of work experience in high school working in farms, shelters, clinics, zoos and ect… Yet, once I got into vet school despite getting good grades and enjoying the subject… I just feel so discouraged. I feel like im blindly walking towards of pit of despair. Every single vet I have shadowed has told me not to become a vet, and it doesn’t seem to get better in different countries (eg Hong Kong where pay is much higher for vets). I’ve seen a lot of negativity about the career online too. I also feel like once I’m in, there’s no escape from vet med, which scares me.

I feel like I’m not passionate enough, that I don’t deserve to be a vet, I thought about switching fields in order to earn more money or have a better work life balance many, many times. My classmates, on the other hand, look like they are sure of themselves. But, even when I compared the salary, working conditions and working hours of vet med and dentistry, I just can’t seem to convince myself to leave vet med behind, I break down in tears every single time im one step away from switching to dentistry. It feels like im self sabotaging myself by taking away a part of my dream and identity. However, at the same time i love competing in horse riding, painting, archery and travelling frequently, all expensive hobbies that need free time and money.

Im stuck between this constant daily mind battle where imagine my life in both futures and the “what ifs”. Additionally, my family has financial issues so I would like to support them. Has anyone experienced the same, and what did you do in the end?

for more context I’m in France so salaries are no where near as high as that of the US

Hello everybody, today I received a text from the owner of my clinic that I was terminated. So basically what happened is i’ve been working there for 3 weeks and on my 1st or 2nd day I injected medication SUB Q instead of IM by accident. The other vet tech acknowledged my mistake and so did I. She said it was fine (didn’t mention anything about telling the Veterinarian) and I went on with my shift. Fast forward to today this morning I received a message via the owner that he realized mistakes can happen however I should have notified him, which I failed to and it’s a serious concern. That’s basically what led to my termination. I am feeling a little betrayed from the tech because I worked yesterday and nothing was mentioned about the incident. Therefore she told him later 3 weeks later and I never got a chance to explain myself. Keep in mind I did ask to do the injection and was asked if I knew how to do IM which I responded yes to (i know how to do IM I just had a brain fart). So I know it but totally my fault, I just didn’t think anything since she said it was ok and we left it at that. Yes I realize I should have notified the doctor and understand where he is coming from, I am just a little distraught. Are my feelings valid because i’m going crazy.

Hi everyone!

I’m planning to move to the UK soon and I’d really appreciate some advice from people who are already working there, especially vets.

I’m mainly looking at areas around London or somewhere in the South of England. I’d love to hear your recommendations on which areas are good places to live, particularly in terms of safety, transport links and overall quality of life. I’m not necessarily looking to live in London itself, so surrounding areas are definitely an option.

I’m also planning to return to veterinary work after being away from the profession for around a year. I’m currently in the process of registering with the rcvs and I’m considering applying for a new graduate vet position.

For those who have experience hiring or working with new graduates in the UK, I’d really appreciate some insight into what I should expect.

• What kind of questions are usually asked during interviews for new graduate positions?
• What do practices generally expect from a new graduate?
• How much clinical knowledge/independence is expected from a new grad?
• What should I look for when choosing a practice, especially in terms of mentorship and support?
• Is there anything you wish you had known before starting your first job in the UK?

Any advice on either finding a good area to live or getting back into practice would be massively appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Hello there. I graduated from my veterinary college. I'm 28 years old who hadn't experienced yet and sometimes I really worry about my age.

I'd like to work in the UK via Skilled Worker Visa. My college was accredited by EAEVE so I can work in the UK without Statutory Membership Exam. I just need an IELTS or OET score to register RCVS

I'll be preparing the English exam whilst working at somewhere.

Is my age late for working in the UK or abroad? Sometimes I consider about my age.

Hi guys, I'm starting a full-time position for a VA role and am wondering whether or not I should take the overnight schedule or the am. Both are 11 hours shifts and I'm just concerned if I do the am it'll be sleep and work. But with overnight, at least I have some of day? Any advice from people who do overnight or 11hr shifts or know people who do and willing to share their experience? Thank you so much.

Hi all! I’m looking to going to school to be a vet tech but there aren’t a lot of programs in my area. I was wondering how everyone feels about Penn Foster or if going there you’re looked at differently when applying for a job?

Veterinary care is becoming increasingly expensive for American pet owners. As prices rise, attention is turning to a major shift in the industry: private equity firms and large corporations buying up veterinary practices across the country. Paul Solman has the story.

I’m a receptionist at a vet clinic. I’ve been working 2 months and I know a lot the stuff I learn will be as I go. But looking for any advice/experiences people have to share. I’m going to school for vet tech so anything you want to share whether it’s reception, medical, assistant, general knowledge or whichever will be greatly appreciated.

Triage: What symptoms/calls make you immediately grab a tech or doctor? What needs same-day care vs. can reasonably wait?
Questions to ask callers: If someone says “my dog is vomiting,” “my cat isn’t eating,” etc., what follow-up questions are most useful for the medical team?
Medications: Common meds you hear every day and generally what they’re used for. (Not so you can give medical advice, just so you understand.)
Procedures: What actually happens during a spay/neuter, dental, mass removal, sedated exam, nail trim, anal gland expression, etc.?
Pre-op/post-op: What information should reception know when clients call with questions before or after surgery?
Puppy/kitten visits: What should you understand about vaccine series, deworming, fecals, preventatives, spay/neuter timing, etc.?
Species-specific red flags: Things that are much more concerning in cats vs. dogs, seniors vs. puppies/kittens, etc.
What NOT to answer: What questions should reception always hand off to a tech/doctor rather than trying to answer?
Common client questions: What are the 10–20 things experienced receptionists get asked constantly that you wish you’d learned on day one?
Resources: Any textbooks, cheat sheets, websites, YouTube channels, CE courses, or flashcard sets specifically useful for veterinary receptionists?
“Things you wish you knew”: If you’ve worked vet reception for years, what knowledge made your job significantly easier?

Just some examples of what I’m looking for! If you want to link any helpful websites or quizlets that would be great too! Thanks!

Hi! I’ve been a teacher (middle school) for the last 7 years and been in classrooms for the last 11. I applied for a vet receptionist job that popped up near me because I’m pretty frustrated with many aspects of teaching right now. A lot of it has to do with my specific school but I’m also burnt out of having a job that I have to plan for each and everyday, managing the needs and behaviors of 30+ students at a time, the pressure of state testing, etc.

I was wondering if those of you have worked reception think my skills as a teacher will be transferable? I am fairly organized, accustomed to some degree of chaos/multi-tasking, personable, empathetic, a clear communicator, quick learner, etc. I also love animals, especially cats! I understand there will be a huge learning curve with terminology, scheduling blocks, etc.

All of this and I have no idea if they’ll even reach out!

Hi! I’m 25 years old, since i was little I’ve always wanted to be a vet, when i got to high school i realized that putting down animals would be really hard for me as I’m emotional. Does it get easier? I still want to become a vet but i think about how expensive it is, and i feel like im too old to become a vet. I have no degree as i couldn’t figure out what i wanted to do. I have a ocd and anxiety disorder as well so i worry that getting through the schooling would be hard. What’s your experience with these barriers i face? Thank you!

So I've been dismissed from school. I need to know what to do now. I need to pursue another job immediately because I was in my last year of school and have already accumulates hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt from out of school tuition and whatnot. Reapplying elsewhere isn't really an option because I struggled all the way through. I'm stupid and my grades show it. Now I need some possible jobs I can do when I have barely any experience in anything. I got into school with about 200 hours of vet tech work(since it was a summer program through school, it was effectively more like shadowing), a few hours as a call operator, and about 4 months as a retail worker. I'm looking at the pieces of my life and its really hitting home that I really don't have anything left. I don't want to rely on my parents because they are sick and take care of my disabled sibling and my failing now just puts a burden on them. I need guidance on some sort of job/path to take. Something that requires 4 more years of schooling is not an option because of the BBB bill.

Hey guys so i recently started shadowing at this clinic in Ohio, but when I came, nobody directed me. For example, I wasn't assigned any particular veterinarian or staff member to shadow, they just told me to walk around and ask questions. This made things kind of awkward for me because nobody was really acknowledging me, so I didn't know what to do. I wanted to ask some questions, but since again, nobody really acknowledged me, I wasn't sure if they would find me annoying. Is this normal? What do you think I can do to make it less awkward?

Hi,I am currently working as an RPN and I have always had a strong passion for animal health and welfare.I am considering a career change into the veterinary field. I am trying to determine wether pursuing a career as a veterinarian or as a vet tech. I would greatly appreciate any advice

I’ve been at my current clinic as a vet tech (not RVT) for 14 months. I make 18 CAD an hour working in Toronto, which is basically minimum wage. This is also less than what all the other techs and receptionist make. I feel really undervalued considering I do everything that everyone else does including blood work, dentals, radiographs, lab work, and all administrative duties. I’ve never asked for a raise before and not sure how to go about it. Is 20$ an hour too much of a raise? That’s close to what everyone else makes. I know the clinic owner is going to talk about how that’s too much to ask for, how can I back myself up in this situation?

If I don’t get this raise I’m planning on moving to another clinic because this is unsustainable for me. I have rent and bills to pay.

Hi everyone!

This might not be your typical post, but I hope someone can provide some answers regardless.

I am a last year veterinary nursing student and I am looking for a shelter or clinic that can have me for 12 weeks, approximately from March 2027 until July 2027. The main countries I have looked at are Portugal and Croatia. The reason for this is that it's very different from Scandinavian countries, and I am eager to learn different approaches to the field.

I have contacted a few shelters and clinics, and have only gotten a reply from two. One in Dubrovnik saying they have no housing, and the rent prices are astronomical so the exchange grant won't cover the cost of living, so that is out of the picture. The other was a clinic in Portugal, saying nothing except asking about my level of Portuguese. Is it really that important that I speak Portuguese for such a short exchange period? Is there no one on the team that has an acceptable level of English? I don't think it's fair to ask someone to learn an entirely different language just for 12 weeks of exchange, but maybe I am in the wrong.

I am asking if anyone has any tips regarding how to approach this. I am starting to stress a bit, as we need to have a list of three countries ready before the 1st of September. I am also open to other countries, as long as the level of spoken English is okay. Or even if anyone on here works at a clinic or shelter outside Scandinavia and would be willing to consider having me over, I am more than happy to provide more information in a private message.

Thank you all so much in advance!