When you visit a veterinarian, such as those at the American Animal Care Center, you should expect the same type of care and dedication that you would receive from a medical doctor. Veterinarians do, after all, perform the same kinds of services that medical doctors do, but they just happen to work with animals rather than humans. Veterinarians and their staff members diagnose, treat and operate on animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, rodents, exotic animals and others. They also provide information to pet parents or ?owners? regarding the proper care and health maintenance of their furry, feathered or scaly friends.

While veterinarians at leading facilities like the Animal Care Center will typically work strictly with house pets, there are also veterinarians who care for animals on farms and ranches such as cows and other livestock, and domesticated animals including horses, pigs, sheep and goats. There are fewer veterinarians in the country who specialize in large animals like horses and cattle because the demand for veterinary services for small animals is greater. It is important that there are veterinarians who specialize in certain types of animals, just like there are doctors who specialize in certain types of patients such as pediatricians, geriatricians, oncologists, obstetricians, gynecologists, podiatrists, dermatologists and others.

There are many duties that might fill a veterinarian's work day. Some common tasks include diagnosing animal health problems, vaccinating against diseases, medicating animals suffering from infections or illnesses, treating and dressing wounds, setting fractures and performing surgeries. Spaying and neutering of dogs and cats is a particularly important duty for veterinarians, since this helps to avoid overpopulation. Veterinarians also advise animal owners about how to feed, train and breed their animals.

Veterinarians are growing in numbers because of the high demands for their services and the greater understanding of animal health issues. There are more services being offered that pet owners are willing to pay for, since animals can be like best friends or members of the family. There is no underestimating the role of the veterinarian.