Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

Dr. TanDY

Questions that you should have NOT ask a Vet!

Most veterinarians, if not all, are proud of being a vet. It took years of training and hardship in order to earn a prestigious degree in veterinarian medicine. No doubt for some of us it is even a fulfilment of our childhood dream.

In our society, veterinarians are the people who ensure that the roasted chicken served on your dining table is safe to consume (they are free of diseases and foodborne pathogens); they are the people who you will call when your pet falls sick; they are the people who look after the animals in the zoo; they make sure that the cow is healthy so that it will produce fresh milk for you next morning...In short, the vets have many things to be taken care of. :)

However, despite our contributions to the society, sometimes it is quite annoying for me to hear these questions from my friends or relatives:

(1) "Why don't you choose to be a (human) doctor?" :(

Comment: I choose to be a vet and it is my choice to be a vet. I have no intention to be a medical doctor. Vet is as good (or even better) than a MD. Vet is not a "second class" doctor or "lower than" a dentist, pharmacist, or lawyer that you might think. Vet is bona fide a professional, prestigious profession that is registered under "Akta Doktor Veterinar 1974 Seksyen 11 3a dan 3b".

(2) "Will you be jobless after you graduated as a vet? Don't you think it is quite a rare profession?" :x

Comment: There are a plentiful of jobs for the vet graduates. Veterinarian works in farm, pharmaceutical companies, animal clinics, public health department, feed miller companies, zoo, and many others. Unfortunately vet is often being stereotyped as the doctor who ONLY works in the clinics treating dogs and cats.

(3) "Oh, so when will you open your (small animal) clinic? Malaysia is not like US or UK you know where people got more money and willing to spend on their pets. Can earn money one or not?" :?

Comment: Not all veterinarians will work in animal clinics. Some will choose to work with pharmaceutical companies selling animal vaccines and therapeutics; some will work in R&D department; some enjoy working in the farms taking care of the farm animals (e.g. like chickens, pigs, cattle).

(4) "Don't you think girl is more suitable (than a guy) to be a vet? They are more caring mah.." :shock:

Comment: Many male vet is as caring as (or more caring) than a female vet. Sex is no barrier to be a vet.

(5) "Isn't it vet is easier to study than a medical degree? Hey human doctor (medical doctor (MD) got a lot of responsibilities you know. Animal only mah, die also nevermind.." :?

Comment: Veterinary degree is a professional course. It is never an easy course that you might think. A vet is trained to treat a wide range of animals: dogs, cats, birds, rodents, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, horses.. you name it. A simple thing, like the normal body temperature, is easy for a MD to remember; but not for a vet because we need to remember the body temperature for every species of the above-mentioned. Animal is our patient, we treat them with the utmost seriousness and care - there is no such thing as "tak apa" (nevermind) concerning the animal health and welfare.

So please, be kind enough for not asking these questions to a vet again and again... :roll:

P/S: For the vets: Have you heard of other more annoying, irritating, exasperating questions? Come let's share with us!

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

Another annoying question vets get asked frequently:

"So you must really like animals huh?"

Of course we do!! If we hate animals or are afraid of them, then we wouldn't be here working as a vet now, would we?

admin · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 214 Location: vet.com.my

Of course we love animals!

:lol:

Dr Chong · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 666 Location: KL

I get this question often right after a consultation,

“Doc, why don’t you give a jab to my pet?”

Drugs used to treat animal diseases are available in various forms. A drug may available in tablet form and injectable form, and some drugs may only available in oral form. These drugs are formulated in different form of administration to achieve the desired pharmacological properties. A veterinary patient may not need an injection at all time. Believe me, a vet would give his/her best to every patient. :)

Another question I often get is,

“…(without bringing the pet) Doc, my pet’s having (any description or even a diagnosis by the owner), could you give me something for that?”

I am not saying that description of problem by owner is not important for us, but it only comprises part of any clinical investigation. There are many more diagnostic works that need to be carried out (e.g. a physical examination, a skin scraping, a blood test, a radiograph, etc.) before we could tell you what’s wrong with your pet. The owner’s complaint and description of the problem plus the clinical diagnostic workout are needed for us to make proper assessment and to arrive at a treatment plan for your loving pet. :)

Dr. TanDY · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:27 pm Post subject:

Dr Chong wrote: I get this question often right after a consultation,

“Doc, why don’t you give a jab to my pet?”

Drugs used to treat animal diseases are available in various forms. A drug may available in tablet form and injectable form, and some drugs may only available in oral form. These drugs are formulated in different form of administration to achieve the desired pharmacological properties. A veterinary patient may not need an injection at all time. Believe me, a vet would give his/her best to every patient. :)

Another question I often get is,

“…(without bringing the pet) Doc, my pet’s having (any description or even a diagnosis by the owner), could you give me something for that?”

I am not saying that description of problem by owner is not important for us, but it only comprises part of any clinical investigation. There are many more diagnostic works that need to be carried out (e.g. a physical examination, a skin scraping, a blood test, a radiograph, etc.) before we could tell you what’s wrong with your pet. The owner’s complaint and description of the problem plus the clinical diagnostic workout are needed for us to make proper assessment and to arrive at a treatment plan for your loving pet. :)

I guess the medical (human) doctor was also being asked by the same question. People want fast solution to their problem. However sometimes it can then create even more problems because there is no diagnosis, just treatment... Perhaps this is the typical "do-it-yourself diagnosis and hope the drug will work" approach by some people??

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

The worse thing that could happen because of the self-diagnosis-treatment case like this, is that the animal is wrongly diagnosed or is not responding to the treatment.

And when all else fails, then only will the owner bring the animal to a vet. At that point, it is often too late, or the disease has become so complicated that it would be much more expensive to treat the animal than it would be in the first place.

And when this happens, the pet-owner usually have a negative impression of vets. e.g. "that vet killed my dog" or "that vet charges me so much!"

Dr Kwok · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 131 Location: Selangor

my dad always ask whether i will be jobless or penniless after i graduate. how should I answer him ? he thinks that after studying longer than other ppl should earn more......

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

If you want to earn tons of money, you're in the wrong line dear! We join this field because of our passion for animals, not the money. But I'm sure you wont be jobless after graduation. The need for a vet is always there.

Dr. TanDY · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject:

In fact some of vets are very rich too. (Oh but unfortunately not me :-P)

One thing good about being a veterinarian is that there is not much competition. There is only one vet school in the country. Therefore the demand is always there...

Also, there isn't a degree programme that can guarantee you to be rich.

doBot · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 7 Location: DVM5 UPM

Friends : Why did you take vet?

Me : because it is challenging and more workload compare to MD

Friends : Why did you think MD is easy?

Me : Because, in medical doctor, when the dr ask the patient, "Sakit apa?" (Where is the pain?). The patient just point at body part that pain. But in vet, did vet ask the dog, "Sakit apa?"

Friends : Erkkk....nope

Me : So, which want is hard to diagnose?

Friends : Oo0o0o...I see...

Notes : this is my answer to my friends when they ask me.

doBot · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 7 Location: DVM5 UPM

Kwok wrote: my dad always ask whether i will be jobless or penniless after i graduate. how should I answer him ? he thinks that after studying longer than other ppl should earn more......

"Don't work for money, lets money work for you"

Dr Chong · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 666 Location: KL

Dear Kwok, don't worry, I'm sure you won't be jobless... :D
If you don't think of money, I'm pretty sure you'll be a happy vet :wink:

Dr Kwok · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 131 Location: Selangor

Thanks for the encouragement from so many ppl . we must unite to keep our profession stronger and gain public acknowledgement 8) :lol:

yitchee · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 30 Location: serdang

:? i found out that VET to the public STILL not fully recognised... :cry:
i mean other than KL.....
by the way how???
as Kwok said....
my fren oso said like that...... :(
but i think it needs time to do so right?

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

just mention "animal doctor".. and most of them will go... "OOOOoooohhhhhhh!!"

Then they'll go back to asking "why u not become human doctor?"

Hahahaha....