An Introduction to Shelter Medicine for Veterinary Workers
Have you heard of shelter medicine? It’s an essential part of veterinary medicine. There are shelter medicine veterinarians who diagnose, treat and prevent injuries and illnesses in animals. Rather than working at a private clinic, though, most shelter medicine veterinarians work at an animal shelter where they serve animals in need. By familiarizing yourself with shelter medicine, you can determine whether it’s the right career choice for you.
What Is Shelter Medicine?
Shelter medicine is a branch of veterinary medicine that revolves around caring for sheltered, homeless and abandoned animals. Animals, particularly companion animals like dogs and cats, rely on their human counterparts to stay in good health. When neglected, animals can succumb to diseases and injuries that lowers their quality of life. Fortunately, there are shelter medicine veterinarians who specialize in caring for neglected animals. They offer many of the same services as traditional veterinarians, but they focus on neglected animals rather than
The Importance of Shelter Medicine
Not all animals receive the care and attention that they deserve. Millions of dogs and cats, for instance, are abandoned by their owners each year in the United States. Other animals spend their entire lives on the streets without a home. As a result, they don’t get the care and attention that they deserve. Shelter medicine veterinarians, however, play an important role in finding suitable owners for abandoned and homeless animals. They treat adverse medical conditions in neglected animals so that they can be adopted.
When specializing in shelter medicine, veterinarians don’t just help neglected animals; they help all animals by reducing rates of transmissible diseases. Neglected animals are more likely to suffer from infectious diseases than their well-cared-for counterparts. Homeless dogs, for instance, often gather in packs where they are exposed to transmissible diseases. By diagnosing and treating diseases in neglected animals, shelter medicine veterinarians can reduce transmission rates. Therefore, the broader population of animals will benefit from the services of a shelter medicine veterinarian.
Challenges of Shelter Medicine
Like with all professions, there are certain challenges you may encounter when working as a shelter medicine veterinarian. According to Tufts University, shelter medicine veterinarians often lack the health history of the animals which they treat. When working as a traditional veterinarian, you’ll probably service animals while their owners are present. You can then seek information about the history of the animal’s health by asking the owner. Shelter medicine veterinarians don’t have access to animals’ health history, which can make it more difficult to diagnose specific diseases and ailments.
There are also behavioral challenges associated with shelter medicine. As a shelter medicine veterinarian, you may encounter animals that are naturally defensive or standoffish. Neglected animals don’t always trust humans. If a dog has been abandoned or otherwise neglected, he or she may back away when approached. Of course, behavioral challenges such as this can be overcome through training. As you take steps to become a shelter medicine veterinarian (see below), you’ll learn the proper way to handle defensive and standoffish animals.
How to Get Started in Shelter Medicine
To become a shelter medicine veterinarian, you’ll have to complete a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. All shelter medicine veterinarians are licensed veterinarians. And to become a licensed veterinarian, you’ll have to complete a DVM program at an accredited college. A DVM program is an educational program that teaches students the fundaments of veterinary medicine. For most colleges, it takes about four years to complete.
While different colleges have different requirements, all of them require a high school diploma or equivalent. Additionally, most of them require a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in itself is a four-year program. After you’ve earned a bachelor’s degree, you can apply to enroll in a DVM program, thus paving the way for a career in shelter medicine.
Keep in mind that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) offers shelter medicine as a board-certified specialty. Shelter medicine, in fact, is one of the newest additions to the AVMA’s list of official specialties. The AVMA began recognizing shelter medicine as an official specialty in 2014. Prior to this time, several colleges throughout the United States offered programs on shelter medicine. The AVMA saw the need for more shelter medicine veterinarians, so it included it as a board-certified specialty in 2014.
Board certification isn’t a requirement for working as a shelter medicine veterinarian. It’s simply an optional specialty. Nonetheless, becoming board certified has its advantages. You’ll have an easier time finding a job as a shelter medicine veterinarian if you are board certified in this specialty. Many board-certified shelter medicine veterinarians also earn a higher salary than their counterparts. They are typically considered leaders at the shelters and other establishments where they work. As a result, board certification is something to consider when exploring a career in shelter medicine.
