When it comes to pet care, there are many terms that are used interchangeably, are indistinguishable or are just challenging to understand. Two such terms are “veterinary and veterinarian”. If you are a pet owner who wants to know what they mean and why they aren’t the same, then this article is for you.  

Veterinary Is a Branch of Medical Science

This term relates to the medical or surgical treatment of animals, especially domestic and farm animals. It is quite similar to the human medical sciences as their primary goal is to prevent and eliminate illnesses or ailments and restore biological organisms to a healthier state. In simple terms, “veterinary” is a term used as an adjective for something related to animal medicine.

It is the branch of science that comprehensively deals with applying medical, surgical, dental, diagnostic and therapeutic principles to pet, domestic, wildlife and livestock animals. It also plays a major role in helping human health by carefully monitoring livestock, companion animals and wildlife health.

Veterinary, veterinary science and veterinary medicine share the same meaning and are sometimes used interchangeably. Although veterinary science is old as the human/animal bond, in recent times, this field of medical science has expanded exponentially because of the availability of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for most species. This is why animals now have wide access to improved medical, dental, and surgical care, including insulin injections, root canals, hip replacements, cataract extractions, and pacemakers.

Veterinarian Is A Medical Profession 

A veterinarian is a veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from the veterinarian. They are medical professionals who practice veterinary medicine by preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases, disorders, and injuries in non-human animals. 

Sometimes referred to as animal doctors, they are Doctors of Veterinary Medicine who treat animals. The term veterinarian is a regulated and protected term all around the world. This means that public members without the prerequisite qualifications and/or licensure cannot use the title. At the same time, it is illegal for any person not registered under the respective state authority to call themself a veterinarian or prescribe any treatments through a veterinary clinic. 

Veterinarians Are Not Regular Doctors 

Veterinarians are different from doctors in many ways. Firstly they treat animals, whereas doctors treat humans. They also have to obtain different qualifications as veterinary science differs from human science. 

Human doctors cannot treat animals since there are so many animals and breeds, each with different anatomy, physiology, signs and symptoms of diseases, medications, and different diagnostic and surgical procedures. A veterinarian goes to a vet school and not a med school like regular doctors. 

On the other hand, while doctors specialize in a specific body part, veterinarians specialize in a particular animal (referred to as veterinary practitioners) or specific areas like anaesthesia, analgesia, animal welfare behaviour, dentistry, dermatology, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, laboratory animal medicine, microbiology, nutrition, ophthalmology, pathology, pharmacology, poultry, preventive medicine, radiology, rehabilitation, surgery, theriogenology, and zoological medicine. 

Takeaway

As pet owners, it’s your responsibility to validate a veterinarian’s qualifications, accreditations, and experience in the field of veterinary science. Doing this is essential to ensure your pet’s health and well-being are in good hands. 
If you’re looking for a reliable vet clinic in Dubai that meets the highest standards of pet care and service quality at affordable prices, reach out to Modern Vet. As the only 24-hour multi-speciality in the UAE, they take a unique approach to providing comprehensive veterinarian care with sustainable treatment outcomes.

Medical Tour Bangalore offers high-tech therapeutic tourism services with a focus on cost-effectiveness, safety, comfort, and effective treatment, partnering with top hospitals and surgeons in India for over 10 years.