OK, first of all, this isn't an emergency. But I'm trying to write a play about a vets' office, and I have a few questions for anyone who knows... 1.) How many animals do vets see in a day, on average? 2.) Which animals do vets see the most? and 3.) What problem do vets deal with the most? Thanks for reading.
A lot of that depends on the vet - most of the vets around here specialize. There are "small animal" vets that only see dogs and cats; "exotic" vets that see things like rabbits, birds, and reptiles; one vet that sees only cats; several large animal or equine (horse) only vets. The number and problems depend on the specialty, of course - the large animal vets mostly go to their patients, which vastly limits the number they can see. But I'm pretty sure that, whatever type of animals a vet sees, the biggest problem that most of them deal with most often is - the owners!
1.) Depending on the day, but usually 10+ patients per doctor. 2.) Dogs and cats. Maybe even leaning toward more dogs, but it's just how the day runs. 3.) This is hard to say because it's generalizing (big time) and you seem to have a "run" of things happen. Dogs come in with quills, male cats with blocked urethras, itchy skin, vomiting/diarrhea, not eating. Then there is routine surgeries planned--spays/neuters/mass removals and dental cleaning. Medical progress exams, rechecks and suture removals. This is just at my small animal clinic that I work. There are other types of vet clinics out there as Bunnylady pointed out. Equine clinics that specialize in lameness, reproduction and sometimes surgery. Hope that gives you some idea of how to write your play,
I see anywhere from 15-25 dogs and cats on a Saturday. Yeah. I run ragged. During the week, the number is usually less. I usually only have one tech, so procedures that require sedation are out for Saturday, and if a dog is real trouble, we reschedule them. Some vets will see anything that comes in the door, others see only dogs and cats, some even just see cats...or pocket pets...or horses. I also worked in the government for a while, and in that job, I managed import and export of animals and and animal products as well as working in eradicating disease outbreaks and performing trace backs on disease outbreaks. Also managed some large scale animal disease monitoring programs in my area and did a lot of teaching to farmers and owners. Fun stuff. Some friends if mine only do surgery, one works at a spay/neuter clinic. Another works in an emergency clinic. So vets don't only work in private practice and many have done several things in their career. VPI has a list on their website about the 10 most common problems they reimburse for. That list is fairly representive in general. I see the following, but in no specific order, most often: Dermatologic issues, such as flea allergies, hot spots, allergies, ear problems, skin masses Vomiting, secondary to gastritis or foreign bodies but can be almost anything Diarrhea, usually secondary to dietary indiscretion or colitis, sometimes parvo, other causes Parvo Intestinal parasites Cancer limping, which has 1001+ causes Dental issues Weight problems..ok, most people don't call for an appointment because their dog is fat, but I find this as the most common problem on examination, secondary to dental issues the owner did not realize were present. 45% or thereabouts of all pets are overweight, and 80% or so have dental disease by 3-4 years of age. Toe nail trims and anal glands But the TOP reason people bring animals in...wellness checks. And that is a GOOD thing.
