I want to be an Equine vet but i dont know which kind to get into?

Question

I want to go to University of Florida to be aa Equine (horse) vet but i dont want to be a speislist in only 1 feild. I think it would be cool to work with foals (baby horses). I want to make alot of money (over $100,000) any ideas.

Answer 1

Equine vets don't just specialize in one field- like human doctors we learn a little bit of everything this way we can properly treat and diagnose the animals we come into contact with.
I'm able to practice on small and large animals, I have a hydro-therapy clinic, I have an artificial insemination license, I am able to practice dentistry, and also do chiropractic work. If you are going to go to college to become an equine vet then you will have foaling classes and upfront hands on work with horses of all ages.
Bottom line- don't go into equine medicine just for the money. It's not worth it and plus it takes 8 years of college to get there and lot of money. It took me 4 years to pay off my student loans, and I was private practice.

You should be working with animals because you love them and want to help them- not because of the money. If it's the money you're into- go into something like accounting and then if you want something to do with horses take up horseback riding.

Answer 2

For starters, to make that kind of money, you can count on being a workaholic - on call and available to all your clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - year round. No such thing as holidays, no such thing as anniversaries and you can kiss vacations goodbye. You will need to be an assistant vet in someone else's clinic for upwards of 5 years after you graduate - if you graduate - before you will even be close to having the resources to invest in your own equipment and specialty vehicle.

You have to know a great deal about all breeds of horses, ponies, mules and donkeys rather than just horses. If you want to work with foals - that means to you will have to know all about the mother horses - and their care from pregnancy right through birth and beyond. There is no such thing as a vet for the mother and a separate vet for the foal. So you might as well hunker down, learn all about ALL horse breeds at all ages and be ready to be put to the test over and over.

You have to be able to relate to and understand how to communicate with all kinds of people. You can't show a preference to one breed over another or one discipline over another. So you have to be pretty well versed in all disciplines so you can understand the owner when the owner tells you what happened to the horse or where the horse was when the first sign of impairment was observed.

Sure, there are vets that make $100,000 a year - or even more - just like other doctors. But you have to do it by being financially competitive, outstanding in your field, offer reasonable rates, reasonable services and be available all the time - regardless of the hour. Every client will want your undivided attention. Every client will want to be your top priority. And it takes time to be good enough that word gets around that you are in town and that you are good. Nobody is going to tell anyone else with a horse about you if they don't like your rates, the way you handled their horse, the way you explain something to them or the length of time it took you to get to them.

Get those dollar signs out of your eyes right now. People will know that money is what motivates you in very short order and nobody will refer you to another person - nobody. And you will lose more customers than you gain.

Wouldn't you rather be a used car salesman?

Answer 3

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I do not know where you got your income info from, but veterinarians (unless working for a million dollar racing facility) rarely make over 70,000, let alone 100,000. Right after vet school, the first 5 years or so averages around 30-40,000. Nat average for equine vet is 50-60k. If you want to make money, there is a slight chance in the companion animal field, but that is it.

http://www.siu.edu/departments/coagr/animal/equine/carreer/vet.htm

For vet school, you also need a 3.6 and above GPA throughout your undergrad with a high GRE score, especially in the math section. It is highly competitive and unless you have a lot of horse experience and rode around with an equine vet, your chances are slim.

I have a 3.9 GPA, around average GRE scores, a lot of experience in equine (10 yrs) and wildlife/exotics (3 yrs), emergency vet experience, two majors and two minors, and I am still not sure if I will make it in with how competitive the application process is.

Answer 4

Good thing you live in Florida because I wouldnt want an Equine Vet, that only cared about money, work with my horses. I like my Equine Vet because they are an Equine Vet cause they love horses.
I want to Be an Equine Vet Tech because I love horses and have to have a career with them I want to help them. Not for the money for the horses.

Answer 5

Money shouldn't be the reason you want to be a vet. If you are a good vet, you will make the money, if you are a bad vet, you will not make much money at all.