We all love animals. We domesticate them and bring them to our home. We have created natural forest parks and zoos for the wild animals where we take care of and nurture them. By taking care of them we mean that our doctors treat and cure them when they fall ill. At our home we take our pets to the pet clinic to treat them. The doctors who treat the animals when they fall ill are called Veterinary Doctors or Veterinarians (Vet).

What is Veterinary Science?

Veterinary Science is the branch of medicine that basically deals with finding, curing and preventing diseases in animals. It covers all types of animals, both domesticated and wild. It is the field of medical science related to animals such as preventative care, psychological analysis, surgical problems, and all the things that are related to the well-being of animals.

What is Veterinary Doctor or Veterinarian?

A Veterinary doctor or Veterinarian or “Vet” is a healthcare professional who analyzes, treats, and fixes various kinds of infections in birds and animals. Their job is not only limited to healing the illnesses of animals but also to conducting research. Mostly veterinary doctors are found caring for pets, but they might also work with professional working animals such as racehorses,racing dogs, milk cows, cattle, and zoo animals.

What do Veterinary doctor do?

Veterinary Doctor spend days examining, diagnosing, and treating various animals that are covered in the scope of their practice. Their daily appointments include check-up examinations, critical emergency visits, and operations of various sorts.

To choose a career as a veterinary doctor you will have these roles and responsibilities.

• You will have to conduct regular medical and physical checkups to monitor the animal’s health.
• You must conduct various tests and examinations to detect illness or condition of the animal. For this you will have to create a treatment plan as per the specific case. Treatment plans are initiated for animals suffering from various diseases, food in digestion, infection, or other communicable diseases, performing surgeries and emergency care for the animals whenever needed.
• It is your duty as veterinarian to educate and inform pet/animal owners about the best practices to care for their animals like tips to administer prescribed medicines, study animal behavior and monitor a healthy and clean environment.
• Veterinary doctors must be able to suggest or offer to euthanize (the painless killing of an animal that is suffering).
• The veterinarians must be able to conduct an autopsy of an animal to determine the specific disease, especially in the case when the disease is dangerous and communicable.
• You must be able to maintain logbooks, medical reports, and forms of each patient and expand your knowledge by reading new publications and keeping yourself updated with the latest medical techniques and treatments.
• It is your duty as a veterinarian to notify the public health department of any disease that is detected in an animal that is communicable.
• You must adhere to the code of ethics of a veterinary doctor like operating with a licence, ensuring professional behaviour, ethical treatment of animals, and client privacy.

 

A brief history of a Veterinary doctor.

Veterinary Doctor is one of the oldest professions. Its reference can be found in Athar Veda (1500-500 BC) on horse management and treatment, elephant management and healthcare, etc. Emperor Ashoka, the great son of Chandra Gupta Maurya started the first veterinary hospital of the world under his regime. His period saw the existence and treatment of both humans and animals in the respective hospitals at the same time.

Although there was a brief decline in Veterinary science during the renaissance period, the interest in this subject increased during the period of 1791-1799 due to long scale epidemics and economic losses the interest in veterinary science. The first training school came into existence in 1862 in Pune. The first veterinary college was established in Lahore in 1882. This was followed bt the establishment of other veterinary colleges in Bombay in 1884, Bengal in 1893, Madras in 1902 and in Bihar in 1930. By Independence India has Nine Veterinary colleges.

Types of Veterinary Doctor

There are different types of Veterinarians.

• Companion animal Vets

These Vets work in private hospitals and provide treatment to pet animals like dogs, cats, birds, etc.

• Equine Veterinarian

These vets work with horses and provide medical treatment to them.

• Food animal veterinarians

Food animal vets treat the illness and injuries of farm animals like pigs and cattle. They also educate the farm owners about nutrition and other health practices.

• Food safety & Inspection Veterinarians

These types of veterinarians are involved in the research of finding and preventing diseases that are communicable between animals and between animals and humans.

• Research Veterinarians

Research Vets work in laboratories and are involved in the research of finding new technical surgical techniques.

 

How Can you Become a Veterinary Doctor?

To become a veterinarian, you need a lot of skills. You can acquire these skills throughout your education and training. Here are some of the skills that can help you in your career path to veterinary doctor.

Since animals are unable to communicate vets must be capable of discerning what is wrong with the animals.

1. Diagnostic Skills

Vets must be able to sedate and prepare an animal for surgery. You must be skilled with scalpel and must have a very steady hand. You must have a comprehensive knowledge of contemporary surgical technologies and procedures.

2. Communication

Vets must be able to communicate effectively with the staff, animals and their owners. You must be able to work with the animals when they are in a state of extreme stress.

3. Business Skill

You must have business acumen and management skills to run and manage your clinic.

 

Educational Qualification and steps to become a veterinarian

Although the veterinarian course is not as glamorous as MBBS, still one can have it own niche by taking this course. It all depends on your mind set up. In case you have decided to become a Vet, you follow the following steps in your career path for Vet.

Step 1– School level preparation

You must prepare for Vet from the school level itself. The candidates must take science in the 10 + 2 level itself. They must take science with biology.They must prepare themselves for NEET UG entrance exam by taking up courses.

Step 2 – Undergraduate level preparation

Once you have cleared your NEET UG and taken admission into UG course in a Vet college you must work hard to score good marks in the college exams.  You must focus on every subject, especially on those where you want to do your specialization. You must also take up an internship at a reputable hospital and try getting a job there.

Step 3 — Post Graduate Preparation

Once you have completed your UG program you can appear for NEET PG entrance exam for pursuing PG course. This is a specialization program with a 2-year duration.

Step 4 — Doctorate

You can go for a Ph.D. in vet in case you want to continue with your studies.

 

Veterinary Education in India

To become a veterinarian, you must pass the UG course after your 12th.. The average duration of these courses is generally five to five and a half years.

Here are the undergraduate degrees for veterinary doctors.

• Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc)

It is a five-year UG course focusing on imparting knowledge about the treatment of pets, animals, and other livestock.

• BVSc and AH (Animal Husbandry)

It is a five-and-a-half-year course where you learn about hte medical diagnostics and treatment of diseased animals.

• BVSc in Animal Genetics and Breeding 

It is a five-year course that focuses on the research of cells, cytogenetics, human genetics, and the breeding of various species of livestock and poultry.

• BVSc in Veterinary Surgery & Radiology 

BVSc in Veterinary surgery & Radiology is a 3-year undergraduate level course that focuses on surgery and medical diagnostics of animals.

• BVSc in Livestock Production and Management 

It is a five-year course that provides you with training in animal care and service workers, Associate Scientific Manager, Biological Scientists, and many more.

 

For those of you who want to pursue your master’s degree in veterinary science here are a few of the courses.

Master course in veterinary science

• Master of Veterinary Science(M.V.Sc) — It is a 3-year course.
• MV.Sc in Veterinary Medicine
• MV.Sc in Veterinary pharmacology & Toxicology
• MV.Sc in Veterinary surgery & Radiology

For those of you who still want to go deep into veterinary science they can go for the doctoral course.

Doctorate in veterinary science

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Veterinary Medicine
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Veterinary pathology
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Veterinary Pharmacology& Toxicology

 

Top Colleges for Veterinary Science

It is important for you to get admission in a college with good placement opportunities to have a good career in the later stage. Here are some of the top veterinary colleges in India which offer you good placements with excellent packages.

Institutions	Highest CTC	Companies
NDRI,  Karnal	7-8 lacs per annum	Nestle, Mother Dairy
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and animal sciences university, Ludhiana	3 lacs per annum	Nestle, PepsiCo etc.
Maharashtra Animal and Fishery sciences university, Nagpur	9 lacs per annum	Vasundhra dairy, Agricultural council of India, etc.
Tamil Nadu veterinary and animal sciences university, Chennai	4.7 lacs per annum	Hatsum agro product ltd., Kwality dairy product ltd. Etc.
West Bengal University of Animal and Fisheries, Kolkata	9 lacs per annum	ITC Ltd., Organic Dairy Foods India etc.
Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary science university, Jabalpur	6 lacs per annum	HMA Agro Industries, Gykemri, etc.
Rajasthan University of veterinary and animal sciences, Bikaner	6.32 lacs per annum	AHDP, The Oberoi Group, etc.
Sri Venkateswara Veterinary university, Tirupati	7 lacs per annum	Heritage foods, Lactalis India, etc.

 

The Scope of Veterinary Science

The Indian Market Scenario

The Indian health market size was estimated at USD 1.25 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.63 % from 2024 to 2029 and 6.51 %. It is expected to reach USD 1.89 billion by 2029.

The Indian veterinary medicine market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 6.51% during 2024- 2032.

The rise can be attributed due to the prevalence of Zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, plague, toxoplasmosis, etc. Also, the emerging trend of pet humanization is another cause of this growth.

Products wise the Indian Veterinary market has been divided into drugs, vaccines and medicated feed addictive. At present, Drugs dominate the product market.

Animals wise the Indian veterinary market can be categorised into companion animals and livestock animals. The companion animals dominate the market share.

Administration wise the Indian Veterinary medicine market can be segregated into oral, parental, and topical. The parental holds the largest market share.

Distribution wise the Indian veterinary market can be bifurcated into veterinary hospitals pharmacies., retail Veterinary pharmacies and online pharmacies.

On the regional level the market is divided into North, West and Central India, South India and East India. South India dominates the market.

 

Veterinary Doctors Job Placements

Veterinary science has a a bright future for veterinary graduates. It offers them great scope in various diverse sectors with multiple job opportunities. Here are a few of the sectors that offer you scope and opportunities.

1. Government sector

You can get many government jobs in central, state and local level in Animal husbandry departments, Department of animal welfare, and Municipal Corporations. You can explore jobs in forces like ITBT, Army, CRPF, or BSF. These jobs are popular in India as they provide security and stability in your career life.

2. Pet Care

After completing your graduation in veterinary science, you can contribute to the pet care industry. The growth potential is high in this sector despite the low salary initially.

3. Entrepreneurship

As an entrepreneur you can start your own ventures or join pet industry startups. If you possess skills like networking,have done research and have a well-defined strategy. Emerging fields like Health Tech and custom- made pet food or pharma startups offer great potential.

4. Wildlife and Conservation

For those of you who love wildlife internships or volunteer positions in rehabilitation centres, conservation organisations, and zoos can offer invaluable experience. After completing your internship, you have a wide range of fields available in private practice and in the government sector.

5. Advocacy with NGOs

Fresh graduates can engage in internships or volunteer work showcasing commitment by championing animal welfare causes with NGOs like Resq(Pune), WVS(Goa,ooty), and others. These organizations offer massive scope to learn and provide strong international network for jobs.

6. Specializations

You can get a range of specialization options in veterinary science after completing your B.V.Sc program. You delve deeper into a specific field after completing your master’s (MVSc) program. Earning a specialization equips you with advanced skills and expertise and paves the way for cutting edge research and fulfilling roles.

7. Clinical Experience

Clinical veterinarians diagnose and treat animals with varied health concerns. Whether you work with livestock in rural areas or small animals in urban areas, the role as clinical veterinarian offers financial stability and satisfaction directly and improving lives.

8. Quest for Knowledge

Like any field in education, the veterinary field demands an unquenchable thirst for learning. For that you will have to attend regular workshops, seminars, and certification classes. Continuous learning is the key to success as it updates you with the latest development in veterinary science.

Apart from the above sectors here are a few other avenues and important organizations /establishments that offer ample job opportunities for veterinary doctors.

1. Animal Husbandry Departments in State governments

2. Pradeshik Cooperative Dairy Federation

3. Pharmaceutical companies

4. Remount veterinary corps (RVC)

5. Paramilitary Forces

6. Bank and Insurance companies

7. Private poultry production and dairy farms

8. Stud farms and racecourses

9. Diagnostic labs and Vet clinics

10. Zoo and National Parks

11. Slaughterhouses

12. Teaching and Research organizations

13. Research and Development wings

 

Job description for veterinary doctors?

Once you have completed your education in veterinary science you can go for a job through the internal placement services of your college or on your own through your network or private placement agencies. You will be given various positions according to your specialization, experience and level of education.

Here are some of the job titles for you as veterinary doctors.

• Veterinarian assistant
• Veterinary physician
• Veterinary food inspection specialist
• Associate veterinarian
• Veterinary surgeon
• Veterinary pharmacologist
• Veterinary epidemiologist
• Veterinary neurologist
• Veterinary dermatologist

• Veterinary services manager
• Dairy- Veterinary sales advisor
• Business Head-animal nutrition
• Animal Physiologist
• Veterinary Dentist
• Veterinary Radiology
• Animal Breeder
• Livestock Development Officer

 

Veterinary Doctors Salary and their Career-path

Your career as veterinarian can lead to different job roles. Here are the different designations that you will pass through once you become a Vet.

• Junior Veterinary officer

You must have completed your minimum education i.e. bachelor’s in veterinary science to qualify for this post. The person needs to be an expert in handling different surgical procedures related to the treatment of animals.

Junior Vet officers earn about 4 lacs to 6 lacs per annum.

• Veterinary officer

Veterinary officers are responsible for maintaining daily reports related to various marketing activities. They must be adept in handling the breeding and maintenance of the various lab animals. They earn about Rs 7 lacs to 9 lacs per annum.

• Veterinary Doctors

The candidates must have experience in the treatment of various small and large animals. They must be able to perform surgeries and ultra-sonography on the various animals.They earn around Rs 7 lacs to Rs 9 lacs.

 

Future Prospect of Veterinary Doctors

Alongside agriculture, Animal husbandry is an integral part of the Indian economy. India has the livestock population of around 512 million.This provides immense opportunities to the veterinary sector of the country such as animal healthcare. Veterinary polytechnics, and dispensaries.The growth of industries such as dairy,poultry,piggery, and other related sectors including rise pet-loving urban  class in India has triggered the demand of veterinarians.

Thus, the field of veterinary medicine provides immense opportunities for recent graduates and seasons veterinarians like.