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Veterinarian Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

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A 8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian, or Vet, is an animal doctor that is responsible for diagnosing and treating animals who are sick, injured or need routine care. Their duties include giving advice to humans on how to properly care for their pets, administering medication and performing surgery on animals.

8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian duties and responsibilities

A quality 8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian should be able to perform various duties and responsibilities. Including this category in your Veterinarian job description will help you attract a capable candidate to your practice. The following are important duties and responsibilities a 8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian should be able to execute:

  • Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, dressing wounds, performing surgery and setting bones
  • Educate the public about diseases and infections that are transferable from animals to humans
  • Promote the health and wellness of animals by advising animal owners about sanitation measures, feeding and general care
  • Record actions by documenting and updating forms, reports, animal records and reporting diseases to public health officials
  • Ensure compliance with veterinary procedures, ethics, policies and relevant statutes
  • Operate diagnostic equipment like ultrasound and radiography machines and interpret the resulting images
  • Establish or carry out quarantine or testing procedures that combat the spread of diseases to humans or to other animals according to established government regulations
  • Euthanize animals in situations they see fit such as in the case of a terminal illness

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Veterinarian Job Description Examples

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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What does a 8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian do?

Veterinarians typically work at animal hospitals and clinics but may also work as a staff 8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian at a zoo, ranch, farm, stable, aquarium or laboratory to provide routine animal care. They are experts in diseases that impact animals and use their knowledge of animal anatomy to identify and correct health issues. Veterinarians develop care plans for animals and teach pet owners how to help their animal recover. They order lab tests, assist in births, perform dental cleanings and tooth extractions, stitch up wounds and cure infections among other procedures. Veterinarians may also perform humane euthanizations and comfort grieving pet owners.

8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian skills and qualifications

A competent 8183358veterinarian14.73veterinary6.74animal6.38veterinary assistant3.53animal care2.7322886425426140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY272181252025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Veterinarian will have certain skills and qualifications. Having this section in your job description helps you attract skilled and qualified applicants to your practice. Here are some skills and qualifications to look out for in your candidate:

  • Ability to show compassion to both pets and their owners
  • Outstanding dexterity in handling both large and small animals while performing precise tasks
  • Ability to react quickly and make decisions under pressure about the wellbeing of an animal
  • Strong fondness and understanding of animals
  • Good communication and interpersonal skills
  • Knowledge of animal behavior
  • Ability to work extended hours and on-demand
  • Ability to use medical technologies during diagnosis, research and surgery of animals

Veterinarian salary expectations

A Veterinarian makes an average of $96,199 per year. Salary may depend on level of experience, education and the geographical location.

Veterinarian salary expectations

2025-10-0140000.00134958.08285000.00YEARLY
  • Common salary: 134958.08 YEARLY
  • Typical salaries range from 40000.00 - 285000.00 YEARLY
  • Find more information on Indeed Salaries

*Indeed data – 2025-10-01

Veterinarian education and training requirements

A successful Veterinarian should have attained certain education and training requirements. Looking out for these requirements will help you attract a knowledgeable and trained Veterinarian. Before joining veterinary school, an individual may have a pre-veterinary degree such as a bachelor’s degree in biology, physiology, statistics, chemistry, genetics or physics. Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. A Veterinarian should obtain a state license after successfully passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination.

Veterinarian experience requirements

A Veterinarian should have experience working with Veterinarians, research, agribusiness, scientists in clinics and some fields of health science. They should also have previous work with animals in animal clinics. For freshly graduated Veterinarians, an internship may be useful for those looking to specialize. Less formal experience such as working with animals on a farm, at a stable or in an animal shelter can also be helpful prior to veterinary school.

Job description samples for similar positions

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Frequently asked questions about Veterinarians

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Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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