SOUTH AFRICA · SALARY IN RANDS

Veterinarians

What the work involves, the skills employers want, and how to get started in South Africa.

  • Companion Animal Practitioner
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
  • Emergency Veterinarian (Emergency Vet)
  • Large Animal Veterinarian (Large Animal Vet)
  • Mixed Animal Veterinarian (Mixed Animal Vet)
  • Small Animal Veterinarian (Small Animal Vet)
  • Veterinary Medicine Doctor (DVM)
  • Veterinary Surgeon (Vet Surgeon)
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What do Veterinarians do?

A veterinarian is a medical professional who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases and injuries in animals. They play a crucial role in ensuring the health and well-being of various species, including pets, farm animals, and wildlife. Veterinarians provide a wide range of services, including routine check-ups, vaccinations, surgical procedures, and emergency care. They also educate pet owners on proper animal care, nutrition, and behavior, helping to promote responsible pet ownership. In addition to clinical practice, veterinarians may work in specialized fields such as veterinary surgery, dermatology, or internal medicine, and they may also engage in research, public health, and policy-making. Through their expertise, veterinarians contribute significantly to animal welfare and help prevent zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. Their dedication to the health of animals also supports the agricultural industry and promotes the overall well-being of ecosystems.

What the work actually is

  • Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
  • Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
  • Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
  • Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
  • Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.

Skills employers expect

Skills

  • Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Active Learning Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Complex Problem Solving Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Abilities

  • Oral Comprehension The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Comprehension The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Deductive Reasoning The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive Reasoning The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Knowledge

  • Biology Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Medicine and Dentistry Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Customer and Personal Service Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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How people get into it

Education of new hires

Doctoral degree
Post-doctoral training
Professional degree
Awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession

A normal week

  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Getting Information
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  • Documenting/Recording Information

Tools used on the job

Technology

  • Data base user interface and query software IDEXX Laboratories IDEXX VPM · Microsoft Access
  • Presentation software Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Medical software American Data Systems PAWS Veterinary Practice Management · InformaVet ALIS-VET · Sneakers Software DVMax Practice · Vetport
  • Spreadsheet software Microsoft Excel
  • Electronic mail software Microsoft Outlook

Tools

  • Surgical clamps or clips or forceps Dressing forceps · Sponge forceps · Staple removal forceps
  • Animal husbandry equipment Cattle chutes · Dehorners · Hoof picks
  • Veterinary injection or suction unit Aspiration catheters · Ear syringes · Insemination equipment
  • Veterinary nail trimmers or cutters Hoof knives · Hoof trimmers · Nail trimmers
  • Medical x ray units for general diagnostic use Digital x ray equipment · Portable veterinary x ray equipment · Stationary x ray equipment

Who it suits

Realistic

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Investigative

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

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Questions people ask

How much do Veterinarians earn in South Africa?

Veterinarians salaries in South Africa vary by experience, province and employer.

What do Veterinarians do?

Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery, Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper and Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.

How do I know if this career fits me?

Take the free Assessify career assessment. It matches your answers to careers and shows the South African salary next to each one.