Often, veterinarians specialise to treat either large animals such as livestock, or small companion animals such as cats and dogs. These specialisations may also be further split to treat specific categories of animals, such as exotic pets, dairy animals, or wildlife.
But what is a mixed practice veterinarian? Well, as the name suggests, mixed practice veterinarians specialise in the health management of both large and small animals.
Duties of a mixed practice veterinarian
The duties of a mixed practice veterinarian will vary depending on what types of animals you treat. However, in general, your duties would include conducting general wellness exams, administering vaccinations, drawing blood, cleaning teeth, performing surgeries, and prescribing medications. You may also have to assist with births or perform artificial insemination, particularly in the case of livestock treatment.
If the duties of a mixed practice veterinarian sound appealing, here are a few things to take into consideration.
Pros and cons of being a mixed practice veterinarian
It offers variety
One thing that might be appealing for those who are considering a career as a mixed practice veterinarian is the variety the role offers and the chance to work with all kinds of animals.
Whilst some vets-in-training have a clear idea of the animals they want to treat, many don’t want to limit themselves, and mixed practice veterinary work definitely offers plenty of opportunity for new experiences.
Mixed practice veterinarians may also work out of a clinic or travel to farms for the treatment of livestock, which could be appealing to those who value variety in their work.
You may have less control over your working hours
One of the downsides of a mixed practice veterinary job is that you might have less control over your working hours due to the nature of livestock veterinary work, but this is the trade-off for the variety offered by the role.
Working in a clinic with small animals alone may mean you have a more consistent schedule, but mixed practice vets may have to work evenings and be on call for emergencies on weekends and holidays. Travelling between farms to treat livestock also takes up a significant amount of time.
You need to know about a little about a lot
Because of the range of animal care mixed practice veterinarians need to provide, and all the different animals they need to treat, they need to have a very broad knowledge base when it comes to animal health – enough to treat all of their patients effectively.
Whilst vets who specialise in either small or large animals or even specific species can study their chosen practice in depth, mixed veterinarians often won’t have the time to develop this same level of knowledge about all of the animals they treat.
It can be a good place to start a veterinary career
A lot of veterinary students plan to go into mixed practice work once they are qualified, because it can be hard to know what type of work best suits you or what animals you want to work with until you have first-hand experience.
If you do choose to become a mixed practice veterinarian at the beginning of your career, that doesn’t mean you have to continue down that path if you find that you have more passion or aptitude for one type of animal care. You can always choose to specialise in a specific practice further down the line, as many do.
Mixed practice veterinarians can develop a great knowledge base that allows them to specialise later on with experience and the confidence that they’ve chosen the right type of veterinary work for them. It is also possible to remain as a mixed practice veterinarian, continuing to treat more animals and having a career rich with variety.