Serious question

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
D

dreamadream

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
581
Reaction score
210
Do pre-vets/vets eat meat or use animal based products? I know this is a weird question, but I'm curious.
Members don't see this ad.
 
Pre-vets and vets are real, normal people. Some percentage of us are vegetarian, vegan, etc. and some percentage of us enjoy eating meat. I have no idea if the general percentages differ from the rest of the population.

It's always weird to me that some people have this vague notion that vets wouldn't eat meat. Why wouldn't we?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 10 users
LetItSnow said:
Pre-vets and vets are real, normal people. Some percentage of us are vegetarian, vegan, etc. and some percentage of us enjoy eating meat. I have no idea if the general percentages differ from the rest of the population.

It's always weird to me that some people have this vague notion that vets wouldn't eat meat. Why wouldn't we?
Click to expand...
I don't know if you work with farm animals, but if you don't, then I get why vets do eat meat.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
LetItSnow said:
Pre-vets and vets are real, normal people. Some percentage of us are vegetarian, vegan, etc. and some percentage of us enjoy eating meat. I have no idea if the general percentages differ from the rest of the population.

It's always weird to me that some people have this vague notion that vets wouldn't eat meat. Why wouldn't we?
Click to expand...

I personally just stopped eating meat recently because I saw an ethical dilemma between wanting to treat animals compassionately as a pre-vet and supporting factory farming as a meat eater. I didn't think the two were compatible so I stopped, but there are plenty of pre-vet/vets who eat meat too. I'll eat meat occasionally still if I know it is not factory farmed or the animal has been raised humanely and happily, but that's pretty hard to come by in mass-produced meat products so I generally just avoid it. That was my rationale behind choosing to be a vegetarian, I'm guessing some other pre-vet/vets who are vegans or vegetarians might have this same reasoning as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
rYIk4gz.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: 10 users
vethopeful93 said:
I personally just stopped eating meat recently because I saw an ethical dilemma between wanting to treat animals compassionately as a pre-vet and supporting factory farming as a meat eater. I didn't think the two were compatible so I stopped, but there are plenty of pre-vet/vets who eat meat too. I'll eat meat occasionally still if I know it is not factory farmed or the animal has been raised humanely and happily, but that's pretty hard to come by in mass-produced meat products so I generally just avoid it. That was my rationale behind choosing to be a vegetarian, I'm guessing some other pre-vet/vets who are vegans or vegetarians might have this same reasoning as well.
Click to expand...
Very insightful
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
....... still waiting for someone to give me a *VETERINARY-SPECIFIC* reason for not eating meat.

That whole (tired and poorly informed) argument about factory farming isn't veterinary specific - it's animal ethics specific and anyone, veterinary field or not, could feel that way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
A quote from one of the dairy vets that I've worked with that may answer this question well ;) "Doctors bury their mistakes, vets eat theirs"
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users
Members don't see this ad :)
LetItSnow said:
Pre-vets and vets are real, normal people. Some percentage of us are vegetarian, vegan, etc. and some percentage of us enjoy eating meat. I have no idea if the general percentages differ from the rest of the population.

It's always weird to me that some people have this vague notion that vets wouldn't eat meat. Why wouldn't we?
Click to expand...
I think you're pushing it there :p

I eat meat. I take pride in knowing that future peers work hard to ensure the meat I eat is safe. I rest easy knowing that no rancher wants to treat an animal inhumanely because it would damage his product (really, it would make part of the animal unmarketable). Have you ever looked up videos of what it's like on a beef ranch or slaughter plant (no, not PETA videos)? Those places are kept so clean, and the animals experience minimal stress. If you stress these animals out, the meat is directly affected.

Being inhumane to food animals is not only just not cool, it's bad for business.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5 users
dreamadream said:
I'm calling PETA lol.
Click to expand...

PETA is too extreme for me... I had a member of PETA once tell me that I was a horrible human being for eating chicken's period blood (referring to eggs)... Even after I told her I get my eggs from a friend who has pet chickens. Because "it's not my right to take away THEIR eggs". I don't agree with this at all, I think that giving domesticated animals human-like rights can be dangerous and impractical. Meat is necessary for some people and not necessary for others. I am all for the ethical treatment of animals, but there are ways to ethically treat animals that don't involve shaming everyone else for what they do and posting misleading videos on Facebook.

I PERSONALLY don't eat meat because I cannot BE ABSOLUTE, 100% SURE that the animals being eaten were treated how I would hope that they are treated. I don't know what those animals felt, thought, etc. so I don't feel comfortable eating them. But that has nothing to do with me being a pre-vet. I know lots of pre-vets that don't eat meat and even more that do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
hazelmoo said:
PETA is too extreme for me... I had a member of PETA once tell me that I was a horrible human being for eating chicken's period blood (referring to eggs)... Even after I told her I get my eggs from a friend who has pet chickens. Because "it's not my right to take away THEIR eggs". I don't agree with this at all, I think that giving domesticated animals human-like rights can be dangerous and impractical. Meat is necessary for some people and not necessary for others. I am all for the ethical treatment of animals, but there are ways to ethically treat animals that don't involve shaming everyone else for what they do and posting misleading videos on Facebook.

I PERSONALLY don't eat meat because I cannot BE ABSOLUTE, 100% SURE that the animals being eaten were treated how I would hope that they are treated. I don't know what those animals felt, thought, etc. so I don't feel comfortable eating them. But that has nothing to do with me being a pre-vet. I know lots of pre-vets that don't eat meat and even more that do.
Click to expand...
I think someone may need to review basic biology....
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
pinkpuppy9 said:
I think someone may need to review basic biology....
Click to expand...

It was friken hilarious. And then she blocked me after I told her she needed to review some basic science and communication tactics (i.e. freaking the f out at my picture of adorable chickens that I get my eggs from, and not realizing that her ways are not going to do anything to change me)... but whatevs
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
hazelmoo said:
It was friken hilarious. And then she blocked me after I told her she needed to review some basic science and communication tactics (i.e. freaking the f out at my picture of adorable chickens that I get my eggs from, and not realizing that her ways are not going to do ANYTHING to change me)... but whatevs
Click to expand...
See, she could have just chosen not to associate with you to begin with and avoid this confrontation altogether. I get that some vegetarians/vegans need to save the world, but it's such a personal decision. Shaming people and even going so far as to terrorize and harass is not the way to get your ideas across. I'm against wearing fur, but I still think flour bombing and throwing paint are completely inexcusable.
 
pinkpuppy9 said:
See, she could have just chosen not to associate with you to begin with and avoid this confrontation altogether. I get that some vegetarians/vegans need to save the world, but it's such a personal decision. Shaming people and even going so far as to terrorize and harass is not the way to get your ideas across. I'm against wearing fur, but I still think flour bombing and throwing paint are completely inexcusable.
Click to expand...

It would have been fine with me if she wanted to discuss her opinions with me in a respectful, peaceful manner! But she decided to wanted to jump on me in a blind rage and tell me I was horrible for this, that, etc. Not effective way of discussing your differences with people... Lol.

I get being passionate about some things. I am passionate about reducing, reusing, and recycling, so I completely get being frustrated with people who don't get it or don't care. Even so, there's a time and place for everything, and being a complete a** is a fast and sure way to make sure people DON'T want to listen or change their ways.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
The only veterinarian I know who is vegetarian is a small animal vet. ;) There are plenty of ranchers, slaughterhouse workers, veterinarians, vet techs, etc. who eat meat but also believe in animal welfare. The two are not mutually exclusive. I personally do not believe it is immoral to eat animals, just that it's often done on a scale that makes animal welfare difficult to manage. Obviously, veterinarians/pre-vet students/the rest of humanity are individuals and can speak for themselves. :p
 
And what about land that used to provide sustenance for some animals but is now over-farmed, dead, or used for mass-production of crops that are a staple of many vegetarian food products?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I used to be staunchly vegetarian... before I went to vet school. I think it's pretty common. You love animals so you're vegetarian; you love animals so you go to vet school. I personally was very poorly educated on the topic, with little ability to think critically about my sources, blindly accepting sensationalist misinformation that I was told. "Factory farm" was a four letter word, and I couldn't believe how "ignorant" everyone was about how cruel and unsanitary the whole thing was.

But in vet school they not only teach you about farming, they teach you about critical thinking. I worked on farms, met farmers, got to understand the REAL meaning of "organic" and "free range," and what production medicine is like. We also toured several meatworks and I was impressed with how clean, orderly, and humane the whole process was. Now that I knew/understood more about where my meat was coming from, I thought, you know what, I'm perfectly comfortable eating this. My reasons for going vegetarian weren't solid or sound. They were, like I said, based on propaganda.

Also I felt very tired and sickly in vet school (which was mostly vet school's fault), and I felt healthier once I added meat back in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 9 users
Just going to put in a friendly reminder that everyone needs to be civil to each other. Joking around is fine, but please, these people may be your colleagues in the future. We have a decent discussion underway currently and I'd like to see it remain that way :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
wheelin2vetmed said:
And what about land that used to provide sustenance for some animals but is now over-farmed, dead, or used for mass-production of crops that are a staple of many vegetarian food products?
Click to expand...

What about the land that is used to mass produce corn to feed farm animals? (Disclaimer: I don't know anything about farming, excluding coffee in South America, but I'm playing devil's advocate here).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
hazelmoo said:
HAHAHAHA YOU'RE KIDDING
Click to expand...

I promise it wasn't me! But no, vets are normal people. The eat what they'd like, whether that includes meat or not. There's actually some of the who work in The food animal industry that help keep livestock healthy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
But even then, there are vegan/veggie vets. It's a lifestyle choice, not a career one.
 
It doesn't matter who reported who. If anyone has a concern about a post, please report it. The moderation team will then review it and come to a decision on what, if anything needs to be done. You should not be afraid to report a post.
 
hazelmoo said:
What about the land that is used to mass produce corn to feed farm animals? (Disclaimer: I don't know anything about farming, excluding coffee in South America, but I'm playing devil's advocate here).
Click to expand...

I agree, my point was nothing is cut and dry, or ever that simple. Although putting a piece of meat in your mouth is pretty intimate and quite possibly the decision with the greatest obvious impact to you, animal welfare begins way before the dinner table.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
hazelmoo said:
What about the land that is used to mass produce corn to feed farm animals? (Disclaimer: I don't know anything about farming, excluding coffee in South America, but I'm playing devil's advocate here).
Click to expand...
What about all the land that is being used to produce corn for ethanol instead of being used to make grains to put in the bellies of the world's hungry? If anything is immoral, that is. It's all about that $$$
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
hrcline said:
What about all the land that is being used to produce corn for ethanol instead of being used to make grains to put in the bellies of the world's hungry? If anything is immoral, that is. It's all about that $$$
Click to expand...

There's a big hole in that argument though. Even if, let's say, those plots were transitioned to wheat, it's not like everyone in the world would all of a sudden have full bellies. It's a matter of policy, not what's being made. Food insecurity is a huge problem even in the US.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
wheelin2vetmed said:
There's a big hole in that argument though. Even if, let's say, those plots were transitioned to wheat, it's not like everyone in the world would all of a sudden have full bellies. It's a matter of policy, not what's being made. Food insecurity is a huge problem even in the US.
Click to expand...
Yeah, agree. As a country, we produce a huge surplus of corn every year just because the farmers are paid for it regardless. Whether or not it's destroyed, idk.
 
Plus, a lot of food - meat or otherwise is wasted. Just thrown away because it goes "bad" before consumption, has blemishes, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
I came because of the title and was not disappointed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
dreamadream said:
Ok, which one of you reported me for this?
Click to expand...
Someone probably thought you were trolling because this topic comes up fairly frequently and usually doesn't go well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Lissarae06 said:
Someone probably thought you were trolling because this topic comes up fairly frequently and usually doesn't go well.
Click to expand...
I'm pre-med and I really was curious. This was my first time going into the pre-vet thread, I kind of go in different threads to answer questions but this is the first time I went outside of pre med to ASK a question.
 
I haven't read the whole thread, so I'm just jumping in here..
Personally, I think it makes more sense for vets to eat meat. When you consider some of the things they will have to do, not only on the job, but in school too (dissection, euthanasia, vets involved with animal testing, etc.) to me it only makes more sense for them to be omnivores.
I've been vegan for almost 8 years now, and wanting to get into the vet field, I know I'm going to have to overcome some issues regarding my morals and ethics to get through schooling and while working.
I don't really see a connection between being a vet and being vegetarian or vegan.
 
dyachei said:
It doesn't matter who reported who. If anyone has a concern about a post, please report it. The moderation team will then review it and come to a decision on what, if anything needs to be done. You should not be afraid to report a post.
Click to expand...

Must... resist... urge... to report post...

Somehow I don't think the mods would find that comical. Hah.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Part of the reason I chose to be a food animal veterinarian is because I like the idea that not only am I helping the animal and owner but also the owners family and the people that will consume the animal/use the animal products. To me it's a bigger impact than helping fluffy and her "mom".

I eat all forms of meat except organic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8 users
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

potentialsheltervet
A Serious Question
Replies
6
Views
959
battie
battie
A
  • Locked
My Hamster died.. have a possibly silly but serious question.
Replies
3
Views
2K
dyachei
dyachei
D
How serious is Texas A&M about their requirements?
Replies
19
Views
4K
abbercadaver
abbercadaver
A
Serious decline in bat populations
Replies
5
Views
1K
Howister
Howister
lareinesoleil
Serious Mistake on Application
Replies
9
Views
2K
RaiderTXgirl
RaiderTXgirl
Top