Do fish count as animals for experience?

[cmog]

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So, at school right now I have an on-campus job in which I am responsible for maintaining the college's fish lab. The fish are used for neuroscience and behavior research. I do things like water testing, feeding, water refilling, changing filters, etc...
I'm just wondering if it would be legit to count this as animal experience when I go to apply. What do you guys think?
On a similar note...I do research with the same fish. It's under a PhD, so I know it will count as vet experience for some schools. But for the others, could this be considered animal experience as well?
I'm just curious becasue I don't think anyone really thinks of fish as "animals" in that respect. It seems that everyone's animal experience is with some sort of mammal species.

 

[vnair2]

Fish are not cute enough to be considered animals. Working with reptiles shouldnt count either because they are not fluffy.

Quiet this job and get a puppy. I like the ones with floppy ears.

 

[twelvetigers]

<allcaps>But what about seakittens????</caps>

 

[TrocarKarin]

Thanks guys. Now I have to clean Pepsi off my monitor.

 

[DVMDream]

<allcaps>But what about seakittens????</caps>

 

[The Mad Penguin]

Heh, I know I don't post around here much, but as a "fishy" person, I had the need to throw in my two cents 😀. As someone who has completed various research projects using fish and is now doing a senior thesis on lobster fighting (yes, you read that right!) I fully support your efforts! I think working with fish is a great opportunity since it shows that your expanding your experience/knowledge base beyond the small animal realm. You know how vet schools love diversity. Plus, it's awesome (nope, not bias at all...). As for what veterinary schools may think, I can't speak for all the veterinary schools, but schools like UF, UC Davis, Cornell, UPenn, Tufts and UPEI all have programs that cater towards the aquatic veterinary profession. I think even schools like Minnesota and Michigan have the Envirovet program which includes aqautic veterinary medicine (can't remember if those were the schools that had Envirovet, but it does exist, I swear!). I listed all of my marine research endeavors (all under a PhD) under veterinary experience, so I guess we'll see if I was right in the next few months! But to answer your question: yes, I do think most veterinarians consider fish to be animals. Not furry dough-eyed ones, but animals nonetheless.

P.S. I think lobsters are adorable, but that may be because I spend most of my days with them...

 

[vnair2]

P.S. I think lobsters are delicious, but that may be because I spend most of my days with them...

I fixed that typo for you.

 

[Backwoods Boy]

I fixed that typo for you.

 

[The Mad Penguin]

I fixed that typo for you.

You should come to our end of the year lab parties...plenty of delicious lobster for all 😀

 

[cowgirla]

You should come to our end of the year lab parties...plenty of delicious lobster for all 😀

Ritual sacrifice? My favorite!

 

[eventualeventer]

Too bad flies aren't so tasty!

BTW, my dad claims that that is the real meaning of "Animal Nutrition", not this crap about vitamins and minerals I'm learning in class . . . he also calls himself a trickle-down vegetarian.

 

[twelvetigers]

To actually address the OP's question, I think it should count as at least animal experience. As always, though... when in doubt, call/email your schools and ask. Never hurts. 🙂

 

[Ben and Me]

I know when I was down at Miss State, they put some emphasis on the role that vets have in the catfish industry down there. Zoo vets also treat fish.

http://www.cvm.msstate.edu/ppm/index.html

 

[Sophie10]

The AVMA podcast has a cool episode about fish surgery. So cool!

 

[sumstorm]

fish are animals. so are inverts. smaller than inverts, and I don't have an answer.

We have clubs for both, and there are entire summer programs designed around fish med (aquavet, marvet)

As for whether research counts as vet, ask the schools you are applying to. Have fun with the fish! I was responsible for a lab full of fish for neuro and behavioral research.

 

[radio2020]

Fish are most definiately veterinary expereince. I worked a lot with an aquatic veternarian on food safety. They are classifed as livestock, so its food animal expereince. Someone has to make sure that the salmon, tilapia, and bass you eat isn't full of parasites. You will get a gold start with diversity when it comes to your application. On admission panels they try to have someone that represents every segment of the veterinary community, and that includes aquatics, especially if the school has an aquatic prorgram. I would stick with it, but definately start adding any expereince relevant to the field you would like to pursue!

 

[oilidigigoat]

Absolutely fish count! I can't imagine why they wouldn't. At our lab we work with zebrafish. Fish are awesome..I love cruising the nursery in the fish room just to see all the cute babies growing up. It will definately add to your diversity, and the development of the zebrafish within the first 60 hours is awesome to watch.

 

[Armymutt25A]

So does observing fish while SCUBA diving count as well? There are sharks down there too. I love the coast off Wilminton, NC!

 

[Pomona2006]

YES! ...and it is unusual so it might catch someone's attention. We were in a radiology lab the other day and the instructor was trying to pitch fish & aquatic animal medicine to us. Definitely not the norm, but it still counts!

 

[Perfbird]

That is so cool! I know at UC Davis the most populous species used in research are fish, so fish are definitely worth some really good animal experience, and if you did research under a PhD then all the better for vet experience. At Davis some people even do research on Sturgeon and Salmon and Trout and the like, they have huge warehouses with giant flumes and tanks to house 8 foot sturgeons. They even have 2 as "pets" of sorts that I swear are over 12 feet long...the biggest fish I've ever set eyes upon. They also have tanks full of gorgeous Koi and massive Goldfish, all of which are under the care of a veterinarian.

I went on a behind-the scenes tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium with Dr. Murray, their veterinarian, and he took us into the surgery room and I couldn't believe all the high tech equipment they have. Not to mention the shelves were lined with prescriptions for fish! I have a cool picture of a bottle labeled "Sunfish, Fish: Amitriptyline, take one pill every 24 hours". I guess they've got a depressed Sunfish on their hands...