Does size matter?

[Eterynix]

I am barely five feet tall and really skinny (about 45 kg). Yet, I still want to be a vet. My question is: do you think size matters? =P

Thanks in advance!

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[shortnsweet]

I am barely five feet tall and really skinny (about 45 kg). Yet, I still want to be a vet. My question is: do you think size matters? =P

Thanks in advance!

Nope.

There's a whole thread devoted to this topic too...maybe twelvetigers can dig it up after finals

 

[cooniexp]

This is off-topic, but are you not from the US? You just posted your weight in kg

Oh, and I don't think it matters. I'm a small petite person myself.

 

[twelvetigers]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=675547

Shows where my priorities lie, huh? Final schminal.

 

[rhinocerotidae]

Nope, I work with a vet who's 4'9" (and she's canadian!)

 

[sumstorm]

Yes, cause the 600 lb guy can wrestle the gorilla to the ground!

j/k. I work in zoo animal med. I actually find small hands to be advantageous, but otherwise...well, we all need a ladder to perform the rectal exam on the elephant.

 

[zxz130]

This is off-topic, but are you not from the US? You just posted your weight in kg

Oh, and I don't think it matters. I'm a small petite person myself.

Haha, yay for SI units.

 

[Trilt]

Gold star for the most entertaining thread title in a while.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Nope. It doesn't matter at all. Every size has its advantages and disadvantages, anyway.

 

[Whyevernot55]

My equine vet is 5' and change, has long pretty blond hair and this sweet little voice, and I've seen her go up against 17.2hh of half-crazed Warmblood without batting an eye.

It's ALL about the attitude.

 

[SocialStigma]

I've wondered the same thing since I'm 5'2, 100lbs and look like a sweet little Asian girl. I hope clients will take me seriously despite my stature and looks!

 

[zxz130]

I was giggling, I admit. And yes, my mind was in the gutter.

It would really be a riot if the ads matched thread titles like in youtube.

Oh, and sorry for getting OT and having no real input as the vets I've worked with weren't small.

 

[Minnerbelle]

A zoo vet once told me that she had a husband who's a vet who pretty much hated his life, and would definitely stop being a vet if he weren't in so much debt from vet school. Apparently, much of his miseries stem from the fact that he's a big burly guy at a SA practice, and dogs tend to have a natural fear bite instinct with him... so yeah being a big hairy burly guy can hurt too.

 

[pinsirb2]

If you decide to do large animal with dairy and beef cattle, a small body size can make it hard to get your arm deep enough inside the cow...might have to bring a stool with you.

 

[clouds815]

A zoo vet once told me that she had a husband who's a vet who pretty much hated his life, and would definitely stop being a vet if he weren't in so much debt from vet school. Apparently, much of his miseries stem from the fact that he's a big burly guy at a SA practice, and dogs tend to have a natural fear bite instinct with him... so yeah being a big hairy burly guy can hurt too.

wow thats too bad



anyhow my 2cents - there are benefits to both sides but your mind is what is really important - that can overcome many physical things. for example there was a few posts in another thread about deaf vets - if they can figure out ways to overcome that then I can deal with being on the smaller side
Also, I can't change my size (~100lb) but I am hoping to gain a little more strength/endurance prior to entering school by exercising/working out... though easier said than done!

 

[incendium04]

Can I just say I love all the short vet/pre-vet people? I'm under 5' and also Asian (although I don't think it matters...just not as common in vet field). It definitely helps if you can wrestle bigger dogs and do common tasks like lifting a dog on an x-ray table etc during emergency hours when there's only you and one other person... but it definitely doesn't make or break your career.

Haha, I can't count the number of times a vet has come out of an exam room looking for a tech to wrestle a big dog and only seen me. If I can't handle it by myself, get sedation or another 3 people.

 

[aspiringDVM]

A zoo vet once told me that she had a husband who's a vet who pretty much hated his life, and would definitely stop being a vet if he weren't in so much debt from vet school. Apparently, much of his miseries stem from the fact that he's a big burly guy at a SA practice, and dogs tend to have a natural fear bite instinct with him... so yeah being a big hairy burly guy can hurt too.

That's a really good point, and I've noticed a similar phenomenon with some horses. The barn manager and male employees had absolutely no problem controlling them on the shank and out of the stall, going into the stall to catch a shy horse or give medications could be a whole different story
I have to say though, while I wouldn't consider being a tiny person a huge (let alone insurmountable) handicap in vet med, I'm definitely glad to be 5'6"

 

[VeganSoprano]

If I'm not mistaken, OSHA guidelines suggest a person should be expected to lift a maximum of 40# by him/herself. I figure if you can do that, you're able to meet the physical expectations as far as brute strength goes.

 

[laurafinn]

If you decide to do large animal with dairy and beef cattle, a small body size can make it hard to get your arm deep enough inside the cow...might have to bring a stool with you.

Yeah, that's the one thing I can think of that might be a problem. I don't know how pregnancy diagnosis is done in North America, but here, you put planks down across the pit in the cowshed and walk along them to manually PD or scan 6-12 cows at a time (before they're let out of the shed and another 6-12 move into place). It would take about twice as long to drag along and position a stool, although instead you could probably put extra planks on top of the original ones to get higher up. Where there's a will there's a way!

Herringbone shed w/ 2 sets of planks installed (4 sets are often used):

 

[shortnsweet]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=675547

Shows where my priorities lie, huh? Final schminal.

hahahaha

 

[168135]

One of the vets I volunteer with is tiny! I first thought it was kind of weird because when I applied to vet tech programs, it said I had to be able to lift 50 lbs. I was naive and a little worried, but there are techs tinier than me who can hoist huge dogs up on the table.

 

[Minnerbelle]

It totally depends on the type of clinic you work in, but generally in SA practice at least, I think as long as a vet/tech team has enough strength to do most things, then it's not so bad. Though it's definitely a big plus to be a strong vet yourself, it's not like you'll be doing 100% of the power work. So... I guess if you're going to be a small wimpy vet, then hire some strong techs?

 

[that redhead]

I'm 5'0 myself and I want to do livestock. My current boss at a lab animal facility has teased me (not cruelly) about how I would reach to do a palpation or something like that. I've worked with horses my entire life, and although they aren't the same as cows, it gives me some confidence. It may be more difficult for me than for a huge guy but hell if that's going to stop me

 

[BomberCanoe]

I figure we oughta have perspective from the other side of the spectrum. I'm 6'4, and right about 205 lbs. While this can definitely come in handy for the large dogs that are unruly, I have an terrible time with any of the small or toy breeds. I don't know how any of you hold pets, but we have a sort of "choke hold", where the dogs neck goes in the crook of your elbow, and the other arm wraps around their trunk. With small dogs, my crook is so large, that they can easily jump about, scratch my arm to pits, and in general be moving around too much for an exam (should they not be well behaved).

So even if being large does have its advantage, I definitely have to switch out with a smaller tech if a small dog is acting up.

 

[Roxysocks]

haha this thread just made my friday at work a tiny bit better...and as per usual, my response is "it's quality, not quantity..."

 

[Whyevernot55]

and as per usual, my response is "it's quality, not quantity..."

I just 100% snorted beer through my nose.

 

[Wolphcats]

Sorry guys, couldn't resist.

 

[clouds815]

haha!

 

[ducktoller]

bumpity bump. it doesn't

 

[devyn]

of course size matters.....

 

[Cracker.Jack.]

I am barely five feet tall and really skinny (about 45 kg). Yet, I still want to be a vet. My question is: do you think size matters? =P

Thanks in advance!

I know the metric system is what we're supposed to use in Canada, but do you actually think in kg?! I've always thought in lbs, feet, and inches for everything (but I think in km rather than miles for long distances). I actually would have to use a conversion chart to get perspective on what 45 kg is. I'm also terrible with meters and cm. I wonder if I'm just weird. I honestly thought the rest of Canada was like that though.

I'm also a smaller person (5'2 if I'm standing up really straight when my height is being measured!). One upside is I really like my small hands, I find my dexterity is generally a lot better than people with massive fat hands. Plus they fit into tight spaces.

I've worked with large animals pretty intensively my entire life (beef, horses, dairy, feedlot) and haven't run into any problems thus far, but I'm also pretty strong (thank you manual labor) and have lots of try. Palpation is one thing that worries me a bit though, I just might need a step ladder.

I think as long as the effort is there, any sort of minor physical barrier shouldn't be an issue. You just might have to work smarter, not harder.

 

[cloverbug]

I'm 5'3" and there's definitely some advantages and disadvantages. I'm really good at holding all the smaller animals (the clinic sees exotics) but as soon as a 100 something lb dog comes in, I can try to restrain them but they're usually longer than my arm's length. Due to that, I usually just keep a good hold on their head and it's all good. I can't hold macaws either because my hands are too small to keep their wings restrained. It all depends on what you want to do and your attitude towards it is all.