Owning Pets As a Pre-Vet

[ShannonSpran]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Sorry for the confusion . I misunderstood what you were saying when you mentioned going back closer to home and going to FAU (since FAU doesn’t have a vet school I thought you meant switching undergrad institutions). Congrats for having undergrad costs fully covered!! Best of luck to you!

Thank you! So what exactly do we learn in terms of classes in undergrad anyway? What test do we have to take to qualify for vet school? I don't really know since I'm new haha.

 

[Caiter92]

Thank you! So what exactly do we learn in terms of classes in undergrad anyway? What test do we have to take to qualify for vet school? I don't really know since I'm new haha.

Look at the prereqs on the UF Vet school page 😉 they’ll have lots of info on the classes you should take 🙂

 

[ShannonSpran]

Look at the prereqs on the UF Vet school page 😉 they’ll have lots of info on the classes you should take 🙂

Ok! I'll check it out and let you know if I have any questions. 🙂

 

[Caiter92]

Ok! I'll check it out and let you know if I have any questions. 🙂

At my undergrad your first term all of the freshman had to meet with an adviser I think to discuss goals and for them to help you make a plan. You may have something similar at your undergrad. Even if not, usually schools have pre-health advisors that can help point you in the right direction for professional school prep.

Right now I’d just try to see about getting some experience shadowing in a clinic, and enjoying your summer before college starts 🙂 it’s good you’re planning ahead, but getting experience in the field itself to really explore if it’s right for you should be your first step 🙂

 

[ShannonSpran]

At my undergrad your first term all of the freshman had to meet with an adviser I think to discuss goals and for them to help you make a plan. You may have something similar at your undergrad. Even if not, usually schools have pre-health advisors that can help point you in the right direction for professional school prep.

Right now I’d just try to see about getting some experience shadowing in a clinic, and enjoying your summer before college starts 🙂 it’s good you’re planning ahead, but getting experience in the field itself to really explore if it’s right for you should be your first step 🙂

Thank you so much! Hopefully this local animal hospital lets me shadow

 

[LyraGardenia]

Thank you! So what exactly do we learn in terms of classes in undergrad anyway? What test do we have to take to qualify for vet school? I don't really know since I'm new haha.

As far as tests for vet school, you'll probably have to take the GRE, but several schools have done away with that requirement so definitely look at each vet school's requirements once you get closer to applying! It's a general exam for anyone applying to grad school, so it's not over anything specific to science or vet med. There's an English section, a math section, and a writing section. If you did well on the ACT/SAT it's pretty similar in style, definitely don't stress over it at this point!

 

[ShannonSpran]

As far as tests for vet school, you'll probably have to take the GRE, but several schools have done away with that requirement so definitely look at each vet school's requirements once you get closer to applying! It's a general exam for anyone applying to grad school, so it's not over anything specific to science or vet med. There's an English section, a math section, and a writing section. If you did well on the ACT/SAT it's pretty similar in style, definitely don't stress over it at this point!

Ok great! I'm really good at both of those (1250 SAT and 32 ACT) so I won't be that upset IF I have to take it.
Thank you!

 

[altadama]

Hey! Just want to throw in a few thoughts on the pet thing regardless of whether its a pocket pet, cat, dog, fish or otherwise. Just keep in mind that right now you might be attending vet school in 4 years and regardless, you will be moving after undergrad. Depending on what kind of animal you get it might make it harder to find housing down the road. While vet students LOVE animals a lot already come with their own who may have issues with other animals or may already be at the house/apartments limit for pets...so it actually took me a while to find an affordable, pet friendly place, with housemates that were OK with me bringing my pets. Just something to consider, not meant to discourage at all. But it is something I never thought about until it became an issue.

Also, just think long and hard about whether or not you want to do study abroad or travel for internships. I wasn't able to do any of that in undergrad because of my pets and was sort of limited to finding paid things instead of just shadowing over summers so I could pay for vet care/food etc. and during undergrad and I lived at home and commuted. Now I'm in vet school and have a saint of a fiance who helps out and takes care of our dogs and my horse so I have some more leeway to travel for internships (my cat will generally travel with me). Honestly without him helping out, keeping my horse while in vet school would never have even been an option, and I probably would not be in vet school because I wouldn't have been able to give her up. Also something to just consider.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

Edit: Also...just another perspective. Losing a pet right before finals hell month can completely and totally knock you on your butt and studying becomes the absolute last thing you want to do...especially when the material may remind you of your pet (as it often does in vet school). So something to keep in mind as well if you consider adopting an older dog or cat to avoid training a puppy/kitten. And old pets can become very time consuming and expensive very quickly. Again, not meant to discourage you at all because I wouldn't trade having animals for the world. But there are a whole lot of things to consider that I never thought about until they came up so, I just wanted to offer some different perspectives.

 

[grebes4lyfe]

Hey! Just want to throw in a few thoughts on the pet thing regardless of whether its a pocket pet, cat, dog, fish or otherwise. Just keep in mind that right now you might be attending vet school in 4 years and regardless, you will be moving after undergrad. Depending on what kind of animal you get it might make it harder to find housing down the road. While vet students LOVE animals a lot already come with their own who may have issues with other animals or may already be at the house/apartments limit for pets...so it actually took me a while to find an affordable, pet friendly place, with housemates that were OK with me bringing my pets. Just something to consider, not meant to discourage at all. But it is something I never thought about until it became an issue.

Also, just think long and hard about whether or not you want to do study abroad or travel for internships. I wasn't able to do any of that in undergrad because of my pets and was sort of limited to finding paid things instead of just shadowing over summers so I could pay for vet care/food etc. and during undergrad and I lived at home and commuted. Now I'm in vet school and have a saint of a fiance who helps out and takes care of our dogs and my horse so I have some more leeway to travel for internships (my cat will generally travel with me). Honestly without him helping out, keeping my horse while in vet school would never have even been an option, and I probably would not be in vet school because I wouldn't have been able to give her up. Also something to just consider.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

Edit: Also...just another perspective. Losing a pet right before finals hell month can completely and totally knock you on your butt and studying becomes the absolute last thing you want to do...especially when the material may remind you of your pet (as it often does in vet school). So something to keep in mind as well if you consider adopting an older dog or cat to avoid training a puppy/kitten. And old pets can become very time consuming and expensive very quickly. Again, not meant to discourage you at all because I wouldn't trade having animals for the world. But there are a whole lot of things to consider that I never thought about until they came up so, I just wanted to offer some different perspectives.

THIS!!!!

I didn’t have any pets in UG. I lived in dorms all 4 years so they weren’t allowed. I hated it at the time and wanted a pet more than anything, but in hindsight I’m so glad that I didn’t have one. I made a point to tell every professor I met that they should call me to petsit. I pet sat a LOT. it was a great way to cuddle dogs and each pet sitting was like a mini vacation because I got to stay in profs homes, use their kitchens, and just overall get out of the dorm for a weekend... and make some money too!
I ended up studying abroad for an entire year. I also ended up doing a ton of independent research and spending many many long nights locked in a lab. I could barely be responsible for my own life, there is NO way that I could have been responsible for ANOTHER life as well.

I graduated 4 years ago and got 2 parrots ~2 years ago. I love them to death, but now I’m trying to figure out how to move with them. And they have 100% impacted my freedom to do what I want when I want. I’m super lucky to have a roommate who likes them and who is willing to watch them overnight or for a few days if I want to go away for a weekend, but when she’s not available, boarding is expensiveeee and figuring out those logistics is extra work. It’s hard when I want to be able to go do something spontaneous but can’t because I have 2 other lives depending on me. I want to travel this summer before I move, but I can’t just leave on a last minute trip anymore.
I can’t live alone in vet school because I don’t want to leave my birds alone all day. I want roommates so that they can live in a stimulating environment, and also so that I can spend a night out without freaking out about leaving them alone overnight.

Definitely not trying to discourage you getting a pet, but just pointing out the long term commitment it requires and that it will impact your ability to have a carefree undergrad experience. You WILL be that person at the party who can’t get too drunk because you have to get home to your pet. You can’t have a random hookup and sleepover because you have to get home to your pet. Not that it’s a bad thing to have that responsibility, but just make sure that you are ok giving up some of those social “rites of passage” and freedoms before making this decision. 🙂

 

[ShannonSpran]

Hey! Just want to throw in a few thoughts on the pet thing regardless of whether its a pocket pet, cat, dog, fish or otherwise. Just keep in mind that right now you might be attending vet school in 4 years and regardless, you will be moving after undergrad. Depending on what kind of animal you get it might make it harder to find housing down the road. While vet students LOVE animals a lot already come with their own who may have issues with other animals or may already be at the house/apartments limit for pets...so it actually took me a while to find an affordable, pet friendly place, with housemates that were OK with me bringing my pets. Just something to consider, not meant to discourage at all. But it is something I never thought about until it became an issue.

Also, just think long and hard about whether or not you want to do study abroad or travel for internships. I wasn't able to do any of that in undergrad because of my pets and was sort of limited to finding paid things instead of just shadowing over summers so I could pay for vet care/food etc. and during undergrad and I lived at home and commuted. Now I'm in vet school and have a saint of a fiance who helps out and takes care of our dogs and my horse so I have some more leeway to travel for internships (my cat will generally travel with me). Honestly without him helping out, keeping my horse while in vet school would never have even been an option, and I probably would not be in vet school because I wouldn't have been able to give her up. Also something to just consider.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

Edit: Also...just another perspective. Losing a pet right before finals hell month can completely and totally knock you on your butt and studying becomes the absolute last thing you want to do...especially when the material may remind you of your pet (as it often does in vet school). So something to keep in mind as well if you consider adopting an older dog or cat to avoid training a puppy/kitten. And old pets can become very time consuming and expensive very quickly. Again, not meant to discourage you at all because I wouldn't trade having animals for the world. But there are a whole lot of things to consider that I never thought about until they came up so, I just wanted to offer some different perspectives.

Thank you so much! That is all very important information and I will keep it in mind!