Physical requirements?

[Ellie Abernathy]

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Hi everyone,
I'm new and a non-traditional pre-vet student at age 24. I graduated a few years back with my BS in public health. I won't be applying for another 2 to 3 years until I fulfill pre-reqs and get enough veterinary experience to be a competitive applicant.

I'm interested in becoming either a foodstock, wildlife or zoo vet. (I will be exploring this more in the next few years, I don't know anything yet!) All animals fascinate me, but for now that's what I'm gearing towards.

My question: Is there a physical requirement for working with these animals? I know LA vets requires physical strength and what not. I'm not weak, but I am pint-sized... just reaching 5'0ft . 🙂 Should I be looking into another pathway like SA? I'm not sure if this is a silly question, but I'm just curious as all the vet school students I know so far are regular human-sized people.

 

[twelvetigers]

My favorite food animal vet at the teaching hospital is short, blonde, and cute. She looks so harmless... until she jabs her finger up that cow's nose and makes it hold still for the exam!

Point being, it's more about knowing what you're doing than it is about your stature. 🙂

 

[sunshinevet]

Exactly. In animal handling, they will teach you that technique will prevail over brute strength any day. And whats more, because your so little and can't rely on brute strength, your actually far less likely to injure yourself by falling into lazy handling practices, cuz you need to get it perfect every time.

One of my friends in vet weighs 47kg, yet she can tip a 70kg sheep with ease. So dont worry! 😀

 

[shortnsweet]

I tipped the big sheep last week!! I'm only 5ft myself, and have been working around horses my entire life..it's all about finesse rather than brute strength...As the profession becomes more female dominated, more and more tools (and drugs) are being made to help us out!! Plus, if you're really in a bind, you could always hire the really cute and strong boy tech 😉

 

[OtakuVet]

Goodness you large animal vets get some serious fun. I tipped my first sheep during the summer when I was visiting St. George's. I must say Ive never had so much fun in my life. =D I like Small animal but playing with large animals are super fun. But anyway, I just want to add, almost all the female vets I know are as short as me if not a tad bit taller (Im 5'1) so I think its just our style. >>; I actually met a male vet as short as me which was kinda funny. Ive actually never met a really tall vet before. >>; Unlike doctors where some are like GIGANTIC.

 

[Harumph]

Agreed. Doesn't matter if you're 100 pounds or 200. Horse can still squash you if he feels it's appropriate. 😀

And they're generally more likely to feel it's appropriate if you're trying to go all He-Man on them anyways.

 

[Ellie Abernathy]

That is all wonderful to hear and I'm glad that small girls can still do it all! Thanks everyone!
My sister jokes that all the animals are going to try to eat me because I look like small prey. lol.

 

[alliecat44]

Heard a story from a vet who graduated in the mid-80's. Apparently during her interview she was asked, "How's a little lady like you going to deal with 2000-pound animals?" and she responded, "the same way you do--with drugs!"

(obviously this was a slightly-less PC sort of time for the interview process) 🙂

You'll be fine!

 

[PigsRock]

I tipped the big sheep last week!! I'm only 5ft myself, and have been working around horses my entire life..it's all about finesse rather than brute strength...As the profession becomes more female dominated, more and more tools (and drugs) are being made to help us out!! Plus, if you're really in a bind, you could always hire the really cute and strong boy tech 😉

Hey-my opening to my personal statement was about me (a former "horse person") flipping sheep for the first time. I said it was not about muscle, but method...(I was soooooooo proud of myself for getting that huge mama dorset flipped)

 

[Backwoods Boy]

I've been told a time or two that it looks funny when a guy my size, 6' and way to big, has to hold a Yorkie or something along those lines in the office.

 

[twelvetigers]

I can just picture its little eyes bugging out as you try to gently hold it in the crook of your arm...

Yeah, someone once told me that when a horse weighs 2000 pounds, an extra 100 or so from you won't make much of a difference anyway.

 

[Backwoods Boy]

I can just picture its little eyes bugging out as you try to gently hold it in the crook of your arm...

Yeah, someone once told me that when a horse weighs 2000 pounds, an extra 100 or so from you won't make much of a difference anyway.

Trust me. It's crossed my mind a few times. I needed that yesterday though when a Jack Russell pup came in after eating a few anti-depressants. 😱

 

[jpeterman13]

I've been told a time or two that it looks funny when a guy my size, 6' and way to big, has to hold a Yorkie or something along those lines in the office.

I'm 6'1, medium stature, and they have me hold little chihuahuas and pomeranians all the time just so they can laugh at me.

 

[deleted266066]

The clinic that my family takes our pets to back at home has two tall male vets working there. One is about 6', but the other is a large 6'7 tall German man in his late 60's and stoops, so he would've been taller in his prime. The women working there are all about 5'2-5'4 though.

 

[Backwoods Boy]

There are only 4 people in the clinic I work for at any time. The vet is 5'8" at the most. The receptionist is about the same. A kid from the high school is the same height as me. It's kind of funny when the youngest are the tallest.

 

[DVMDream]

At the clinic I work at there are 3 vets: The gentleman is around 6'2", one of the girls is 6' and the other vet is around 5'5". I am the shortest person there at 5'3".

 

[lailanni]

The smallest person in our class is LA. I think she's not much over 5' and would be surprised if she's over 100lbs.

When you're working with a 1500+ lb animal, I don't think an extra 50 ish pounds is going to make a difference anyways.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Seriously. If a horse weighs 2000#, the difference between a 1000# human and a 2000# human is proportiontely the same as the difference between a Yorkie and a Pug. Neither would be a match for any adult human in terms of size.

In all seriousness, I've worked with vets and support staff members of every conceivable size and everyone from the tiniest to the largest does just fine. I do feel like SA slightly favors those who are in the 5'6-6'0 range with fairly average frames, but that provides advantages that are far more for convenience than necessity.

To me, unless you are cachectic or morbidly obese, I can't see how you will have trouble meeting the physical requirements. Vet med can be a sport of.brute strength sometimes, but brains and endurance are far, far more important.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Sorry. 100# human or 200# human.

 

[Lechatnoir]

A vet I used to work with was tiny (like 90 lbs tiny) and had no problem with anything. When she was doing LA in vet school they had to get a stool out so she could reach the cows lol. Most of the techs and doctors at my work are in the 5' - 5'5" range including myself and we do just fine

 

[nyanko]

I am literally only posting this because I love me some infinite recursion.

😉