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Veterinarian vs emergency veterinarian

The differences between veterinarians and emergency veterinarians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a veterinarian and an emergency veterinarian. Additionally, a veterinarian has an average salary of $109,524, which is higher than the $94,518 average annual salary of an emergency veterinarian.

The top three skills for a veterinarian include PET, customer service and diagnostic tests. The most important skills for an emergency veterinarian are PET, patients, and emergency medicine.

Veterinarian vs emergency veterinarian overview

VeterinarianEmergency Veterinarian
Yearly salary$109,524$94,518
Hourly rate$52.66$45.44
Growth rate19%19%
Number of jobs13,25534,931
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a veterinarian do?

Veterinarians are responsible for diagnosing the injuries and illnesses of animals through a variety of procedures. Veterinarians often perform vaccinations to protect animals from diseases, but they can also be involved with an animal's dental health as well. Some other duties include prescribing medication, performing surgical procedures, and dressing wounds. Veterinarians are concerned with all aspects of an animal's well-being, which inclues emergency procedures as well as long-term preventative healthcare. Veterinarians are also known as "vets," and most conduct their work in private clinics.

What does an emergency veterinarian do?

An emergency veterinarian is responsible for providing quality care services for animals at veterinary clinics and hospitals. Emergency veterinarians diagnose the animal's condition and administer treatment plans and medications. They also coordinate with other veterinarians to claim the animal's initial medical records and history. An emergency veterinarian performs immediate surgery as needed and ensure the stability of the animals' vital signs, requiring them to have extensive knowledge of animal care of various species or area of interest.

Veterinarian vs emergency veterinarian salary

Veterinarians and emergency veterinarians have different pay scales, as shown below.

VeterinarianEmergency Veterinarian
Average salary$109,524$94,518
Salary rangeBetween $58,000 And $205,000Between $47,000 And $188,000
Highest paying CityPortland, MEAlbany, NY
Highest paying stateMaineNew York
Best paying companyPittsburgh Zoo & PPG AquariumNational Veterinary Associates
Best paying industryProfessionalProfessional

Differences between veterinarian and emergency veterinarian education

There are a few differences between a veterinarian and an emergency veterinarian in terms of educational background:

VeterinarianEmergency Veterinarian
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorVeterinary MedicineVeterinary Medicine
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia

Veterinarian vs emergency veterinarian demographics

Here are the differences between veterinarians' and emergency veterinarians' demographics:

VeterinarianEmergency Veterinarian
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 37.1% Female, 62.9%Male, 26.4% Female, 73.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 6.1% Asian, 4.8% White, 83.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.9% Asian, 4.7% White, 83.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage15%15%

Differences between veterinarian and emergency veterinarian duties and responsibilities

Veterinarian example responsibilities.

  • Manage wildlife rehabilitation program for native species, including state and federal rehabilitation licenses for the practice.
  • Advise researchers on animal surgery protocols for NIH and NSF grant proposals
  • Support community organizations/humane society organizations in their rabies, immunization, spay and neuter and pet adoption programs.
  • Work as a general DVM.
  • Full service hospital, USDA accreditation
  • Perform surgery using CO2 laser.
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Emergency veterinarian example responsibilities.

  • Receive emergency and referral cases, manage hospitalized surgical and internal medicine patients, and collaborate with general practitioners and specialists.
  • Train local first responders on the basics of pet CPR.
  • Examine, diagnose and treat a variety of ailments on pet animals, ranging from rabbits to reptiles.
  • Provide minor wind care including local anesthesia and suturing.
  • Monitor in-hospital patients and work with specialists to maintain patients' health post-procedure or during ongoing hospitalization.
  • Receive emergency and referral cases, manage hospitalized surgical and internal medicine patients, and collaborate with general practitioners and specialists.
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Veterinarian vs emergency veterinarian skills

Common veterinarian skills
  • PET, 38%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Diagnostic Tests, 6%
  • Preventative Care, 5%
  • Blood Draws, 5%
  • Client Communication, 4%
Common emergency veterinarian skills
  • PET, 35%
  • Patients, 26%
  • Emergency Medicine, 15%
  • DVM, 6%
  • Soft Tissue, 4%
  • Emergency Care, 3%

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