Who would you trust about your new pet, the veterinarian or the hobbyist? With contact to the vast amount of info on the internet, I decided to discover that for myself. I will be researching the basic care of the “Axolotl”, an aquatic salamander.. In my exploration, I came across two distinct websites on the same topic concerning amphibians. The authors of both sites are individually deemed front-runners in their field of care. Our authors are Dr. Lianne McLeod, a veterinarian, and John Clare a hobbyist/breeder. Both of which I will relate and contrast. When it comes to the direct care of an uncommon pet, I believe it’s best to go with a qualified expert.
The first website I came across is, “The Reptile Channel.” This website is composed of articles by their magazine of the same name. The author of the article on TRC (and several others on the site) is John Clare. Clare is the author of Axolotl.org, and the founder of Caudata.org and FrogForum.net. Clare does not have any special qualifications regarding this subject other than personal experience. He is well versed on several issues, including diseases, and modified environments, however without holding a degree in any related subject. The sites he moderates are open forums for discussion and support of axolotls, also other amphibians. Most discussions are based from personal experience, to which anyone can join or contribute to on the internet. I consider that information to be subjective, as the responses vary between personal opinions and experience, and not scientific fact. His articles are based at a general audience, ranging from children and adults, in words anyone can understand.
The second website I came across is a subcategory of “About.com”, specific to exotic pe...
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...on and care specifics for the axolotl. Clare’s websites provide massively more information regarding various topics (because of frequent contributions by the public), but the information is not constant and sometimes unreliable.
Both websites are successful in keeping your interest; however a simple layout does the better job in the long run. It may not be the most “pretty” article, but the quality of information is superior. I believe the best choice is the source with more credibility and expertise. In this case that would be the information provided by Dr. McLeod.
Sources Cited
Web - http://www.reptilechannel.com/care-sheets/axolotl.aspx
http://www.caudata.org/
Author – John Clare
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Web - http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/amphibians/a/axolotls.htm
http://exoticpets.about.com/bio/Lianne-McLeod-DVM-2931.htm
Author – Lianne McLeod DVM
I strive to be a veterinarian because I love animals and I enjoy taking care of them. Ever since the beginning of the human race there has been veterinary medicine. Agriculture and the domestication of animals began around 3000 B.C. However, there aren’t many records on the failures and successes of the early veterinarians. The early Egyptian, Babylonian, and Hindu civilizations were the first to leave some records of veterinarian medicine. We didn’t first get veterinary hospitals until about 250 B.C. In 1862 the Department of Agriculture (USDA) was created. However, the American Veterinary Medical Association wasn’t found until 1863 after many unsuccessful attempts at organization. “In 1884, another milestone was passed with enactment of the Hatch Act, creating the Bureau of Animal Industry within the Department of Agriculture (Swope 19).” In the last 25 years veterinary medicine has assumed a leading role in the advancement of many researches. Some of them are the advancement of research in the medical use of atomic energy, in diseases common to humans and animals, etc.
Vet Tech has always been an option for me, helping animals is something that is very interesting. It was introduced in 1989, the AVMA officially adopted the name “Vet Tech.” In 1998, emergency vets debut on Animal Planet. And in 2008, student population grows from 500 to 700. There are about 17,000 people employed in the career field chosen. Some of the common trends of the job would be, working at Zoos, Aquariums, Boarding Kennels, and Wildlife sanctuaries. These jobs are usually found working in an animal clinic or hospitals and sometimes at farms because that is the “normal” areas for this occupation. In this career there are some general duties such as: Observe animals behavior and conditions, Provide nursing care, Bathe animals, Clip nails, groom animals hair, keep animals calm during exams or procedures. The more specific duties of the job would be to: take x-rays of animals and develop them, get utensils and prepare the animals for surgery, keep and record patient's history. Most of the clinics are open 24 hours. There is not anything that is unusual about the number of hours/nature of the job. (Bls.gov.vettech)
Tilley, Lawrence P., and Francis Jr. W. K. Smith. The 5 Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. Third ed. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004. 372-73. Print.
Employment for veterinarians is expected to increase by twelve percent by 2022 (“Veterinarians: Career”). As they first start off at a hospital or clinic they make on average forty thousand to sixty thousand depending on what size preference (small or large) animals they work with (“How Much”). Veterinarian 's salary is that high because of their duties; they are to examine the animals’, diagnose and treat the animals, dress wounds, perform surgery, test and vaccinate the animals, operate the machinery needed, give advice to owners, write prescriptions; fill them, and do euthanizations. Working with animals is not the only part of their duties they have to continue to work on being compassionate,their decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, management skills, manual dexterity, and their problem-solving skills. While the veterinarians are working they are trying to improve on the public health by diagnosing, treating, researching on illnesses for all types of animals (“Veterinarians: Career”). As veterinarians give vaccinations and do regular check-ups they prevent some of the complications the animal can acquire. Some vets on their down time perform task like making new medicine by doing scientific research (“Fact Monster”). These jobs that veterinarians do is not all with animals it is also with people
The two websites I have chosen to compare are Web MD, http://www.webmd.com/, and Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.org/. These two websites are speaking towards the same subject, which is medical reasoning. However, they both may seem to aim toward the same audience, but one is for a professional audience and one is for a non-technical audience. People who want information about medical issues are going to view these sites.
The veterinary field is a very controversial topic for those with strong morals and ethics. Ethics stand in the way of some client’s requests which may lead to a loss of clients and money but maintains ones moral standing. Veterinarians are frequently faced with ethical dilemmas. Consideration of animal welfare and ethical issues is an essential component of good clinical practice in veterinary medicine and surgery. While using the ethical frameworks of the veterinary principles may not change the actual decisions made by these doctors, an understanding of ethical issues is important for doctor-client communication and maintaining a positive look to the public.
...e). So you should consider going for the job with less competition. “There are about 59,700 veterinarians in the United States (Careers and Vocational Guidance). The amount of workers has not died down, and the number will continue to increase. Veterinarians’ prospect is extremely good, the outlook is much faster than average, and it would be a great choice in the future.
Press Puotinen, C.J. (2000). The encyclopedia of natural pet care. New York, NY: McGraw Hill
I can 't recall when I realized both my parents were veterinarians. Their work was simply a part of my life and brought me exciting and wondrous moments such as holding a newborn puppy after a tough delivery or seeing the outcome of a difficult surgery. I grew up on a ranch with many animals, large and small. Numerous other animals were brought home for either treatment or to be fostered while finding a home. My first real job was working summers at my parent’s animal hospital. I always assumed having and caring for animals was normal. In retrospect, I was incredibly lucky to have had such unique opportunities to experience veterinary medicine first hand under my parents guidance.
For this project, I decided to take on the career of a veterinarian. As a veterinarian, I would have to examine animals to diagnose their health problems, treat and dress wounds, perform surgery on animals,test for and vaccinate against diseases, operate medical equipment(x-ray machines, etc.), advise animal owners about general care, medical conditions, and treatments, prescribe medication, and euthanize animals. To get a job in this profession, you have to have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. You also have to have to take many science classes including biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, zoology, microbiology, and animal science.You would have to take about four years of college which adds up to about $100,000 dollars in student
In one way or another, I have been taking care of animals my entire life. Growing up, I was completely dedicated to animals, caring for what could be considered a mini zoo. Naturally, as a child, I was set on a career as a veterinarian. Like most children, I was naive about the veterinary profession, but I had plenty of people to warn me about its challenges. Albeit initially discouraged from becoming a veterinarian, my search for a meaningful career not only revived my spark for veterinary medicine but also gave me the maturity and experience necessary to succeed in it.
Owning an exotic pet risks a person's life and the animal’s life when the animal is not under the correct care. This has been an issue in recent history when pets escape and maul citizens or the animal is harmed by not being fully cared for, or if it has to be killed due to the danger it has caused. However these accidents and tragedies are advertised globally and cover up the great advantages and positive outcomes of owning exotic animals; this creates a biased opinion that owning an exotic pet will always end in dreadful consequences. Although owning an exotic animal as a pet can be dangerous for the owner, animal, and any bystanders, by owning an exotic animal a person can gain a tremendous amount of responsibility and save an animals life once learning how to properly care for the exotic pet.
When owners take their pets to the clinic, they are understandably anxious about the results and outcome of the visit. While it’s the veterinarian's job to provide care for the animal, it’s also their job to put the owners at ease, reassuring them that their pet will indeed be fine. This communication is vital for building trust, as it lets the owner know what is happening to their animal and gives them confidence in believing that everything will be okay. What’s more, veterinarians that take the time to thoroughly explain procedures and instructions regarding petcare, are teaching pet owners how to better tend to their
As a younger child, I grew up on a ranch surrounded by many animals. When I think of my future, I see animals. So earning my degree as a veterinarian at the Texas A&M University is what I hope my future will hold for me. I believe that Texas A&M University is one of the better colleges in Texas for my education to become a veterinarian because of their many different courses and classes. I am definitely sure that Texas A&M has what I need to become a veterinarian. I am hopeful that I will have the opportunity to be a fighting Aggie.
While both sources are strong and well written by well versed nursing in the field, one is more credible due to the methodology and strategy of how the journal is written.