Unit 30, Veterinarians. If you like animals and science, you might want to be a veterinarian. Veterinarians are animal doctors. They take care of sick and injured animals. Like doctors, vets perform surgery and give medicine. When an animal is sick, vets examine it to find out why. They look for clues in the way an animal looks and acts. For example, if a dog is walking in a strange way, it might have injured its leg. Vets need to observe animals carefully, since animals cannot speak to tell anyone what is wrong. Vets prevent health problems in animals by giving vaccinations and check-ups and fixing teeth. They also teach owners how to feed and train their animals. Vets use special tools to perform surgery. They fix broken bones, take out tumors, take x-rays, and treat wounds. Most vets treat small pets, including dogs and cats. A few vets focus on large animals, such as sheep, cows, and horses. Large animal vets usually drive to ranches and stables where their patients live. Often, they help when the animals give birth. Vets who work with large animals often work outside in all kinds of weather. A few vets work in zoos and aquariums. They care for zebras, sharks, and other wild creatures. Because animals can get sick at any time, vets often work long hours. Many vets like their work because they can be with animals every day, even though sick animals can sometimes bite or kick their vets.