If you have a pet at home, or care for animals, you know the importance of having veterinarians that treat them when needed.
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They have been essential especially in times of crises such as during the bushfires, flooding and even the mouse plagues.
During these times, they have been stretched beyond their limits to take on more patients.
According to Greencross Vets, there are currently 13,951 vets in Australia with an estimated 30.4 million pets.
That is an estimation of 2179 pets per vet.
"Being a vet is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world - we came into this profession because we're deeply passionate about animals and safeguarding them against illness," said Greencross Vets regional clinical director Dr Adam Sternberg.
"I'm in great admiration of the sheer dedication and commitment of my fellow vets, who go above and beyond to ensure the happiness and health of all animals during unprecedented times for our profession."
With a severe skills shortage and an additional estimation of 1 million pets needing care in nationally post-pandemic, Greencross Vets wants to raise greater public awareness of the challenges facing vets and drive change globally.
Greencross Vets is one of the largest veterinary providers in the country, and is committed to improving mental health support for staff.
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Just like pets have become part of people's families, compassion and empathy for vets goes a long way as they work tirelessly to look after companions, and deliver care around the clock.
"Vets are on the journey with you and your pet from birth and beside you at the end, supporting you through every moment," Dr Sternberg said.
In celebrating the remarkable work vets do this World Veterinary Day, here are some facts you might not know:
1. Vets are trained to medically treat many different species and body systems. This requires knowledge across a range of animals from companion animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, to zoo and exotic species, in addition to livestock.
2. General practice vets are masters of many fields. They can be anaesthetists, surgeons, gastroenterologists, dentists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, pathologists, gynaecologists, paediatricians, emergency physicians and much more. Vets can also do further training to become a registered specialist in their field.
3. Vets diagnose and treat their patients without any verbal explanation of their complex symptoms, pain points or progress.
4. They often have to remove strange and unexpected items from their patients' throats and stomachs such as metal hooks, toys, sand, hair-ties and even cutlery!
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