Luxembourg’s business sectorsVeterinarian

The veterinarian, man’s best friend’s doctor

It’s a dog’s – or cat’s – life for more and more people. Pets have become a staple in everyday life.

But if Rover or Kitty get sick, they need to be taken to a doctor just like human patients – to the vet. Jean Schoos, a passionate veterinarian, explains why this profession isn’t the easiest, but one of the most interesting.

“Those interested in studying veterinary medicine need to study abroad. Most students are drawn to German-speaking countries. In the past, Belgium was more popular. But since our neighbours have introduced their own lottery system, it has become difficult to find a place to study in Belgium.”

Degree and specialisation

Unfortunately, our country doesn’t offer young students the opportunity to complete a veterinary degree, which takes six years and is divided into two specialisations. Students can choose between farm animals, meaning livestock such as cows and pigs, and small animals, which include all kinds of pets such as dogs, cats, and rabbits. In the last years, the category NAC (“nouveaux animaux de compagnie”) was added, which includes snakes, lizards, and spiders.

“I have worked in veterinary medicine specialising in pigs for 25 years and finished my specialist medical training three years ago. Back then, a specialisation in pigs represented a gap in the market. Today, it’s not as in demand”, says Jean Schoos, veterinarian and President of the “Association des médecins vétérinaires du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg”.

Originally, the practice in Berdorf was purely farm based, taking care of agricultural animals. Today, 80% of the animals that the employed veterinarians treat are small animals. In Luxembourg and abroad, the number of farms is decreasing, so the needs of animal owners have changed in the last years. “Today, pets are more widespread than agricultural animals and therefore play a much bigger part than 30 years ago. From a historical perspective, the profession of a veterinarian is a one-man show. Three decades ago, the job was mainly practiced by men, since it involved treating cows and horses, which requires a lot of strength. Today, there are more female than male vets. This is a result of lifestyles, but also the evolution of animal keeping.”

Gender reversal

Following on from the one-man show, vets have now joined forces and created larger structures and clinics, meaning that everyone can take over a shift. Since the majority of patients only weigh a few kilograms or even grams, the work can be easily performed by women and suits a better personal work-life balance. This phenomenon started at the end of the 1970s. Today, only 5% of students are male.

The feminisation of the profession can be explained by the fact that, statistically, women achieve better grades and display a more pronounced protective instinct. As far as love for animals goes, no distinction can be made between men and women. Pets have an immense affective and of course also material value, whereas a farmer’s cows and horses were seen more as work animals.

Regular further training

Regular further education is also important in this job. Since the types of pets have changed in the last years, veterinarians need to keep their knowledge up to date and may even discover new preferences in doing so. The terrarium scene is currently very popular, but specialists are also increasingly sought after in the bird world. “Considering the small size of our country, we boast a high number of specialists”, Jean Schoos is happy to report.

If you want to become a veterinarian, you must possess competences such as a preference for scientific topics, but also plenty of empathy – not just for animals, but also for their owners. The job of a vet is actually quite similar to that of a paediatrician. Just like dogs and cats, a baby cannot explain its ailments, so the pet owner and doctor need to work together to find out what the problem is. However, economic thinking is also an important factor. “Even if you practice your job out of passion, at the end of the month, you still need to pay your bills”, says Schoos.

240 veterinarians work in Luxembourg. Every year, between 10 and 15 more young doctors join their ranks. Half of the doctors return to Luxembourg and work here, while the remaining ones work in the country in which they studied. There is still a demand for vets here, meaning it is a career with a future and opens many doors for graduates. From a vet at a clinic, who treats small animals, to the doctor who conducts food inspections – everything’s possible. But new additions are also sought after in research. Interesting and varied are therefore just two of the many adjectives that characterise this career.