Veterinarians perform some or all of the following duties:

• Diagnose diseases in individual animals, herds, and flocks
• Conduct laboratory tests and perform physical examinations
• Prescribe medications and perform surgical procedures
• Vaccinate animals and implement disease-prevention programs
• Perform emergency treatments and post-mortem examinations
• Advise clients on animal nutrition, housing, breeding, and hygiene
• Provide obstetrics, dental care, and euthanasia services
• Supervise veterinary technologists and support staff
• Enforce government regulations related to disease control and food production
• Conduct veterinary research in areas such as nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and disease prevention

These are the typical employment requirements and benefits associated with this occupation in Canada:

• Completion of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree is required.
• Completion of two years of pre-veterinary university studies is typically required.
• Completion of a four- to five-year university program in veterinary medicine is required.
• Successful completion of national certification examinations is required.
• Provincial or territorial licensure is mandatory to practice as a veterinarian in Canada.
• Veterinary specialists may require an additional three to four years of postgraduate training or residency.
• Specialist accreditation may be required through organizations such as the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine or the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
• In Quebec, accreditation by the Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec is required.
• Research veterinarians may require postgraduate studies.
• Without provincial licensure, veterinarians cannot practice independently in Canada.