Alex Just Vet at Okeford Veterinary Centre

What made you want to become a vet?

I’m probably quite typical of a lot of vets, I enjoyed science at school and had always had pets around me growing up. I spent quite a few holidays at my local veterinary practice helping out where I could and was attracted by the variety of work and the job satisfaction the practice staff seemed to have.

What qualifications do you need for your job?

To train to become a vet you need to go to university and study for five or six years. The entrance requirements for the veterinary degree are good grades in science and maths A levels.

What attributes make a good vet?

You need to like people as well as animals! Like most jobs good communication is important to help owners understand what is wrong with their pet and what treatment options are available. You also need to be adaptable - animals can be unpredictable and sometimes they might do something you are not expecting!

How long have you been in your current job?

I’ve been at Okeford Veterinary Centre for five and a half years. I moved to Devon 10 years ago and before working at Okeford I locumed while my children were very small.

Do you specialised in treating any particular animal or condition?

For the last 13 years I have worked as a small animal vet treating pets. When I first graduated I worked abroad for a charity looking after working donkeys and mules and then worked in a mixed practice where I did farm work as well as small animal work. I enjoy all aspects of my job but have got a particular interest in heart disease in animals and help co-ordinate cardiac clinics within the practice.

How does a typical day unfold?

My morning normally starts with appointments. These may be routine health checks, vaccinations or check-ups for animals on long term medication. I may see a poorly animal that needs treatment to go home with or I may need to admit the animal to do blood tests or further investigations. The practice has a team of vets and nurses who all help each other out so when I admit an animal one of my colleagues may take over responsibility of that case if I am still seeing patients.

The morning is often busy with appointments and there will also be operations going on at the same time. Ideally operations are all done by lunchtime but occasionally some will be done in the afternoon as well. After lunch there are more appointments, prescriptions to dispense, blood and lab samples to report, phone calls to respond to. There may be house visits and animals that have been in for the day need discharging.

What is the best aspect of your job?

Probably for me the best part is getting to know the owners and their pets and helping them to have a long and happy relationship. It is always fun to make an unusual diagnosis or treat something very rare but those sorts of cases only happen once in a while.

What is the most challenging part of your role?

I think it is saying goodbye to much loved pets at the end of their lives. I know what it’s like to lose a pet myself and it is such a sad time - as vets and nurses we can’t help but feel the owner’s sadness.

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a vet?

Work hard at school and go for it! You need good grades and once you’re on a course there is a lot to learn. Spend as much time as you can in a veterinary practice, talking to the staff, learning about what goes on and it will stand you in good stead for your course application. The veterinary degree is a great qualification to have, it opens so many doors and the life of a vet is never