The Veterinarian Oath

The very first few words that escaped from my lips upon graduating as a vet happened to be a lifetime promise and a pledge to God and to all of mankind which sealed my new responsibilities and fate in my career and life.

Even though they were recited off a parched piece of paper hidden in the palm of my right hand, the solemnity and obduracy of the moment was overwhelming, as we declared and dedicated our lives to be good and ethical veterinarians.

As the representative of my entire class of graduating vets, in the quiescence of the cavernous hall despite it being flooded with proud and excited parents, before we had the chance to toss our mortarboards high up into the air as we shouted out victoriously and in triumph, I could hear the echoes of the microphone before my lips and the resounding voices of the awkward bunch of my coursemates and friends gathered behind me, as I led them through this solemn promise:

"Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine,
I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills
for the benefit of society
through the protection of animal health,
the relief of animal suffering,
the conservation of livestock resources,
the promotion of public health
and the advancement of medical knowledge.

I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity
and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.

I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement
of my professional knowledge and competence."

In the modern rat race of a commercialised world, I silently wonder to myself how many of us vets actually continue to hold fast to the very oath we made so many years past. The harsh reality of a material world sinks in fast coupled with a dire lack of time and over the years of hardship, we lose ourselves to greed and complacency, which rob us of the valour, the devotion and the steadfast fealty to our code of veterinary conduct and ethics. We lose the simple joys in helping animals that we once discovered when we were impassioned and enthusiastic veterinary students.

I sometimes look back at the days when we were together as students in class, so eager to make a difference to this world as a vet. Those were times when we found so much fulfillment in applying our knowledge and skills to simply helping a poor, helpless lifeform placed into our hands. I draw myself back to the memories of squatting beside our patients after 3-hour-long surgeries, stroking and massaging them, turning them over now and again, calling out their names gently, nursing them back to consciousness as they paddled and struggled to overcome the fading effects of anaesthesia. It didn't matter so much to us back then if we were the last ones in the wards, or if the sun had set many hours ago, or if we hadn't had any dinner and our stomachs were rumbling from hunger. We were part of this struggling animal's healing process, its one last feeble attempt at life and its fighting desire to be well again, and that mattered most of all. If there was even the slightest chance we could make a difference, we would not hesitate to go all the way.

Do we remember what it was like? Have our attitutes changed ever since? Have we all forgotten what it was all about? I hope not. I pray not. And I think not. The Veterinarian Oath reminds us time and again of our calling and of our passion.

It's A Vet's Life!

Having spent 6 gruelling years in university studying to be a vet, I've just realised that it has also been 6 long years since I graduated as a vet. There have been many precious and memorable moments, most of which I simply cannot recall upon desire to do so. One of my biggest regrets since graduation is not documenting these magical memories and unique encounters with the different animals I have come into contact with!

I've realised that the private life of a veterinarian can be quite interesting to many, and having been urged countless times by my closer friends, I've decided to create this blog to share with you bits and pieces of my life and what it is like living the life of an animal doctor. I will never be as famous as James Herriot, but I sincerely hope and believe that some of you may still enjoy what you will read from my humble postings here.

For me, it has been a childhood dream and destiny's end to be a vet. I've loved animals from infancy, having my fair share of pet dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, mice, chickens, ducks and tropical fish. My closest friends are my patients, the very animals I tend to. My gift to this world is in bringing better health to animals, and bringing sick animals back to health. However, this blog was not set up with intentions of extending free consultation and services to clients; I will not rob your local vet of his hard day's work. It was set up to generate kindness, understanding, patience, tolerance and love towards animals, which I find very lacking in many humans and pet owners alike. It was created to share the simple joys of interacting with the very creatures created by the Creator Himself.

As Mahatma Gandhi himself said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." What a wise man to have such thoughts, for what progressive civilisation and great peoples of the earth do not love the very animals it shares its existence with?

Animals are a gift from God to mankind - for food, companionship, protection and toil. In the book of Genesis, God gave man the authority and dominion over the fish of the sea, over birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. Let us then recognise the value of our relationship to these creatures we share our world with.

"All things bright and beautiful
All creatures great and small
All things wise and wonderful
The Lord God made them all"