Are you in Vet School and without a pet?  Think you might be too busy?  Too poor?  Too tired?  I urge you to reconsider!  You are missing out on more than you may realize!

Stress Relief

Pet's provide a level of stress relief that is hard to match.  They really don't care if you bombed your pharmacology exam or have convinced yourself you will never be a DVM. They are always going to be happy to see you when you walk in the door!  Don't underestimate the positive impact that perky pet can have on your mood!

Exercise

It's way too easy to get stuck in the rut of eat, sleep and study.  But you need to keep moving!  Not only will regular activity improve your mood and metabolism, but it will also clear your mind and improve your memory!  It's pretty hard to talk yourself out of an evening walk when your furry friend is expecting some one-on-one time with their favorite human!

Study Aide

As you learn new skills, like how to conduct a thorough physical exam, locate peripheral lymph nodes, and evaluate heart sounds, having a pet at-the-ready for practice is a great benefit! It's unlikely your pet will stand perfectly still for these examinations, but that's okay!  Since wiggly patients are often the reality in veterinary practice, you'll be one step ahead having mastered the art of the moving target!

The Value of Normal

Hopefully your pet remains healthy, and most of them will. But don't devalue normal findings.  Sure, normal can be boring, but not until you master normal will you be able to appreciate the small variations that signify problems. Keep checking out your boring normal pets, and be thankful!

First-Hand Experience

Having experience owning pets is going to make you a better veterinarian. Have you tried to trim your cat's nails on your own?  How about administering pills to your feline friend? Have you mastered cleaning and medicating your dog's ears?  Ever found fleas, removed a tick, or dealt with the dreaded anal glands? 

The point is, when you experience pet ownership first-hand, you are building a base for credibility and better understanding of the real challenges pet owners face.  And as you  develop your own tips and tricks along the way,  you can share them with your clients. 

Compassion

How do you learn to be compassionate or to empathize?  Well, it's a whole lot easier when you have personal experience to reflect on. Have you been nervous when your pet underwent surgery?  Have you had a pet who required a prescription diet?  Have you ever made the decision to euthanize?  

Pet owners face really hard choices that are influence by more than financial constraints and prognosis. Your ability to extend compassion in these situations increases significantly as you experience these circumstances yourself. 

Motivation

Odds are there was a pet in your past that impacted your decision to attend vet school.  Maybe you are fortunate and still have that pet.  Or maybe that pet has passed on.  Either way,  it was a pet that motivated you to achieve one of the most difficult things in your life:  getting into vet school.  Why should it stop there?

All that work wasn't for a single animal, was it?  Of course not!  So help yourself to keep the fire burning by sharing your life with a pet!  Not only will it serve as a constant reminder as to why you are doing this, but the extra company and silly antics will work wonders on your overall well being.