Julie Dahlke is a mom in our congregation, and has for several years run Centering Prayer on Sunday mornings. This week, we asked her what it means to her to be a veterinarian.

I’m a mom, wife, veterinarian; I love movies, contemplative prayer, old cats and bubble baths. The photo below shows me with one of my many favorite clients, Dottie Reilly, the owner of one of my many favorite patients, Barley (not pictured, unfortunately, as he’s far and away the cutest of the three of us!)

It’s a cliche but one with more than a kernel of truth; virtually all of us veterinarians find our way into this field because we love animals. Nonetheless, I think to really love this job over the long term requires something more than connecting to the pet. Pets do not walk into a veterinary clinic on their own, request services and plop down their Mastercard (in fact sometimes, quite the opposite!). People bring their beloved geriatric cats, newly adopted kittens and puppies, arthritic labs, anxious border collies and all the rest. Without some degree of love for people, it gets to be a long day pretty quickly.
The people who bring in pets come in all shapes, sizes, and have as many attitudes towards their pet as there are owners. Some think of their companion animal as their “fur baby” or family member and others take a far more casual view of pet ownership. For all their differences in how they relate to their pets, there are some similarities between these diverse owners as well. They are bringing their pet to the clinic to start with, so all are pretty invested and responsible regarding pet ownership. I can promise you that if the message regarding their pet’s health is not good, virtually all will grieve in a very recognizable, human way, whether they are busy professionals or older, retired owners on disability with little monthly income.

Some experiences bridge a lot of differences, and caring for a pet is one of those. In this role the owner and I are partners, engaged in a common goal. As a vet I have the privilege of caring for people by helping their pets or sometimes just helping the owner to try to make sense of the sometimes seemingly senselessness of heartbreaking accidents or diagnoses. It is that lowliest of positions, a customer service job with an emphasis on the service aspect and (so far at least) never gets old for me!