When my African pygmy hedgehog, Laika, developed ovarian cancer, I never expected a veterinary operation to give us another 18 months together. Seeing what a difference veterinary care could make to both myself and such a small and unusual animal was one of the experiences that made me realise I wanted to be on the other side of that consultation one day.
I’m Cal, and I’m studying Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nottingham. This is the next chapter and a five-year journey towards becoming a vet, with a particular interest in using veterinary medicine to support wider conservation goals for zoo and exotic animals.
Why zoo veterinary medicine?
My interest in zoo veterinary medicine comes from a fascination with species that are very different from the animals we commonly encounter in practice, and from wanting to understand the challenges of keeping them healthy in human care.
What particularly interests me is the breadth of the role. Zoo vets work across many different species and can be involved in everything from individual clinical cases and preventative healthcare to population management, research and breeding programmes. There is also a much wider connection to conservation, with healthy captive populations playing an important role in education, research and, in some cases, supporting threatened species in the wild.
That combination of clinical medicine, science, conservation and working with a wide variety of species is what makes zoo veterinary medicine the career I want to work towards.
The journey so far
Before starting veterinary medicine, I studied Zoology at the University of Derby, graduating with First Class Honours. Alongside my degree, I’ve gained experience in a range of animal-related settings, including Pets at Home, the RSPCA and veterinary practice.
My degree also gave me the opportunity to explore scientific research through my dissertation, investigating how diet, temperature and UVB exposure affected the growth and survival of Triops longicaudatus. These experiences have helped me develop the scientific curiosity and practical understanding that I hope to take into veterinary medicine.
Why this website?
I’m setting this site up partly as a CV, but also as a way of properly documenting my journey through veterinary school and, hopefully, into zoo and wildlife medicine.
I’ll be using it to keep track of the experiences, projects, placements and things I learn along the way. I want to be able to look back and see how my interests and career develop over the next few years, rather than letting those experiences blur together.
Outside of vet medicine, animals are still a big part of my life. I’m particularly drawn to unusual species and enjoy learning about wildlife, keeping animals and finding new things to be curious about.
This is only the beginning. Have a look around and follow along with the journey.