Hello, my name is Joe. I currently work at 2 busy animal hospitals in Riverside county, California.

My day begins at 7:30am at a busy daytime practice. The days are never as routine as some practices are, as we see a fair number of exotics and livestock animals in additiona to dogs and cats. You never know from day to day whether you will be trimming bird wings or assisting in a goat c-section. Most of the time, the days go by quickly. Too quickly.

Three days out of the week (some of the busiest in the week, I might add), my nights are taken up working at a busy emergency clinic in the Temecula area. Business (unfortunately) is always booming, and some nights will see as many as 30 cases come through our doors in an 8-hour period.

Summertime is by far the worst, as it is rattlesnake season. We may see as many as 5 snakebite victims in one evening. Spring always brings its share of blocked cats (FLUTD) and dogs that are hit by cars.

Winter brings us dogs who have had 'dietary indiscretions' [eating things they shouldn't] and foreign objects in their abdomens.

Fall for some reason, brings Parvo virus to the clinic. Work is kind of seasonal, huh? This is the typical day of my life and if I am lucky my head may hit the pillow at home by 2am.

My wife, who works full-time as well, and I are sometimes like ships passing in the night. We may see each other for an hour or two before bed sometimes. She puts up with my schedule and my devotion to the profession that I love, and for that, I love her that much more. To work like this, you have to love your job (I definitely don't do it for the money). I wouldn't trade what I do for any other job.