Tuesday, November 1, 2011

5 Reasons You Want A Veterinarian On Your Team In A Zombie Apocalypse


In recent episodes of AMC’s zombie series “The Walking Dead,” a new character introduced to the show, Dr. Hershel Greene, helps treat and save the life of a critically injured child. Dr. Greene, however, is not a physician, but a veterinarian. In the midst of a zombie apocalypse, physicians might be hard to come by and if one of your party is bleeding to death, a veterinarian just might give that person the best chance of survival! The American Veterinary Medical Association offers other reason a veterinarian may prove useful in a zombie apocalypse:

1. They have a better chance at surviving: In the event of a zombie apocalypse, survivors are at a premium, and losing members of your group will make you much more vulnerable. The biggest risk is getting bitten by a zombie. Who’s better at avoiding bites than a veterinarian?
2. They can provide medical care: Pre-apocalypse, see your physician. Post-apocalypse, if a physician isn’t available, you couldn’t do much better than having a veterinarian treat your wounds and illnesses. Veterinarians spend at least four years post-grad training to care for ALL species, so while the general anatomy might be slightly different, they’re probably not going to be overwhelmed by the prospect of working on human patients.
3. They can take care of the animals: With electrical grids down and gasoline no longer in production, you’re going to be relying on animals much more – dogs for protection, horses for transportation, livestock for food and labor. A veterinarian will make sure these highly valuable animals are well treated, healthy and performing at a high level.
4.They can make sure your food is safe: Without grocery stores, restaurants or refrigerators, obtaining, storing and preparing food will provide a whole new set of challenges for most people. Veterinarians have experience in ensuring food safety and testing; many work nationally to ensure food safety at processing plants and distribution centers, and across the globe making sure food for our troops is safe to eat.
5.They can find a cure: Veterinarians are experts at studying the causes and distribution of diseases, or epidemiology. They’ve been invaluable in determining the source and distribution of diseases that pose a risk to humans, such as rabies, SARS and West Nile virus. Veterinarians might be able to determine what causes people to turn into zombies and develop a cure.