Creature Feature: Combining Art And Science

Photo: Janis Hewitt

Feminism has changed the face of veterinary medicine. Though 30 years ago it was extremely rare to encounter a female veterinarian, women now make up a large percentage of practicing veterinarians and veterinary colleges report that close to half of their enrollment is female.

Dr. Nora Kleps, who has been practicing veterinary medicine on the East End since 1993, mused about the traditional bias against women. "Veterinary science had its basis in agriculture and a lot of emphasis was placed on physical strength. Working with large animals is very hard physical work but it actually requires stamina more than strength."

Another traditional bias that kept women away from veterinary school was the assumption that females were not adept at math and science. Though Dr. Kleps, who grew up in Farmingdale, had a lifelong love of animals, she felt discouraged from pursuing a veterinary career because of its emphasis on those two disciplines.

Stint In Iran

Putting her childhood dreams of a veterinary career aside, she attended Antioch College and majored in languages. While studying in Italy she met and married an Iranian. She lived with him in Iran for several years and was present in that country during the revolution and the hostage crisis.

Her insider's view of those historical events is somewhat different than might be expected, given the media footage of angry crowds of anti-American Iranians aired on television in this country.

"People were never hostile to me. They'd ask where I was from and say "Oh, hello, hello! We're so happy that you're here. Where'd you buy your blue jeans?" she related with a laugh.

A Broader Vision

The marriage did not last and when Dr. Kleps found herself back in the U.S., her veterinary ambitions still nagged. "I'd see a veterinarian on television and feel sick, like I hadn't done what I really wanted to and that I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't."

So she took the plunge and, at age 34, Dr. Kleps was attending Cornell University. "I wasn't the oldest in my class, there were two other women who were older, but the vast majority of the students were young kids," she said.

She doesn't regret her circuitous route to her present career, she said, because she feels that knowledge of the world beyond stable and kennel is invaluable to a veterinarian. "Too often vets can have a kind of tunnel vision. It is important to know about and understand different people and cultures," she said. "It helps a lot in the job if you're able to communicate with different kinds of people."

Patience And Intuition

Today Dr. Kleps balances working at the Mattituck-Laurel Veterinary Hospital and at the Bide-a-Wee animal shelter in Westhampton with doing freelance veterinary work. She loves the work.

"Its very rewarding," she said. "I like the problem-solving aspect of it. The sleuthing, you have to figure out what's wrong with a patient who can't talk and tell you. It's a combination of art and science."

Reflecting on the increased role of women in the veterinary field, Dr. Kleps said, "I think what makes a good vet is a personality thing, not a gender thing. Patience and intuition are important. Perhaps those are traits that woman are more encouraged to have in our society than men."

The Real Thing

Dr. Kleps advises those who are considering a career in veterinary medicine to get a taste of the real thing before committing. "Volunteer in an animal hospital to see if you really like it," she said. "It's not all that glamorous James Herriot stuff."

She stressed that prospective veterinarians need to develop their own personal set of ethics. "There aren't really any set rules in the veterinary profession. People can get pressured by their employers or their clients to do things that they aren't comfortable with, like putting a completely healthy animal to sleep or giving medication that isn't exactly legal," she explained.

"They need to set their standard and really not waver from it," she said. "Otherwise, they'll end up adrift."

Worth The Work

The veterinary profession is certainly a very demanding one. Dr. Kleps has to fight to find any free time for herself. But she manages to make the time for the six horses in her care, three of which she owns, and to attend each opera of the season at Lincoln Center.

"Being a vet is hard work," she said. "It requires a lot of stamina. But the gratitude from the owners when you've helped their pets, and the gratitude from the animal, is wonderful. There are emotional and intellectual rewards."