Imagine coming to work in the morning and finding a dog, a horse or even an iguana in your office!

For Dr. Ann Pierson, this sort of situation happens on a regular basis. No, Pierson doesn't live in the Twilight Zone, nor is she incredibly unlucky.

Pierson is a veterinarian at the Allisonville Animal Hospital. It is her job to treat all sorts of animals every day.

She explains the versatility of her profession.

"We see rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs - I like to work with them - also dogs and cats. And I've worked with horses and cows and pigs and the whole works."

But being a veterinarian takes more than just a liking for animals. It's a tough job, one that requires a strong work ethic and years of rigorous training and schooling.

A typical day for Pierson would include treating sick or hospitalized animals and performing surgeries, X-rays and other emergency procedures from 7:30 a.m. until lunchtime. After lunch, she sees patients with appointments.

That's just one day. The schooling is not any easier. Veterinary medicine is a very competitive field, and it took Pierson several tries before being accepted at Purdue.

Pierson explained that it usually takes at least two years after high school to be accepted into a veterinary school, during which you can enroll in "pre-vet" classes at colleges that offer such courses. A pre-vet curriculum usually includes several science classes and other basics.

Once you get into vet school, it takes at least six years to finish, including a short "externship" while you are still in school (as opposed to an internship after you graduate), which involves working for a professional veterinarian for up to two months.

All of the training and schooling can be extremely trying and difficult, but, according to Pierson, the end result is worth it. "It's just a real fulfilling job, and it makes you feel really good."

If you think you might want to become a veterinarian, Pierson has some advice about what you can do now to prepare. "What I would recommend before you go to vet school is just make sure you take lots of science classes, even in high school.

"Do things like dog obedience - count those, keep track of those hours - show horses, do anything like that with animals. . . .

"Start working for a veterinarian, even in high school . . . from a kennel on up. Keep track of all those hours, because they definitely count on your vet school application. Those are things to really consider."

For those of you interested in getting into the dog-eat-dog world of veterinary medicine, take Pierson's advice: If you get an early start, you can get a leg up on the competition and avoid being thrown to the wolves.

EDITED BY: Brian Hartz, 15