Veterinary Technician Careers | Vet Tech Jobs | Veterinary Assistant Jobs
Veterinary Technician Jobs - What is the Job of a Veterinary Assistant? What does a Veterinary Tech Do?
Veterinarian technicians are responsible for offering state of the art care to pets and other animals. Veterinarians use the services of veterinarian technicians in order to perform many of the activities that there are too busy to handle. In fact, there is little difference between many of the duties that both types of animal care professionals do.
Veterinary technicians are typically responsible for conducting routine work, such as using pet medical tests in order to diagnose illness and disease in animals. Vet technicians may perform urine analysis in test blood cell counts in pets, assist with pet dental care, prepare blood samples, and help veterinarians carry out their own tests.
Veterinarian technicians may also be responsible for recording the history of their animals, and giving them x-rays and radio graphs, in addition to providing specialized care to injured or disabled animals.
The variety of animals that a veterinarian technician may work with can include a wide range of pets and farm animals such as mice, sheep, cattle, pigs, monkeys, fish, birds, and frogs, among other exotic animals. Veterinary technicians will also give medications to pets and record information on diet, wait, and medications.
If a veterinarian is planning a surgery to fix a pet health problem, a veterinarian technician will help set out the equipment and sterilize it. Sometimes veterinary tech jobs will involve euthanizing severely ill or injured animals.
Working Conditions for Veterinary Assistant Jobs - How is the Working Environment for Veterinary Technicians?
Most people who love animals would enjoy a veterinarian technician job, and the workweek of these pet care experts is about 40 hours a week. Veterinarian technician jobs are hard work, involve cleaning cages, holding animals, and risking exposure to diseases as a result of being scratched by animals. Veterinarian technicians may also have to observe animals that were abused are injured by their owners.
Veterinary Technician Schools Education - How to Become a Veterinary Technician - How to Receive Your Education at a Veterinary Technician School
Veterinarian technician jobs usually require a two year associate’s degree from a community college in a program that is certified by the American veterinary medical association. Only 131 veterinarian technician programs exist that are accredited by AVMA. Vet technicians will usually start in menial positions under the direct supervision of a veterinarian, and will quickly progress in the complexity of tasks that they are allowed to perform as their veterinary training continues.
Veterinary Technician Certification - How to Become Certified as a Vet Assistant
All states regulate vet tech jobs, with some of them requiring that a veterinary exam be passed in order to receive accreditation. Exams are usually practical and written and are administered by the State Board of Veterinarian Examiners, although the National Veterinary Technician Exam is usually sufficient in order to gain certification.
The American Association for Laboratory Animal Science is a certification available to those working in research facilities, but it is useful for all veterinary technicians. There are three levels of certification available from this organization, which include animal husbandry, animal health and welfare, and facility management.
Veterinarian technicians should be highly organized and have a keen eye for detail, in addition to being able to communicate pet issues to owners in simple language that they will understand.
Outlook for Veterinary Assistant Jobs - What is the Future of Vet Tech Jobs?
Over the next decade, veterinary technician employment will grow by 41%, an amazing pace compared to the national averages for all occupations. Pet owners are increasingly taking out pet insurance and are more willing to offer advanced veterinary care for their animals, who they see as part of their family.
The number of pet owners is also expected to grow over this time, and services such as pet surgical procedures and dental care will be increasingly needed to maintain the help of pets.
Overall, the job opportunities for those specializing in veterinary technician jobs are excellent, as there is a high demand and very few graduates each year.
Veterinary Technician Salary Pay Scale - How Much Do Veterinary Tech Jobs Earn?
Hourly earnings in 2006 for veterinary technician careers came to $12.88. The middle 50% of veterinary technicians made between $10.44 and $15.77 an hour.