Veterinary Technician Job Description

If you like working with animals but don't want to be a full pledged veterinarian, you can still be in this kind of a job sector as a veterinary technician or a Vet Tech as you will need only an Associate Degree for this position. A veterinary technician can work in a veterinary clinic, a zoo or a research laboratory. This profession will give you the opportunity to have a direct impact on the life of another living being, just like a doctor or a nurse, but only this time, the patients are animals. A major function of a veterinary technician is to assist the veterinary doctor carry out his tasks by relieving him of the routine aspects of the technical work and other administrative details.

The veterinary technician job description will cover activities such as physical examinations, spaying and neutering, administering immunizations, dental procedures, assisting at births and sometimes euthanasia. When you work in a research laboratory, you will most probably be under the supervision of a scientist or a more senior technician with a strong focus on research. In a clinical setting, the Vet Tech will help ensure the smooth flow of animal patients from check-in to discharge. He must be a highly motivated individual with excellent communication skills and able to work as a member of a team as it is highly unusual that he will be working alone in a clinic. His or her communication skills must be such that he can relate to and interact with the pet owners who will probably be under a lot of stress about the condition of their pets as they come into the clinic. The veterinary technician must also be able to establish quick rapport with the various animals that will be brought for appropriate attention on a daily basis. While he may not have to be a “whisperer”, he should be able to approach a distressed animal with a lot of calm. Under this situation, the veterinary technician job description will include any or all of the following tasks:  

• Assisting in diagnostic, medical and surgical laboratory procedures
• Collecting specimens and performing laboratory procedures
• Providing specialized nursing care
• Preparing animals, instruments and equipment for surgery
• Obtaining and recording patient case histories
• Exposing and developing x-rays
• Stocking and maintaining medicines and supplies
• In performing his job as a Vet Tech, he is often exposed to certain hazards such as unpleasant odors, animal bites or scratches. He may even be asked to clean up animal wastes. The job may also entail lifting or carrying animals weighing fifty pounds or more onto the examination or operating table and holding them still while the veterinary doctor performs the needed procedures.

It is said that animals can “sense” people’s feelings towards them – fear, love, etc and react accordingly. It should be part of a veterinary technician job description that he is able to bring love to his tasks. In this way, he or she can be effective and successful in his job.