Career in Veterinary Technology
 

In recent years, the profession of veterinary medicine has become ever more sophisticated and complex. The public expects state-of-the-art veterinary care for its animals. To provide high quality service, today's veterinarians utilize the skills of trained professionals known as veterinary technicians.

If you care about animals, enjoy working with your hands, are good at basic math and decision-making, like working with people and handling a variety of responsibilities, then the challenging career of veterinary technology may be just right for you.

Duties and Responsibilities

The veterinary technician is an integral member of the veterinary health care team who has been educated in the care and handling of animals, the basic principles of normal and abnormal life processes, and in routine laboratory and clinical procedures. All veterinary technicians work under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. While a veterinary technician can assist in performing a wide variety of tasks, they cannot diagnose, prescribe, perform surgery, or engage in any activity prohibited by a state's practice act.
In Private Practice

A veterinary technician employed in a veterinary clinic or hospital handles many of the same responsibilities that nurses and other professionals perform for physicians. They are trained to:

• Obtain and record patient case histories
• Collect specimens and perform laboratory procedures
• Provide specialized nursing care
• Prepare animals, instruments, and equipment for surgery
• Assist in diagnostic, medical, and surgical procedures
• Expose and develop radiographs
• Advise and educate animal owners
• Supervise and train practice personnel
• Perform dental prophylaxes

Career Opportunities

While the majority of veterinary technicians are employed in private practice, the demand for technicians is rapidly expanding to include new employment opportunities in both human and animal health-related fields such as:
 
 

Biomedical research Colleges/Universities Zoos and wildlife facilities Military service Food safety inspection

Diagnostic laboratories Veterinary supply sales Humane societies and animal control facilities Drug and feed manufacturing companies

Salary

Veterinary technicians earn salaries that compare favorably to those in other fields requiring a similar education. Salaries vary according to experience, responsibility, geographic location, and employment type.