Veterinary Technician Jobs
Being a veterinary technician can be a dream career for animal lovers. You get to spend time with animals, providing care and treatment, without necessarily having to undergo the rigorous (and expensive) training that veterinary doctors undergo.
Your daily responsibilities might vary, depending on the nature of your employment and work environment. Most vet techs work in a medical setting, in veterinary clinics and emergency centers. In this setting, you are expected to provide care to domestic animals. A veterinary technician will also find a place in various other settings, such as research and the laboratory.
Veterinary clinics
Private practices will usually require veterinary technicians to provide assistance to the veterinary doctor on a variety of tasks. Being a licensed veterinary technician will also enable you to perform some of these procedures without the supervision of a veterinary doctor (as opposed to a veterinary assistant).
In this setting, the following are some of the procedures that you will have to be familiar with:
• Physical examinations – A veterinary technician should be familiar with the physiology of various animals, and should be able to make adequate assessments of animal health from a physical examination.
• Dental procedures – A veterinary technician might also be asked to assist in the cleaning of animal teeth. In some cases, extraction might be necessary.
• Spaying and neutering – This is a common request among owners of domesetic pets like cats and dogs. Spaying and neutering do not only help control animal population, but will also help keep animal behavior predictable and more apt for a domestic setting.
• Immunizations – Animals will require regular immunizations against sickness and disease. Most common among these are rabies shots and boosters
• Birthing – While both domestic and wild animals can give birth by themselves, some animals will require birthing assistance. This is especially necessary for small domestic pets that have difficulty giving birth naturally.
• Euthanasia – Sometimes an animal might have to be euthanized for humane reasons. If it is in excessive pain, and cannot be cured by medication, this might be necessary.
Laboratory and research
Being involved in laboratory work might also be part of a clinical setting. In these cases, a veterinary technician should be well-versed with laboratory equipment, and the various specimens and samples that will need to be analyzed. These will also include keeping a close record of the history and cases of patients. A veterinary technician would also have to handle collection of specimens, such as blood, saliva, urine and feces.
Laboratory work can also be part of other settings, such as research and development. A veterinary technology might be involved in pharmaceutical work, in which medicines are developed using research on animals. In these cases, a veterinary technician will have to be responsible for the humane care of animals. A vet tech might also be tasked to make observations on animal behavior and note these for record purposes.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that veterinary technicians involved in research and laboratory work in private practices and the federal government earn the most, at an average of about $43,000 annually.
Zoos, animal conservation and field work
A veterinary technician can also find a good career as a conservationist, or doing research and care for animals in the field. Zoos and other artificial habitats would also require vet techs on board, in order to help oversee the humane care and feeding of animals.
The field of veterinary technology is considered a noble and admirable career, because of the benefits that one provides not only to animals but the humans that care for the animals, and those who benefit from animals one way or another.