An animal health technician, also known as a veterinary technician or veterinary assistant, is a person who provides direct care to sick or injured animals. He or she could choose to work with small animals like dogs, cats, and birds, or larger domesticated animals like horses, cows, and pigs. Licensed veterinarians enlist the help of professionals to make diagnoses, administer treatments and medications, perform surgeries, and provide post-operative care. An animal health technician might work in a veterinary hospital, a private practice, a boarding kennel, or an animal shelter.
When people’s animals require medical attention, animal health technicians are frequently the first professionals they contact. A technician might conduct an initial examination of a pet or farm animal, determine the source of the animal’s discomfort, and explain treatment options. He or she may check vital signs, weigh the animal, and gather information about its medical history during a screening. The technician then relays this information to a veterinarian, who can then determine the best course of action.
A technician is usually in charge of setting up an operating room and administering sedatives or anesthetics when an animal requires surgery. Routine procedures, such as spaying and neutering pets and applying splints to broken bones, are allowed by many technicians. An animal health technician generally looks after the animal after a procedure to ensure its comfort and well-being. He or she may be responsible for administering medication, dressing wounds and surgical scars, and bathing animals. Technicians frequently instruct the animal’s owner on how to provide ongoing care for the animal and how to prevent future illness or injury.
An associate’s degree in veterinary technology or animal science is usually required to work as an animal health technician. A future animal health technician must pass a written and practical licensing exam administered by his or her state or country after graduation. Most new technicians receive additional on-the-job training while working as assistants to more experienced technicians and performing basic tasks like vital sign checks and preparing animals for surgery.
In general, licensed technicians are in high demand in all job settings. The majority of technicians work in animal hospitals and veterinary clinics, but they can also work for local animal shelters, rescue organizations, zoos, and boarding kennels. Many people who work as animal health technicians want to be veterinarians. They may work as technicians while in veterinary school to gain experience and improve their chances of finding work after they graduate with a doctorate in veterinary medicine.