-
View Larger Image
If you’ve ever needed veterinary treatment for your beloved pet, you know how comforting it is to have a knowledgeable and experienced veterinary technician caring for them. Our entire team takes pet care seriously, and our vet techs are integral to that team.
The third week in October is National Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week each year. It’s a beautiful opportunity for pet owners, managers, veterinarians, and practice owners to show appreciation for the capability, knowledge, and compassion that veterinary technicians bring to their jobs daily.
What is a Veterinary Technician?
Also referred to as veterinary nurses, veterinary technicians and assistance help veterinarians in caring for their animal patients. They possess invaluable skills and expertise in pet care, handling, and pet owner education. They also bring an extra set of senses into the exam room and treatment area as they support the veterinarian.
Each state has different requirements for credentialing technicians. First, individuals must attend a certified veterinary technician school accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Then, once schooling is complete, an individual must pass the VTNE Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) and an additional state board exam in some states.
Veterinary technicians thrive on learning new skills and expertise. They must maintain their credentials and are required to take continuing education and learn new technologies, medical advancements, and skills every year. They may also pursue technician specialties, just as veterinarians do, through specialized training and board certification in nutrition, dentistry, oncology, emergency medicine, surgery, and anesthesia, to name a few.
What Do Technicians Do?
Ask any of our veterinarians and they will tell you that they simply couldn’t do their job without their veterinary technicians. These professionals wear many hats, and their jobs vary significantly from day to day. Simply put, their expertise complements the veterinarian’s knowledge and raises the level of care we can provide to pets daily.
Their duties include, but are not limited to:
- Taking a medical history for each pet’s exam
- Performing laboratory diagnostics
- Taking radiographs
- Assessing pet pain and discomfort
- Assisting in diagnosis
- Assisting the veterinarian in surgical procedures
- Scaling and cleaning teeth
- Monitoring anesthesia before, during, and after a procedure
- Providing nursing care and TLC to hospitalized patients
- Performing laser therapy treatments
- Providing updates and information to veterinarians regarding patient health
Far from just an extra set of hands to fetch a vaccine, veterinary technicians bring all their experience and knowledge to bear on each pet’s treatment and care.
Perhaps the single most prominent attribute of these fantastic professionals is their love of animals and their commitment to animal welfare. As a result, your pets benefit not only from the veterinarian’s knowledge but also from our veterinary technicians’ compassion, expertise, and experience – and that’s a win for everyone!
This October, please join us as we thank our veterinary technicians for their contributions. We’ll be celebrating them all month, so call us if you have an idea for how to show appreciation to these outstanding members of our WVG team.
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
