What You Need to Know Before Applying for a Vet Assistant Job

 

If you love animals and want a career working in some type of animal-related field, becoming a veterinary assistant might be something to consider. You get to help all sorts of animals and work in a setting that doesn’t require you to be chained to a desk all day. There’s a lot of variety in a vet assistant’s day, and most find it a fulfilling job.

The fact that you don’t have to go to school for years to become a vet assistant is also attractive.

It’s not all sunshine and roses–or puppies and kittens, though. There are some things you should know before you rush out and apply for a job.

 

What Does a Vet Assistant Do?

A vet assistant wears many different hats, not all of which put you in direct contact with animals. A lot of vet assistants spend their day going back and forth from the reception/office area to exam rooms to kennels, wherever they are needed at the moment.

Depending on the practice, vet assistants may take care of office duties like answering the phone and making appointments, filing paperwork, and welcoming patients and their people.

There’s a lot of cleaning and disinfecting involved. Just like a medical practice for humans, a veterinary clinic or animal hospital must remain clean. Exam rooms must be prepared between patients, operating rooms must be sterile, kennels housing patients must be kept clean.

It can be a physically demanding job, which is good if you want a career that keeps you active. You could be on your feet a lot!

Of course, vet assistants get to work closely with animals. Though they are limited in what they can do in terms of medical care, there’s still plenty of other important work to be done.

In most facilities, vet assistants:

• Weigh animals
• Feed and water patients
• Monitor patients after surgery
• Help out in emergencies
• Restrain and comfort animals during exams
• And of course, greet them when they come in for their visit!

What state you live in dictates what type of medical care you can legally provide. As a vet assistant you may be able to:

• Clean and dress wounds
• Administer certain medications
• Take samples for testing
• Take vital signs

A Vet Assistant Must Be Emotionally Strong

On any given day, a vet assistant will run the gamut of emotions.

They face frightened, aggressive animals and can get bitten or scratched. They cuddle adorable kittens and puppies coming in for their first vet visits. They see abused and neglected animals. They watch in horror as a vet addresses traumatic injuries after an accident. They witness the grief of owners who are brave enough to hold their pets one last time and say “goodbye” when their fur baby is euthanized. They also experience the gratitude and joy from pet parents, who are thrilled when you assisted in helping their beloved pet in feeling better. Like we said, a gamut of emotions.

 

People Skills Are a Must

Vet assistants have to be good with people as well as animals. The job puts you in contact with people who are not always at their best. You have to be patient with people who from time to time might be very impatient with you.

Vet assistants find themselves helping pet owners who are going through a range of emotions, such as stress, worry, fear, and grief. If you can put yourself in their shoes, your compassion for the situation can be the comfort these pet parents need.

 

You Will Have Lots of Competition

Because of the popularity of jobs working with animals, it can be hard to break into the career. Even though you technically can get hired with just a high school diploma, if you don’t have any type of training or experience with animals it may not be very likely you get the job.

If you want to help yourself become a stronger job candidate, earning your vet assistant certification could be just the ticket. Completing a certification course online with Animal Behavior College can teach you everything you need to know about being a vet assistant.

In addition to online coursework, ABC’s externship provides students with the opportunity to get valuable real-world experience in a veterinary setting.

With ABC’s NAVTA approved program, when you put ABCVA “Animal Behavior College Certified Veterinary Assistant” on a job application, it tells prospective employers that you are serious about the career and that you know what you’re doing and have experience working in a vet practice.

Stand out from the other vet assistant job applicants! Call 800-795-3294 to learn more.