Celebrating Veterinary Technicians and Assistants, as we learn more about their roles
They help take care of your pets– but many people still don’t know EXACTLY what a Veterinarian Technician and Assistant does or how their role is different from your pet’s doctor.
October 11-17th, 2020 has been set aside to recognize the hard working vet techs and assistants at your local veterinary office, and on today’s Indy Style, Thomas F. Dock, Director of Communications/Public Information Office, Noah’s Animal Hospitals, shares more on the intricate role.
National Veterinary Technician Week
- A
credentialed veterinary technician is someone who has completed a 2 or 4 year
program at an accredited veterinary technician program, such as the
International Business College’s Veterinary Technician program here locally or
Purdue’s Veterinary Nursing Program.
Beyond completing their course work, potential technicians must also sit
for a national test, pass it and then pass Indiana’s jurisprudence test. Only then can the individual call themselves
a Registered Veterinary Technician.
- In
fact, if anyone in the state of Indiana calls themselves a “veterinary
technician” without the proper licensing and education, commits a Class A
misdemeanor and can be fined up to $5,000 with 1 year in jail.
- Like
veterinarians, credentialed veterinary technicians must complete a specific number
of continuing education hours every 2 years.
In some cases, registered veterinary technicians will go on to become
specialized in areas such as anesthesia, nutrition, behavior, or even zoo
medicine!
- Veterinary
technicians, along with veterinary assistants, are integral to the efficient
workflow and proper patient care in many veterinary hospitals. Beyond simply restraining the pets for the
veterinarian’s examination, technicians and assistants have a wide-ranging
scope of practice.
- For
example, your veterinarian technician will also be your pet’s anesthetist in
surgery or a radiology technician when x-rays are needed. When bloodwork is important for a diagnosis,
it will be the veterinary technician who draws the blood (like a phlebotomist)
and then runs the sample on the in-house laboratory equipment.
- Veterinary
technicians are nutritional consultants, give advice on your pet’s behavior,
provide gentle and loving nursing care for hospitalized patients, and are often
called up to be grief counselors as well.
During emergency situations, it’s a veterinary technician performing
CPR, placing life-saving catheters, or providing proper hemorrhage control
techniques.
- Above
all of this, veterinary technicians and assistants spend lots of time
communicating with pet owners about preventive care and the wide range of other
medical topics and questions people have about their furry friends. Don’t be surprised if you spend more time
with your veterinary technician than you do with your pet’s doctor!!
- For
a great video on veterinary technicians, see the Veterinary News Network video
on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnxBWwNbYFI
. You can also read more about
veterinary technicians at our Noah’s hospitals blog: https://www.noahshospitals.com/post/veterinary-technicians-and-their-role-in-keeping-your-pet-s-safe-and-healthy