Vet Assistants – Job description
Veterinary Assistants are veterinary professionals who provide general care for animals and help veterinarians treat injuries and illnesses of animals. A veterinary assistant is responsible for assisting veterinarians during operations. They may also assist in diagnosing diseases, performing laboratory tests, maintaining treatment records, cleaning the clinic, and some administrative duties.
Veterinary assistants are found in clinics & hospitals and are typically very popular among those who work with animals. It’s also important to note that the veterinary assistant profession is quite demanding in many ways.
Vet Assistants are expected to perform a wide range of duties such as:
- Administering medicine and treatments to animals as prescribed by the veterinarian and monitoring their health
- Recording and posting patients’ medical records on the computer system
- Collect samples such as blood, urine, or tissue for testing
- Preparing equipment for surgery, sterilizing surgical instruments, assisting in surgery, and performing postoperative care
- Handling animal hospital inventory such as supplies, drugs, and equipment
- Feed and bathe animals
- Do routine laboratory tests, such as taking x-rays
- Cleaning the animal hospital premises and handling other general duties such as cleaning cages or kennels.
With the growing trend of animal ownership, the need for veterinary assistants is on the rise. The tasks they do require a lot of patience and compassion as they need to care about animals and work in close quarters with them.
The job of a vet assistant requires some skills like:
- Being compassionate and compassionate towards animals and their owners
- Being organized and organized enough to manage all the administrative tasks that you will need to do
- Working well with others and collaborating with your colleagues
- Experience in animal handling and restraint techniques
Vet Assistants – Salary
Vet assistants are the backbone of veterinary clinics as they primarily work alongside veterinarians and assist with routine tasks involved in the day-to-day running of the clinics.
How Much Do Vet Assistants Make in California? It is estimated that the annual median salary for a Veterinary Assistant in California is $35,380.
The average hourly wage for a Veterinary Assistant in California is $17.48, which amounts to about $35,380 per year. The lowest 10% makes about $22,250 annually, while the highest 10% makes about $49,319 per year.