How to Become a Vet Assistant and Decide if it鈥檚 the Right Career for You
Request Information
All fields using an asterik (*) are required.
You love animals and working in a fast-paced environment with lots of other employees. You enjoy connecting with customers and helping educate clients. If this sounds like you, you may be a fit for an exciting career in veterinary assisting. Veterinary assistants are the backbone of a vet office, helping speak to pet owners and managing animals.
Learn how to become a vet assistant, what the job entails, and the skills you鈥檒l need.
Why Become a Vet Assistant?
If you love caring for animals, you can choose to pursue a career that allows you to care for them all day. The work you do as a vet assistant lets you take an active role in promoting animal health and their overall well-being. You鈥檒l perform a variety of routine animal care tasks and assist veterinarians and veterinary technicians in treating injured and ill animals.
A benefit of being a vet assistant is being part of a care team that is as passionate as you about animal health. Working side by side, you and your team members can share in the satisfaction of helping animals to be at their peak health.
What Does a Vet Assistant Do?
Vet assistants help veterinarians and veterinary technologists and technicians take care of routine tasks during the caring of animals.
Some tasks veterinary assistants may perform include:1
- Feeding, bathing, and exercising animals
- Cleaning and disinfecting cages, kennels, and examination and operating rooms
- Restraining animals during examination and laboratory procedures
- Maintaining and sterilizing surgical instruments and equipment
- Monitoring and caring for animals after surgery
- Helping provide emergency first aid to sick and injured animals
- Assisting in collecting blood, urine, and tissue samples
What鈥檚 the Difference Between Vet Tech vs Vet Assistant?
While both work in veterinary offices, there are differences between vet assistants and vet technicians. Both veterinary technicians and vet assistants may bathe and care for animals. Veterinary technicians are qualified to do more procedures than veterinary assistants who help veterinarians and veterinary technologists and technicians with their daily tasks.
Learn more about 黑料不打烊s鈥檚聽Veterinary Technology program.
What Skills Do You Need to be a Veterinary Assistant?
Veterinary assistants should be able to communicate with pet owners and the rest of the veterinary team. They also should be able to do routine tasks such as cleaning and grooming animals. Some of these skills can be learned, either on the job or at a Veterinary Assisting program, but other skills may need to be innate to candidates considering this career.
According to O*NET Online, some essential veterinary assistant skills and abilities include:2
- Active Listening聽鈥� Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring聽鈥� Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Service Orientation聽鈥� Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Active Learning聽鈥� Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving聽鈥� Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination聽鈥� Adjusting actions in relation to others鈥� actions.
- Critical Thinking聽鈥� Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension聽鈥� Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness聽鈥� Being aware of others鈥� reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Problem Sensitivity聽鈥� The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning聽鈥� The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness聽鈥� The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Inductive Reasoning聽鈥� The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
- Information Ordering聽鈥� The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules.
- Manual Dexterity聽鈥� The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
- Trunk Strength聽鈥� The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 鈥榞iving out鈥� or fatiguing.
Where do Vet Assistants Work?
Veterinary assistants work in veterinary offices, but there are different types of offices. When choosing where to work you may question if you want to work for a major chain, small independent veterinarians or in emergency veterinary medicine. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), In the USA, approximately 3.2 million shelter animals are adopted each year. Also, according to a study in 2018, Americans spent about $17 billion on veterinary care in hospital, clinics, and food.3
Major corporate veterinary operations include VCA, Banfield Pet Hospital, Greencross, CVS Group, and Mars.3 Independent veterinarians will vary based on where you live and work, but there are plenty of options. The type of clinic you work at will also influence what kind of animals you work with. If you work in a more rural area with a veterinarian who treats farm animals, you鈥檒l see different animals than if you worked in a city.
Emergency veterinary clinics differ from traditional vet offices in that they are open longer, usually 24/7, and perform less preventive care and deal with more acute injuries or illnesses.
No matter what setting you work in as a vet assistant, your primary goal is to keep the space comfortable, safe and sanitary.
Who is Right for Veterinary Assisting?
With vet assistant attributes 鈥� including skills and abilities 鈥� covered, what else makes someone a good candidate for a job as a veterinarian鈥檚 assistant? There are some core values and personality traits that may make you more successful.
Love Animals
Loving animals is a given for a vet assistant. It鈥檚 unlikely you鈥檇 be interested in joining a veterinary office if you didn鈥檛 at least have a soft spot for furry friends. But take note if you have any animals you dislike. Not all veterinarians will work with animals like reptiles or birds, but if you have an aversion to either you should make sure you don鈥檛 work in a clinic that treats them.
Empathy
While most people think of veterinary medicine for the good times, the fact of the matter is that many animals end up at vets鈥� offices because they are seriously ill. As a vet assistant, you may be speaking with worried pet parents. Make sure you have compassion and empathy to help relate to someone who may be at risk of losing a pet.
Emotional Resilience
Veterinary assistants help out with all aspects of a veterinary office, from restraining animals to dealing with owners to helping at the front desk. When emotions are running high, it鈥檚 important that a vet assistant not become overwhelmed.
Attention to Detail
A big part of a vet assistant鈥檚 job is keeping the area comfortable, clean and sanitary. With germy animals around, this isn鈥檛 time to cut corners. The best vet assistants know how to make sure they get everything done right the first time and take pride in the quality of their work.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Vet Assistant?
Those who pursue a certificate in Veterinary Assisting can be ready to work in as little as nine months. These comprehensive programs give you a variety of clinical and surgical assisting experience that can help prepare you for a new career in vet assisting.
How to Become a Vet Assistant
There are a number of paths to becoming a vet assistant and qualifications may vary by state and employer. However the most common path to becoming a vet assistant is either through a training program or on-the-job training. Here鈥檚 how to become a vet assistant:
Most veterinary assistants hold a high school diploma or equivalent. However, hands-on training in the field is more emphasized for this career path.5
Complete a Veterinary Assisting program or be hired for on-the-job training under the supervision of a veterinarian.
While formal training is not required to become a veterinary assistant, many employers prefer not to start from scratch with training on the job. Learning the basics of veterinary assisting from a school may be helpful for jobseekers.
What to Look for in a Veterinary Assisting Program
Choosing the right program for you is a big decision. The right training can open doors for better jobs and possibly salary down the line. While many institutions may offer veterinary assisting classes, it鈥檚 important that you look for the one that fits your goals and lifestyle.
A few core things to look for when considering vet assisting programs include:
- Small class sizes. When learning to be a veterinary assistant you want individual attention from your instructor.
- Hands-on training.聽When dealing with tasks like handling animals and sterilizing instruments, it鈥檚 important to get hands-on experience. This can help employers feel confident that you know what you鈥檙e doing once you get on the job.
- Externships or career training.聽Most programs include an opportunity to learn in the real world before you even graduate! You鈥檒l earn an impressive experience that looks great on your resume.
Cost. Education is a major investment, but it鈥檚 an investment in your future. At 黑料不打烊, we participate in most financial assistance programs, both federal and state, as well as private financing. Student loans, grants, and scholarships are available to those who qualify. For complete information on current tuition costs, please see the聽academic catalog.
What Will I Learn in a Veterinary Assisting Program?
Vet assisting courses focus on the clinical, laboratory, and administrative duties of a veterinary assistant. They include animal anatomy and physiology, nursing skills, pharmaceutical chemistry, and a wealth of other surgical and office skills. Some classes you may take as a Veterinary Assisting student at 黑料不打烊, for example, include:
- VAC113L Veterinary Assisting Techniques聽In this course, students gain hands-on experience with skin assessment and treatments, handling and restraint procedures, large animal, equine, small mammal, and exotic-species procedures.
- VAC112T The Veterinary Laboratory聽This course covers anatomy and physiology of the renal, urinary, reproductive and endocrine systems and the related medical vocabulary and terminology. Students will learn laboratory techniques including urinalysis, hematology, serology, and cytology.聽 A study of abbreviations, acronyms and symbols is included.
- VAC114T Surgical Nursing and Specialty Care聽This course introduces students to practical skills essential to the veterinary assistant. The course includes surgical nursing, cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) and other emergency procedures, digestive system including dental care and nutrition and the respiratory system.
Best States to Work as a Vet Assistant
Since veterinary care is available in all states, there is no bad location to pursue a career in veterinary assisting. However, there are higher wages and employment opportunities in some areas.
According to the BLS, the states with the largest employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in May 2022 were:4
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs |
|---|---|---|
| California | 14,190 | 0.80 |
| Texas | 7,780 | 0.60 |
| Florida | 7,240 | 0.79 |
| North Carolina | 5,150 | 1.11 |
| Ohio | 4,530 | 0.84 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in May 2022:4
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | 900 | 1.47 |
| Oregon | 2,310 | 1.22 |
| Washington | 3,910 | 1.15 |
| Montana | 560 | 1.15 |
| North Carolina | 5,150 | 1.11 |
Launch a Career in Veterinary Assisting With 黑料不打烊
For those who are interested in a career in veterinary assisting, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 comprehensive Veterinary Assisting program offers hands-on experience so students are ready to work in a veterinary office in as few as nine months. Students learn animal anatomy and physiology, nursing skills, animal surgical assisting, pharmaceutical chemistry and application, animal restraint and patient services, and front office skills. To learn more about if our Veterinary Assisting program is right for you,聽request more information.
Carrington鈥檚 Veterinary Assisting Faculty and Students
黑料不打烊 takes great pride in our successful staff and students. Our campuses provide a small college experience where you can get the attention you deserve. At all of our facilities, your instructor will not only know you by name, but they can also get to know you as a person. You will know what to expect from your career in the real world because many of our instructors bring practical working experience from their field into the classroom.
We鈥檙e invested in our students鈥� success and offer career services to help you find externships and job opportunities. Our students thrive in our hands-on, collaborative environment, which mimics what it鈥檚 like to work in a veterinary office or hospital.
Find Veterinary Assisting Programs Near Me
Carrington鈥檚 Veterinary Assisting program is offered at five locations in:
Vet Assisting FAQ
How Much Does a Vet Assistant Make?
Like other occupations, the money that a veterinary assistant can earn may vary widely based on several factors.
Some of these factors may include the geographical location and setting in which they work, the number of scheduled work hours, and the training, education, and skill level they have achieved as a veterinary assistant.
Sources:
Last Updated:
November 1, 2023
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Request Information
All fields using an asterik (*) are required.