Veterinary Technician Job Description

A veterinary technician is a very important job in a veterinary clinic. This is a position that requires schooling unlike a veterinary assistant. Vet techs are trained to perform most all duties that a veterinarian can do, just like a nurse practitioner in a doctor's office. This is a position of high demand as a veterinarian leans heavily on their technician for many duties.

• Job Function: The primary function of a veterinary technician is to assist the veterinarian in their daily practice. Ultimately, a vet tech is trained to do most any and all procedures but the most common tasks include; restraining animals, preparing medications, locations where the medicine will be given, and instruments, cleaning up messes and providing outstanding customer service. A vet tech does most everything from administering medications, euthanasia, and assisting in surgeries to clipping nails, taking animals for walks, and changing the bedding in kennels for overnight stays.


• Types of Vet Techs: There are three main types of veterinary technicians. These three types include specialty in large animals which include livestock, cats, dogs and other household pets; small animals such as house pets and other even smaller animals and exotic animals which deal with zoo animals and unusual pets like wildlife and reptiles.


• Significance: An experienced vet tech can literally mean the difference between life and death to an animal. In the case of working with livestock and exotic animals, if the very best and most experienced veterinary technician is not employed, the veterinarian can also be risking their lives. A veterinary technician must know the mind set, habits and actions of all the different types of animals that they work with.