Behind The Scenes
When we visit our pet’s veterinary practice, we expect to see the friendly, smiling faces of the veterinarians, and we do. We don’t always think of all the other friendly, smiling faces we see, including those of the veterinary technicians. They often work behind the scenes and don’t always get recognized for their hard work. In honor of National Veterinary Technician Week, from October 15-21, 2023, we bring these unsung heroes of animal care to the forefront.
Vocation and Avocation
Veterinary technicians choose their careers based on their love of animals. For them, working with animals of all kinds is both vocation and avocation, career and passion. To work successfully as a veterinary technician, they have to have the patience of a saint and the heart of a lion. After all, they work with all kinds of critters, including those that are feral, and scared, and those who have come from places where they haven’t been well cared for. It takes a special kind of person to commit to those experiences as a career.
The Journey To Becoming A Veterinary Technician
Veterinary technicians are educated, skilled professionals. Most of them:
- Have years of education beyond high school
- Earn an associate or bachelor’s degree as a veterinary technician or in another animal-related area of study
- Commit to ongoing education in a wide variety of veterinary health-related areas
- Pursue clinical specialties including anesthesia, emergency veterinary medicine, internal veterinary medicine, or behavioral training
- Pass a state veterinary technician licensing exam
While they’re highly qualified to care for your pets, no education can measure a veterinary technician’s level of compassion and love for their patients.
Clinical Aspects Of Being A Veterinary Technician
Veterinary technicians play an invaluable role in making a veterinary hospital or clinic run smoothly. They:
- Support veterinarians during patient examinations
- Do lab work and collect lab samples
- Conduct testing on the samples collected
- Take necessary x-rays
- Prepare for surgeries and medical procedures
- Assist during those procedures
In addition to their clinical work, veterinary technicians are tireless animal advocates. As part of their advocacy work, they educate pet owners about
- Vaccinations
- The importance of proper nutrition
- Advocate for regular pet check-ups and dental care
- Raise awareness about animal health issues
Beyond that, veterinary technicians provide a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold when you’re worried about your pet. They provide TLC for pets and pet owners alike.
South Hyland Pet Hospital
South Hyland Pet Hospital in Minneapolis, MN salutes our veterinary technicians. They exemplify dedication, expertise, and above all, unwavering love. They provide countless moments of comfort, healing, and joy to both the animals they care for and their human families, embodying all the characteristics we hope for in those who care for our beloved furry friends.
In honoring our veterinary technicians, we honor not just a profession, but a profound love for all creatures great and small. Here’s to our remarkable veterinary technicians – the heart and soul of animal care. Thank you for your tireless dedication. You make the world a better place, one paw at a time.
