Should I be a veterinary technician? 🐶

It's just playing with puppies and kittens, right?

WRONG!

Veterinary technicians are just like nurses but instead of only learning about one animal (humans) they have to learn about many animals!

Photo by Nick Karvounis on Unsplash

Vet techs have a long list of required tasks and no two days will ever be exactly the same. However, all techs can expect to do things like:

• Help with surgeries —techs prep patients and ready all surgical materials

• Shots! Shots! Shots! —techs give vaccinations

• Explain treatments to pet parents —techs make sure that pet parents understand what each treatment does and why their pet needs it

• You love animals — like really love them!

• You don't mind a fast-paced day that could be quiet one minute and chaos the next!

• You can think fast under pressure. You might have to make a quick decision, as the life of a pet is in your hands.

• You hate being on your feet. Some shifts might be 12 hours and there can be a lot of physical work like walking, bending, and lifting.

• You have a weak stomach. If blood and urine don't sound like something you can tolerate, this probably isn't the job for you.

• You like routine. Schedules change quickly when emergencies happen. If you work best with a set routine, this career might not be the best for you.

The average salary for a vet tech in the US is about $28,000 USD per year.

The average salary for a vet tech in Canada is $38,000 CAD per year.

Does being a veterinary technician sound right for you?

If it does...