Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
Table of contents
What they do
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
- Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.
- Maintain controlled drug inventory and related logbooks.
- Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals’ responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.
- Restrain animals during exams or procedures.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Veterinary Technicians restrain animals during exams or procedures. They take animals into treatment areas and assist with physical examinations by performing such duties as obtaining temperature, pulse, or respiration data.
A typical day for a Veterinary Technologist and Technician will also include:
- Clean kennels, animal holding areas, surgery suites, examination rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- Maintain instruments, equipment, or machinery to ensure proper working conditions.
- Fill prescriptions, measuring medications, and labeling containers.
- Collect, prepare, and label samples for laboratory testing, culture, or microscopic examination.
- Maintain controlled drug inventory and related logbooks.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Veterinary Technicians also monitor medical supplies and place orders when inventory is low. They may also perform dental work, such as cleaning, polishing, or extracting teeth.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Veterinary Technicians provide assistance with animal euthanasia and the disposal of remains. They might also administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other life-saving procedures.
In addition, they prepare treatment rooms for surgery.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them dress and suture wounds and apply splints or other protective devices.
To some Veterinary Technicians, it is also their responsibility to perform a variety of office, clerical, or accounting duties, such as reception, billing, bookkeeping, or selling products.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
70% said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they found their job meaningful.
My Typical Day My day starts before we open our doors by ensuring that our treatment rooms, facilities, and supplies are all clean, stocked, and ready to go for the day. Like most businesses, whether in a medical setting or otherwise, we really rely on prep work to make sure our appointments and walk-in visitors … Read More
My name is Crystal Litzenberger and I have been a Veterinary Technician since 2003. I have worked in the veterinary field as a technician helping educate people on how to care for their pets. My experience has grown from nursing and hospital management in general practice to working as a technician in rehabilitation and emergency … Read More
I am a Veterinary Technician and have been working in small animal clinics for about 4 years now. My typical day starts at 8:00 am. The first thing I’ll do is tend to any hospitalized patients that have stayed at the hospital overnight. This includes checking that IV lines are patent, administering daily medications, and … Read More
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Normal working hours (40 hours per week).
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Veterinary Technologists and Technicians with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $25,520 to $30,030 per year or $12 to $14 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $52,410 | $25 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $43,890 | $21 |
| Median | $36,260 | $17 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $30,030 | $14 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $25,520 | $12 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Veterinary Technologists and Technicians based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch | $55700 | $26.78 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $46470 | $22.34 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $45200 | $21.73 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $44860 | $21.57 |
| Employment Services | $44460 | $21.37 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $43600 | $20.96 |
| Local Government | $43210 | $20.77 |
| State Government | $42380 | $20.38 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $38910 | $18.71 |
| Other Personal Services | $37510 | $18.04 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Veterinary Technologists and Technicians work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Veterinary Technologists and Technicians including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 100360 | $37350 | $17.95 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 3480 | $43600 | $20.96 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | 1510 | $36460 | $17.53 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 940 | $44860 | $21.57 |
| Other Personal Services | 770 | $37510 | $18.04 |
| Local Government | 640 | $43210 | $20.77 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 490 | $55700 | $26.78 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 190 | $46470 | $22.34 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | 150 | $45200 | $21.73 |
| Employment Services | 90 | $44460 | $21.37 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
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Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
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Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Veterinary/Animal Health Technology and Veterinary Assistant
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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