CAREER OVERVIEW

 

Veterinary assistants are entry-level healthcare professionals that work in many different veterinary settings.  They work with Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians to provide medical care for sick or injured animals.  Some other duties may involve providing water and food to animals and clean/disinfect their cages and work areas.  Veterinary assistants are responsible for sterilizing lab and surgical equipment.  A major duty of being a veterinary assistant is to provide pre and post-operative care.  Under the supervision of a Veterinarian, Veterinary Assistants may be asked to administer medications orally and/or topically. Owners of pets and other animals today expect state-of-the-art veterinary care. To provide this service, veterinarians use the skills of veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants, who perform many of the same duties for a veterinarian that a nurse would for a physician, including routine laboratory and clinical procedures.