Veterinarian/ Veterinarian Assistant

[ruka]

Hey Spring! It's great you're looking intobecoming a vet tech. It's a really fun job! I volunteered as onebecause I wanted to study to become a vet, but changed my mind. Somestates require vet techs to be certified. It's not a requirement inHawaii though your salary is much higher than if you're not certified.

Vet techs have many different duties. They assist in surgery, dentalcleaning, and euthanasia (reason why I'm not a vet tech anymore), giveIVs and medication, and much more. I loved working as a VT because Iwas one-on-one with the animals, but you have to deal with people too.I warn you, people can be very rude and mean when it comes to theirpets, so make sure you have the patience to deal with people who haveto put their pet down or people who cannot accept the fact that theirpet is overweight or unhealthy.

I'm sure I left out other info so feel free to PM me. Good luck!

 

[Spring]

Thanks for the information!

I have a pretty tough stomach and not many things like blood orinfections bother me, so I don't think I'll have a problem withassisting in surgery or anything. I don't think I'll have a problemwith euthanasia because if an animal is suffering it's for the best.Although I don't handle stress very well.. is it a stressfull job? Iget all worked up into stressfull things.. but if I want this careerand I do, I'll just need to take a good deep breath and get through it!

I don't mind dealing with people, rude or friendly. I just am a littleshy, but I guess in these kinda of jobs you just have to take a deepbreath and deal with the people! I think that's why I love animals somuch.. they don't talk back!

I don't mind going 4 years to college, but a time like 10 would kill meboth mentally and in my pocket! I don't want 10 because if I everdecide to start a family, my job might interfere with my family.

 

[bbgrl20]

OOh, yes that job is very stressful. Especiallywhen its busy and it the doctor is behind in the appointments and youhave clients that need to be somewhere at a certain time and they areyelling at you because you cant get the doctor to see them faster! Oh,it can be tough, I work at an animal hospital that has 8 doctors, so itgets really busy, but at the end of the day i enjoy it

 

[Spring]

Ohh glad to know that. I guess it's justsomething you have to get used to. I'm very organized (to the point mymom says to relax my schedule a bit.. lol). When Pepsi is sick, I don'thandle it good.. i'm a worrying sick mess! I guess with age also, I'llstart to loosen up bit.. we'll see!

Is there an extra course or something with exotics?

 

[bbgrl20]

if you want to specialize in exotics then afteryou do your tech work you can go back to school for that. I am notexactly sure how long or if a certain schools do this but I think thatvettech.com site had some info on that. But if you dont want tospecialize you just get aquainted with exotics. Like at myvet hospital none of our doctors are "specialized" for exotics, but wedo see and treat them. And they are great and go out of theirway to help these animals. that's why I take Mocha to them, becausethey are great doctors.

 

[Spring]

Oh ok thanks! My vet was talking about lookinginto taking Pepsi to another vet for a second opinion. My vet said Dr.Prus had the veterinarian training plus she had an extra thiht withexotics that she went back for. Do you have to become a vet to get thecourse in exotics? I looked back on that sight b ut I didn't find muchabout it, the only thing I found was talknig about large farm animals.

 

[ruka]

It can be stressful like bbgrl20 said, but itdepends on the location and the size of your clinic. I volunteered at asmall clinic surrounded by other vet clinics (at least three others inthe same town) so it's pretty spread out and even-paced. Some vetclinics don't take in emergencies. We referred to the near by VCA sincethey have more doctors and more room. We were also only open during theday. Some clinics are open at night or 24 hours. You should take thesethings into consideration before applying for a job.

Have you volunteered at a vet clinic? If you haven't, it's a great wayto start. Not only so you know more about your future career, but it'lllook great on your resume.

 

[Spring]

Thanks! I wouldn't mind working odd hours if I had to.

I'd love to work in a vets office or clinic! I'm 13, so I don'tthink anybody would let me volunteer at a vet clinic for atleastafew years. Or would they?:?

 

[ruka]

You might have to wait afew years, butit doesn't hurt to ask. Summer is around the corner when you have morefree time. Maybe you can ask to volunteer at the clinic you take yourpets to. At most places you have to be at least 16 to volunteer. Ifyou're not old enough,ask your local humane society or animalshelter if they are looking for volunteers. This is a great place tostart too. Good luck, Spring!

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

bbgrl20 wrote:

Here is a couple of pretty good websites

http://www.vetinfo.com/vettech
or
http://www.avma.org
or
http://www.vettech.com (this is a really good one)

There are some schools that you can get your bachelors degreein vet tech and after you graduate you will be considered a vettechnologist compared to a vet technician. But you have to go fouryears instead of two. Right now I am going to school to become a vetand a lot of my class mates have chosen to switch to vet techs becauseof the length of school and the money issue. But either way you canwork with the animals and do so much, not only in an animal hospital.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

OMG - this cant be right. I checked what these sitessaid about salary and actual vets are only making about $60K orless! I can just imagine what a vet tech wouldmake. I was really thinking about getting into that field aswell but considering i already make more than that forget it.(or, is it just because I live in NYC or something? maybevets in nyc make a lot more.) or maybe that are basingitonsalaries from afew years ago orsomething. i dont know, but that just doesnt seem right.

 

[ruka]

ilovetegocalderon wrote:

bbgrl20 wrote:

Here is acouple of pretty good websites

http://www.vetinfo.com/vettech
or
http://www.avma.org
or
http://www.vettech.com (this is a really good one)

There are some schools that you can get your bachelors degreein vet tech and after you graduate you will be considered a vettechnologist compared to a vet technician. But you have to go fouryears instead of two. Right now I am going to school to become a vetand a lot of my class mates have chosen to switch to vet techs becauseof the length of school and the money issue. But either way you canwork with the animals and do so much, not only in an animal hospital.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

OMG - this cant be right. I checked what these sitessaid about salary and actual vets are only making about $60K orless! I can just imagine what a vet tech wouldmake. I was really thinking about getting into that field aswell but considering i already make more than that forget it.(or, is it just because I live in NYC or something? maybevets in nyc make a lot more.) or maybe that are basingitonsalaries from afew years ago orsomething. i dont know, but that just doesnt seemright.

It's true. Vets don't make as much as most people think. They make morein wealthier neighborhoods like New York City and BeverlyHills.I believe if you love your job, your salary doesn'tmatter that much. It's helping and saving animals that count.

 

[Spring]

I am going to phone a local (about 30 minteusaway) SPCA near the end of school, because my mom says I don't haveenough free time..:?. They actually have a youth program so and a LOTof rabbits so I'm sure they wouldn't mind some help with the smallanimals.

Wow! I know vets here make a FORTUNE! This kid I know, his dads a vetand owns his own clinic and makes like around $120 an hour! If yourjust working at a vets office, I've read that it can be around $50 andhour . For a vet assistant here they make around $8 and hour,buti'm guessing a vet assistant is different from a vet tech?

Wow.

 

[bbgrl20]

You should try and volunteer at an animalhospital that has a few vets and does boarding because they usuallyneed the extra help with the animals. I know at my vethospital we have a boy come in to volunteer every so often and he looksto be about 13 or so. So it never hurts to ask....

ilovetegocalderon: that salary is based on vets on their first year outof vet school, vets make more than that when they own their ownpractice, but like ruka says if you love your job, money doesn't reallymatter.

 

[Spring]

Oh ok thanks. I'll have to think about it andmaybe get up the nerve to go down there or phone and see about it. Ijust am clueless about what I could say :?. I'm not very good at pickigout words to try to speak to people.. hehe.