There are more than 135 million pet dogs and cats in the United States, and vet clinics provide health care to keep these companion animals healthy and thriving. Just as with human health care, it takes a team to provide quality service for pets. Vet Assistants are an integral part of this team. In fact, few, if any, vet clinics could survive without these essential employees.
What does a vet assistant do?
Simply put, vet assistants care for animals in laboratories, animal hospitals and clinics under the supervision of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and animal scientists. Their duties include a variety of tasks including obtaining a thorough medical history, obtaining vitals, as well as providing nursing care for the patients. They also are responsible for restraint for a variety of procedures including examination and sample (blood, urine, etc) collection. Their daily duties vary from assisting in medical procedures to ensuring the patients are fed, bathed, and exercised while hospitalized.”
How vet assistants support vet clinics and veterinarians
Vet assistants are the backbones of most vet clinics. They handle the routine day-to-day tasks, allowing veterinarians to concentrate on providing the best health care possible without having to worry about things like patient intake or filing. Because the vet assistant sees the animals in the clinic’s care more often than the vet, he or she can also give the vet valuable insight on the animals’ conditions.
Veterinary assistants are in demand. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are more than 107,000 vet assistant jobs in the United States, and that number is growing. The BLS expects that number to grow by 14 percent by 2030. That compared to an average job growth rate of eight percent in all occupations.
Learning to be a vet assistant at Caris College
Becoming a vet assistant is much easier and affordable than becoming a veterinarian, which is very competitive and requires a four or five-year undergraduate degree and five years post-graduate study. At Caris College, our veterinary assisting program trains students for a career as a vet assistant in just 10 months. The program includes courses on pharmacology to husbandry and features both hands-on and classroom teaching. Students are taught how to prepare and assist in surgical procedures including the science of commonly-used veterinary medications, their doses and their possible side effects; laboratory and testing procedures; effective yet gentle animal restraint; and communication skills.
Our course instructors have all worked in veterinary clinics, and can bring their “real life” experiences to the classroom. Upon completion of the course, students are prepared to sit for the Approved Veterinary Assistant certification exam to earn the AVA credential.
We make it easy for you to succeed in the Veterinary Assisting program. We offer both daytime and nighttime classes and offer financial aid to qualified students. To prepare students for a rewarding veterinary career, the Veterinary Assisting program includes a Fear Free Certification, designed to help veterinary professionals get rid of fear, anxiety and stress in the workplace and create a more rewarding veterinary experience for all involved. To be eligible to take the Veterinary Assisting program at Caris College, prospective students need to be at least 18 years old and a high school graduate or the equivalent.
Caris College is located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just north of the Ohio River from Louisville, KY. The Veterinary Assisting program offered at Caris College is approved by NAVTA (National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America). In addition to the Veterinary Assisting program, Caris College offers diploma programs in dental assisting, diagnostic medical sonography, and medical assisting.
If you’re looking for a veterinary assisting school and a career, take a look at what Caris College offers. To learn more contact us here or call 812-952-9791.