6 Things No One Tells You About Being a Vet Tech
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Key takeaways
- Veterinary technicians may work varied schedules and perform physically demanding tasks. They also handle emotionally difficult situations such as euthanasia.
- The job involves more than caring for animals. You’ll also communicate with pet owners and assist with medical procedures.
- Becoming a vet tech often requires dedicated education, hands-on externship experience, and preparation for applicable credentialing or licensing requirements.
If you love and want to work with animals, pursuing a career as a vet tech can be very rewarding. But becoming a veterinary technician does come with some challenges. If you're thinking about making veterinary technology a part of your future, here are a few things you should consider to make sure it's the right career choice for you.
1. The hours can be long
When you're a vet tech, your job may not be contained to a weekday 9-5 schedule. Depending on the type of environment you’re working in, you may have shifts in the evenings, on the weekends, and on holidays. If you work in a 24-hour emergency clinic, overnight shifts may also be part of your schedule. While not the norm, it’s possible you may work longer than 8 hours a day. The work can also be very physically and emotionally demanding, which can contribute to exhaustion.
Read more: Vet Assistant to Vet Tech (Advancing Your Career as a Working Parent)
2. Euthanasia is part of being a vet tech
One of the hardest parts of being a veterinary technician is dealing with having to euthanize a patient. When animals are very old or suffering from disease, aiding the veterinarian in helping them escape pain and discomfort in a loving, compassionate environment will be one of your responsibilities. You’ll also interact with devastated pet owners during these cases, which can be emotional for all involved. It's not easy, but it's an important tasks you'll be called upon to perform.
Read more: The Realities of Working in a Veterinary Clinic: What No One Tells You
3. It can be dirty
Like any health-related job, you may be exposed to bodily fluids, urine, or feces. There's also always the risk of scratching or biting from animals who feel scared or anxious, or even by accident. But at the end of the day, you can be confident you made a difference for the patients you worked with.
4. You'll need to wear a lot of hats
As a vet tech, you'll need to be able to perform a variety of tasks to help support good animal health. Some days, you may be assisting the veterinarian with routine exams, others you may be helping out in surgery. Sometimes, if your clinic is short-staffed, you’ll do that plus whatever clerical work needs to be done. What you can and can’t do may depend on credentialing, however. Credentialed vet techs can often do more tasks than non-credentials vet techs, and depending on the state you live in, credentialing may be required. While it may be challenging, it's also one of the aspects of the job that keeps it interesting, day in and day out.
Read more: What to Know About the Vet Tech Externships
5. You'll need to be patient with both animals and pet owners
It can be easy to forget that pets have owners. You'll need to have good people skills in order to interact with owners in a positive and sometimes comforting manner, providing them with information and guidance in a way that validates them. On the other hand, through it all, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference in their lives and in the lives of their pets.
Read more: The Veterinary Technician Career Path: From School to Your First Job
6. Vet tech training requires hard work
Vet tech students have a lot of studying ahead of them. Throughout your training, you’ll learn about the skills and knowledge relevant to being a skilled veterinary technician, from anatomy and physiology to surgical nursing and pharmacology. In Penn Foster’s program, you’ll also have to complete two required externships in person to get hands-on training working with animals. Besides preparing you for the job ahead, studying hard in school can help you with the state licensing exam, and it can also pave the way for additional study in the future.
Read more: How to Become Certified as a Vet Tech (State by State)
Begin your journey to become a vet tech
Being a vet tech means embracing a lot of challenges, but reaping major rewards. If you believe pursuing a career as a vet tech is the right move for you, then get started today. Learn about the vet tech program and our Veterinary Technology Bachelors Degree and start working toward a career you’re passionate about by requesting more info or reaching out to our Admissions Specialists at 1-888-427-6500!
