What Do Veterinary Technicians Do? (Certified Vet Techs & Vet Tech Instructors Weigh In)

A veterinary technician is someone who works under the supervision of a veterinarian to help animals. A more clinical role than a veterinary assistant, vet techs will assist the veterinarian during exams, complete laboratory tests like blood draws, and help during surgery. Because skilled vet techs play a large role in the clinical aspects of a vet office, they often need to be credentialed – meaning, they need to be certified, registered, or licensed to practice – and have extensive medical knowledge and skills.

The main vet tech duties and responsibilities include

 

Client relations: Examining patients, usually under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian or in some cases, handling telehealth appointments. This also includes educating pet parents on proper health and nutrition for their animals.

 

Imaging: Performing diagnostic imaging, such as x-rays.

 

Labs: Taking specimens for laboratory tests, such as drawing blood.

 

Prep: Preparing patients and equipment for surgery.

 

Procedures: Administering and monitoring anesthesia as well as administering vaccinations or medications prescribed by the veterinarian. Taking and recording patient vital signs as well.

 

Admin: Recording and updating patient medical records as well as various other administrative tasks.

 

Depending on where you work and whether you’re a credentialed vet tech, you may be asked to do other tasks to help out in the practice, including scheduling appointments and following up with patients.

 

Read more: How to Advocate for Yourself as a Vet Tech

 

Veterinary technicians don’t just work in small animal clinics; they also work in

• Specialty animal hospitals and clinics
• Non-profit organizations, such as human societies or animal advocacy groups
• Research facilities, like research labs and product manufacturing labs
• Government agencies and teaching institutions

 

Read more: CVT vs LVT vs RVT: What’s the Difference?

 

On a daily basis, vet techs assist the veterinarians in their practice with seeing patients for routine and emergency exams, assisting during surgeries, and helping with conducting laboratory tests such as x-rays and blood draws.

 

Penn Foster veterinary externship assistant Heather Leer shares, “As a technician, we have a lot of responsibilities and lives in the palms of our hands. I know that sounds dramatic, but it's the truth. At any point in time, you could be monitoring anesthesia and dispensing or giving drugs. All those things are very important and life-threatening. So technicians are responsible for so many tasks and there's so much knowledge to learn.”

 

Read more: Vet Tech Unveiled: Expert Answers to Your Burning Questions

 

While trained vet techs have a wealth of knowledge and skills, there are some tasks that they can’t do, with or without supervision from the veterinarian. These include

• Prescribing medication
• Performing surgery
• Diagnosing a patient

 

Read more: 5 Ways to Earn More Money as a Vet Tech

 

Euthanizing animals is one of the harder tasks a vet tech may help with on the job. It can be emotionally draining and upsetting, and many people may not want to be involved in doing it. However, it’s a real part of the day-to-day work you may do as a trained vet tech. Euthanizing a pet is a hard decision for pet parents and veterinarians and is done for a variety of reasons, from quality-of-life issues to untreatable medical problems. In order to be a successful vet tech, you’ll need to be prepared to assist your veterinarian in putting animals to sleep.

 

According to Megan Chadwick, Director of Penn Foster’s Veterinary Academy, it’s a job that takes a lot of love and dedication.

 

“It’s a challenging program and profession,” she says. “You’re often in high-pressure, fast-paced environments where it can be physically and emotionally exhausting. If you want to be a vet tech because you enjoy only the pleasantries of the profession, [such as] seeing puppies and kittens but cannot deal with the harder parts, then the profession may not be for you.”

 

Just like in the human medical field, those working with animals have the opportunity to specialize in particular areas of care. Veterinary technicians who want to advance their careers and specialize in a skill will often need to further their education in the field in order to qualify. There are several different specialties that vet techs can pursue, and each may require a different level of training and education. Veterinary technicians can specialize as a

• Veterinary technologist. A veterinary technologist may perform many of the same tasks as a vet tech does, but they will often have a deeper knowledge of veterinary medicine and must complete a bachelor’s degree in the field. Veterinary technologists can earn a higher salary than a traditional veterinary technician and will have more responsibilities at work, including the opportunity to take on a leadership role within the vet practice.
• Veterinary lab technician. Veterinary lab techs will not typically work in a vet practice setting, but rather in a lab or research setting. Day to day, lab techs will collect and analyze specimens, conduct research, and record results. This specialty may require a bachelor’s degree to qualify for the role.
• Veterinary surgical technician. Veterinary surgical technicians focus their work on surgery. They’ll assist the veterinarian before, during, and after surgery. They’ll maintain the surgical area, prepare and sterilize medical equipment, and perform post-surgical care for patients. This specialty may require further education, extensive work experience as a vet tech, and certification in order to qualify for the job.
• Veterinary emergency and critical care specialist. Veterinary technicians who work in emergency and critical care will most often work in an animal hospital or urgent care setting handling emergency patients. They’ll work with patients with life-threatening or critical wounds and illnesses, administer wound care, participate in surgery, and monitor animals' post-surgery care. To work in this specialty, you’ll need to be a credentialed vet tech and meet licensing requirements. Many employers will also require a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology.

 

Read more: Earning Your Vet Tech Degree Online vs On Campus

 

If you’re considering working in animal care, you may be wondering what the difference between a veterinary technician versus a vet assistant is. Which role is the right one for you?

 

Vet techs and vet assistants both play an important role on a successful veterinary healthcare team, working with each other, the practice manager, and veterinarians to provide quality care to patients. However, there are a few key differences between the jobs.

 

Vet tech job duties:

• Clinical work
• Assisting in exams and surgery
• Completing laboratory work

 

Vet assistant job duties:

• Administrative tasks
• Feed, bathe, and take care of animals post-surgery or those staying for observation

 

Read more: 10 Vet Assistant Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them)

 

The biggest difference between becoming a veterinary technologist versus a veterinary technician is the level of education and experience required to do the job.

 

Vet technologists and vet techs perform many of the same tasks, including examining patients, working with the veterinarian to administer vaccinations and medications, and assisting in surgery. However, because technologists are required to have a bachelor’s degree in the field, they may have more in-depth knowledge that can allow them to specialize in particular areas of veterinary medicine, including oncology and emergency care.

 

Vicki McLain, Penn Foster Vet instructor, advises why a veterinary technologist program can benefit you. “If a student wants to get to the next level or get into management, the Veterinary Technology Bachelor’s Degree allows them to go that route. Also, it allows them to move into research medicine and sets the stage for future career growth within the vet tech field.”

 

Becoming a vet tech is absolutely worth it for those who are truly passionate about working with and helping animals. It’s also currently an in-demand job, with vet practices needing to hire more staff to handle the high number of appointments for new and current patients. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be over 15,400 new job openings in the field per year for the next decade, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to start a career you love.

 

However, it’s also a very challenging job, physically and emotionally. Many veterinary technicians work long hours, are constantly on their feet, and handle the difficult job of working directly with clients and their pets.

 

If you know helping animals is what you’re meant to do, it’s possible to make it through the struggle and build a rewarding career that offers opportunities to advance your veterinary medicine education.

 

While studying to become a vet tech, there are steps you can take to prepare for the challenges you may face on the job. According to the Director of Penn Foster’s Veterinary Academy, Megan Chadwick, vet tech students can take steps to prepare themselves for compassion fatigue and burnout early on.

“There is a lot of great continuing education out there to help [you] learn how to deal with these issues. And [students] can start good habits now like mindfulness, meditation, etc. and continue these practices when they become vet techs.”

 

By preparing for the challenges you’ll face on the job while you’re still in school, you can also build habits and coping mechanisms that can help you stay motivated when you’re working on your degree and preparing to sit for the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE).

 

Read more: What to Know About the Vet Tech Externships

 

If you want to become a vet tech in any state, the first step is to find out what you need to do to qualify for the job. Here’s everything you need to know about the requirements to work as a veterinary technician.

• Education. Most often, veterinary technicians need an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) approved Veterinary Technician Associate Degree to work in the field. While not every state requires vet techs to have a degree to work in the field, most do or will in the future.
• Externship (hands-on experience). Students in a vet tech degree program are required to complete externship hours to get hands-on experience in the field. The externship portion will cover the skills needed to be successful on the job and should include both large and small animal medicine.
• Certification. Veterinary technicians need to sit and pass the VTNE to become a credentialed vet tech in many states, though some states may not require certification to work in the field. The VTNE is a national exam that measures your knowledge and is required to apply to your State Board of Veterinary Medicine to become licensed or registered as a vet tech.
• Continuing education. To stay up to date on new technology and medicine, continuing your education is a must as a vet tech. It’s also a requirement to maintain your credentials or license. Most states require recertification about every two years.

 

Besides meeting the requirements to be a vet tech in your state, it’s also important to be open to learning as much as possible throughout school and your externship.

 

“Try to gain as much exposure in the field as possible,” Megan says. “Take advantage of every opportunity, whether it be shadowing at a clinic, volunteering at a shelter, or networking through social media with veterinary professionals.”

 

Requirements aren’t the only thing that can vary by state. Duties of a vet tech can also vary depending on where you live, so be sure to do your research before entering the field.

 

Read more: How to Become a Certified Vet Tech (State by State Guide)

 

Vet techs usually pursue an associate degree in order to work in the veterinary field. Generally, it takes about two years to complete the degree, though some students may take more or less time depending on the school they go to, their current jobs, and any other commitments that need to be taken into consideration.

 

When you know you want to become a veterinary technician, it's important that you choose the right school to help you reach your goals. “You should research the different roles that exist on a veterinary team and the job responsibilities for each role,” Megan says. You also want to make sure your school is AVMA approved so you can be confident that you’re learning what you need to be successful on the job.

 

For the most part, you need a degree to be a vet tech. While there are many skills that can be learned on the job, you need knowledge in animal anatomy and physiology, biology, medical nursing, pharmacology, medical math, and more that you may not be able to learn on your own.

 

Additionally, many states require vet techs be licensed or registered in order to work. Part of that licensing includes relevant, recognized education. The only states that don’t require vet techs to be licensed, registered, or certified are Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wyoming. Professionals are even working to make it easier for those who are licensed in multiple states to obtain licensure in other states.

 

While most states require credentials to become a vet tech, they may use different titles or designations. These include

• Registered veterinary technician (RVT)
• Certified veterinary technician (CVT)
• Licensed veterinary technician (LVT)

 

While they may have different names, the requirements are pretty similar. Generally, you need to complete a degree at an AVMA-accredited school, take and pass the VTNE, and apply to your State Board of Veterinary Medicine to become an RVT, LVT, or CVT.

 

The average salary for a veterinary technician is $43,740 per year as of August 2024. Salary can vary based on where you work, your experience, and whether you’re licensed or credentialed.

 

After becoming a veterinary technician and working in the field, you may want to advance your career. The next steps for vet techs can include becoming veterinary technologists, pursuing a veterinary technician specialty, becoming a veterinary practice manager, or even pursuing vet tech teaching opportunities.

 

Besides work experience, you may need to pursue further education to qualify for higher-level roles in the veterinary field, such as a Veterinary Technology Bachelor’s Degree.

 

If you know you want to start a career as a vet tech, but aren’t sure you have the time to attend a traditional college, earning your vet tech education online could be the best fit to help you reach your goals. Penn Foster’s AVMA-CVTEA accredited online Veterinary Technician Associate Degree is a self-paced, in-depth program that covers the essential knowledge that can help you prepare to become a vet tech and sit for the VTNE. To learn more about our program, how a vet tech externship works in online school, and what you need to do to get started, request more info or call our expert Admissions Specialists today at 1-888-427-6500!

 

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics