"You get to play with puppies and kittens all day right?"
"So, you want to be a Vet then?"
These are three of the most common answers I get when I tell someone my career; a Veterinary Technician (aka Vet Tech).
Let me make it really simple for you. A vet tech is basically an animal nurse. That's what I tell little kids and people who are asking just for a short answer. Now, let me elaborate for anyone who REALLY wants to know what we do.
First of all, let's get one thing straight. I do NOT want to be a vet. Don't worry, I don't get offended if people ask me this. And believe me, it's all the time. Most people tend to think it's a stepping stone to becoming a vet. But here's some food for thought. Do all nurses want to be doctors? Nope. That's the career choice for many people in the world. As is mine. I just do animals instead of people. Granted, there are technicians out there who do that first before vet school. Cool, good for them! But not for me. Why? Let me list my reasons.
Ever since I was 16, I have always had a job that's animal-related. Whether it was working in a dog kennel, grooming salon, dog walking, or in a vet clinic. Mostly vet clinics. I have worked with multiple vets. I see how hard it is to have their job. Not that I wouldn't be "up for the challenge", but the problems they face are simply ones I would dread all the time. Here they are:
1) Paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork. Every single patient they see requires a written/typed up summary of their visit/diagnosis, etc. It adds up quick, and needs to be as detailed as possible. They are legal documents.
2) Liability. Now, techs are held liable for their actions, but vets are liable for even more in my opinion. Especially if they manage their own clinic. People do sue vets sometimes, their staff/scheduling can be challenging, if they misdiagnose or make a mistake; it's all them.
3) VET SCHOOL. The main reason I refuse to become a vet. Up to 8 years of expensive, hard work in order to be pushed out into the world and start paying...STUDENT LOAN DEBT. Which is another lifetime to pay off. Ouch, and no thanks.
Don't get me wrong, I totally respect Vets and I love who I work with. But I have no desire to do that. I tell people, I get to do the fun stuff! (Mostly). Vet Techs actually do basically anything Vets can do EXCEPT:
-Surgery
-Diagnose
-or Prescribe medication
Everything else that your pet needs at a vet clinic, is usually done by a technician. This includes:
-Assisting in surgery (while we do not perform the actually surgery, technicians can definitely scrub in and assist in whatever the vet needs during the procedure)
-Perform anesthesia (Yes, we are doggy/kitty anesthetists. We can knock out, keep under, and wake up any patient that needs it. Various states will not let techs actually "induce" though, just FYI).
-Perform dentals. We are dental hygienists too!One of my favorite hobbies!
-Nursing Care. While your pet is at the clinic, or admitted in hospital, we are in charge of your animal's well being. Taking vitals, running tests, IV fluids, feeding, walking, cleaning, administering medications, injections etc. The list goes on.
-IV catheters and venipuncture. Taking blood, running tests on it (or other bodily fluids haha), and placing catheters in various veins are just another small task vet techs do. By themselves.
-Taking radiographs (x-rays). Dog broke a leg? Cat ate something weird? Leave it to vet techs to suit up and take the necessary pictures in order for the vet to make a diagnosis.
-Giving vaccinations and injections. While a lot of vets will come give your dog/puppy vaccinations after a routine vaccination (similar to your human doctor), technicians are totally capable of doing so.
-We are the go-to between the doctor and the client. We obviously need to talk to all pet's owners before doing anything to the animal, so communication is a very important factor. So if you think to yourself, "I don't like people, so I will be a vet tech so I don't have to work with them". NOPE! Wrong, we still work with people all day every day. And sometimes they aren't always sane. We also are the ones that you get on the phone if you have a question about your animal's health. If there is a question or comment we can't answer, we will go ask a vet, or someone else who knows. But the majority is us you are talking to when "Max" gets into a box of chocolates and you don't know what to do.
-Cytology. We look at various specimens under the microscope. Fecals (yes, poop), urine, blood, skin scrapings, etc. Some enjoy this, I particularly am not a fan, but of course will still do it.
-And ANY other procedure that is required to either get a diagnoses or treat your pet. Whether is giving messy, black toxiban to a dog, putting a splint on a broken limb, wrapping a wound, shaving pet hair, restraining for other vets or techs, doing reception work...blah blah blah...I could go on for ages!!
So, when you take a step back and look at all of our duties, maybe 1% of that is playing with puppies and kittens. And while all of these tasks are interesting and partially rewarding, we also have grim duties.
For example, Euthanasia. A word no one likes to hear. A hard decision for owners and vets alike. When it comes the time to let the suffering end for your pet, it's not easy. Most vets are the ones to actually give the injection when the time is needed, but if a technician is "Euthanasia-certified", they can be the ones performing the grave task. This is a reason a lot of people end up not going into veterinary medicine. Some cannot handle the grief. People ask me, "How do you deal with that all the time?" I kind of shrug. Everyone has a part of their job they dislike. This is mine, I guess. It's still sad, and painful at times. But dealing with it frequently honestly gets you a little desensitized to it. You just do it, and try not to get emotionally involved. It is extremely difficult when it is a patient you have dealt with for a long period of time, or you know very well.
One last thing about techs. It is a messy, dirty, (and dangerous) job. I have been bled on, pooped on, vomited on, peed on, bitten, and scratched way too many times to count. I have cleaned up thousands of diarrhea episodes, held dogs while they puke their guts out, changed and washed bedding multiple times a day, been kicked and thrown over the fence by cattle, and have scars from all those cats that want nothing more than to rip your face to shreds.
So why do I keep doing this job? Well, it is for the smile a little girl gives me when I bring her now-healthy kitty up to the front to go home. It is for the dog that you swear won't make it through the night, and it makes a major turn for the better. It is for the feeling you get you you place a tough catheter. It is for the patient that sleeps in your lap all night, knowing you won't leave them, and that you will take care of them. It is for the feeling of helping bring a pet back to life. It is for the hug I get from an owner after a long procedure that turned out okay. And it is for the look I get when I start discussing abscesses at the dinner table, thinking it is a proper topic for conversation.
Haha, had to add that in! Anyways, being a technician can be hard work, but it is rewarding. Yes, I am certified, and I love what I do.
