Any Veterinary Technicians Out there?

[Iono]

I've been thinking about going back to college and doing vet tech program. Any Vet techs or people who know 'em here that could give personal experience whether it's worth it or not?

I know the pay isn't so great. That's one of the main factors that stopped me from doing it before.

I was laid off as a CAD drafter and the market has been rough. I hated it anyways, so I figured it was a good time to find something I'd actually enjoy.

I love animals like crazy, and before I was thinking of becoming a nurse. I figured helping people would be nice, but I don't know if I can accept being responsible for humans so I didn't really want to do it.



So some responses I'm looking for:

- General day to day experiences.
- Pay rates (I've looked it up online and it goes up to only $12/hr. in CA???)
- Worst experiences on the job.
- How hard is it to find a job?
- How hard is the job?
- I've enrolled at a community college for their vet tech program, because not many colleges around here offer it. Is this the best way?

And any other info would be nice. TY all

[Alleya]

It's definitely not a job you do if pay rates are even on your list of reasons or questions.

Also depends how much you love animals. If you love them enough to watch them suffer in horrible pain, die, shit/piss/vomit/bleed all over you, bite, scratch, send you home with fleas...then you love them enough to be a tech.

[noblemountain]

We have 3 vet techs on staff where I work. (an elephant sanctuary) They all work as caregivers, so it's not a normal vet tech job, but they get a little more money because of their additional responsibilities. (blood draws/lab work/etc) All of them worked at vets before they came here and most weren't thrilled with it. I imagine seeing animals in pain/put down/abused by shitty owners would be really tough to take on a daily basis.

[zoobernut]

My wife is a vet tech. She really loves her job but it is tough. She originally graduated from college with a BS in Animal Science, this meant she could circumvent going to vet tech school and take the test and do hours instead. The pay isn't that bad if you take the time to become a specialist in some way, if you take extra classes after getting your license to specialize in anesthesia, dental, or reading sonograms just to name a few examples you can get paid quite a bit more.

It is tough to work with animals in a situation where they are hurt or dying or neglected for sure but that wouldn't be any easier to deal with at a hospital where you are dealing with people in the same situation.

If you want to become a vet tech I believe they adjusted the laws in California and Nevada to where you are required to go to school and at least get an AA from studying to be a vet tech then you have to take a very difficult big test, once you passed your test you have to do a certain amount of clinical hours and then you can become a licensed tech. At least that was my understanding of the process as described by my wife but I might be a little bit off on that.

If you don't want to do all that you can be a vet tech assistant which is the equivalent of a nurses assistant which pays quite a bit less.

[Nevermore]

I was hired as a vet tech without going to school so I cant tell you about optimal pay rates but I can definitely tell you about the day to day stuff.

It is a really good job if you love animals which I would assume is why you want to be a vet tech. But like Alleya said there is a lot of suffering and pain that you will experience. Not one day passed by that I did not witness an animal come in neglected and abused. Cuts, bruises, fleas, ticks just everything that you can imagine could go wrong did. I remember coming into work one day to have to see a dog with skin almost falling off of it, all hair gone and red marks everywhere on its body. The dog had been badly burned and the owners claimed they had not noticed it before. People are heartless and I still wonder how someone could treat an animal they way i've seen them treated.

Not all of is it bad though. You get to see some really cute stuff like all the puppies and kittens or all the weirdos who insist on bringing in pigeons from the streets lol. Also once you get to meet these pets and see them day to day sometimes or week to week you will form a bond with them and their owners and those are the days you will look forward to.

As far as what I did it was a little of everything. I helped out in surgery as far as prep and assisting. I had to give the animals medication, feed them, bathe them and if they were post op had to monitor their surgery sites and their behavior. The doctors i worked for also had us keep the outside cleaned in front and out back where the runs were. We mowed lawns, painted, etc.. lol.

I think some of the worst experiences I have had working as a tech besides the emotional ones were some of the encounters with the pets. Not all of them are cute and have their tails wagging waiting to greet you with a big wet tongue. I have to say some of the worst are these little devils You gotta be fast when working with animals and be able to somewhat anticipate whats gonna be its reaction to certain things. Some can handle shots, temps, venipunctures and you will love those pets. The ones that cant you will learn to avoid like the plague lol. Towels and muzzles will be your best friends.

Overall it was a fun job and I loved it. Free health care for my pets was also a plus. Anyway I think I may have wrote to much and i'm sure the big block of texts will be complained about lol but if there is anything else I can think of I will send you a pm.

[Iono]

Cool ty all for your responses! I've already thought about the abused and mean pets and stuff. It's nice to hear actual accounts and experiences.

As for the pay rates it's more of a curiosity at this point. As I've said I have looked it up online, just dunno how realistic those numbers are. I was getting good pay as a CAD Drafter, just was bored out of my fucking mind with it. So why bother?

[zoobernut]

I was hired as a vet tech without going to school so I cant tell you about optimal pay rates but I can definitely tell you about the day to day stuff.

If you didn't go to school and you didn't get your vet tech license (I am pretty sure you used to be able to get your license without going to school by logging clinic hours but not anymore.) then you were not a vet tech but a vet assistant which is a different but similar job.

If you do not have your license it can be harder to get a job and you definitely get paid less. Most vets in our area at least were only looking for licensed techs because then you are allowed to have keys to the medicine cabinet and administer medicine without supervision.


I just want to point that out because they are two different jobs and I am not sure which one the OP is looking for but they should be aware that there is a difference.

[bigrougabagel]

If you didn't go to school and you didn't get your vet tech license (I am pretty sure you used to be able to get your license without going to school by logging clinic hours but not anymore.) then you were not a vet tech but a vet assistant which is a different but similar job.

If you do not have your license it can be harder to get a job and you definitely get paid less. Most vets in our area at least were only looking for licensed techs because then you are allowed to have keys to the medicine cabinet and administer medicine without supervision.


I just want to point that out because they are two different jobs and I am not sure which one the OP is looking for but they should be aware that there is a difference.

You can still get licensed in some states without having to complete the college coursework. You must pass a licensing exam and a few other things depending on the state. This is being phased out and very few states still offer it.

[zoobernut]

You can still get licensed in some states without having to complete the college coursework. You must pass a licensing exam and a few other things depending on the state. This is being phased out and very few states still offer it.

Good to know. I thought all states required a certain level of coursework in order to be eligible to take the test and do your clinic hours. I know Nevada and California just got even more stringent with what kind of coursework you do and even if you have a bachelors degree in animal science now you still have to do a specific vet tech program before you are eligible to take the test.

[Meresgi]

My fiance is going for a vet tech. She used to do the job basically at her old Vet's but didn't have the title/education but had all the skills. She said to make sure you go to a college that is accredited (of course) and that pay is higher then 12/hr but you have to be certified. You won't find any jobs if you arnt certified. The career doesn't pay well, no yachts for you, but if you like working with animals and can deal with it then it would be a good job.