Chaska Valley Veterinary Clinic is fortunate to have eight highly talented veterinary technicians on staff. Their names are Meg, April, Rachel, Abby, Brenna, Meagan, Trisha, and Maggie. Since National Veterinary Technician’s Week is coming up on October 15, this is a great time to highlight all they do and express our appreciation. The National Association of Veterinary Technicians started this awareness and appreciation campaign almost 25 years ago. It always takes place during the third full week in October.
What Do Veterinary Technicians Do?
Working with animals is exciting, challenging, and always changing. We can plan our days, but it’s important to remain flexible to meet the needs of our clients and their pets. While there really is no typical day, our vet techs perform the following duties regularly:
- Collect health histories on each pet who comes to see us
- Provide first aid when needed
- Administer anesthesia to animals undergoing surgery and monitor their response to it
- Give vaccines and medications to pets
- Complete laboratory test such as blood counts and urinalysis
- Take X-rays when necessary
- Prepare surgical instruments
- Bathe animals and complete basic grooming care tasks such as brushing and nail trimming
- Restrain animals during exam if needed and help to keep them calm
- Clean exam rooms and clean up after sick or injured animals
- These represent just some of the duties that our veterinary technicians do each day.
They complete many of their duties outside of appointment times.
Personal and Professional Skills Needed for the Job
Veterinary technicians must complete an accredited program in veterinary technology and pass a licensing exam called the Veterinary Technician National Examination. Most programs take two years to complete. A skilled veterinary technician solves complex problems, communicates well with clients and staff, and manages multiple details at the same time. More importantly, a vet tech must be compassionate and help both pets and their people feel at ease.
We Appreciate Our Veterinary Technicians All Year Long
At Chaska Valley Veterinary Service, we don’t need a special week to know the treasure we have in our staff. However, this is a fun time of recognition for a job well done. We welcome you to express your thanks to our veterinary technicians also. Our entire staff appreciates the opportunity we have each day to care for the beloved pets of the people in our community.