October 16 – 22 is National Veterinary Technician Week, so we are again using this month’s Staff Chat to say thank you to the incredible technicians on our team. Mary, Michael, Sierra, Emily, Jessica, and Tammy – we truly appreciate what you do every day!

To become a registered veterinary technician, you must attend an accredited learning facility to obtain an Associate of Applied Science degree in Veterinary Technology – and then pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam. The learning doesn’t stop there – technicians are required to have continuing education classes every year to retain their license.

So - what do they do with this license? A lot! They prepare and administer medications to hospitalized patients and ensure that they are both recovering and comfortable. They collect blood, urine, and cytology samples, and analyze them through a microscope. They take and process radiographs (x-rays).

To prepare your pet for surgery, they’ll run any required lab work, place intravenous (IV) catheters and endotracheal tubes, shave the surgery site, and are then responsible for anesthesia during the surgery itself. They place splint bandages, dress wounds, and perform dental scaling and polishing procedures.

For appointments, they’ll get a thorough medical history to aid the doctor in their diagnosis and treatment plan. They’ll restrain your furry family member for exams, injections, and toenail trims. Once the treatment plan is agreed upon, they’ll be the ones getting the medicines together and going over them with you, the pet parent.

These are just a few examples of how incredibly diverse and adaptable a technician must be – and they perform these duties with knowledge, empathy, compassion, and love. When they leave our clinic each day, they are most likely tired, perhaps sore, and more than likely have at least one if not more bodily fluids on their scrubs. But they come back again the next day and do it all again. For that, we offer our appreciation and thanks!
​​​​​​​