What is a Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker?
Career Description Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine post-operative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.
Veterinary Assistant Responsibilities
- Administer medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
- Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests.
- Perform hygiene-related duties, such as clipping animals' claws or cleaning and polishing teeth.
- Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
- Sell pet food or supplies to customers.
- Collect laboratory specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, for testing.
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Veterinary Assistant Required Skills
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related Job Titles
- Animal Caretaker
- Avian Keeper
- Animal Care Taker
- Veterinary Attendant
- Animal Caregiver
Veterinary Assistant Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 83,800 jobs for Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 19.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,200 new jobs for Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker by 2026. There will be an estimated 15,500 positions for Veterinary Assistant per year.
The states with the most job growth for Veterinary Assistant are Utah, Nevada, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Maine, or Maryland. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Veterinary Assistant Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Veterinary Assistant ranges between $19,950 and $38,890.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers who work in Massachusetts, Maine, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $23,950 |
| Alaska | $32,170 |
| Arizona | $29,300 |
| Arkansas | $25,640 |
| California | $32,480 |
| Colorado | $30,510 |
| Connecticut | $34,850 |
| Delaware | $27,750 |
| Florida | $27,450 |
| Georgia | $25,980 |
| Hawaii | $30,050 |
| Idaho | $27,420 |
| Illinois | $28,060 |
| Indiana | $28,750 |
| Iowa | $28,410 |
| Kansas | $28,680 |
| Kentucky | $25,380 |
| Louisiana | $24,310 |
| Maine | $34,680 |
| Maryland | $29,280 |
| Massachusetts | $36,720 |
| Michigan | $26,800 |
| Minnesota | $29,830 |
| Mississippi | $23,350 |
| Missouri | $28,110 |
| Montana | $27,000 |
| Nebraska | $27,640 |
| Nevada | $28,010 |
| New Hampshire | $27,730 |
| New Jersey | $29,960 |
| New Mexico | $25,030 |
| New York | $32,320 |
| North Carolina | $28,830 |
| North Dakota | $25,120 |
| Ohio | $26,380 |
| Oklahoma | $25,080 |
| Oregon | $30,850 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,840 |
| Rhode Island | $24,850 |
| South Carolina | $25,450 |
| South Dakota | $24,610 |
| Tennessee | $24,960 |
| Texas | $26,410 |
| Utah | $24,750 |
| Vermont | $30,400 |
| Virginia | $26,750 |
| Washington | $31,180 |
| West Virginia | $24,050 |
| Wisconsin | $26,870 |
| Wyoming | $29,190 |
What Tools do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Scheduling software
- Practice management software PMS
- Labeling software
- IDEXX Laboratories IDEXX Cornerstone
- McAllister Software Systems AVImark
Becoming a Veterinary Assistant
Learn what Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Veterinary Assistant?
Where Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Are Employed
Below are examples of industries where Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers work:
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References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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