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Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker

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All About Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Job 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.

Life As a Veterinary Assistant

  • Perform office reception duties, such as scheduling appointments or helping customers.
  • Fill medication prescriptions.
  • Groom, trim, or clip animals’ coats.
  • Perform hygiene-related duties, such as clipping animals’ claws or cleaning and polishing teeth.
  • Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
  • Perform accounting duties, such as bookkeeping, billing customers for services, or maintaining inventories.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Veterinary Assistant?

Below is a list of the skills most Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers say are important on the job.

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.

Types of Veterinary Assistant Jobs

  • Veterinary Assistant (Vet Assistant)
  • Research Animal Attendant
  • Animal Care Service Worker
  • Veterinarian Assistant
  • Veterinary Technician Assistant (Vet Tech Assistant)

Is There Job Demand for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers?

There were about 83,800 jobs for Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker in 2016 (in the United States). 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 15,500 job openings in this field each year.

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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.

How Much Does a Veterinary Assistant Make?

The average yearly salary of a Veterinary Assistant ranges between $19,950 and $38,890.

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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

Tools & Technologies Used by Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

  • 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

How to Become a Veterinary Assistant

What kind of Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker requirements are there?

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What work experience do I need to become a Veterinary Assistant?

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Where Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Work

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The table below shows the approximate number of Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers employed by various industries.

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Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being a Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker may also be interested in:

Are you already one of the many Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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