Emergency Veterinary Technician
Provide support to Veterinarians in emergency cases.
Nurses save humans and Emergency Veterinary Technicians save animals. An assistant to a Veterinarian, the Emergency Veterinary Technician helps monitor vital signs, prepare an animal for surgery, and perform tests to make a rapid diagnosis. When you’re an Emergency Veterinary Technician, your job is similar to that of a regular Veterinary Technician, but you focus on emergency care in life-threatening situations instead of routine checkups or non-immediate procedures.
People typically move into the Emergency Veterinary Technician role after working for several years as a regular Vet Tech. To enter this specialty branch, you need extra training. You work under the direction of the head Veterinarian in charge of emergency care and surgery.
To assist the Veterinarian with emergency situations, you may take blood samples, run diagnostic tests, or take X-rays. Fast diagnosis and treatment are critical to saving an animal’s life. You start an IV to prevent dehydration, and sedate the animal if necessary to perform tests or prep for surgery.
During an emergency surgery, you assist the Veterinarian with incisions, operations such as setting a broken bone, and sewing wounds closed. Once the animal is on the road to recovery, you keep its wounds clean and watch its vital signs. Severely injured animals are often reunited with their owners thanks to your fast thinking in a crisis.
Personality Traits
Reliable: You can always be counted on to do a good job.
Calm Under Pressure: You keep your cool when dealing with highly stressful situations.
Team Player: You're able to listen, communicate, and work with tons of different people.
Salary and Education
Nationally: $21,000 – $44,000
Main education level: Associates
source: US Dept of Labor
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