Veterinary Assistant

A Veterinary Assistant is the first point of contact for someone who has an injured animal. When the phone rings with an upset pet owner, the Veterinary Assistant is the person who evaluates their needs, schedules the appointment, completes the paperwork, and assists them with follow-up care.

As a Veterinary Assistant, you are in the office every day, watching the actions of the Veterinarian and other staff. Injured animals come through the office and you direct them to the proper examination room. In some offices, you complete basic vital sign evaluations such as blood pressure or weight and record the information in the patient’s chart. Then you assure the patient’s owner that the Veterinarian will be right in.

Back in the front office, you send invoices (bills), update charts, and send out care reminders to customers. You keep the filing up-to-date, answer phones, accept deliveries, and greet customers. When the patient is done with the Veterinarian, you collect payments, schedule future appointments, and assist the customer with any in-store purchases such as flea medicine or cat carriers.

This is a great position to get your feet wet in the field of veterinary medicine. You gain experience with animals while evaluating the other professionals in the building. It’s a good way to find out if you will pass out at the sight of blood or have a fear of cats. This is good information to have before you spend several years working your way through college towards a career as a Veterinarian or Veterinary Technician.