10/18/2023
LONG POST BUT PLEASE READ!
Most people may not know but…..
IT’S VET TECH APPRECIATION WEEK!!!
We have been spending this week trying to show our assistants and technicians just how appreciated they are!
A lot of people are unaware of just how much your veterinary technician/assistant does on a daily basis so we thought we’d break down a day in the life of ours! Every day is different of course but this will give you a glimpse into a typical day!
They are surgical and dentistry assistants. They make sure your pet gets the proper pre-medications and IV catheters. They help the veterinarian with inducing them and closely monitor their heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure, temperature, and IV fluids throughout their entire procedure. They make sure they recover as smoothly as possible and have their pain medication administered and plenty of cozy blankets.
They clean every single one of your pet’s teeth with an ultrasonic scaler, polish them up, and apply fluoride. They assist the veterinarian in taking dental x-rays and assist with any extractions they may need.
They draw blood countless times a day and run labs in-house or prepare them to be sent to our outside lab. They collect urine and f***s for testing. They take ear swabs and prepare cytologies so the veterinarian can see what kind of organisms might be growing in your pet’s ears.
They take extensive histories and start notes for the veterinarian. They try to help educate on everything from the importance of heartworm/flea/tick preventions to the advantages of running yearly preventive wellness labs. They draw up vaccines and assist the DVM with their exams. They fill numerous prescriptions and make sure the owners understand the DVM’s plan of treatment.
They hold anything from a 3 lb kitten to a 120 lb Rottweiler all day, every day and most of their bodies can attest to that as the years go by! They get bitten, they get scratched, they get kicked and head butted. They get urinated on, defecated on, and vomited on.
They trim countless amounts of nails every day and express more a**l glands than they care to talk about! They give baths and brush-outs. They help with our boarding pets ensuring they have everything they need during their stay with us.
They clean, and clean, and clean, and then clean some more to ensure our clinic stays safe and sanitary.
They always try to make every single pet that comes through our doors feel safe and comforted. We know a lot of animals don’t love going to the doctor, just like humans, but they do everything they can to make sure your 6-month old kitten isn’t scared while waiting to get her spay procedure, or your 12 yr old dog with a bad heart stays as calm as possible while getting diagnostics performed. They got into this field because more anything else, they want to help your pets be healthy, comfortable, and happy.
They get attached to your pets more than you may realize so when it’s time for a pet to cross the rainbow bridge that they’ve known for years but has also been seeing numerous times a week, for weeks on end, for fluid treatments or rechecks or lab work, it’s extremely tough on them. They put on the bravest face they can and help their DVM make your pet’s transition as smooth as absolutely possible.
Their job is physically, mentally, and emotionally tough, but also extremely rewarding. We want our assistants/technicians to feel appreciated every day because what they do is nothing short of amazing!
So please, if you happen to come in this week, or really just anytime you see them, let them know that they DO make a difference and that everything they do is appreciated more than they know.
-AHC
