What You Need to Know About Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker
Veterinary Assistant Definition 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.
What Do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Fill medication prescriptions.
- Exercise animals or provide them with companionship.
- Perform accounting duties, such as bookkeeping, billing customers for services, or maintaining inventories.
- Provide emergency first aid to sick or injured animals.
- Perform enemas, catheterizations, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, or gavages.
- Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests.
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Things a Veterinary Assistant Should Know How to Do
These are the skills Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Other Veterinary Assistant Job Titles
- Research Animal Attendant
- Animal Care Provider
- Animal Health Technician
- Technician Assistant
- Avian Keeper
What Kind of Veterinary Assistant Job Opportunities Are There?
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.
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 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.
How much do Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers make 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 do I Become a Veterinary Assistant?
What education is needed to be a Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers Are Employed
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Veterinary Assistant or Laboratory Animal Caretaker might also be interested in the following careers:
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:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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