It's Veterinary Technician Week!

The week of October 10^th through the 16^th is National Veterinary Technician Week. What does it mean to be a veterinary technician? Many of us consider ourselves pet “nurses”. We do many things that valued human nurses do and more. Veterinary Technicians wear many hats from holding pets for doctor exams to taking radiographs to treatments and procedures. When most clients meet a technician initially what they see is us holding an animal for the doctor’s exam. Behind the scenes it’s a whole other story.

Here at the emergency clinic, the technicians have quite a bit of responsibility because the doctors rely on us for help while they are busy seeing patients, writing records and figuring out the best treatment for the animal. For a typical patient that is staying in the hospital, the doctor will give us orders for what they want for the patient like blood work, x-rays, etc. Usually this will mean placing an intravenous catheter, drawing blood and running blood work, medications to be calculated and given, IV fluids to be given, getting supplies prepared to do a procedure like sewing up a laceration or unblocking a urine obstructed cat.

Do you ever wonder who does anesthesia for your pet during surgery, dental cleanings, or any procedure requiring sedation? Technicians do it all from setting up the OR, calculating drug doses, monitoring anesthesia, to recovering the patient post operatively. We don’t do the surgery however. We are also care givers because during this time it can be very scary for a pet. They are with people they don’t know, receiving drugs that make them sleepy then waking up in a strange place. We do our best to comfort them during this time. We are also care givers for the clients as well. Sometimes clients have to make very tough decisions regarding their pet and we try to make every situation as pleasant as possible.

Other technician responsibilities include walking patients, feeding, cleaning, and administering drugs, client education, discharge instructions, answering client’s questions and more. These are just a few things that technicians do. We enter this field of work because we love animals. It’s much more than playing with puppies and kittens. Many of us have a variety of our own pets. I have had the privilege of working with some of the most caring people I have ever met (doctors and receptionists included). To many people a pet is part of their family and the same is true for us. I treat patients the way I would like my own treated and so do my co-workers.

Being a veterinary technician is more than being a glorified holder. Veterinary technicians are an integral part of the veterinary team. Working alongside the doctors we try to provide the best possible care for our patients.

Michele Kendall, RVT