VETERINARY ASSISTANT JOB DESCRIPTION
Function
• Veterinary assistants help with daily tasks at the clinic, including working in the reception area, assisting clients, taking payments, answering the phone and scheduling appointments. They assist the veterinary technicians, sterilize surgical equipment, feed and care for animals, restrain them during exams, shave them before surgery and clean surgical areas and exam rooms. They bathe animals and trim nails. If there is a boarding kennel, the veterinary assistant often does the feeding and dog walking. Some also clean kennels.
In rural areas and very small veterinary practices, a veterinary assistant might have a chance to do more technical work, assisting the veterinarian directly during exams and surgeries.
Considerations
• Working at a clinic or animal hospital involves difficult situations, such as distraught owners, euthanasia and animals who do not survive surgery. A vet assistant also may be expected to work evenings and weekends.
On the other hand, veterinary assistants typically find the work rewarding and enjoy the chance to work with animals without needing formal education. Vet assistants sometimes receive training at a technical college or through a distance-learning program, but most are trained on the job by a veterinarian or a technician.
Please apply in person with resume to: 1850 Alberni Highway, Port Alberni, BC.