Veterinary Technology: More Than Cats and Dogs
Doing what you love as a career is one of the best ways to make work not feel like work at all. If man’s best friend is your best friend, you might consider pursuing a career loving and caring for animals. Veterinary technicians provide support to veterinarians much like nurses do for physicians. If you’re an animal lover, pursing career opportunities in veterinary technology may provide you with many fun and rewarding days.
Helping Furred, Feathered, and Finned Friends
Puppies are precious and kittens are cute, but people have all sorts of pets that will need medical care from time to time. Other small mammals that veterinary clinics may treat include chinchillas, ferrets, and rabbits. They also may provide care for cockatoos and parrots, snakes and turtles, or even pet sharks.
Not all veterinary technicians work at veterinary clinics. Some pursue studies in large animal care and may work with cows, horses, and other farm animals. Others seek opportunities at kennels, shelters, zoos, and aquariums.
Education and Career Opportunities
Veterinary technology programs may provide courses as varied as the creatures that a veterinary technician could encounter. A few topics that may be taught include:
- Pharmacology
- Diagnostic Techniques
- Veterinary Anesthesia
- Laboratory Techniques
- Veterinary Surgery
- Office and Hospital Management
Veterinary technicians can perform a variety of medical procedures. If you enroll in a veterinary technology program, you could also learn how to:
- Utilize laboratory equipment
- Develop x-rays
- Perform urinalysis
- Provide dental and nursing care
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Veterinary Technologists and Technicians, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos183.htm (visited March 09, 2011).
These are national statistics, conditions in your area may vary.
