Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Career Description: 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.

Industry: Healthcare Support

Other Job Titles for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Monitor animals' recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
• Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
• Clean, maintain, and sterilize instruments and equipment.
• Administer medication, immunizations, and blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
• Provide emergency first aid to sick or injured animals.
• Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination and operating rooms, and animal loading/unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
• Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
• Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests such as taking and developing x-rays.
• Fill medication prescriptions.
• Collect laboratory specimens such as blood, urine, and feces for testing.
• Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
• Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
• Prepare surgical equipment, and pass instruments and materials to veterinarians during surgical procedures.
• Perform enemas, catheterization, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, and gavages.
• Prepare feed for animals according to specific instructions such as diet lists and schedules.
• Exercise animals, and provide them with companionship.
• Record information relating to animal genealogy, feeding schedules, appearance, behavior, and breeding.
• Educate and advise clients on animal health care, nutrition, and behavior problems.
• Perform hygiene-related duties such as clipping animals' claws, and cleaning and polishing teeth.
• Prepare examination or treatment rooms by stocking them with appropriate supplies.
• Provide assistance with euthanasia of animals and disposal of corpses.
• Perform office reception duties such as scheduling appointments and helping customers.
• Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests.
• Write reports, maintain research information, and perform clerical duties.
• Perform accounting duties, including bookkeeping, billing customers for services, and maintaining inventories.
• Assist professional personnel with research projects in commercial, public health, or research laboratories.
• Sell pet food and supplies to customers.
• Groom, trim, or clip animals' coats.

Emerging Tasks

• Complete administrative tasks, such as entering orders into computer, answering telephone calls, and maintaining medical and facility information.
• Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior, and report observations to professional staff.
• Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, and treatment and discharge plans.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• administer injections
• administer medications or treatments
• apply appropriate physical restraint
• assist in examining or treating dental or medical patients
• build or repair pens, yards, or cages
• clean rooms or work areas
• collect specimens from patients
• conduct medical laboratory tests
• draw blood
• examine animals to detect illness, disease, or injury
• feed or water animals
• follow patient care procedures
• groom animals
• monitor timing or metering devices to regulate environmental conditions
• observe patient condition
• position patient for therapy
• prepare medical treatment room
• prepare patients for tests, therapy, or treatments
• prepare sample for laboratory testing, analysis, or microscopy
• set up patient care equipment
• sterilize or disinfect instruments
• take vital signs
• use clinical sterilizing technique
• use health or sanitation standards
• use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• weigh patients
• take messages
• take vital signs
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use massage therapy procedures
• use medical equipment in direct patient care
• use physical therapy equipment or materials
• weigh patients
• work with persons with mental disabilities or illnesses
• take dictation
• take vital signs
• use clinical sterilizing technique
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use interviewing procedures
• use knowledge of medical insurance systems
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use medical diagnostic equipment
• use medical lab techniques
• use nursing practices or procedures
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• use secretarial procedures
• weigh patients
• work with persons with mental disabilities or illnesses

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$9.98
• Average annual wage (2007) - $20,770.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 15.69%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 11,694
• Employment (2006): 74,534

• Agricultural Technicians
• Dental Hygienists
• Nonfarm Animal Caretakers
• Nursery Workers
• Respiratory Therapists
• Surgical Technologists
• Recreational Therapists
• Residential Advisors