A Day in the Life of a Vet Tech…
Veterinary Technicians are the cornerstone of every veterinary hospital. They walk into work in the morning never quite knowing what the day will look like, and that’s part of the challenge and joy of the job. Arriving early, they grab a leash from the hook and their day begins by walking and feeding any overnight patients. Some are eager to get out in the sunshine and ready to scarf down their breakfast, while others will need to be carried outside to go potty and then hand fed because they’re too weak to eat on their own. The kitties will need fresh litter; some will purr and eagerly await their morning pet, while others will back into the corner and hiss angrily, not appreciative of the care they’re getting.
A look at the schedule for the day will tell them that the dental area and the surgery room needs to be prepped – all the anesthetic machines need to be tested and checked before use on any patient. They need to know all the equipment that needs to be ready for the veterinarian, and even make sure that unexpected equipment is ready! You never know what you’ll find in surgery! They will then prepare the animals for their procedures, listen to the heart, place an IV catheter, ensure IV fluids are ready and flowing, monitor and run the anesthesia while keeping a close eye on the patient, perform the dental scaling and polishing, and assist the veterinarian as needed in surgery. They will care for the animal as they slowly wake up and discuss post-op instructions with the worried owner.
As the day moves forward, they may give vaccinations, listen to heart beats, check blood pressures and temperatures, take x-rays, draw blood from a tiny vein on a kitten, and trim the nails on a Chihuahua that tries to bite them. They grab a quick bite to eat in between appointments and come back to find that a dog has thrown up in the waiting room. After that has been addressed, they’ll again need to walk and potty their in-house patients.
The afternoon brings a series of highs and lows. A frantic woman brings in her dog that has just been hit by a car. All the scheduled appointments get pushed back with the urgency to save this dog’s life. They work swiftly and carefully to assist the doctor while gently trying to calm the frantic owner. Once the dog is stable, attention will be turned back to the patients in the waiting room.
The next appointment brings in ten adorable puppies that need their first set of vaccinations. The wiggly bodies and puppy snuggles are the perfect solution to decreasing the rising stress of the day. Sending the puppies bouncing back out the door, they see that her favorite client is walking in; but instead of the usual friendly “hello” from elderly Mrs. Smith, there are tears in her eyes, as her old dog “Fluffy” has stopped eating and can’t get around the house any longer. After an examination from the veterinarian, it is determined that Fluffy has lived his best life. Euthanasia is the humane solution so he will not suffer any longer. They assist the vet with this procedure and cry with Mrs. Smith as Fluffy takes his final breath. Our patients are family to us too, and while it seems we can hold it together most of the time, we cry and hurt just like our dear clients. They then have to pull themselves back together and dry their eyes as they enter the next exam room to see what awaits them.
They’re physically and emotionally exhausted by the end of the day but they will gladly get up and do it again tomorrow. It takes a special person to be a veterinary technician and we’re so thankful for the people that choose to do this job!