We all come from different backgrounds, different places….but chances are we were the little kid who loved animals and were always trying to bring home another one, even the sick ones, because we wanted to make them better. We are veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, animal health care workers….whatever the title, we are caregivers. We are the ones who care for your pets when they are in the veterinary hospital or clinic.
Most people don’t really know what a veterinary technician does. What you see is not necessarily what you are getting. You may think we just hold animals, or take temperatures and weigh them…..but what goes on behind the scenes is what makes us who we are. We are nurses, phlebotomists, anesthesiologists, surgery assistant’s lab technicians, x-ray technicians, pharmacists, client educators, nutritionists, cage cleaners, groomers, a warm touch when they are scared. We often work long hours, staying late when we’re needed, we often think about our patients even after we’ve left work. We are the ones who keep them healthy and nurse them back to health when they are sick or injured. We get attached to them, we get excited when they get better and we are sad when they don’t.
It doesn’t matter what part of veterinary care we are involved in, zoos, academia, research, small animal, large animal….. we all want what is best for them. We all want to make a difference and help provide the best quality of life we can for our fuzzy friends and regardless of how many backaches, headaches, or heartaches we endure in our challenging job, this is still such a rewarding career. We love what we do. We take pride in our work and truly enjoy being caregivers for your pets. We are veterinary technicians.
-Michelle Schoepper, RVT
