Vet Assistant

Job Title: Veterinary Assistant

Reports to: Lead Veterinary Technician

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

General Summary: Our veterinary assistant's assist veterinary technicians and veterinarians with office visits, interacts closely with clients, and helps maintain the hospital facility, keeping it neat and clean. They also need to have a knowledge of vaccine protocols, preventatives, and excellent history taking skills.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide compassionate care for pets.
• Performs all duties in accordance with government regulations and hospital policies and procedures.
• Be knowledgeable in areas of vaccines, blood tests, fecal and urine collection.
• Administer vaccines 
• Restrain pets for veterinarians and technicians
• Assist in the taking of x-rays
• Monitor and collect urine and fecal samples as needed
• Monitor, record, and report physical signs of hospitalized/boarded pets
• Dispense medication as ordered
• Ability to clearly communicate with clients the wishes of the veterinarian.
• Assist in educating clients on various aspects of animal care
• Understands usage and dosage for commonly used prescription drugs including heartworm preventative and prescription flea control products and can readily explain them to clients.
• Clean cages, exam rooms, treatment room
• Help maintain reception area in a neat and sanitary condition
• Provide clean bedding, water and litter pans for pets
• Take incoming pets to appropriate areas
• Retrieve pets that are being discharged
• Work with electronic medical records and document professionally. Knowledge of Idexx CornerStone is a plus
• Do laundry
• Wash and sanitize pet dishes
• Assists other staff members as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: One year of experience as a veterinary assistant or technician preferred.

Skills and Abilities: An employee in this position must have a sense of caring for animals, be able to lift approximately 50 pounds, walk dogs of up to 130 pounds, work on their feet all day, and read and understand English.

Physical Demands:

• High stress environment
• Standing/Walking/Lifting for long periods of times
• Periods of loud noises
• Handling animals which may bite or scratch

Work Environment:

Fast paced veterinary hospital