Trust Your Veterinary Technician

1. You may have noticed that your veterinary technician is always busy! Veterinary technicians have an essential role in delivering care to your pet, from assisting in surgeries and performing advanced procedures. We conduct medical tests, take tissue and blood samples, administer anesthesia, assist with surgeries and post-surgical monitoring, pain management, long-term chronic illness treatments, provide intensive care nursing and monitoring, and work with pet owners, among other duties. And, oh, yes, find time for head scratches and belly rubs.

2.  Showing compassion isn’t the only thing veterinary technicians are good at — we are credentialed and formally trained to provide expert care for pets.

3. We don’t want to brag, but credentialed veterinary technicians must have advanced training and complete a national exam to become certified.

4. Credentialed veterinary technicians must pass rigorous exams like the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). They must also graduate from an AVMA-accredited AS or BS program. Once credentialed, vet techs also complete ongoing continuing education requirements (CE). Trust us — we’ve earned our designations!

5. To obtain the Veterinary Technician Specialist designation (VTS), applicants must devote a minimum of three years to one of 16 clinical areas of intense focus (emergency and critical care, anesthesia and analgesia, rehabilitation, dentistry, nutrition, internal medicine, cardiology, ophthalmology, among others) before becoming a candidate. This process also involves case logging, skills verification and a rigorous exam. The VTS must undergo board recertification every five years.