The salary of a vet assistant depends on various factors like job location, years of work experience, and the health care unit he is working in.
The field of veterinary is concerned with animal care and treatment. The technicians and senior doctors ensure that the animals are treated properly. One of the other important members of this team are the veterinary assistants. Although the salaries for these professionals are not very lucrative, their duties are plentiful, and only an individual, who wants to make a career in this field passionately, should opt for it.
Job Responsibilities
First and foremost, the vet jobs are not so glamorous or something you would really love to do, unless you are an animal lover. Thus, consider all the factors before pursuing this career. Veterinary assistants help the veterinarians and technicians by carrying out a diverse range of duties. From cleaning the clinic or the animal treatment room to holding the animal while the treatment process is on, they perform a wide range of duties. Some of the typical work activities of their job are:
- Help the veterinarian in medical billing services and record keeping about the patients
- Perform the X-rays of the pets and animals
- Cleaning the tools and instruments used by the doctors
- Maintenance of the office and ensuring the cleanliness aspect of the clinic
- Elementary animal care (provide assistance to pet owner during feeding or giving water to the animal)
- Help the pet board the vehicle in case it is physically injured
- Handle the work of carefully transporting animals to the cage or zoo
Educational Requirements
People interested in entering this field can go for certification programs in veterinary assistance, in subjects related to animal health, animal anatomy, and various office procedures. In many cases, a six-month vocational training is enough to provide you the right skills to become a vet. Some people prefer an associate’s degree in veterinary technology or related field for over two years. Clinical practice and internships under able veterinarians provide the assistants with right skills and job experience. There are certification exams that one needs to qualify before becoming a certified professional.
Average Salary
As per several surveys, the average pay scale for these professionals is around USD 23,000 – USD 28,000. There are various factors that determine their salary. For example, the location of the animal health clinic and the health care center he/she works with. While large cities and metropolitan areas have higher salaries, the wages in the rural areas are less. The size of the clinic plays a crucial role in determining the pay. Most of the assistants work part-time in shifts. Besides the salary, there are certain benefits that they can avail. Benefits of health insurance and vacation pays are some of them. Just aspiring for a career as an assistant is not enough. Anybody willing to work with animals in challenging situations must only opt for it. For example, at times, it may be required to give euthanasia to animals, who don’t have much options. Handling lizards, birds, dogs, cats, and various other types of animals also is no less than a challenge.
Low salary range, coupled with these tough situations, makes few people quit this career even before it has started properly. If there are challenges, then the rewards are equal, as the inner satisfaction derived from treating sick animals is beyond the comparison of many monetary benefits. The job outlook for these professionals is bright, as the population of pets has increased in the past few years. Besides these, they can work in zoos and wildlife.