This week is National Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week, an entire week dedicated to the compassionate and hardworking team members that work behind the scenes to help provide medical care for our beloved pets. They are a vital part of the medical care of patients.
We are so lucky to have an amazing team of Veterinary Technicians and Assistants at East Bend Animal Hospital. They work hard every day to go above and beyond for our patients. They are trained in handling all types of patients and help provide medical care for our furry, scaled, and feathered friends. They are all trained on Fear Free techniques to make the visit as stress free as possible.
Veterinary technicians play many roles.
Animal nurse: Veterinary technicians assists veterinarians in providing medical care for a variety of different patients. They obtain and document vital signs, medicate and treat patients as ordered by veterinarians, assist with diagnostic and surgical procedures, etc. Veterinary Technicians are trained to properly restrain patients, assist with procedures, prepare for surgery, and help provide post-op care after surgical procedures. They place iv catheters, administer fluids, and can give the best snuggles to their patients.
Dental hygienists: Veterinary technicians are trained to assist veterinarians with dental prophylaxis (scaling and polishing of all teeth).
Phlebotomists: Veterinary technicians are trained in various techniques to obtain blood samples from patients (whether a dog, cat, bird, rabbit, or exotic patient). They are trained on proper restraining techniques to make the blood draw as fear free as possible for our patients.
Anesthesiologists: Veterinary technicians are familiar with anesthesia and the necessary techniques to keep your pet safe during a surgical procedure.
Radiology technicians: Veterinary technicians know how to take x-rays and position each patient to get the best picture possible (often even with a wiggly patient)
Lab technicians: Veterinary technicians know how to prepare laboratory samples for in house tests (bloodwork, cytologies, etc). They are trained on the proper preparation techniques to send samples to outside laboratories too.
Pharmacy Technicians: Veterinary technicians are familiar with medications and proper handling of medications. They are responsible for filling medications and preparing these medications to go home with patients.
Educators: Veterinary technicians are great teachers. They are well versed on the medical field and are able to answer questions about procedures, technique, medications, vaccinations, etc.
Veterinary technicians are imperative to a well-functioning veterinary hospital. We love our veterinary technicians (and assistants) at East Bend Animal Hospital. They go above and beyond every day to make sure our patients (and clients) receive the care they deserve.
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