Job Description - Veterinary Assistant:
Veterinary assistants care for animals in laboratories, animal hospitals and clinics.
Employment Facts - Veterinary Assistants:
Veterinary assistants held about 75,000 jobs in 2008.
Educational Requirements - Veterinary Assistants:
There are no formal educational requirements for veterinary assistants. They receive on-the-job training only.
Job Outlook -Veterinary Assistants:
Veterinary assistants should see much faster than average job growth through 2018.
Earnings - Veterinary Assistants:
Veterinary assistants earned median hourly wages of $10.43 and median annual wages of $21,700 in 2009.
Use the Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much veterinary assistants currently earn in your city.
A Day in a Veterinary Assistant's Life:
On a typical day a Veterinary Assistant may:
- feed, water and examine animals;
- clean and disinfect cages and work areas;
- sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment;
- provide post-operative care;
- administer medication orally or topically;
- prepare samples for laboratory examination under a veterinarian's or veterinarian technician's supervision;
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Animal Care and Service Workers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos168.htm (visited December 8, 2010).
Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET Online, Veterinary Assistants and Animal Laboratory Caretakers, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/details/31-9096.00 (visited December 8, 2010).
Should You Become a Veterinary Assistant? Take a Quiz to Find Out.
