Occupation · SOC 29-2056
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases. Prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, and execute laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts. Clean and sterilize instruments and materials and maintain equipment and machines. May assist a veterinarian during surgery.
Median wage
$45,980
$32,120–$60,880
Projected growth
+9.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings
1,220
per year
Employed (US)
131,320
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
74 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingSpeakingReading ComprehensionComplex Problem SolvingWritingMonitoringCoordination
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceBiologyEnglish LanguageMathematics
Technology & tools
Medical softwareData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail software
Representative tasks
Administer anesthesia to animals, under the direction of a veterinarian, and monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted.Care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery.Maintain controlled drug inventory and related log books.Perform laboratory tests on blood, urine, or feces, such as urinalyses or blood counts, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems.Prepare and administer medications, vaccines, serums, or treatments, as prescribed by veterinarians.Restrain animals during exams or procedures.Administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other life saving procedures.Clean and sterilize instruments, equipment, or materials.Provide veterinarians with the correct equipment or instruments, as needed.Perform dental work, such as cleaning, polishing, or extracting teeth.Observe the behavior and condition of animals and monitor their clinical symptoms.Fill prescriptions, measuring medications and labeling containers.Give enemas and perform catheterizations, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, or gavages.Collect, prepare, and label samples for laboratory testing, culture, or microscopic examination.Prepare animals for surgery, performing such tasks as shaving surgical areas.Discuss medical health of pets with clients, such as post-operative status.Take and develop diagnostic radiographs, using x-ray equipment.Clean kennels, animal holding areas, surgery suites, examination rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.Take animals into treatment areas and assist with physical examinations by performing such duties as obtaining temperature, pulse, or respiration data.Prepare treatment rooms for surgery.Maintain instruments, equipment, or machinery to ensure proper working condition.Maintain laboratory, research, or treatment records, as well as inventories of pharmaceuticals, equipment, or supplies.Dress and suture wounds and apply splints or other protective devices.Provide assistance with animal euthanasia and the disposal of remains.Schedule appointments and procedures for animals.Provide information or counseling regarding issues such as animal health care, behavior problems, or nutrition.Monitor medical supplies and place orders when inventory is low.Supervise or train veterinary students or other staff members.Perform a variety of office, clerical, or accounting duties, such as reception, billing, bookkeeping, or selling products.Bathe animals, clip nails or claws, and brush or cut animals' hair.Conduct specialized procedures, such as animal branding or tattooing or hoof trimming.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Animal restraint techniques — apply basic holds and positioning under direct veterinarian or senior technician supervision during routine examination procedures in a clinical setting.Instrument and equipment sanitation — clean and sterilize surgical tools, exam instruments, and materials following established protocols under direct oversight in a veterinary clinic.Prescribed medications and vaccines — prepare and label dosages as directed by a veterinarian, verifying quantity and patient identity in a small or mixed-species practice.Basic laboratory specimens — collect and process blood, urine, or fecal samples under supervision, performing simple urinalyses or cell counts using clinic laboratory equipment.Post-surgical patient observation — monitor recovering animals for vital sign changes and report abnormalities immediately to supervising veterinary staff in an inpatient ward.Controlled drug log entries — record additions and dispensing events in the controlled substance inventory log under direct guidance to maintain regulatory compliance.Client and staff communication — relay patient status updates and procedural instructions clearly and accurately to owners and team members in a front-facing clinic environment.Emergency first-aid protocols — recognize life-threatening signs and initiate basic resuscitation steps, including rescue breathing and cardiac compressions, under immediate veterinarian direction.Medical software data entry — input patient intake information, treatment notes, and appointment records into practice management software under supervision in a busy clinical environment.Biological and chemical safety — follow facility hazard protocols for handling reagents, biohazards, and sharps in the clinic laboratory and treatment area to minimize exposure risk.
developing
Anesthesia administration — prepare and administer induction and maintenance agents to companion animals following veterinarian-approved protocols, adjusting flow rates based on monitored responses during elective surgeries.Multi-parameter anesthesia monitoring — track heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and body temperature continuously, documenting trends and alerting the veterinarian to concerning deviations throughout surgical procedures.Full laboratory panel execution — perform and interpret complete blood counts, serum chemistry profiles, and urinalyses independently, flagging abnormal values for veterinarian review in a general-practice setting.Vaccine and treatment administration — prepare and administer prescribed immunizations, serums, and therapeutic medications with minimal oversight, verifying dosage calculations against patient weight in an outpatient clinic.Controlled substance inventory management — conduct routine reconciliation of controlled drug stock, investigate discrepancies, and maintain accurate DEA-compliant log books in a licensed veterinary facility.Advanced restraint and handling — apply chemical and physical restraint techniques for anxious, fractious, or large-breed patients, selecting appropriate methods to minimize stress and injury risk in an inpatient ward.Wound care and bandage application — assess, clean, and dress surgical incisions and traumatic wounds according to veterinarian instructions, monitoring healing progress during follow-up visits in a general practice.Diagnostic imaging assistance — position patients correctly for radiographic exposures, adjust technique settings, and produce diagnostic-quality images with routine supervision in a small-animal or mixed-practice clinic.Client education delivery — explain post-operative care instructions, medication schedules, and preventive health recommendations clearly to pet owners, adapting communication style to varying client literacy levels.Time and caseload management — prioritize concurrent patient tasks, treatment schedules, and laboratory runs efficiently across a busy multi-doctor practice, ensuring all procedures are completed within appointment windows.
proficient
Anesthetic protocol selection — independently evaluate patient health status, select appropriate anesthetic agents and monitoring parameters, and manage perioperative complications without direct supervision in a full-service veterinary hospital.Complex laboratory interpretation — correlate blood, urine, and fecal findings with clinical signs to develop differential diagnostic conclusions, communicating results and recommendations to veterinarians in a specialty or referral practice.Emergency resuscitation leadership — lead cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts, directing team roles and administering emergency drugs during critical events in an urgent-care or emergency veterinary facility.Surgical suite preparation and support — orchestrate complete sterile field setup, instrument counts, and intraoperative assistance for complex soft-tissue or orthopedic procedures in an advanced surgical environment.Controlled substance compliance oversight — audit drug logs, reconcile inventory discrepancies, prepare DEA reporting documentation, and coordinate inspections in a multi-doctor practice to ensure full regulatory adherence.Pain assessment and management — evaluate post-operative and chronic pain scores using validated scales, recommend protocol adjustments to the attending veterinarian, and implement multimodal analgesia plans in an inpatient care unit.Advanced patient monitoring technology — operate and troubleshoot capnography, invasive blood pressure, and esophageal stethoscope systems, interpreting real-time data to guide intraoperative decision-making in a surgical suite.Critical care nursing — manage fluid therapy rates, enteral nutrition support, and intensive monitoring for post-operative or medically compromised patients across extended shifts in a 24-hour veterinary hospital.Diagnostic and treatment documentation — produce thorough, accurate medical records, laboratory summaries, and discharge reports that meet state licensing standards and support continuity of care across a multi-provider team.Cross-disciplinary coordination — collaborate effectively with veterinarians, practice managers, and referring clinics to schedule complex cases, share diagnostic findings, and optimize patient outcomes in a specialty referral center.
advanced
Anesthesia protocol development — design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based anesthesia and analgesia protocols for the entire patient population, training junior technicians on their application across a multi-specialty veterinary organization.Competency framework and training design — develop structured onboarding curricula, skills assessments, and continuing education plans for veterinary technician staff, raising clinical standards across the department or multi-site practice.Controlled substance program leadership — establish facility-wide controlled drug policies, oversee audit systems, liaise with DEA and state regulators, and mentor staff compliance at an organizational governance level.Quality assurance and patient safety initiatives — lead root-cause analyses of adverse events, design corrective action plans, and implement safety checklists that reduce preventable errors across the entire clinical operation.Emergency preparedness strategy — create, test, and refine mass-casualty and critical-care emergency response protocols for the facility, coordinating drills and inter-agency communication in a hospital or high-volume urban clinic.Laboratory quality control management — establish and monitor analytical accuracy standards for in-house diagnostic equipment, evaluate new testing platforms, and ensure compliance with AVMA and accreditation body requirements.Mentorship and professional development leadership — guide individual technician career progression, advocate for credentialing advancement, and foster a culture of continuous learning within a veterinary department or teaching hospital.Technology and workflow optimization — evaluate, select, and integrate new medical software, diagnostic instruments, and electronic records systems, leading change management efforts to improve efficiency across the practice.Interdepartmental and client relations strategy — represent the technical team in hospital leadership meetings, address complex client escalations, and collaborate with practice owners to align clinical service delivery with organizational goals.Evidence-based practice advocacy — review current veterinary literature, translate emerging research into actionable clinical protocols, and present findings to staff and stakeholders to drive adoption of best practices across the organization.
Also known as
30 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Internal Medicine Veterinary Technician (Internal Medicine Vet Tech)Veterinary Technician (Vet Tech)Veterinary Clinical Medicine (Army 64F)Veterinary Laboratory Animal Medicine (Army 64C)Veterinary Biomedical Scientist (Army 64E)Animal Health Technician (Animal Health Tech)Marine Mammal Systems Operator (Navy 855A)Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT)Veterinary Corps Officer (Army 64)Veterinarian Lab Technician (Veterinary Lab Tech)Veterinary Nurse (Vet Nurse)Veterinary X-Ray OperatorCertified Veterinary Technician (CVT)Veterinary Surgery Technologist (Vet Surgery Technologist)Veterinarian Technician (Vet Tech)Veterinary Preventive Medicine (Army 64B)Field Veterinary Service (Army 64A)Veterinary TechnologistVeterinary TechnicianAnimal Care Technician (Animal Care Tech)Veterinary Laboratory Technician (Vet Lab Tech)Veterinary Assistant (Vet Assistant)Animal Technician (Animal Tech)Emergency Veterinary Technician (Emergency Vet Tech)Swine Technician (Swine Tech)Veterinary Surgery Technician (Vet Surgery Tech)Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)Animal Care Specialist (Army 68T)Food Safety Officer (Army 640A)Veterinary Pathology (Army 64D)