• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Animal Behavior College

Animal Behavior College

Where Animal Lovers Pursue Animal Careers

Feefo logo
Live chat
Live chat
800-795-3294
  • Alumni Login
    • Dog Obedience Program Alumni
    • Cat Training Program Alumni
    • Grooming Instruction Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program Alumni
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program Alumni
    • Service Dog Trainer Alumni
  • Student Login
    • Cat Training Program
    • Dog Obedience Program
    • Grooming Instruction Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Service Dog Trainer
MENUMENU
  • Programs
    • Dog Obedience Instructor
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Certification
      • Success Stories
      • Students Saving Lives
      • Find A Dog Trainer
    • Veterinary Assistant
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Success Stories
    • Grooming Instruction Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Success Stories
      • Find A Pet Groomer
    • On Campus Dog Trainer Program
      • Traditional Classroom Environment in Los Angeles California
      • Enroll Using Your Military Benefits
    • Continuing Education
      • Short Term Programs
    • Cat Management and Training
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Careers
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Find A Cat Trainer
    • Aquarium Maintenance (online)
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Salary Information
      • What Is an Aquarist?
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Career
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Service Dog Trainer Program
      • Tuition
      • Curriculum
      • Career
      • Alumni Benefits
      • Education & Experience Requirements
  • Military Benefits
  • GI Bill® Benefits
  • Locations
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Animal Career Resources
  • About ABC
        • About Animal Behavior College
        • Our Expert Faculty
        • Press, News & Info
        • Press Releases
        • BPPE Disclosures
        • Animal Behavior College FAQ
        • Contact Us
        • Why ABC?
        • Students Saving Lives
        • Licensure, Ratings & Approvals
        • Sponsors & Associates
        • Gift Certificates
  • Blog
  • Affiliates
  • Alumni Login
    • Dog Obedience Program Alumni
    • Cat Training Program Alumni
    • Grooming Instruction Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program Alumni
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program Alumni
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program Alumni
    • Service Dog Trainer Alumni
  • Student Login
    • Cat Training Program
    • Dog Obedience Program
    • Grooming Instruction Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Veterinary Assistant Program (Canada)
    • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Service Dog Trainer Program
Home » Lifestyle » Health » What Are The Qualifications To Be a Veterinary Assistant?

What Are The Qualifications To Be a Veterinary Assistant?

If you’re like many people who love animals, you’ve considered a career working with pets. The job of veterinary assistant can be particularly appealing if you want hands-on contact with animals but don’t want to spend extended time in school becoming a veterinarian or registered veterinary technician.

Although the job of veterinary assistant requires less schooling than most other veterinary jobs, other qualifications are mandatory if you want to succeed in this career.

Here are the most important qualifications you’ll need to become a veterinary assistant:

  • Love of animals. The majority of your time will be spent handling dogs, cats and sometimes exotic pets, like birds and reptiles. This means you need to love being around animals. If you don’t, it’s unlikely you’ll enjoy this career choice.
  • People skills. Even though you will be spending most of your time taking care of animals, you will also be dealing with people. This includes other hospital staff as well as pet owners. You need to be able to work closely with people, and effectively communicate with pet owners, who are sometimes distressed.
  • Strong stomach. Being a veterinary assistant means dealing with blood, vomit, feces and urine, which all come with the territory of caring for sick animals. You may also be expected to help out in surgeries, where you’ll be seeing the inside of animals on the operating table. You need to be able to tolerate these aspects of the job.
  • Compassion. Veterinary assistants often have to deal with animals that are frightened and owners who are upset. Having a compassionate nature is vital in these situations. Both pets and their owners will sense whether you genuinely care about their wellbeing, and will respond in kind. Compassion will also help you maintain your patience with an uncooperative animal and a difficult owner, and help you not take it personally if a scared animal bites or scratches you.
  • Emotional resilience. The irony of being a veterinary assistant is that you must care about pets and their owners while at the same time be able to handle seeing them suffer. Veterinary assistants have to deal with animals that are sick, in pain and dying. Being around grieving owners also comes with the job, and can be challenging for caring veterinary staff to be around. The tradeoff is that for every animal that is lost, even more are saved. Remembering this helps veterinary assistants remain emotionally resilient.
  • Attention to detail. Veterinary assistants are expected to take direction from veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians when it comes to the care of sick or injured animals. Understanding these directions and precisely following through on them is crucial to the wellbeing of the animals in your care.
  • Ability to handle pressure. Veterinary hospitals can be hectic places, especially when sick or injured animals come in on an emergency basis. The pressure to provide immediate assistance that means the difference between life and death for a pet can be difficult for some people. Being able to cope with this kind of stress is crucial for this job.
  • Ability to multitask. Veterinary assistants are often required to care for several pets at one time. This means keeping each animal’s needs straight in your mind even though you have more than one patient to manage at a time. You may find yourself splitting your time between several exam rooms and multiple hospital cages on any given day.
  • Physical strength. The job of a veterinary assistant can be quite physical. You will be bending, crouching and lifting on a daily basis. You will also be restraining animals, which can take significant strength in the case of larger pets. It’s important to have a strong back, healthy knees and good upper body strength for you to do your job successfully.

Primary Sidebar

Tags

educationhumane societystay dog training commandteach dog staytrain a dog to stayteach your dog to roll overtraining a dog to roll overtraveling with petsbenefits of rawhiderawhide bonesaspcadog jumpingtrain your dog to cometrain dog to jumphow to teach your dog to speaktraining dog to speakeasy dog trickshow to train a dog to play deadteach a dog to play deadtraining dog to play deadlick faceshake pawdog flash mobhow to teach a dog to stayteach dog to come when calledrequirementsanimal hospital jobsbest dog trainerchoose a dog trainerdog trainer ratesfind a dog trainerhow to find a dog trainerkeeperkennel attendantsvet assistant programvet assistant schoolveterinary care jobshow to get a job at a veterinary hospitalhow to teach a dog to comework in veterinary hospitalhow much do vet assistants makedog training toyskong dog toyhow to train your dog to sitteach your dog to sittrain dog to sittrain your dog to sitcome when calledhow do you train a dog to come when called every timedoggy dance
  • Main
    • Locations
    • Affiliates
    • Find A Dog Trainer
    • Find A Pet Groomer
    • Find a Cat Trainer
    • Post a Job
    • Evolution of ABC
  • Dog Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Veterinary Assistant Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Dog Groomer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Cat Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Aquarium Maintenance Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Zookeeper Assistant Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Student Login
  • Service Dog Trainer Program
    • Program
    • Tuition
    • Curriculum
    • Education & Experience Requirements

Footer

Apex Career School - A subsidiary of Animal Behavior College


Interested in a career outside of the animal industry?
Visit our subsidiary school!

bbb logo

Rating A+ The BBB only accredits the business management of a school, not the quality of the curriculum, or training programs.

STATE LICENSURE AND APPROVAL
Animal Behavior College is a private vocational school approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (www.bppe.ca.gov) under the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 and Title 5. California Code of Regulations Division 7.5. Private Postsecondary Education. The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education approval means that this institution and its operation comply with the standards established under the law for occupational instruction by private postsecondary educational institutions. Institutional approval is subject to continual review and the institution must reapply for approval every five years.
DISCLAIMER
Please be advised that Animal Behavior College ("ABC") is the exclusive entity authorized to provide certifications and/or degrees from Animal Behavior College. Moreover, such certifications and/or degrees are only conferred by ABC following a student's completion of an ABC-administered program. No other entity or individual has authority to confer certifications and/or degrees on ABC's behalf. Any other entity or individual who attempts to do so is acting without express or implied authority from ABC.
GI BILL® TRADEMARK ATTRIBUTION
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Click here to view Animal Behavior College’s Annual Reports
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
Animal Behavior College, 27509 Avenue Hopkins, First Floor, Valencia CA 91355-3910 Contact Us
© 2000 - 2023 Animal Behavior College. Questions? email@animalbehaviorcollege.com
loading

Please wait while you are redirected to the right page...

Please share your location to continue.

Check our help guide for more info.

share your location