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Have you ever thought about turning your love for animals into a rewarding career that might help you earn for living and at the same time do what makes you feel good?
Taking into consideration that the number of pet owners is increasing and that veterinary medicine develops, even more, the necessity for educated and talented veterinary assistants rises and there you might find your future occupation.
The number of young people interested in veterinary science and medicine is in the constant rise, but still, they do not satisfy the amount of work available in veterinary clinics and hospitals.
This job is amazing since helping animals is equal to helping people, as the animal happiness and health reflects on their owner.
Earn your accredited, affordable Veterinary Assistant career diploma online with Penn Foster in as little as 12 months!
Article Table of Contents
Job Description
Some of the veterinary assistant’s everyday tasks are supporting veterinarians, providing basic care for pets and non-farm animals among many others.
The amount of daily work they might have and the importance of their obligations depend a lot on the location of the veterinarian and his/her reputation, as the larger hospitals have much more work than those smaller facilities.
Feeding and bathing animals, disinfecting exam rooms, giving medications or vaccinations and assisting animals that stay on the premises after the surgery are only some of their daily duties.
Depending on the facility, some veterinary assistants have to work night shifts, do some fieldwork, or might be asked to work on holidays and at weekends.
No matter where they work, veterinary assistants have an active job, as most of their tasks require physical, technical and medical skills.
Becoming a Veterinary Assistant in Texas
To provide effective care, veterinary assistants need to be familiar with the necessary knowledge related to that field.
Proper education and continuous specialization in this field might be of great help, even though people who are not interested in going to veterinary schools and universities are not required to do so.
The necessary knowledge and training can be achieved by continuing education programs after secondary school to keep yourself acquainted with the latest technological and scientific improvements and learn how to efficiently assist the veterinarian if necessary.
The curriculums might combine hands-on training in the lab with flexible online learning, education on animal nursing, lab procedures and surgery among many others.
Licensed assistants, who have to pass the courses, can perform more complicated duties, know exactly how to help during the surgery, take blood samples without the assistance of a veterinarian.
Becoming a certified veterinary assistant is possible by enrolling in some of the courses or attending online classes offered by NAVTA.
Some veterinary assistant campus in Texas are:
- Cedar Valley College
- Pima Medical Institute
- Palo Alto College
Requirements
Texas, like all the other states, does not have any education requirements for veterinary assistants, but those people with a certificate should expect to be paid more than those assistants who did not get educational training at community colleges, technical schools or online courses.
People who take the veterinary assistant job seriously understand that a higher level of knowledge in dealing with animals is important so they decide to enroll in courses to achieve education and certificate within six months to a year.
The courses are taught by experienced instructors and students get acquainted with all the tasks and duties that await them once they start working as veterinary assistants.
Some of the NAVTA programs are:
- Animal Behavior College,
- East Valley Institute of Technology,
- and West-MEC Veterinary Assistant Program, to mention just a few.
Getting a Job
After finishing the studies, you need to find employment or start volunteering since years of practice can make you even better assistant.
You need to be involved in veterinary practice all the time which will make you a candidate who is more self-confident and encouraged to express his/her knowledge.
Nobody can deny that certified veterinary assistants are more informed, skilled, and educated than those unlicensed ones and that is why they have better job prospects, priority among other candidates s and higher salaries.
Yet, more responsible duties are entrusted to them.
The good fact is that job opportunities are expected to grow.
Potential veterinary assistant employers in Texas are:
- TVMA
- VCA (Veterinary Centers of America).
- Vetco Wellness Centers and Vaccination Clinics inside PETCO
- Fort Worth PETCO
- Arlington PETCO
- Plano PETCO
Salary
The applicants who possess documentation about the education achieved should expect higher wages.
The approximate salary of a veterinary assistant in the USA ranges between $24,000 and $36,000, depending on your location.
The difference among the major cities in Texas exists and that is caused by the advancement of the area and social status of the citizens.
The personal characteristics that affect the salary are several working hours and the workload.
Also, those veterinary assistants who have prior experience handling and working with animals will have a relatively higher salary compared to those who have little or no experience.
The greater and more prominent facility, the higher are the salaries.
The benefits regarding personal satisfaction when performing this job are enormous, but the salary is rather modest.
The table below shows the salary of a veterinary assistant in the state of Texas annually since it varies significantly from one major city to another.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Abilene,TX | $27,039 |
| Amarillo,TX | $27,187 |
| Arlington,TX | $28,842 |
| Austin,TX | $29,203 |
| Beaumont,TX | $28,578 |
| Brownsville,TX | $26,120 |
| Carrollton,TX | $29,371 |
| Corpus Christi,TX | $27,436 |
| Dallas,TX | $29,450 |
| Denton,TX | $28,924 |
| El Paso,TX | $25,932 |
| Fort Worth,TX | $28,889 |
| Frisco,TX | $29,053 |
| Galveston,TX | $29,103 |
| Garland,TX | $29,387 |
| Grand Prairie,TX | $29,387 |
| Harlingen,TX | $25,987 |
| Houston,TX | $30,389 |
| Irving,TX | $29,450 |
| Killeen,TX | $26,666 |
| Laredo,TX | $26,230 |
| Longview,TX | $26,757 |
| Lubbock,TX | $25,815 |
| Mcallen,TX | $25,497 |
| Mckinney,TX | $29,213 |
| Mesquite,TX | $29,418 |
| Midland,TX | $25,577 |
| Odessa,TX | $25,577 |
| Pasadena,TX | $30,279 |
| Plano,TX | $29,323 |
| Port Arthur,TX | $28,026 |
| Richardson,TX | $29,387 |
| Round Rock,TX | $29,093 |
| San Antonio,TX | $28,877 |
| Temple,TX | $26,695 |
| Waco,TX | $26,639 |
| Wichita Falls,TX | $27,072 |
Regional Salary in Texas
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo, TX | 60 | $31,760 | $15.27 | $40,200 | $21,890 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 910 | $34,890 | $16.77 | $46,140 | $22,580 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 70 | $29,940 | $14.39 | $46,150 | $22,010 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 90 | $31,900 | $15.34 | $44,180 | $21,120 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 90 | $32,220 | $15.49 | $45,140 | $22,890 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,390 | $34,930 | $16.79 | $46,050 | $22,560 |
| El Paso, TX | 140 | $28,300 | $13.6 | $37,230 | $17,180 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,840 | $33,130 | $15.93 | $44,360 | $21,740 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 120 | $29,090 | $13.99 | $37,100 | $20,020 |
| Midland, TX | 40 | $36,370 | $17.48 | $45,630 | $29,140 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 960 | $33,790 | $16.24 | $43,470 | $22,830 |
| Tyler, TX | 60 | $31,280 | $15.04 | $45,100 | $21,730 |
| Waco, TX | 50 | $29,880 | $14.36 | $35,310 | $21,890 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 40 | $29,560 | $14.21 | $34,620 | $18,030 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Duties
The basic skills that a veterinary assistant has to possess to manage all the issues are medical, communicational, technical, administrative and emphatic skills, as well as stamina, strength, and maturity.
He/she has to know how to properly administer medication and immunizations to animals, take and develop x-rays and follow specific instructions made by veterinarians.
They need to have a strict attention to detail and strong listening and communication skills since they work daily with people and answering their questions and solving their problems is one of the most frequent tasks.
when it comes to more educated and talented assistants, they are sometimes asked to perform examinations and minor surgery on animals without the supervision of a veterinarian.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary Assisting by State