Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content

Veterinary Technicians & Animal Health Technologists

Download

This employment guide is a good place to start your job search. You can quickly see where the jobs are in B.C., the expected salary, which industry associations you may want to join, and more. You can use the menu buttons to move between sections of the guide. If you would like to download a printable copy of this guide, click the “Download [PDF]” button.

NOC 2021: 32104 / NOC 2016: 3213
Veterinary Technicians & Animal Health Technologists
may also be called:

  • Veterinarian assistant
  • animal operating room attendant
  • veterinary technician supervisor
  • registered veterinary technician (RVT)
  • animal care technologist
  • laboratory animal technologist
  • registered animal health technologist
  • veterinary technologist

What Would I Do?

Animal health and veterinary technologists and technicians provide technical support to veterinarians by caring for animals and assisting in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health disorders.

Duties may include:

  • provide nursing care and rehabilitation therapy for animals
  • handle, restrain and care for animals undergoing treatment and surgery
  • produce radiographs, collect samples and perform other laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis of animal health problems
  • assist veterinarian with animals before, during and following surgery
  • prepare surgical equipment, give and monitor anesthetics, and clean up after surgery
  • prepare and give medications and vaccines under direction of veterinarian
  • provide wound and bandage care
  • do specialized procedures such as animal identification and hoof trimming
  • talk to clients about animal health care including nutrition and home care
  • do laboratory research
  • do routine animal dental procedures, and help veterinarians with animal dentistry
  • May do office management and clerical duties