Veterinary Technician (General) - Zoological Medicine and Surgery

Learn to provide standard paramedical technical support, nursing care and instruction in a professional and courteous manner for Zoo Med and Primary Care patients.
  • Provide skilled nursing care for patients including emergent, critical, pre and post-surgical, isolation, acute and chronic disease.
  • Administer medications and fluids under the direct or written instructions of the primary veterinarian.
  • Collect and submit blood (venous and arterial), urine, and fecal samples.
  • Collect bacterial and fungal samples and inoculate prepackaged media.
  • Record clinical signs, diagnosis and treatments in patient medical records.
  • Recognize and problem-solve critical, emergent and non-emergent situations.
  • Take owner information, history etc. for patient medical records.
  • Administer anesthesia under the veterinarian’s direction.
  • Patient restraint in exam rooms during appointments.
  • Insert, maintain and trouble shoot peripheral IV catheters.
  • Insert, maintain and troubleshoot urinary catheters (both male and female) and monitor output.
  • Remove and apply bandages as needed or as directed.
  • Give enemas, place nasal oxygen catheters, pass stomach tubes, etc. as directed by the veterinarian.
  • Assist veterinarians with diagnostic procedures such as abdominocentesis and thoracocentesis.
  • Run blood work such as PCV, TP, IDEXX chemistries, BG, slide agglutination, arterial blood gases and venous blood gases.
  • Set up, instruct and administer TPN, blood products, and controlled substance CRI’s, as directed by the veterinarian.
  • Perform and instruct diagnostic treatments such as central venous pressures, direct and indirect blood pressures, ECGs, TPRs etc.
  • Set up and show to administer feedings via NE, NG, PEG, E-tube and force feedings.
  • Administer controlled substances by the orders of a veterinarian.
  • Orient, direct and instruct veterinary staff and students with treatments, protocols, patient set-up and the use of specialized       equipment such as telemetry, rectal probes, direct and indirect blood pressures and Pleuravacs, defibrillator and oxygen cages.
  • Suggest patient care strategies to clinicians including advanced care and procedures.
  • Recognize physiological abnormalities such as cardiac arrhythmias, pulmonary edema, renal failure, hypotension, shock and other   advanced disease processes quickly.
  • Perform fecal floats, wet mounts and general cytology.
  • Perform radiographs
  • Work as a team with students, interns, residents and faculty to assess and treat patients.

Learn to clean, supply and maintain clinical areas and equipment
  • Clean/sterilize/maintain all Zoo Medicine areas.
  • Stock exam rooms, surgery prep and surgery suite.
  • Do laundry as needed.
  • Clean/sterilize surgery packs/instruments.
  • Clean/sterilize endoscopy equipment.
  • Operate, clean and provide routine maintenance on specialized equipment: such equipment might include digital radiograph, ultrasound machine, EKGs, refractometers, centrifuges, respirators, nebulizers, incubators, suction units, fluid pumps, enteral feeding pump, Doppler blood pressure, oxygen cages, and others.

Learn to maintain communications for the service with clients and referring veterinarians and enter information into our Health Information system.
  • Orientate, direct and instruct students, residents and interns.
  • Maintain and enter into patient record supplies used and procedures performed.
  • Maintain electronic medical record of patients consistent with hospital policies.
  • Admit and/ or discharge patients.
  • Schedule appointments and surgeries 
  • Make phone call backs for client questions, medication refills and appointment reminders.

Assist with and learn to provide orientation and training of veterinary students and veterinary technician students.

Other duties as assigned.