Demo

Veterinary Assistant

Vetcor
Columbia, MO Full Time
POSTED ON 9/30/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/29/2026
Who We Are

Horton Animal Hospital-Discovery is Hiring a Veterinary Assistant!

Position Details

  • Role: Veterinary Assistant
  • Status: Full-time
  • Salary: Competitive and based on experience
  • Schedule: Typically three x 12-hour shifts or four x 10-hour shifts per week, averaging 36-40 hours; availability for weekends, nights, and holidays is required


Benefits Highlights

  • Financial Rewards that Grow with You: Competitive pay, 401(k) matching, tuition support, and referral bonuses
  • Wellness & Peace of Mind: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with supplemental options; up to three weeks of paid parental leave; generous PTO; and employee pet discounts
  • Professional Growth & Recognition: Quarterly team bonuses, professional development opportunities, continuing education allowance, uniform allowance, mentorship, and career support
  • Lifestyle Perks You’ll Appreciate: Six paid holidays, an Employee Assistance Program, flexible scheduling, a stocked snack fridge, occasional coffee runs, potlucks, and team meals


Horton Animal Hospital-Discovery is looking for a full-time Veterinary Assistant to join our team. If you’re passionate about patient care, enjoy staying busy, and want to work alongside people who value teamwork, compassion, and professional growth, we’d love to meet you.

Our management team, including two hospital managers and two DVM chiefs of staff, is dedicated to making our hospital a place where team members feel respected, valued, and supported. We believe great veterinary care starts with a strong team, and we’re committed to giving you the mentorship, resources, and opportunities you need to keep learning and advancing your career.

Why Our Veterinary Assistants Love Horton Animal Hospital-Discovery

  • Flexible scheduling designed to support a healthy work-life balance
  • A leadership team committed to making employees feel respected, valued, and supported
  • Mentoring and support as you grow and advance your veterinary career
  • Opportunities to use your veterinary skills to make a difference in your community
  • A clinic culture that celebrates the unique strengths you bring to the team
  • Occasional coffee runs, potlucks, and team meals
  • A fridge stocked with drinks and snacks
  • A collaborative environment where learning and teamwork are encouraged


What Our Veterinary Assistants Do

  • Interact professionally and compassionately with clients and patients
  • Obtain verbal patient histories, temperatures, pulses, and respiratory rates in the exam room
  • Maintain hospital and patient hygiene and help keep clinical areas clean and organized
  • Fill prescriptions according to hospital protocols and veterinarian direction
  • Assist with diagnostic imaging
  • Perform and assist with diagnostic laboratory procedures
  • Support hospital and surgical patient intake and discharge
  • Assist with surgical instrument and laundry maintenance, cleaning, and sterilization
  • Safely and compassionately restrain patients for medical procedures, radiology, and other treatments
  • Follow veterinary hospital standard operating procedures and established protocols
  • Perform venipuncture to obtain blood samples for diagnostic testing
  • Place intravenous catheters within your training and skill level
  • Complete accurate medical documentation and billing
  • With appropriate training and experience, assist with anesthesia monitoring and support the surgical team
  • Treat every animal humanely, properly, and compassionately regardless of the situation or circumstance
  • Work collaboratively with teammates and ensure your actions support the hospital’s ethical principles and standards of practice
  • Provide professional, friendly, and hospitable service to clients and patients
  • Use tact, diplomacy, and strong communication skills when navigating challenging or sensitive situations


What Our Veterinary Assistants Bring

  • One to two years of experience in a small animal practice is preferred
  • Critical care and emergency veterinary experience is a plus
  • Strong communication and client service skills
  • Professionalism, tact, and diplomacy
  • Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with veterinarians and fellow support team members
  • A compassionate and humane approach to patient care
  • Reliability and commitment to regular attendance
  • Comfort working on your feet for the majority of an 8-12-hour shift
  • Ability to lift up to 50 pounds unassisted
  • Ability and willingness to work weekends, nights, and holidays
  • A positive, team-focused attitude and willingness to learn
  • Commitment to providing exceptional care to patients and outstanding service to clients


Financial Benefits

Benefits You Can’t Beat

  • A flexible approach to compensation that reflects your skill set and future performance
  • 401(k) matching & Roth Retirement Savings Plan
  • Flexible Spending Account (full-time only)
  • 529 Savings Plan
  • Tuition Support Program (full-time only)
  • Referral bonus program


Wellness Benefits

  • Health insurance, including medical, dental, and vision (full-time only)
  • Supplemental insurance, including accident, critical illness, hospital, short and long-term disability, legal plan, and employee, spouse, and child-dependent life insurance (full-time only)
  • Up to three weeks of full pay for the birth or adoption of a child (full-time employees only; available after one year of service). In states with paid family leave programs, this benefit does not apply.
  • Sick Time / Paid Time Off
  • Free/discounted lab work for all employee pets
  • Pet discounts on services and products
  • Pet food discount program


Workplace Benefits

  • Quarterly Team Rewards Bonus Program
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Continuing education allowance
  • Uniform allowance
  • Ongoing mentoring and career support


Lifestyle Benefits

  • Six paid holidays (full-time only)
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Employee discount program
  • Flexible scheduling designed to support a healthy work-life balance


Join Our Team!

At Horton Animal Hospital-Discovery, we want you to do meaningful work while feeling supported by the people around you. You’ll have opportunities to strengthen your clinical skills, learn from experienced veterinary professionals, and contribute to a team that takes both excellent patient care and employee growth seriously.

If you’re a dependable Veterinary Assistant who is ready to learn, grow, support your teammates, and make a difference for pets and their people, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and bring your unique awesomeness to Horton Animal Hospital-Discovery!

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at Horton Animal Hospital-Discovery and Vetcor. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all employees. Every team member enriches our diversity by exposing us to various ways to understand and engage with the world. That’s why we’re committed to a workplace culture where employees are comfortable being their authentic selves, feel a complete sense of belonging, and are empowered to reach their highest potential.

Salary.com Estimation for Veterinary Assistant in Columbia, MO
$35,342 to $47,649
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