Veterinary Technician (RVT) - General Practice, Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre

MARS Veterinary; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RRSP Employer Match 5%

CE allowance

Paid time off for CE and vacation

Uniform allowance

Mental health resources

Pet care discounts

Career development pathways

Job summary

Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre in Ottawa, ON seeks a full-time Veterinary Technician (RVT) to join our General Practice. Bring 2+ years RVT experience, active OAVT license, and strong patient care knowledge to support anesthesia, meds, and diagnostics.

You will educate clients, maintain medical records, and collaborate with a 160-strong team across 30 doctors, with opportunities to mentor new graduates and handle busy daily appointments.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of hospital experience as an RVT.
• Actively licensed (or eligible) with OAVT as a Registered Veterinary Technician.
• Strong knowledge of patient care, anesthesia, pharmacology, and clinical procedures.
• Strong technical skills including venipuncture, IV catheter placement, anesthesia monitoring, lab procedures.
• Ability to safely handle and restrain animals.
• Excellent communication, organization and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to continuing education and ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Clinical & Surgical Assistance: assist veterinarians with examinations, diagnostics, surgeries and procedures.
• Comprehensive Patient Care: place IV catheters, administer meds, collect lab samples.
• Client Education & Compassionate Support: educate clients on medications and preventive care.
• Medical Records: maintain patient files, logs, inventory.
• Team Collaboration: work with team to deliver exceptional care.
• Team Training: train and mentor new graduates.
• Patient Appointment: assist with 8+ appointments per day.

Skills

RVT experience

Licensed RVT (OAVT)

Anesthesia monitoring

Venipuncture/IV catheter

Team collaboration

Tools

Laboratory procedures

Job description

Veterinary Technician, General Practice

Location: Ottawa, ON

Level: Experienced, 2+ years post-graduation

Employment Type: Full-time

Job Status: Existing

Compensation: $28.00 to $38.00 per hour, depending on experience and skill set

At Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre, we welcome a full-time Veterinary Technician (RVT) to join our established General Practice team in Ottawa, Ontario. This is an exciting opportunity for a Veterinary Technician to work alongside a collaborative team to provide high-quality small-animal patient care.

What You Will Do

• Clinical & Surgical Assistance: Assist veterinarians with examinations, diagnostics, treatments, surgeries, and medical procedures, including patient preparation, anesthesia monitoring, recovery, pain management, and surgical and dental procedures.

• Comprehensive Patient Care: Place and maintain IV catheters and administer medications, fluids, and treatments as directed. Collect and process blood, urine, cytology, and other laboratory samples.

• Client Education & Compassionate Support: Educate and communicate with clients on medications, treatments, nutrition, preventive care, and at-home patient care.

• Medical Records : Maintain accurate patient files, medical logs, and inventory.

• Team Collaboration: Work with team members to deliver an exceptional patient and client experience.

• Team Training: Support, train and mentor new graduates, including Veterinary Assistants.

• Patient Appointment: Assist with 8+ scheduled and walk-in appointments per day.

What You Will Bring

• Minimum of 2 years of hospital experience as an RVT.

• Actively licensed (or eligible) with OAVT as a Registered Veterinary Technician.

• Strong knowledge of patient care, anesthesia, pharmacology, and clinical procedures.

• Strong technical skills, including venipuncture, IV catheter placement, anesthesia monitoring, laboratory procedures, and patient assessment.

• Ability to safely handle and restrain animals using appropriate techniques.

• Excellent communication, organization and interpersonal skills.

• Compassionate, patient-focused approach to animal care.

• Commitment to continuing education and ongoing professional development.

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and schedules.

What We Can Offer You

• Competitive compensation that reflects your skills, experience, and the role.

• RRSP Employer Group Match Program (5%) to help you save for the future.

• Paid time off for continuing education, vacation, sick days, and personal wellness days.

• Annual CE Allowance.

• Benefits: Minimum 24 hours per week for eligibility, with flexible options.

• Paid annual certification memberships and uniform allowance.

• Mental health support tools and resources: Virtual health care (telemedicine), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and digital wellness tools supporting mindfulness, sleep, and physical fitness.

• Various career development pathways .

• Generous personal pet care discounts and lifestyle perks, including exclusive shopping discounts and access to a wellness app.

Our hospital:

Today, we bring general wellness care, 24/7 emergency medicine, and board-certified specialty services together under one roof in our state-of-the-art, purpose-built Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre. Supported by a close-knit family of 160 team members and 30 collaborative doctors, you'll have access to advanced diagnostic tools, dedicated technical support, and seamless case consultations every day.

Our Story

VCA Canada is a network of veterinary hospitals, with our head office in Calgary, Alberta, committed to positively impacting pets, people, and local communities for nearly 45 years. We have compassion for the neighbourhoods we serve and every pet within them, not just those we see in our hospitals. Every VCA Canada hospital location takes pride in its legacy of excellence, earning the trust of pet owners by delivering the highest quality of medicine to keep pets happy and healthy.

In 2017, VCA Canada became part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands, solidifying an even stronger commitment to ensuring the strength and stability of the veterinary profession and our commitment to pet parents nationwide. VCA Canada is also passionate about providing an industry-leading Associate experience to over 4,000 Canadians employed across the country. In 2026, for the third year in a row, we were named one of Alberta's Top Employers, which recognizes organizations whose head offices are located within the province and lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Additionally,we were selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People 2026, which recognizes employers across Canada that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work and programs for young people starting their careers.Most recently, we received 2026 Great Place to Work Certification Canada.

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