Veterinary Assistant

VCA Animal Hospitals; Palm Springs (CA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

VCA Desert Animal Hospital is seeking an Experienced Veterinary Assistant (VA) to join our team in Palm Springs, CA. The role involves clinical duties, patient care, and client communication in a busy hospital setting.

The candidate should have credentialing for veterinary assistants and be able to support doctors with exams, anesthesia, dentistry, radiology, and lab work. This is a full-time position with a 4-day, 10-hour workweek.

Qualifications

• Credentialing for veterinary assistants is required or preferred.
• The role requires hands-on clinical skills and the ability to support doctors and clients.
• Experience with a hospital setting and veterinary care is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Perform physical examinations and assess patient condition.
• Monitor anesthesia during procedures and assist veterinarians.
• Prepare for surgery and assist during operations.
• Provide dentistry, radiology, and laboratory tasks as needed.
• Assist in venipuncture and catheter placement for patient care.
• Dispense medications and manage pharmacy duties under supervision.
• Maintain patient recovery and provide clear client communication.

Skills

Patient assessment

Anesthesia monitoring

Surgical assistance

Dental care

Radiology

Lab work

Venipuncture

Catheter placement

Pharmacy

Client communication

Compassionate care

Job description

At VCA Desert Animal Hospital, we are looking for an Experienced Veterinary Assistant (VA) to join our team.

Location: 4299 Ramon Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Schedule: Full-Time, 4 days, 10-hour, Alternative Work Week.

Primarily Monday-Thursday, but can change due to hospital needs.

Salary: $19 - $24 / hour

• Depending on experience and education.

Why We Need You

As a member of the VCA team, your mission will be to win the confidence of every pet parent—by delivering an outstanding client experience—so they will partner with us for the lifelong care of their companion animals.

You’ve worked hard for your credentialing, and we want you to use the knowledge that you’ve invested your time and talent in. The skills that you will be utilizing include, but are not limited to:

• Physical examinations and patient assessment
• Anesthesia monitoring
• Surgical preparation and assisting
• Dentistry
• Radiology
• Laboratory work
• Venipuncture
• Catheter placement
• Pharmacy
• Patient recovery
• Client Communication
• Compassionate care of our hospitalized animals

Why You Should Consider Us

At VCA Animal Hospitals, we offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, including Medical/Dental/Vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, pet care discounts, paid vacation, holidays, and sick days, and health and well-being programs that provide resources and training. Compensation is negotiable based on education, experience, and other relevant credentials.

Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more!

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development).

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com