Veterinary Assistant

Petco; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and financial benefits

401K and incentives

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Job summary

A leading pet care company in New York is seeking a Veterinary Assistant to provide medical care to hospital patients and customer service to their owners. The ideal candidate has strong communication skills and experience in veterinary practices. Responsibilities include assisting veterinarians during appointments and surgeries, maintaining records, and ensuring a clean hospital environment. The role requires physical stamina, compassion for animals, and a willingness to learn. A friendly atmosphere is fostered within the team.

Qualifications

• Must be able to maintain a professional attitude during stressful situations.
• Experience with veterinary procedures is preferred.
• Physical ability to lift up to 30 pounds and maintain a standing position.

Responsibilities

• Greet clients and patients, record vital signs, and maintain electronic medical records.
• Assist veterinarians with surgeries and appointments under supervision.
• Perform patient restraint and process laboratory samples.
• Schedule appointments and educate clients regarding procedures.
• Perform in-hospital treatments as directed by veterinary staff.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Compassionate and sympathetic demeanor

Team player

Telephone and computer skills

Education

1 year previous experience in veterinary practice or relatable animal care experience

Job description

Want to help pets live their best lives? We’re proud to be where the pets go and where the pet people go. If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, Petco is the place for you.

About Petco

We’re proud to be "where the pets go" to find everything they need to live their best lives for more than 60 years — from their favorite meals and toys, to trusted supplies and expert support from people who get it, because we live it. We believe in the universal truths of pet parenthood — the boundless boops, missing slippers, late night zoomies and everything in between. And we’re here for it. Every tail wag, every vet visit, every step of the way. We are 29,000+ strong and together we nurture the pet‑human bond in more than 1,500 Petco stores across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals, hundreds of preventive care clinics and eight distribution centers. In 1999, we founded Petco Love. Together, we support thousands of local animal welfare groups nationwide and have helped find homes for approximately 7 million animals through in‑store adoption events.

Position Purpose

The purpose of this position inherently involves providing excellent medical care to our Vetco Total Care full‑service hospital patients and phenomenal customer care to their owners. The Veterinary Assistant represents the mission and values to all clients. Our Veterinary Assistants set the tone for the technical and customer support in the hospital, and are responsible, like all team members, for fostering cohesion and motivation within the practice.

All hospital staff are responsible for performing their duties in a way that creates an environment in which:
- The patient’s needs always come first.
- Every team member understands that they have the power to do what it takes to create an exceptional customer experience.
- Contentious issues are dealt with and resolved as they occur when possible, or as soon as is possible.
- Exceptional teamwork and commitment to shared goals benefits the entire organization.

Essential Job Functions

The incumbent must be able to perform all the following duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Greet clients and patients arriving for appointments and escort them into an exam room, obtain weight and vital signs (temperature, pulse, respirations) and record the electronic medical record. Veterinary Assistants will collect thorough patient histories and document the patient visit in the EMRs.
• Assist doctors with appointments (routine and emergency), surgery, dentistry, and euthanasia, under supervision from the veterinarian credentialed veterinary technician, HOM and HLOD.
• Perform patient restraint, obtain and process laboratory samples, handle and dispense medications at the direction of the veterinarian and help maintain the electronic medical record.
• Schedule appointments, provide client education, relay test results to doctor and clients, and maintain and update client/patient records.
• Help prepare patients for surgical and dental procedures and assist doctor and/or veterinary technician in anesthetizing patients. Under supervision of the veterinarian and/or veterinary technician, assistants will maintain patients safely under anesthesia while monitoring vital parameters, help monitor patients during recovery and prepare them for hospital discharge or transfer to an overnight care facility.
• Under supervision of the veterinarian and/or veterinary technician, perform in‑hospital treatments for sick patients including giving injectable and oral medications as well as intravenous fluid therapy; keep patients clean, watered, and fed (when indicated and directed by doctor), safely walk canine patients when necessary for elimination.
• Under direction of the HOM/HLOD, assist in the training of new staff members and general dissemination of knowledge as required.
• Keep hospital environment neat and clean; perform regular cleaning of environment based on necessity as well as based on a pre‑determined maintenance schedule.

Other Duties And Responsibilities

• Perform additional duties as assigned
• Provide backup phone and front desk support as needed

Education/Experience

• Preferred to have at least 1‑year previous experience working in veterinary practice or sufficient relatable animal care experience to ensure excellent performance at the above‑listed skills
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must be compassionate and sympathetic, and be able to maintain a professional attitude and demeanor during emotional and stressful situations
• Must have telephone and computer skills
• Must be a team player willing to learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change

Work Environment

The majority of job duties are conducted in the Veterinary Hospital. Position requires bending, kneeling, lifting (up to 30 pounds, as necessary) and standing for long periods of time. A large amount of this partner’s time will be spent in direct contact with clients and their pets.

Contacts

This position will regularly communicate with clients, veterinary specialists, and companies that provide products and/or services that the practice utilizes.

For a more detailed overview of Petco Total Rewards, including health and financial benefits, 401K, incentives, and PTO - see https://careers.petco.com/us/en/key-benefits

Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.

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