Veterinary Assistant at Animal and Avian Medical Center

Heartland Veterinary Partners LLC; Center Road (OH, PA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Veterinary Assistant to join their team. In this role, you will assist veterinarians and technicians in providing top-notch care for a variety of pets, including small animals and exotics. Your responsibilities will include monitoring patients, preparing for surgeries, and performing in-house laboratory work. This full-service hospital, known for its compassionate care and strong community ties, offers a supportive environment where you can thrive and grow professionally. If you are passionate about animal care and teamwork, this is the perfect opportunity to make a difference in the lives of pets and their owners.

Benefits

Paid time off

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement benefits

Bonus incentive

Flexible work schedules

Career and professional development

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Referral Program

Qualifications

• Ability to work on weekends and previous veterinary experience preferred.
• Basic math skills and strong communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Assist veterinarians with patient care, surgeries, and outpatient exams.
• Monitor hospitalized pets and maintain inventory of supplies.
• Educate clients about veterinary care and procedures.

Skills

Patience & Compassion

Collaboration & Teamwork

Communication

Active Listening

Organization Skills

Client Satisfaction

Education

Previous veterinary experience

Tools

MS Office

Medical equipment

Job description

Practice:

Animal and Avian Medical Center has been serving Brunswick and the nearby communities for over 20 years. We have 4 experienced veterinarians and 8 registered technicians that are dedicated to helping many species of pets and their people.

We are a small animal/exotic full-service hospital, and we see just about anything that could be a pet in your home (dogs, cats, birds, poultry, pot belly pigs, guinea pigs, and all small mammals)! We have been a prominent member of our community for 25+ years, boasting a great reputation and significant client retention.

Our surgical caseload consists of routine surgeries, heavy orthopedics, dentals, exotic surgeries, and many soft tissue surgeries that are referred by local DVMs. Some of our equipment includes:

• Digital Radiology
• Mobile Digital Dental Radiology
• 3 Surgical Units
• 2 Dental Tables with High-Speed Drills
• Ultrasound
• Videoscope
• Orthopedic Equipment
• In House Blood & Urine Analysis for Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles

More about the Role:

The Veterinary Assistant assists the veterinarians and technicians with patient care and treatment, monitors hospitalized pets, maintains inventory, prepares prescriptions, performs routine in-house laboratory work, educates clients regarding veterinary care and procedures, and assists with surgical procedures.

Competencies:

• Patience & Compassion: Remaining professional while still making teammates, clients, and patients feel as comfortable as possible regardless of the situation or challenges presented. Responding quickly and calmly to crisis while maintaining a high standard of patient care.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Carefully coordinating actions with veterinarians and practice team members. Providing feedback appropriately and in a timely manner. Quickly incorporating feedback to ensure positive results. Sharing ideas and being open to others’ ideas.
• Communicating: Conveying instructions to clients and teammates to ensure successful patient care.
• Active Listening: Following the instructions of veterinarians and sometimes patient owners. Picking up the needs of veterinarians and teammates based on prior experiences and feedback.
• Organization Skills: Clear tracking of lab specimens, medications, patient instructions, workflow, and other job-related items while managing multiple patients and clients.
• Client Satisfaction: Ensuring all activities and interactions result in the highest level of client satisfaction.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Assist veterinarians in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery and other tasks as needed.
• Assist veterinarians in outpatient exams by taking histories, vital signs, and weights, as well as providing client education.
• Prepare patients for surgery and monitor vital signs of the patient during surgery.
• Obtain blood, stool, and other samples; perform in-hospital laboratory testing and prepare specimens for outside laboratories.
• Take, develop, and maintain radiographs following proper safety procedures.
• Provide basic animal handling and restrain animals during exams.
• Administer and monitor medications, anesthesia, vaccines, and treatments at the discretion of the veterinarian.
• Clean and straighten exam rooms, treatment, and lab areas; restock exam rooms with supplies. Assist other team members to keep the public areas of the practice clean; clean and maintain all medical equipment.
• Demonstrate warmth, courtesy and professionalism in all interactions with clients; exercise compassion and care in all interactions with patients.
• Communicate with veterinarians and practice team members including client discussions, patient plans, client concerns, etc.
• Any other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Ability to work on weekends as required.
• Previous veterinary experience preferred.
• Ability to lift patients and carry equipment up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients or carry equipment over 25 pounds with assistance.
• Practice OSHA safety techniques including proper PPE.
• Basic math and the ability to calculate medication dosages.
• Basic computer skills, familiarity with MS office applications, etc.
• Strong communication skills to ensure patient safety.

Benefits Offered:

• Paid time off.
• Health insurance; dental insurance; vision insurance.
• Retirement benefits or accounts.
• Bonus incentive.
• Flexible work schedules.
• Career and professional development.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Employee Referral Program.

Benefits offered may vary depending on full or part time employment status according to company policy.