Veterinary Assistant - Surfside Animal Hospital

PetVet Care Centers; Oceanside (CA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid Parental Leave

401(k) with discretionary contribution

Team Member Pet Discounts

CE stipends and career development

Job summary

PetVet Care Centers’ Surfside Animal Hospital in Oceanside, CA is seeking a Veterinary Assistant to join the team. The role offers a four 10-hour shift schedule and a sign-on bonus up to $1,500 based on experience, with full-time hours and a commitment to compassionate care for cats, dogs, and exotics.

Responsibilities include assisting doctors and technicians, handling radiology and lab tasks, maintaining records, and ensuring client satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Must be a seasoned veterinary assistant with ability to place catheters, draw blood, perform radiology, run labs, and handle pharmacy duties.
• Comfortable intake/TPR in rooms and prior clinical exposure preferred.
• Bilingual skills (Spanish) are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate care to all patients.
• Greet clients, weigh patients, and record vital signs upon arrival.
• Assist doctors and technicians with medications, patient restraint, and procedures.
• Perform lab tests, take radiographs, and operate hospital equipment.
• Maintain medical records, medications, and controlled substances documentation.

Skills

Veterinary assistant

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Radiography

Job description

Bring your skills to PetVet and earn a sign-on bonus of up to $1,500.00 based on your experience!

PetVet Care Centers' Surfside Animal Hospital is currently seeking Veterinary Assistant to join their team!

At PetVet Care Centers, our mission is to improve the lives of animals and people — providing exceptional and compassionate care at every stage — for all the moments that matter.

Because life is better with pets.

Surfside Animal Hospital has been a trusted resource for Oceanside and the greater North San Diego County community since 2010, building a strong reputation for quality, professional care delivered with a genuine compassionate touch. The hospital offers a full range of services for cats, dogs, and exotic pets including birds, rabbits, reptiles, and rodents — and goes above and beyond with same-day urgent care appointments during regular business hours, ensuring pets are never left waiting in their most stressful moments.

Why Join Us

• Join a unique general practice that offers a highly sought-after alternative workweek schedule of four 10-hour shifts, providing greater work-life balance while maintaining full-time hours.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate care to all patients
• Greet patients and their owners as they arrive and show them to an examining room, taking the patient's weight and other vital signs upon arrival
• Triage patients, perform physical exams, treatments, and administer medication as directed by the licensed veterinary technicians (LVT's).
• Calm and soothe anxious patients
• Assist doctors and technicians with the administration of medications or with patient restraint
• Perform laboratory tests and take radiographs
• Operate and maintain hospital equipment, including EKG, fluid pump, syringe pump, scales, anesthetic monitors, and machines, etc.
• Fill prescriptions, calculate and administer medications, maintain proper documentation, logging, and security of controlled drugs.
• Feed patients as prescribed by the attending doctor or as the client has requested; record appetites; recognize and report any unusual conditions or abnormal behaviors
• Communicate in a positive manner with clients and ensure that they feel comfortable leaving their pet(s)
• Educate clients about insurance, wellness, and medicinal plans
• Maintain the cleanliness of the hospital each day; clean equipment, kennels, and facilities using chemicals and supplies; ensure the safe use of chemicals; complete laundry
• Bath and care for patients who stay overnight; ensure that every animal released is clean and properly groomed prior to their release
• Adhere to the hospital's safety and wellness regulations
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Maintain accurate medical records
• Show up for work regularly; full-time presence at work is essential for every shift
• Promote hospital products and services and support the organization
• Respond respectfully with urgency to directions given by Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Licensed Veterinary Technicians (LVT).
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Manager; may have other assigned duties if working in a specialty area (i.e., dentistry, surgery, emergency, radiology, cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, etc.)

Qualifications (Required)

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older to be considered for this position
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Must be a seasoned veterinary assistant, with ability to place catheters, draw blood, perform radiology, familiarity with running labs and pharmacy.
• Must be comfortable doing intake/TPR in rooms.

Preferred Skills (Nice To Have)

• Need to be sharp.
• Preferably bilingual (speaks Spanish).

Schedule

• Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 7:30AM to 6:30PM

What We Offer

Benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid Parental Leave (birth, adoption, foster)
• 401(k) with discretionary contribution
• Team Member Pet Discounts
• Emotional wellbeing support — including Calm app access and 24/7 EAP
• CE stipends and career development resources
• Grant Circle — a relief fund for team members facing personal hardship
• Local hospital culture backed by national resources

Pay Range

$22.11—$27.02 USD

At PetVet Care Centers, we’re committed to a Culture of Care — for pets, for the people who love them, and for the team members who make it all possible. With more than 400 hospitals across the U.S. and a team of over 11,000 dedicated professionals, including 1700+ veterinarians, we offer a unique blend of local leadership and national support that helps our hospitals thrive.

Our model is built on partnership, collaboration, and local medical autonomy, empowering each hospital to deliver high-quality care while benefiting from shared resources and a strong professional community. Whether you’re providing care in a hospital or supporting operations behind the scenes, PetVet is a place where you can grow your career, stay connected to your purpose, and make a meaningful impact.

You care for pets. We care for you.

PetVet is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, religion, citizenship, national origin/ancestry, physical/mental disabilities, military status or any other basis prohibited by law. EOE, M/F/D/V

PetVet respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. Please see ourprivacy noticefor additional information about our data practices.