Veterinary Assistant - Surgery

Thrive Pet Healthcare; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

401(k) with employer match

Mental health resources (Lyra Health)

Paid parental leave

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Student loan support tools and</name

Some benefits shown are for full-time

Job summary

Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists San Antonio is seeking an Experienced Veterinary Assistant – Surgery to join our 24/7 specialty hospital team. You will assist in anesthesia, surgical prep, patient monitoring, and post‑operative care, working closely with veterinarians and skilled technicians to deliver safe, compassionate care for our patients.

We value strong communication, calm presence under pressure, and a commitment to high standards of sterile technique.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of surgical experience as a veterinary assistant or unlicensed veterinary technician.
• Proficiency in surgical preparation and sterile technique.
• Advanced anesthesia and analgesia experience with ASA I–III patients.
• Ability to obtain blood pressure readings, interpret ECG/SpO2/ETCO2, and recognize changes to support early intervention.
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs and restrain animals of various sizes.

Responsibilities

• Induce, monitor, and recover anesthesia while following sterile protocols.
• Maintain sterile technique and support surgical procedures and post‑op recovery.
• Assist with surgeries in accordance with state Veterinary Practice Act.
• Support veterinarians to ensure quality care and client education.
• Communicate with clients about treatment options and financial considerations.
• Maintain comprehensive medical records with practice systems.
• Gather health history from clients and manage medical charts.
• Use safe restraining techniques and keep treatment areas clean and organized.
• Mentor and support fellow team members.

Skills

Surgical experience

Anesthesia monitoring

Calm under pressure

Team communication

ECG/SpO2/ETCO2 interpretation

Education

CVA certification

Job description

Description

Experienced Veterinary Assistant – Surgery

Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists San Antonio

2426 Ceegee St, San Antonio, TX 78721

$2500 Sign-on Bonus Available

Full-time: 5 day, 8 hour shifts. On call is required once a month.

About You

You’re an experienced veterinary assistant or veterinary technician with a strong background in surgery and anesthesia monitoring, ready to bring your skills to a specialty hospital. As a surgery veterinary assistant, you’ll play an important role in pets’ lives by delivering safe anesthesia and high-quality patient care before, during, and after surgery. In this specialty setting, you’ll support surgical procedures through sterile technique, surgical prep, anesthesia monitoring (ECG/SpO2/ETCO2/blood pressure), and recovery support—working closely with veterinarians and our medical team to ensure every patient’s safety and comfort.

Required

Your Experience & Skills

• Minimum of 2 years of surgical experience as a veterinary assistant or unlicensed veterinary technician. Veterinary technician licensure is not required for this position.
• Proficiency in surgical preparation and sterile technique, with a strong understanding of surgical anatomy, instruments, and procedures.
• Advanced anesthesia and analgesia experience with ASA I–III patients, including positive-pressure ventilation, capnography, and invasive blood pressure monitoring.
• Ability to obtain blood pressure readings, interpret basic ECG, SpO2, and ETCO2 findings, and recognize changes in patient condition to support early intervention with the veterinary team.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and assist the veterinary team during surgical or anesthetic emergencies.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, conflict-resolution, and organizational skills, with sound judgment and attention to detail.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation, including observing animal behavior and clinical condition, lifting up to 40 lbs, and safely handling and restraining animals of all sizes.
• Flexible schedule, with potential for on-call and weekend shifts

Preferred

• Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) certification.
• Anesthesia monitoring experience with ASA IV–V patients.
• Experience with advanced imaging, including CT and fluoroscopy.

Role Responsibilities

• Surgical Assistance: Induce, monitor, and recover anesthesia while following surgical suite protocols.
• Maintain sterile technique and support surgical procedures, including patient prep, positioning, instrument/pack readiness, and post‑op recovery support.
• Assist with surgeries and procedures in accordance with your state's Veterinary Practice Act.
• Support veterinarians to ensure quality veterinary care, advocate for pets, and educate clients.
• Communicate with clients about individualized pet health concerns and offer guidance with doctor recommended treatment options, medications, and financial assistance options.
• Assist in maintaining relevant, comprehensive medical records with the support of practice systems.
• Obtain relevant health history and information from clients and maintain medical charts.
• Use safe restraining techniques, follow standard protocols, and sustain clean, sterile, organized treatment areas, exam rooms, and labs.
• Be willing to guide, mentor, and support fellow team members

You’ll Grow with Us

Skills

Here, you can grow your career as best fits you through access to comprehensive learning and skillset programs. You can build your skills and earn credentials through:

• Our vast, diverse, and free library of continuing education courses - ThriveU
• Live, virtual interactive workshops to develop valuable leadership skills
• A program designed to teach you the fundamentals of running a pet hospital

Benefits – our care in action

Benefits

Thrive offers a suite of benefits to support team members’ emotional, physical, professional, and financial wellbeing. In addition to our health and life insurance, and short- and long- term disability plans, we offer eligible team members:

• Competitive pay
• 401(k) with employer match
• Mental health resources, including easy access to therapy through Lyra Health
• Paid parental leave
• Purr-ental leave for when you adopt a pet
• Subsidized backup childcare and elder care
• Expert advice, support and network discounts for fertility and family planning
• FREE CE courses
• Pet perks and veterinary service discounts
• Student loan support tools and assistance
• Some benefits shown are only for full-time team members who work 30 hours or more per week. Certain Benefits may be subject to waiting periods or length of service requirements.

About The Hospital

Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists San Antonio brings 24/7 emergency care and specialty services together under one roof, including critical care, internal medicine, neurology, surgery, radiation oncology through PetCure Oncology, and advanced diagnostic imaging. In 2024, the hospital expanded into a modern facility equipped with CT, MRI, a linear accelerator, ultrasound, an in‑house blood bank, and a full pharmacy. With over 25 years of experience in emergency medicine and critical care, the team fosters a friendly, collaborative work environment that reflects the hospital’s core values.

About Thrive

Thrive Pet Healthcare creates the future of pet well‑being through medical excellence, innovative technology, and a connected community of teams and partners. Today, its network of 360+ primary, emergency, and specialty hospitals across the U.S. cares for pets of all ages and health needs. Thrive invests in its people—through mentorship, leadership programs, continuing education, and well‑being initiatives—so teams can grow and feel supported. For pet owners, convenient solutions such as a mobile app, digital booking, Thrive PlusTM membership, HereFurYou Helpline, an online pharmacy and flexible financial options* make accessing quality care simpler— giving families the peace of mind their pets deserve.

Thrive Pet Healthcare has been recognized by Top Workplaces with Culture Excellence Awards for Purpose & Values and Work-Life Flexibility. The Purpose & Values award reflects organizations that consistently live what they stand for, brought to life at Thrive through our commitment to shaping the future of pet wellbeing and our core values. These values guide how we work and how we care for pets, clients, and one another. The Work-Life Flexibility award recognizes our focus on making meaningful work sustainable, supporting our teams in balancing professional impact with life outside of work.

We welcome you to join our story and join where #WeThriveTogether. Learn more at thrivepetcare.com.