Depending on the veterinary office or hospital, if there is a boarding kennel then veterinary assistantswill most likely be asked to perform dog walking, feeding and sometimes cleaning the kennels as well. This is just one of the many duties that this profession is responsible for with the rest of responsibilities being handed to veterinary technicians who are the ones to perform all of the exams, procedures and operations. While assistants are responsible for doing a lot of different duties on a daily basis, the veterinary technician salary is much higher because they have to go through two to four years of schooling whereas the assistant can get away with on-the-job training. Working in the reception area, taking payments, answering phones, assisting clients and scheduling appointments are just some of the many different tasks that this profession is responsible for on a daily basis.

While those duties do not sound very rewarding or exciting, there is one huge advantage and reward and that is being able to see the animal’s right when they come in the door with the potential to create an instantaneous bond that will carry throughout their stay at the veterinary office or hospital. However, the more important and crucial duties for this profession involve assisting veterinary technicians, restraining animals during exams, feeding and caring for animals, shaving animals before their surgery, cleaning surgical areas and exam rooms as well as sterilizing equipment after being used. In locations with smaller veterinary practices, it is not uncommon for veterinary assistants to actually help technicians with the surgeries and exams as there is not enough business to have or need another technician when they can get away with using assistants and paying them less. All in all, while vet tech jobs definitely pay more than assistants, they also have the responsibility of performing surgeries and do not have the opportunity to slow it down a notch and chat with clients or spend time with the animals that come in which make working very rewarding and satisfying.