Career Opportunities

Position Overview: The Kennel Assistant supports and adds value to an efficient organization dedicated to quality care and exceptional service. This position supports veterinarians and technicians in their daily tasks by cleaning and maintaining equipment; feeding, exercising, restraining and handling pets.

Essential Functions:

• Provides compassionate care to pets
• Feeds animals as prescribed by the attending Veterinarian or as the owner has requested; records appetites; water intake, as well as fecal and urine production
• Recognizes and reports any unusual conditions or abnormal behaviors and monitors pets for signs of distress or disease.
• Assists Veterinarians and technicians with pet restraint
• Maintains the cleanliness of the hospital each day; cleans equipment and facilities using chemicals and supplies; ensures the safe use of chemicals
• Follows a regular schedule for cleaning and sanitizing all cages, runs, wards, and related areas; changes litter boxes and food/water bowls
• Completes the weekly and monthly chore list to maintain hospital cleanliness, equipment, and the overall appearance of the hospital
• Correctly prioritizes tasks
• Maintains laundry for the kennel and hospital
• Provides patients with fresh, clean bedding when appropriate
• Walks patients according to schedule
• Understands and carries out oral and written directions
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Remain professional and courteous to clients and co-workers while handling multiple tasks at once with many interruptions.
• Learn and understand our services and health recommendations and be able to clearly communicate these to clients.
• Be able to deal with difficult and/or aggressive patients in an effective manner meanwhile keeping yourself, the pet, and co-workers safe
• Performs other duties as assigned by Manager.

Competencies:

• Organization
• Multitasking
• Communicating

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED
• Some experience working at a kennel or animal hospital preferred
• May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience

Position Requirements:

• Ability to work with or around sick animals, potentially hazardous materials, cleaning chemicals, gas anesthetics, zoonotic diseases, and unpleasant odors
• Must be flexible with scheduling and able to work weekends, overnights and holidays
• This is a strenuous job that requires a lot of lifting, cleaning, and constant motion
• Depending on functional area of assignment, tasks may include standing for long period of times/walking
• May involve some stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling
• Some tasks involve the periodic performance of moderately physically demanding work, usually involving lifting or carrying moderately heavy animals (up to 50 pounds)

Additional Information: The list of essential functions, as outlined in this job description, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of any job function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

Position Overview:

The Veterinary Technician supports hospital operations by providing dedicated quality veterinary care and exceptional service to our patients and clients. Responsibilities include providing patient care by determining animal requirements, conducting examinations and diagnostic procedures, assisting during surgery and operations, providing nursing care, assisting with feeding and caring for patients, maintaining medical supplies and equipment, overseeing triage and discharging patients, and maintaining patient medical records.

Essential Position Functions:

• Determine animal requirements by conducting examinations and interviews, reviewing care plans and records, completing laboratory tests and studies, and diagnostic imaging.
• Care for patients by taking vital signs, collecting samples, administering medications, drugs, and vaccines, and bandaging and wrapping wounds.
• Support patient examinations and operations by assembling required supplies and instruments, securing and bringing patients to examination rooms, and restraining patients; aids as directed by the veterinarian.
• Provide excellent pet care by applying full knowledge of anatomy, physiology, disease processes, pharmacology, specialized equipment usage, and specialized drug administration.
• Obtain and verify medications.
• Ensure that patients have food and water, clean patients' rooms, cages, and equipment; observe patients for clinical signs of disease.
• As directed, fill prescriptions and administer medications, including proper documentation, logging, and security of controlled drugs.
• Maintain a safe, secure, healthy, and humane environment by sterilizing and wrapping instruments, sanitizing and disinfecting holding and operating areas, storing sterile supplies, verifying shelf life, following standards and procedures, and in compliance with applicable legal regulations.
• Maintain medical records by documenting patients’ conditions, reactions, and changes; update the database in an accurate and timely manner.
• Communicate with the pet owner about the status of the patient, as directed by the veterinarian.
• Maintain equipment by following operating instructions, troubleshooting breakdowns, maintaining equipment supplies, performing preventive maintenance, and calling for repairs.
• Maintain inventory, place orders for needed supplies, verify, and maintain receipts.
• Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities and reading professional journals.
• Release pets to their owners as directed; ensure that every animal released is clean and properly groomed before their release.
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Manager or practice.

Additional Position Functions:

Assignment to the specialty medical areas listed below may require the following additional job functions:

Cardiology

• Collect and submit laboratory samples.
• Identify common and acquired cardiac disorders and arrhythmias.
• Set up and calibrate transducers/physiographs to measure intracardiac and intravascular pressures.
• Understand the basic physiology and engineering of pacemakers.

Dentistry

• Perform dental cleanings, polishing, and intraoral radiographs.
• Perform nerve blocks.
• Assist with dental procedures and oral surgery.

Dermatology

• Prepare and administer medications, intravenously, orally, and topically.
• Perform ear cleanings and minor flushes.
• Obtain skin scrapes and tape samples.
• Prepare skin and ear cytology.
• Induce and monitor anesthesia.
• Place intravenous catheters.

Emergency

• Assist veterinarians with a variety of emergency procedures and critical care situations.
• Monitor vitals, place catheters and take x-rays.
• Clean wounds and apply casts or bandages.
• Give injections and take blood samples.
• May have to be on call in the intensive care unit.

Imaging

• Assist veterinarians with a variety of diagnostic imaging modalities, including digital radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, etc.

Integrative

• Maintain logs of pet diagnoses, treatments, and follow-up results so veterinarians can track responses to integrative care.

Internal Medicine

• Research general wellness and preventative medicine for patients.

Neurology

• Perform various technical procedures, including anesthesia support and monitoring, intravenous catheter placement, venipuncture, IV injections, wound management, drug administration assistance, bandage care, surgery support, and various routine diagnostic Electromyography (EMG) testing.

Oncology

• Assist veterinarians with pet assessment, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures.
• Provide empathy, comfort, and unparalleled nursing care to all pets and serves as a strong pet advocate during the pet's hospitalization.
• Prepare and administers various chemotherapeutic agents.
• Provide the owner with extensive communication and education on various oncology disease processes.

Ophthalmology

• Assist veterinarians with ocular exams.
• Perform and/or assist with diagnostic testing (Schirmer Tear Testing, Tonometry, Ocular Ultrasounds, Electroretinogram testing, etc.).

Radiology

• Assist veterinarians with providing high-quality diagnostic imaging services to in-patient, out-patient, surgical, and emergency pets.

Surgery

• Provide extensive surgical assistance by preparing pets, scrubbing, shaving, acting as a surgical nurse, and operating specific surgical equipment and supplies.

Competencies:

• Care and Compassion: Displays a desire to build rapport, provide personal assistance, and emotional support.
• Team Orientation: Works cooperatively with the team to address tasks and accomplish goals.
• Dependability: Demonstrates responsibility in completing tasks and accomplishing goals.
• Initiative: Proactively looks for the opportunity to address and follow through on work activities.
• Flexibility and Multi-Tasking: Adapts quickly to changing demands and manages multiple priorities effectively.
• Communication: Uses effective and appropriate methods of interacting with others.
• Customer Services: Displays a desire to provide outstanding service and exceed customer expectations.
• Organization and Attention to Detail: Monitors and reviews information thoroughly and maintains an organized system for all documents.
• Adherence to Rules and Instructions: Consistently follows standard procedures.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED.
• Two or more years of experience with veterinary appointments, surgeries, and nursing care for hospitalized and critical patients.
• Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT), Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), or the Licensed Veterinary Medical Technician (LVMT) preferred or as required by State.
• May consider an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience.

Position Knowledge and Skill Requirements:

• Knowledge of the preparation, monitoring, and recovery of pets receiving surgery, as well as basic pet nursing.
• Ability to demonstrate and follow correct procedures in catheter placement, phlebotomy, emergency medicine, and digital radiology.
• Understand and limit the potential exposure to bites, scratches, and potential injuries.
• Able to restrain patients according to standard procedures.
• Fill prescriptions and monitor sedation procedures as directed by the veterinarian.
• Ability to work with or around sick animals, potentially hazardous materials, cleaning chemicals, gas anesthetics, zoonotic diseases, and unpleasant odors.
• Display confidence and reassurance when dealing with pets experiencing severe stress, illness, or pain.
• Communicate and approach job duties in a professional and mature manner.
• Must be flexible with scheduling and able to work some weekends and holidays.
• This is a strenuous job that requires a lot of lifting, cleaning, and constant motion.
• Depending on the functional area of assignment, tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation and/or extended periods of time standing and/or walking.
• May include some climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling.
• Some tasks involve the periodic performance of moderately physically demanding work, usually involving lifting or carrying moderately heavy animals (up to 50 pounds).
• Answer phones and perform other duties as needed by the hospital.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by Manager or practice.

Additional Information:

The list of essential functions and additional functions, as outlined in this job description, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this position. The omission of any job function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a required assignment for the position.