About This Career

Feeds, waters, and examines pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Cleans and disinfects cages and work areas, and sterilizes laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.

This career is part of the Health Science cluster Support Services pathway.

A person in this career:

• Holds or restrains animals during veterinary procedures.
• Monitors animals recovering from surgery and notifies veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
• Fills medication prescriptions.
• Cleans and maintains kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
• Examines animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
• Performs routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
• Assists veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
• Administers medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
• Collects laboratory specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, for testing.
• Performs office reception duties, such as scheduling appointments or helping customers.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Exposed to disease and infections more than once a month through work such as patient care, laboratory work, and sanitation control
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Exposed to radiation more than once a month
• Work in this occupation involves use of special protective items such as a breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suit, or radiation protection
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves walking or running more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel