This occupation is part of the Healthcare Support cluster
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About the Job
Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine post-operative 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.
It is also Called
- Animal Care Provider
- Animal Care Service Worker
- Animal Care Taker
- Animal Caregiver
- Animal Health Technician
- Avian Keeper
- Emergency Veterinary Assistant
- Groomer
- Kennel Assistant
- Kennel Attendant
What They Do
- Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
- Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
- Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
- Administer medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
- Provide emergency first aid to sick or injured animals.
- Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
- Clean, maintain, and sterilize instruments or equipment.
- Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
- Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
- Prepare surgical equipment and pass instruments or materials to veterinarians during surgical procedures.
Interests
People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: RSI.
This means people who work in this occupation generally have Realistic interests, but also prefer Social and Investigative environments.
Work Values
People who work in this occupation generally prize Relationships, but also value Support and Working Conditions in their jobs.
Things They Need to Know
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Things They Need to Be Able to Do
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Education Required
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Wages
In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $27,990.00 with most people making between $18,680.00 and $38,490.00
Outlook
During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 8,100 people in California. It is projected that there will be 8,200 employed in 2020.
This occupation will have about 0 openings due to growth and about 130 replacement openings for approximately 130 total annual openings.
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