Boom or bust?

Are jobs in this industry on the rise? Are there any sub-sectors that are growing?

Where are the jobs? Which places have the most veterinary technician opportunities?

Refer to the department of labor's website.

As far as sub-specialties.....I tell anyone who is considering this field that if they want to do this simply because they want to work with animals then becoming a groomer is a more lucrative career. Groomers in my area of the country are in high demand and get paid well. Not to mention the fact that most of them are self-employed and get to set their own hours. If I had it to do all over again that's the path I would take. I am about to remove myself from the field of veterinary technology after 14 years because of lack of pay, lack of benefits, and lack of recognition...

default user in Edmonton, Alberta said: our pets are family members. When our dog got sick, the stupid vet tech almost killed him in the clinic. Not only we pay these people huge sums of money for their expertise, but be assume they really love animals and not behave as this this is "just a job". Well, that was totally wrong and we were DISGUSTED to see these miserable persons totally indifferent to our dog suffering. And you can find on the internet thousands of similar stories

These persons are totally unprofessional, subhumans and with a meaningless life. Shame on such disgusting individuals who take advantage of other peoples love for animals

You should be shaming on the vets who allow uneducated people to work in their practices and call them "veterinary technicians". This is a very common problem in the US where regulation of the veterinary technology profession is done on a state by state basis. In many states, there is are no requirements for an education or testing to prove that the person holding the position of veterinary techician are knowledgeable.

As well, it is the veterinarian who ultimately is responsible for the care of your pet while he is in the clinic because he prescribes all treatments and procedures and should be evaluating his staff to know who is and isn't qualified to provide that care as well as to supervise that care.

Veterinary technicians do NOT get paid vast sums of money. In fact, in the US veterinary technicians generally make little over the minimum wage. Veterinary technicians also DO as a rule care very much about the animals and that is why they get into this line of work. Unfortunately, due to a lack of regulations in many areas people who do not have an education are allowed to perform tasks that put pets at risk and veterinarians are allowed to mis-represent the education/training of their staff by giving them a title that owners tend to equate with "registered nurse".

Host said: Are jobs in this industry on the rise? Are there any sub-sectors that are growing?

Where are the jobs? Which places have the most veterinary technician opportunities?

Specialty practices are growing and thus the need for specialized technicians. Emergency and Critical Care, Dentistry, Anesthesia, Internal Medicince and Behavior are all recognized specialties. Technicians who put more into the profession than just an "I love animals" attitude are needed.

The highest number of jobs are going to center around large cultural centers and colleges/universities that have a veterinary teaching hospital.

Most vet techs are registered and not "people from the street", the exceptions are very few, first because of laws and regulations (more and more restrictive, ) and second, because most vets want to hire registered vet techs and not people without any formal education. The very few exceptions are for volunteers, students or people looking for a summer job and usually they are vet asistants (i.e. wash cages, feed animals, etc), with very limited clinical duties.

Moreover (except maybe for farms), vet techs get paid decent money, well over the minimum wage! Vet assistants make indeed less money, but we are talking here about vet techs.

To blame the vet is a very common practice for vet technicians. I would rather blame the vets rather for being too lenient with vet techs, who want to have as many rights as possible (union fees paid, benefits, discounts, unjustified wage increases) but, whenever something goes wrong, to blame the vet, without whom a vet tech would be unemployed.

The view that veterinarians only hire Registered Animal Health Technicians in your area may simply be your take on things. Veterinarians also are allowed to hire assistants and veterinary technology students. Whatever the case though it doesn't negate the fact that the veterinarian is still ultimately responsible for the care of each patient because they are responsible for determining the fitness of each employee for performing delegated tasks.
"Prior to the delegation of any allowable animal health care task, the supervising veterinarian has a duty
to verify the practical competency of the RAHT or unregistered personnel to perform the task to be
delegated. This assessment will determine (a) the task to be delegated; (b) the level of supervision to be
exercised; and (c) who will supervise the delegated task, a veterinarian or a RAHT. This assessment of
competency is based upon the unique education, training, experience and skill of each individual AHT or
assistant. As a result, decisions relating to delegation may be as diverse as the background and abilities
of each member of the veterinarian?s staff...Although the veterinarian may delegate a wide range of tasks, only the supervising veterinarian may
make decisions relating to the diagnosis, treatment, and management and future disposition of the animal
patient. The veterinarian must assume responsibility for the animal patient and the animal patient must
be assessed by the veterinarian prior to the delegation of any task."--www.avma.ab.ca/legislation/counguid.pdf

A degree in veterinary technology is NOT equivilant to a degree in veternary medicine thus the vet is the one who assumes the responsibility for assessing the patient as well as staff skills.

I think it's pretty funny that people think vet techs get paid a decent wage lol. I think that's a testament as to how much most of us love our jobs (I assume there are some out there who I wouldn't trust my rat to). I was a paramedic before and made what I considered to be decent money and left because I've always wanted to work with animals (trying to get into vet school). Well, now I have two jobs to support myself and I get paid more per hour at Starbucks than I do as a vet tech.

And I don't know about other areas, I seem to luck out in the Baton Rouge area because from my understanding there are loads of vets who make it *miserable* to work with them. I'm sure that would contribute to poor attitudes as well.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but not all of us are subhuman trolls ;)

I do not deny some hospitals offer miserable wages (e.g. 9 $/hour), and I even know one (in a small town) who keep you "on probation" for months, during which time they pay you 5$/hour! There is no national wage level, all depends on where you work. Obviously, a vet tech in the country makes less money than an RVT/AHT in downtown Chicago or LA, especially if the last one gets specialized (e.g. in surgery, ER, etc).

Second, it is not only how much you make per hour, but also about your future. You don't have a future at Starbucks (typically a job for students who need some fast cash and a flexible schedule) but as an RVT you get, in addition to money, experience, references and, ultimately, may even become a DVM student(tough but not impossible).

Kristin in Baton Rouge, Louisiana said: I think it's pretty funny that people think vet techs get paid a decent wage lol. I think that's a testament as to how much most of us love our jobs (I assume there are some out there who I wouldn't trust my rat to). I was a paramedic before and made what I considered to be decent money and left because I've always wanted to work with animals (trying to get into vet school). Well, now I have two jobs to support myself and I get paid more per hour at Starbucks than I do as a vet tech.

And I don't know about other areas, I seem to luck out in the Baton Rouge area because from my understanding there are loads of vets who make it *miserable* to work with them. I'm sure that would contribute to poor attitudes as well.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but not all of us are subhuman trolls ;)

I can personally say that I don't live in a major city such as Chicago or LA.. and I think I make pretty decent money for being out of school for almost a year and having no prior veterinary clinic experience. I'm working in a spay/neuter clinic and she started me at $10.50/hr and after my 3 month probationary period, I will make between 12-13 an hour. Yes, it's not as much as I would like, but for my first job in a clinic, I'll take it. I would also be making $2 less per hour if I weren't an RVT. I couldn't imagine only working for $8.50/hr.