Hannah’s work days fly by quickly and she rarely pauses long enough to take what most would consider a full lunch break, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She works as a licensed veterinary technician (LVT) at the Chesapeake Humane Society in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Chesapeake Humane Society
“A lot of veterinary medicine is very, very fast,” she explained. “As soon as one surgery is on the operating table we are getting ready to put the next surgery down, and we continue that all day. We don’t break; we sort of eat as we go.”
The career was a natural choice for her given that she has always loved animals. With a father who is a physician, a mother who worked as a nurse before becoming a paramedic, and a sister who also became a physician, her desire to work in the medical field was no surprise to anyone. But she chose a different route than the rest of the family.
“I did EMT for a brief time in high school, about two months,” Hannah said. “Human medicine is not for me.”
Instead she found her passion in caring for animals. “I became a vet tech because I wanted to be able to help them on a deeper level. I wanted to learn about the medical aspect too and do what I can to help shelter animals or animals that find themselves in an unfortunate situation.”
Her training included an 18-month vet tech program and externship. The classes featured hands-on learning from veterinarians and licensed vet techs. The school had an on-site kennel where students practiced applying splints, drawing blood and taking blood pressure measurements.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of veterinary technologists and technicians is projected to grow 19 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. This is because veterinarians rely heavily on their technicians for day-to-day tasks.
Chesapeake Humane Society Executive Director Lacy Kuller said technicians like Hannah are a very important part of veterinary medicine. “Vet techs are crucial to what we do here. They are in very high demand,” she said. “The veterinarian is very reliant on a skilled licensed vet technician in order to carry out the day’s work. We have a very high volume of animals that are seen here so that LVT position is very important. A lot of times the LVT will oversee and guide the vet assistants throughout the course of the day and make sure that everybody is properly cared for.”
After finishing her training program and externship, Hannah was able to start her career quickly. As with most careers, she said new vet techs will need to work their way up, but the field offers great potential for growth.
“If you’re an LVT you’re going to make a living wage, and you can always progress further in leadership roles or specialize,” she said. “What I do here is shelter medicine, high volume spay and neuter and specializing in dentistry, and I’m also the manager of the clinic.”
Her toughest days are the ones when she encounters animals that have had a rough start in life or that have been abused—but these are often the most rewarding cases also. “It’s incredibly satisfying and the best part about it is seeing them go home with a family, someone who is really going to take care of them and have them the remainder of their lives.”
Learn more about a career as a vet tech.
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