What does an emergency veterinary technician do?

Emergency veterinary technicians assist with treating animals by running blood tests, administering treatments or medications, among others. A typical degree program to be a veterinary technician runs around for almost two years. Being on call for intensive care, monitoring vitals, placing catheters, taking x-rays, cleaning wounds, and applying bandages or casts are just some of the responsibilities of an emergency veterinary technician. The skills needed to be an emergency veterinary technician include intensive knowledge of animal biology, animal husbandry, knowledge of animal behavior, documentation skills, clinical skills, analyzing information, use of medical technologies, and attention to detail.
Emergency veterinary technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real emergency veterinary technician resumes:
- Place intravenous catheters manage iv lines and medication administration.
- Perform EKG's, apply splints, administer wind care, and assist during CPR under direction of physicians.
- Monitor anesthesia for endoscopic procedures (Upper/lower GI scope, Rhinoscopy, Bronchoscopy, Cystoscopy, FB retrieval scopes etc . )
- Charge with setting up and cleaning endoscopy equipment as well as operating biopsy equipment.
- Assist with CPR, wind care, basic life support, and basic trauma life support measures.
- Assist doctors with endoscopic procedures including but not limit to rhinoscopies, bronchoscopies and upper GI endoscopies.
- Maintain and utilize endoscopy equipment.
- Provide care to hospitalize patients and assist veterinarians during patient exams and surgical procedures.
- Administer medications, fluid therapy and use pharmaceutical knowledge independently for the benefit of critical patients.
- Open and maintain an airway, ventilate patients and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, including use of automate external defibrillators.
- Experience with restraint, blood draws, catheters, medications, fluids and more upon doctor request.
- Skil in the placement of central lines, intravenous, and urinary catheters in various species and both sexes.
- Schedule and perform``day case"tests such as; ACTH stem's, BG curves, and LDDST.
- Work closely with clients, other staff and Dr. Faulkner.
Emergency veterinary technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 21% of Emergency Veterinary Technicians are proficient in Patients, PET, and Catheter. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Detail oriented, and Manual dexterity.
We break down the percentage of Emergency Veterinary Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 21%
Provided care to hospitalized patients and assisted veterinarians during patient exams and surgical procedures.
- PET, 9%
Educated clients about the importance of proper pet care and ownership.
- Catheter, 6%
Skilled in the placement of central lines, intravenous, and urinary catheters in various species and both sexes.
- Phlebotomy, 6%
Assess vitals, apply splints and other orthopedic devices, perform wound care, phlebotomy and EKG's.
- CPR, 6%
Perform lifesaving treatment to animals in need, including CPR, and administering shock treatments.
- Anesthesia, 5%
Qualified to administer and monitor anesthesia, and assist in surgical procedures, including preparatory and post-op care.
Most emergency veterinary technicians use their skills in "patients," "pet," and "catheter" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential emergency veterinary technician responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an emergency veterinary technician to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "veterinary technologists and technicians communicate with supervisors, other staff, and animal owners." Emergency veterinary technicians often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "provide the ultimate customer service experience when providing client communication and performing reception duties after hours. "
Detail oriented. Another essential skill to perform emergency veterinary technician duties is detail oriented. Emergency veterinary technicians responsibilities require that "veterinary technologists and technicians must pay attention to detail." Emergency veterinary technicians also use detail oriented in their role according to a real resume snippet: "entered patient history into medical records such as vaccination status, age, weight, and emergency details. "
Manual dexterity. emergency veterinary technicians are also known for manual dexterity, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to emergency veterinary technician responsibilities, because "veterinary technologists and technicians must handle animals, medical instruments, and laboratory equipment with care." An emergency veterinary technician resume example shows how manual dexterity is used in the workplace: "performed vital signs manually to include pulse rate, manual blood pressures, and respiratory counts. "
Compassion. A big part of what emergency veterinary technicians do relies on "compassion." You can see how essential it is to emergency veterinary technician responsibilities because "veterinary technologists and technicians must treat animals with kindness and must be sensitive when dealing with the owners of sick pets." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical emergency veterinary technician tasks: "assist physicians with multiple procedures and demonstrations multiple hospital given i-care awards for demonstrating exceptional compassion and skill related to patient care"
Physical strength. Another crucial skill for an emergency veterinary technician to carry out their responsibilities is "physical strength." A big part of what emergency veterinary technicians relies on this skill, since "veterinary technologists and technicians need to be able to manage and lift animals." How this skill relates to emergency veterinary technician duties can be seen in an example from an emergency veterinary technician resume snippet: "assessed physical\mental history of patients coming into the emergency room. "
The three companies that hire the most emergency veterinary technicians are:
- BluePearl Vet92 emergency veterinary technicians jobs
- Ethos Veterinary Health50 emergency veterinary technicians jobs
- VCA Animal Hospitals14 emergency veterinary technicians jobs
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Emergency veterinary technician vs. Emergency room nurse
As the name entails, emergency room nurses typically work in emergency rooms of hospitals to provide care for patients in need of immediate treatment for severe medical conditions such as injury or trauma. They work with a team of healthcare professionals such as physicians and other nurses to administer medications to patients, monitor health conditions, and plan for long-term care needs. Other duties of emergency room nurses include assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of patients, maintaining a sanitary, organized, and clean work environment, and providing patients with follow-up care instructions.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, emergency veterinary technician responsibilities require skills like "pet," "phlebotomy," "anesthesia," and "catheter placement." Meanwhile a typical emergency room nurse has skills in areas such as "bls," "acls," "acute care," and "tncc." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Emergency room nurses earn the highest salaries when working in the health care industry, with an average yearly salary of $72,872. On the other hand, emergency veterinary technicians are paid more in the professional industry with an average salary of $38,638.emergency room nurses tend to reach similar levels of education than emergency veterinary technicians. In fact, emergency room nurses are 3.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Emergency veterinary technician vs. Emergency department volunteer
The Emergency Department (ED) Volunteer provides non-medical support by assisting medical and administrative staff. They deliver excellent service by visiting and monitoring medical results and helping patients expedite and improve patient care. They maximize an emergency physician's efficiency through careful and diligent documentation on the Electronic Portfolio of Information Credentials (EPIC). They must be able to coordinate with nurses and physicians to assess, plan and implement patient care plans, and assist in providing meal trays, stock supplies, run errands, and evaluate patient comfort.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that emergency veterinary technician responsibilities requires skills like "pet," "catheter," "phlebotomy," and "anesthesia." But an emergency department volunteer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "emt," "home health," "medical terminology," and "physician assistants."
In general, emergency department volunteers achieve similar levels of education than emergency veterinary technicians. They're 3.4% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Emergency veterinary technician vs. Emergency department registered nurse
An emergency registered nurse is first in line for patients who need a response. These nurses are first to respond to emergency cases such as trauma, allergic reactions, and injuries. They assist doctors and other medical staff in emergency medical care. It is their responsibility to always provide high-quality standards for nursing. The skills they should possess include diligence, attention to detail, levelheadedness, and strong communication. They also need to be knowledgeable about emergency care.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, emergency veterinary technicians are more likely to have skills like "pet," "phlebotomy," "anesthesia," and "catheter placement." But a emergency department registered nurse is more likely to have skills like "acls," "acute care," "life support," and "patient outcomes."
Emergency department registered nurses make a very good living in the health care industry with an average annual salary of $77,094. On the other hand, emergency veterinary technicians are paid the highest salary in the professional industry, with average annual pay of $38,638.Most emergency department registered nurses achieve a similar degree level compared to emergency veterinary technicians. For example, they're 2.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Emergency veterinary technician vs. Technician
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between emergency veterinary technicians and technicians, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an emergency veterinary technician might have more use for skills like "pet," "phlebotomy," "anesthesia," and "triage." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of technicians require skills like "patient care," "hand tools," "diagnosis," and "preventative maintenance. "
Technicians enjoy the best pay in the telecommunication industry, with an average salary of $46,660. For comparison, emergency veterinary technicians earn the highest salary in the professional industry.The average resume of technicians showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to emergency veterinary technicians. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 1.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.2%.Types of emergency veterinary technician
Updated January 8, 2025











