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The differences between veterinary technicians and emergency veterinary technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a veterinary technician and an emergency veterinary technician. Additionally, an emergency veterinary technician has an average salary of $38,689, which is higher than the $38,441 average annual salary of a veterinary technician.
The top three skills for a veterinary technician include PET, patients and anesthesia. The most important skills for an emergency veterinary technician are patients, PET, and catheter.
| Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,441 | $38,689 |
| Hourly rate | $18.48 | $18.60 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 41,022 | 109,185 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Veterinary Technician, also known as Vet Tech, specializes in performing laboratory tasks and providing immediate and necessary care to animals in a Hospital Clinic or Research Facility under the supervision of a Veterinarian. Moreover, a Veterinary Technician is in charge of administering medicines or treatments, gathering samples such as blood and urine for analysis, monitoring a patient's condition and learning its history, and conducting hygienic procedures such as dental and welfare. There also instances where a Veterinary Technician must communicate with pet owners, sharing extensive knowledge on how to take better care of them.
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.
Veterinary technicians and emergency veterinary technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,441 | $38,689 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $48,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Rohnert Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute | Cape Cod Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a veterinary technician and an emergency veterinary technician in terms of educational background:
| Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between veterinary technicians' and emergency veterinary technicians' demographics:
| Veterinary Technician | Emergency Veterinary Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 32 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.8% Female, 82.2% | Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |