How to Decide if You Need a Vet Tech

Here is an article which I find to be very valuable by Tina Marconi at http://www.vettech.org/



If any of my readers would like to submit an article for review - or even just a few paragraphs on a topic you would like many cat lovers to see, send it to me at DTConsult@cableone.net

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Do You Need a Vet or a Vet Tech? How Do You Decide?

If you own a pet, you probably have a regular veterinarian or are looking for a good one to provide medical care for your animal. However, there are times when you don’t need the services of a vet and when a veterinary technician will do. Both vets and vet techs provide medical care for animals, but vets are more qualified and have a higher level of education.

Vet techs usually assist veterinarians in their tasks, and provide basic care for pets and other animals. They are responsible for conducting lab tests, performing diagnostic procedures on your pets, administering intravenous medicines and assisting vets with surgeries. Most vet techs are adept at training animals – they teach obedience for dogs and other pets. Some of them go into the research field once they have enough experience as a vet tech. And most of them are able to treat minor wounds and injuries that are not life-threatening or serious.

So if your pet needs any of the above services, you would be better off with a vet tech because they charge less per hour and are more likely to spend more time with your pet. Vet techs have four years of formal education and are licensed by a national examination, so they’re well equipped to provide medical care for animals. They can be considered the nurses of the animal kingdom, because they augment and supplement the care provided by the vets.
You will need a vet only if your pet has to be diagnosed or if you’re taking them to the doctor for the first time. Follow up visits and routine checks can be done by vet techs. If you’re looking for a vet tech in your locality, here’s what you can do:

· Talk to local veterinarians and see who they recommend.
· Use the Internet to find vet techs who’re online or who have their own websites.
· Ask friends and family members who have pets and who use the services of a vet tech.
· If your vet tech is moving and you need to find a new one, ask them to recommend someone they know and who would be a good replacement for them.
· Look up your local directory listing and talk to the vet techs listed there before you choose one you think would suit your pet.

Enquire about the training and certification of vet techs before you hire them; ask where they work on a regular basis – they’re most likely to assist veterinarians with their private practice or be employed by hospitals and other animal health care facilities. Ensure that they’ve worked with animals similar to your pet and that they’re willing to provide follow-up care. Your vet tech will recommend a veterinarian if your pet needs the services of one, so don’t worry about not doing what’s best for your pet.

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This guest post is contributed by Tina Marconi, she writes on the topic of vet tech online . She welcomes your comments at her email id: tinamarconi85[@]gmail[.]com. http://www.vettech.org/