Advanced Diploma inAnimal Care Career

Module 8: Health related Careers - II

8.1 Animal Nutritionist

8.2 Canine Rehabilitation Therapist

8.3 Practice Manager

8.4 Veterinary Receptionist

8.5 Vet Tech (US) Vet Nurse (UK)

8.6 Veterinary Support Assistant (VSA)

8.1 Animal Nutritionist

Good nutrition is key to the health and well-being of

both pet and production animals. When you open a can

of dog food, the ingredients didn’t get into the tin by

chance, but the formulation was carefully calculated

and balanced by an animal nutritionist. Likewise, farm

animals are fed on rations that are optimized for meat

or milk production. Additionally, the increasing trend for

raw meaty diets fed to dogs and cats has created a strong market for experts who can advise

pet owners on healthy recipes.

An animal nutritionist is an expert in how food and feeding impact an animal’s health. This

might be domestic pets, such as cats and dogs, or commercial livestock facilities. This role

can lead to involvement in companies creating animal feeds or pet food, advising farmers, or

helping pet owners.

The nutritionist may be called upon to analyze the nutritional value of grazing land or check

that pet food is nutritionally balanced. There is a role for the animal nutritionist in agriculture,

industry, and also the domestic pet market. The route to qualification involves obtaining a

degree in an animal-related science, nutrition, or biochemistry and then specializing in

nutrition at postgraduate level.

Starting salaries range from around $32,000/year with experienced nutritionists earning

around $50,000.

8.2 Canine Rehabilitation Therapist

Thanks to a growing understanding of the importance of physiotherapy after accident or

injury, the field of canine rehabilitation is a growing one.

A canine rehabilitation specialist helps dogs (or other animal species depending on the

individual’s interest and qualifications) to be as mobile as possible after accident or injury,

due to age, or to maximize performance in a sporting animal. Part of the work also involves

therapies that help control pain in that animal, through the use of techniques such as

massage, acupuncture, heat therapy, or therapeutic ultrasound. (Get a taste of how

physiotherapy can benefit your pet at home in Holly & Hugo’s Animal Physical

Therapy course.)

A fully qualified veterinary rehabilitation therapist is either a human physiotherapist or a

veterinarian who has studied an additional course in the required skills. Two qualifications

are recognized in the US, and these are the CCRT (Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist)

and CCRP (Certified Canine Rehabilitation Program). The latter is from the University of

Tennessee which is a leader in the field and has state of the art animal physiotherapy

facilities.

Another route into animal therapy is as a vet tech who has undertaken a special course as a

CCRA (Certified Canine Rehabilitation Assistant)

8.3 Practice Manager

Are you a first-class organizer with a love of animals?

Behind every successful veterinary clinic is a practice manager who oversees the day-to-day

running of the practice. This includes stock control of drugs, bookkeeping, recruiting

personnel, training staff, the establishment of practice policies, overseeing health and safety,

and dispute resolution with clients or disgruntled staff. The practice manager is a vital lynch

pin and helps set the overall ‘tone’ and feel of the practice.

They are also in a unique position to work within a veterinary clinic and have regular contact

with animals, but without necessarily holding a veterinary qualification.

The best practice managers are superb organizers, empathetic with people, and have a

strong understanding of what pet owners care about. This combination of talents allows them

to bridge the gap between veterinarian and client, in the smooth running of an efficient and

profitable business.

There is the opportunity for a practice manager to work in different veterinary environments

such as the familiarity of small animal practice, the excitement of emergency clinics, or the

rarified atmosphere of referral practices, or large animal surgeries. A practice manager needs

a wide variety of skills from computing skills to personnel management, and most have a

background in business management.

In addition, the VHMA (Veterinary Hospitals Managers Association) oversee a specialized

course in practice management leading to certification as a CVPM (Certified Veterinary

Practice Manager). To maintain their certification, the practice manager is expected to

undertake 40 hours of continuing education every two years in order to keep their knowledge

current. The average salary is around $45,000 - 51,000 / year.

8.4 Veterinary Receptionist

A veterinary receptionist is a vital part of the clinic team. They take

phone calls from clients, book appointments, and take payments.

They also help the smooth running of the clinic by liaising with sales

reps, sending out vaccine reminders, and keeping the waiting area

tidy. But more than this, they have a position of great responsibility.

They are the first face a client sees on entering the practice and so

their attitude is key. Good communication skills are essential

because they are often called upon to calm or comfort a distressed

or panicked client.

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Many veterinary receptionists find employment because of their personal qualities such as

organizational skills, professional attitude, and ability to learn about veterinary health matters.

In addition, it helps to be computer literate and be prepared to help hold animals should the

need arise. Those who wish to can complete an online course overseen by the AAHA

(American Animal Hospital Association) which gains them the Veterinary Receptionist

Certificate.

The average salary for a veterinary receptionist is around $29,000 with an experienced head

receptionist commanding $33,000/year.

8.5 Vet Technician (US) or Veterinary Nurse (UK)

Most vet techs (or vet nurses) work in companion animal practice and spend their working

day in close contact with their patients. This is a skilled, responsible, and demanding

occupation that will repay you with great job satisfaction. The vet tech has unrivaled contact

with animals and clients, which means they must excel at communicating with people, plus

understand animals -and be able to reassure both!

In addition, the role requires both practical and technical aptitudes since the vet tech can

expect to draw blood, place catheters, run lab equipment, monitor anaesthetics, and a

thousand-and-one other medical tasks that mean a pet in the hospital is properly cared for

and kept safe.

Vet techs are highly sought after, although, unfortunately, this isn’t reflected in the salary,

drawing on average $30,000/ year. They are likely to find work wherever they are based on

high demand from vet clinics, referral centres, universities, and research facilities. In addition,

the vet tech is also well-placed to transition into a sales position representing a drug company

or specialize in a particular area of nursing such as anaesthesia, surgery, or dentistry.

In the US there are just over 220 vet tech training programs, with some being college courses

and some involving distance learning, leading to a two-year Associate degree or a four-year

degree. Once the student has graduated, they must sit and pass the Veterinary Technician

National Exam (VTNE) and meet the licensing requirements set by individual states, in order

to practice.

For those vet techs who wish to specialize, the NAVTA (National Association of Veterinary

Technicians) offers 11 areas of certification which are: anaesthesia, behaviour, critical care,

dentistry, pathology, surgery, clinical practice, internal medicine, zoo medicine, equine

practice, and nutrition. Holding a special certificate enhances the vet techs employability in

referral centres of excellence.

In the UK there are two routes to becoming a veterinary nurse. The first includes vocational

training where you are attached to a registered training practice to work for hands on with

animals and undertake day release study. Typically, the prospective candidate most hold

5 GCSEs at grades A* - C, in subjects such as a science, English, and math.

This highly practical route prepares you for the Level 3 Diploma in Animal Nursing and

admittance onto the RCVS’ Register of Veterinary Nurses.

The second route is more academic, but also involves gaining practical experience at a vet

practice. You would pursue an integrated higher education course which leads to a

Foundation or Honors Degree in vet nursing. Where these courses are attached to a

university, the application is made through the UCAS system. (Refer to individual training

facilities for entrance requirements.)

Once qualified, a veterinary nurse is expected to keep them knowledge current by

undertaking CPD (Continued Professional Development). This amounts to 45 hours of

learning spread over 3 years, or an average of 15 hours a year.

Just as for US vet techs, the UK vet nurse can choose to specialize. To do this she needs to

be enrolled in the BVNA (British Veterinary Nursing Association), have gained two years’

experience post-graduation, and work at a recognized training practice. Once these criteria

are met, she can enrol in certificates or diplomas in a variety of advanced nursing fields such

as emergency medicine and critical care, dentistry, behaviour, or anaesthesia.

8.6 Veterinary Support Assistant

A veterinary support assistant (VSA) is a vital member of the veterinary practice team without

whom the clinic would fail to function smoothly. The VSA holds no formal qualifications but

must be skilled in a number of areas including:

• Restraining animals

• Observing animal behaviour

• Speaking to clients

• Booking appointments

• Taking payments

• Health and hygiene in the kennels and public areas

• Cleaning surgical instruments

• Stock control

Put simply the VSA is a trouble shooter or jack-of-all-trades who one minute could be called

upon to hold an animal for a blood draw and the next to clean out kennels. The position offers

plenty of hands-on time with animals, as well as the opportunity to watch operations or

observe consults.

The VSA also has an integral role liaising with the vet or vet tech’s behalf with pet owners

and is often expected to take phone calls and book appointments or seek advice. A

talented VSA makes the most of every opportunity to learn, for example when on kennel

duties she will keep a keen eye on animals to see if they are showing signs of pain. This is

an invaluable aid to the clinicians who can then be alerted and provide pain relief.

Because of the all-encompassing role of the VSA, as well as being a fulfilling job in its own

right, some people use it as a stepping stone. It is a great way to earn a wage while gaining

invaluable practical experience and hence is a popular option for those considering entering

the veterinary profession in some capacity, to see how that environment suits them. Anyone

considering work as a VSA is well advised to take Holly & Hugo’s Veterinary Support

Assistant course. This gives you an insider’s view of what to expect when working in

veterinary practice, plus guides you on practical skills such as animal restraint, as well as

giving you a head start on technical terms, anatomy, physiology, and the day-to-day routine

of a veterinary clinic.