Texas is home to a few prestigious universities. These universities, upon graduating with your diploma, offer an optional internship program geared towards entering the workforce after graduation. Having an internship program under your belt will surely impress future employers and help you get that all-important first job. As a result, internships remain high in demand as well as valuable and sought after.
Being A Vet Tech In Texas is a noble and important job. It requires patience, compassion, and strong medical knowledge. But it is significantly different in many ways to other medical professions like physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. The schooling, licensing, and certification requirements are all vastly different than the standards for doctors or veterinarians. The following article will help you become a vet tech in Texas if you choose to pursue such a rewarding career.
How To Become A Vet Tech In Texas
Steps to Become a Registered Veterinary Technician in Texas
Texas is calling for educated and trained Veterinary Technicians to fill the positions in the texasstate’s expanding Veterinary Medicine Industry. New technology, innovative treatments and more effective pharmaceuticals have helped spur the growth in money spent on Veterinary care. Texas has the schools and veterinary practices to help you make your career a success. Whether you work with small animals or livestock and everything in between, you will find satisfaction with a job well done.
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Veterinary Technician Salaries in Texas
$29,000 per year is the average salary per year for Veterinarian Technician working in Texas. $28,900 annually is the average in the U.S. as a whole or about $13 per hour. Incomes for veterinarian technicians are slightly lower than the national average. Salaries can range from $20,000 just starting out after graduation to $48,000 for more specialized positions often requiring additional education and training.
Employment Prospects in Texas
Employment opportunities for veterinary technicians in Texas is projected to grow 30 percent nationally from 2012 to 2022.
Vet Tech positions will also increase as more veterinarians utilize trained technicians and technologists replacing lower skilled veterinary assistants.
Registered Veterinary Technicians can find employment in a variety of capacities such as medical specialty clinics, rescue shelters, exotic animal rescue and rehabilitation facilities, teaching colleges, research laboratories, non-profit organizations, and in the military and government.
New jobs will also increase in small pet animal clinics in urban setting to large animal practices on ranches and farms and everything in between.
What Veterinary Technicians Do in Texas
As a Licensed Veteran Technician your tasks may include:
recording a canine’s, or another animal patient’s, medical history;
assisting with surgeries and other medical procedures;
collecting blood, urine or stool samples;
developing radiographs;
preparing animals and equipment for surgery;
Processing laboratory tests.
Some veterinary technicians also serve as office managers for animal hospitals.
providing treatment for routine problems
assisting the veterinarian with physical exams
developing x-rays and radiographs
performing anesthesia
administration of medications
recording temperature, pulse and respiration
dressing wounds
operating electrocardiographic equipment
sterilizing laboratory and surgical equipment
vaccinating animals
Accredited Texas Veterinary Technician Programs
There are nine accredited Veterinary Technician programs in Texas. The coursework teach students the fundamentals of handling and the care of animals, assisting with medical and surgical procedures, how to run labs and set up vaccines, internal medicine veterinary technician, veterinary nurse, imaging and x ray operator. In addition to the practical application of course content, students are also trained on how to communicate and educate animals’ owners.
General Veterinary Technician Coursework
Pharmacology
Pharmacology courses explore issues of veterinary medicine, including terminology of therapeutic treatments, how drugs work in the animal’s body, medicine dosage calculations, possible medication side effects. Also covered are pharmacy procedures.
Small Animal Nursing
Small animal nursing classes will teach you the unique handling techniques, and the use of medical equipment and medicine required to care for small animals. Restraining animals for examining and grooming may also be included.
Anatomy and Physiology
Classes explore the major body systems of domesticated species and their functions and physiological processes.
Large Animal and Equine Nursing
The specific techniques, equipment and medicine required for the care of large animals, such as those found on a farm or ranch including horses, livestock, and farm animals.
Operating Room
You will be introduced to operating room procedures, including sterilization policies and the role of post-surgical nursing. You will also learn to prepare the patient and the operating room for minor and major surgical procedures.
Anesthesia
Administering anesthesia is very complex. Classes explore how anesthesia affects certain animals and how to prepare the patient for surgery.
Small Animal Nursing
Also typically offered are small animal nursing classes that teach students the unique handling techniques, medical equipment and medicine required to care for small animals. Classes also include restraining animals for examining and grooming.
The Vet-Tech May Also Specialize In:
Zoological and Exotic Animal Medicine
Internal Medicine
Dental Technician
Equine Medicine
Behavior Modification
American Association of Zoo Keepers
Emergency and critical care nursing
Surgery and Anesthetist
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For more information you can refer to these resources:
American Veterinary Medical Association
Texas Association of Registered Veterinary Technicians
Academy of Veterinary Technician Anesthetists
Academy of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Technicians
Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians
American Association for Laboratory Animal Science
Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
Vet-Tech Licensing Requirements in Texas
The licensure program for Veterinary Technicians in Texas is still new. The grandfather period ended on 8/31/14. The Texas State Board of Veterinary Medicine will process all applicants for licenses.
Veterinary Technicians applying for an LVT license will need to apply for and take the Licensed Veterinary Technician jurisprudence examination (LVTE). The LVTE application for veterinary technicians is available on the TBVME LVT webpage.
Also you may transfer to another state, but you should check first with the AAVSB regarding reciprocity programs.
To meet the Texas Vet Tech License requirements, you will have to:
Complete and graduate from an AAVSB-approved two-year Texas Vet Tech schools.
Must take and pass the VTNE exam. The test is administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards, The VTNE exam is given three times a year in various parts of the state. It is three hours long and has 150 questions. Cost is $300.
Continuing Education in Texas
In order to renew you Veterinary Technician’s license in Texas you are required to take 10 hours of continuing education per year, 5 hours of which may be Online Continuing Education Courses.
Finding Career Opportunities as a Vet-Tech
Your school will have assistance available to you while looking for a job. Also, the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CACVT) has an active job posting page separated into geographic regions.
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), an organization that represents and promotes the profession of veterinary technician, has a resources in their website’s Career Center page.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) also has a job board for licensed Vet Techs.
Potential Employers of Registered Vet-Techs in Texas
Animal Care & Control (Fort Worth)
Animal Diagnostic Clinic (Dallas)
VCA Animal Emergency Hospital Southeast (Houston)
VCA Animal Emergency Hospital (League City)
Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital (Austin & Round Rock)
Animal Emergency Services North Texas (Grapevine)
Center for Veterinary Specialty Emergency Care (Lewisville)
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Glen Rose)
Bayou Wildlife Zoo (Alvin)
