Overview
Do you want a career that involves working with horses on a daily basis? Do you care deeply about the health and welfare of our equine companions? If so, a career as an equine veterinary technician might be exactly what you are looking for. An equine vet tech assists an equine veterinarian in a variety of tasks. Some equine vet techs are working their way through veterinary school to become full-fledged equine vets. For others, being an equine veterinary technician is enough. Whichever path you choose, you will need to successfully complete equine vet tech training before you become an equine vet tech. Here's what you need to know about equine vet tech training programs.
Purpose
The purpose of equine vet tech training is to teach students how to assist an equine veterinarian by performing the following tasks:
Dispensing equine veterinary drugs and instructing clients on how to administer them.
Preparing horses for surgery and assisting the veterinarian during surgery.
Cleaning and caring for horses' teeth.
Performing lab work, such as blood samples.
Caring for sick horses and nursing them back to health.
Taking X-Rays and performing other diagnostic imaging tests.
Performing anesthesia and dispensing pain medications.
Educating clients about horse health care issues.
Any other duties necessary to assist the equine vet with his practice.
Time Frame
Most equine vet tech training programs take two years to complete. Some schools do offer longer programs that can allow vet techs to take on greater responsibilities and earn more money.
Classroom
All vet tech programs have a classroom component. Usually, the classroom component follows a lecture format, with students expected to pay attention and take notes on the material. The classroom section includes information about equine anatomy, terms used in equine veterinary medicine, theories behind common modes of treatment, and preparation for passing the Veterinary Technicians National Exam.
Laboratory
Equine vet tech training programs also include a laboratory section, where students can gain hands-on experience working with real horses. The laboratory portion of the class allows students to practice both basic and advanced skills. Basic skills include how to work safely around horses who are frightened and in pain, how to bandage injuries correctly, how to draw blood and how to perform other simple procedures. Advanced skills include more complicated tasks like administering anesthesia or working an X-Ray machine.
Veterinary Technicians National Exam.(VTNE)
The Veterinary Technicians National Exam is an exam used to certify veterinary technicians. In addition to giving students the knowledge and experience that they need to succeed in specialized equine veterinary practices, equine vet tech training programs also prepare students to pass this exam successfully.
The Veterinary Technicians National Exam is not the only test you will need to take to start working as an equine vet tech. Each state has its own veterinary board with its own licensing requirements, sometimes including state-specific exams.
