Veterinary Assistant

Petco•Houston River Oaks, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Veterinary Assistant provides medical care support to patients at a Vetco Total Care full-service hospital and customer care to their owners. The position represents Petco’s mission and values and supports technical and customer-service operations, teamwork, and a high standard of patient care. The role helps ensure the hospital runs efficiently and provides a positive experience for patients and clients. The Veterinary Assistant works under the direct supervision of veterinarians and veterinary technicians for patient care, and takes overall direction from the Hospital Operations Manager, Hospital Leader on Duty, or supervising technician for the shift. The position has no immediate supervisory duties. Most duties take place in a veterinary hospital, with substantial direct contact with clients and pets.

Requirements

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Compassionate and sympathetic demeanor, with the ability to remain professional during emotional and stressful situations.
Telephone and computer skills.
Ability to work as a team player, learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change.
Ability to bend, kneel, lift up to 30 pounds as necessary, and stand for long periods of time.
Ability to perform the duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of previous experience working in a veterinary practice, or sufficient relatable animal-care experience to ensure excellent performance of the listed skills.

Responsibilities

Greet clients and patients, escort them to exam rooms, obtain and record weight and vital signs, collect patient histories, and document visits in electronic medical records.
Assist doctors with routine and emergency appointments, surgery, dentistry, and euthanasia under supervision.
Restrain patients, obtain and process laboratory samples, handle and dispense medications as directed by a veterinarian, and maintain electronic medical records.
Schedule appointments, provide client education, relay test results to doctors and clients, and maintain and update client and patient records.
Prepare patients for surgical and dental procedures and assist doctors or veterinary technicians with anesthetizing patients.
Under supervision, monitor patients under anesthesia and during recovery, and prepare them for hospital discharge or transfer to an overnight care facility.
Under supervision, provide in-hospital treatments for sick patients, including injectable and oral medications and intravenous fluid therapy; keep patients clean, watered, and fed as directed; and walk canine patients when needed for elimination.
Assist with training new staff and disseminating knowledge as directed by the Hospital Operations Manager or Hospital Leader on Duty.
Keep the hospital environment neat and clean, performing routine cleaning as needed and according to a maintenance schedule.
Perform additional duties as assigned and provide backup phone and front-desk support as needed.
Contribute to efficient day-to-day hospital operations, teamwork, patient well-being, employee retention, and customer satisfaction.