Veterinary Assistant

Location

Newport News, VA | United States

Job description

Our veterinary support team is very knowledgeable, efficient and has fun while they work and we want to build on the energy! Colony Animal Hospital is hiring experienced veterinary assistants. Our commitment to compassionate, highly skilled medical care for pets is 60 years strong and continuing.

At Colony Animal Hospital, Veterinary Assistants are the cornerstone of the healthcare team, supporting our LVT, doctor's and clients. Working alongside our LVT and veterinarians in appointments and through surgical support to provide skilled medical care. Our Veterinarians believe in fully utilizing their medical staff, helping them to grow and expand their knowledge base. Our hospital has been AAHA-certified for over 50 years. Accordingly, our standards are high. We provide the best medical care for our patients and we encourage the best efforts from our staff.

• At least 1-2 years of experience in a Veterinary Hospital setting is preferred OR are in school for your CVA or LVT degree
• Interpersonal and communication skills are paramount - pets can’t speak so the owners and assistants must be able to speak for them.
• You must be comfortable working with clients in varying emotional states to gather medical histories. We have electronic medical records and utilize Cornerstone so you must be comfortable with Windows based computer systems.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are a must, as is the ability to be on time. 

This position involves working some weekends and Holidays to take care of boarding pets.
Staff members are responsible for proper husbandry care of all hospitalized and boarded animals, including feeding, bathing, record keeping, and the cleanliness of cages, runs, ward areas, and the hospital's cleanliness.

• Provides compassionate care to patients.
• Can conduct oneself confidently and professionally even when stressed and/or focused on individual tasks.
• Knows AAHA Vaccine protocols
• Receives animals to be admitted, is responsible for their proper identification, and for recording their respective locations.
• Releases animals to their owners as directed by the doctor; ensures that every animal released is clean and properly groomed before their release.
• Has the ability to communicate with owners and make them feel comfortable with leaving their pet(s) in our care.
• Can follow a regular schedule for cleaning and sanitizing all cages, runs, wards, and related areas; changes litter boxes and food/water bowls.
• Can feed each animal as prescribed by the attending doctor or as the owner has requested and records appetites.
• Understands the importance of prioritizing tasks and keeps oneself busy and productive during work shifts.
• Can maintain laundry for the kennel, grooming, and hospital.
• Knows general restrain and low-stress handling techniques 
• Can collect urine and fecal specimens.
• Can recognize and report any unusual condition or abnormal behavior.
• Can assist doctors and technicians with the administration of medications or with patient restraint.
• Cleans equipment and facilities using chemicals and supplies; understands the importance of the safety of the use of chemicals in our facility.
• Maintains the cleanliness of the hospital each day.
• Understands and carries out the weekly and monthly chore list to maintain the hospital's cleanliness, equipment, and overall appearance of the hospital.
• Maintains positive, cooperative relationships with other employees.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Colony Animal Hospital has been providing high quality, compassionate care for pets in Newport News and surrounding areas for more than 60 years. We continue to grow and change with developments in veterinary care while never wavering from our dedication to preserving the bond between our clients and their pets. We treat each patient as if it were our own as we continue our work to prevent suffering through education, preventive care and the evaluation of all treatment options.

Job tags

Salary

$15 - $17 per hour