To celebrate National Veterinary Technician Week—October 17 to 23—we’re shining the spotlight on our talented vet tech team. Get to know the hearts, minds, and hands providing your pet’s emergency care.  

Fast thinkers in a fast-paced field—why emergency veterinary medicine?

Urgent Pet Care Omaha vet techs could have chosen to work in general practice, where appointments are scheduled and services are generally routine—but instead, they selected emergency veterinary medicine. Why? We asked our technicians about their motivation and journey to emergency vet tech life.

Katie Dailey, LVT

Katie takes pride in making a difference in the lives of pets and their owners. Originally from Chicago, a childhood experience fostering a mother cat and her kittens drew Katie to a life working with animals. She started working at Urgent Pet Care Omaha five years ago, fell in love with “the practice and its people,” and “never left”—we’re certainly glad she didn’t!  Katie thrives in the emergency environment, and loves its unpredictable nature, case variety, and demand for a wide array of technical skills.

Katie strives to be everything her patients need, and does her best every day to ensure they feel comfortable, safe, and loved. 

Jessica Kuhstoss, LVT

Jessica is a native Omahan, and the middle child of seven with three brothers on either side, which may have truly prepared her for emergency medicine’s unpredictability and fast pace. Jessica loves playing a key role in her patients’ survival, recovery, and return home, which fulfills a childhood dream when she was 7. The hands-on aspect of patient care, providing treatments, and running diagnostics are some of her favorite responsibilities of being a vet tech. 

Erin Crumb, LVT

Erin discovered veterinary technology in a high school internship class, and fell in love with the countless technical skills and nursing responsibilities vet techs carry out every day—what she calls “the fun, hands-on stuff.” Erin originates from Lincoln, but a friend’s encouragement and persistence led her to our hospital. After finally giving in to her friend’s repeated requests to apply at Urgent Pet Care Omaha, despite being apprehensive about emergency medicine’s “unplanned” nature, Erin quickly learned to love not always knowing what’s coming next.

Jeff Primo, LVT

If technicians each had a superpower, Jeff’s might be patience—which he credits to his 3-year-old son. Jeff’s ability to remain calm under pressure or chaos is an asset in his personal and professional lives—and his sense of humor sure helps, too.

Although many fall into emergency medicine by accident, Jeff was actively searching for a non-corporate veterinary emergency clinic when he was hired. Jeff loves being able to help animals, and that “no two days are the same” at Urgent Pet Care Omaha.

Emma Faulkner, LVT

If you ask Emma, her career path to veterinary technology was a “100 percent accident.” Emma—a lifelong animal lover and struggling pre-vet student at the time—first heard about vet techs during a college tour with her then-boyfriend. Captivated, she marched into the department for more information, and left her boyfriend standing in the hallway. 

What Emma calls an accident, we call fate. After her school internship, Emma was hired as a licensed technician. And we got a bargain, because as Emma describes vet techs, they are actually “10 nurses in one who can dive into surgery one week, or focus on hospitalized patients instead.”

Kimberly McMahon, LVT

Kimberly, who has returned to her native Omaha by way of Georgia, has vivid memories of accompanying her childhood pets to their annual veterinary visits. Young Kimberly was intrigued by the veterinary staff’s skills and procedures, and knew she was “destined for a career in animal medicine.” Working in emergency medicine challenges Kimberly’s technical skills, which is highly motivating for someone who loves a vet tech’s versatility. 

Kimberly appreciates being able to spend more time with patients than the veterinarian, and feels that helps her understand them better. She describes being a vet tech as “a very rewarding career for the soul.”

Savannah Hughes, LVT

Raised in Council Bluffs, Savannah didn’t plan on becoming a vet tech. Savannah applied to the vet tech program at IWCC on a whim, because she thought she might enjoy the job, which she did—and we are all grateful for that fateful decision. Savannah was introduced to Urgent Pet Care Omaha as a school intern and, like Katie, “never left.” Savannah embraces the continual challenges of emergency veterinary medicine, and loves how they shape her into a stronger vet tech. 

Pet lovers loving pets

When we say that we treat your pet like our own, we mean it. All our vet techs have some highly spoiled pets, which at last count included:

  • Thirteen dogs
  • Nine cats
  • Three guinea pigs
  • One three-toed box turtle named Skeletor

What scares an emergency tech?

Our techs remain calm under pressure in our hospital, but the following fears get their hearts racing:

  • Being bitten by a “nice” animal (Jessica)
  • Hitting a deer (Erin)
  • The government (Jeff)
  • Snakes (Emma and Savannah)
  • Heights, bees, or wasps (Kimberly)

Who wants a treat? Celebrate our techs during tech week

Our technicians never turn down a treat. Their favorite foods include ice cream, Italian, Mexican, and Chinese cuisine, Munchies chips, and “anything grilled.”

Help us celebrate our vet techs during vet tech week, and every day. If they have impacted your pet’s life, ensure you thank them for their hard work, skill, and compassion. 

We’re here when you need us—if your pet is experiencing a veterinary emergency, contact Urgent Pet Care Omaha.