Veterinary technicians are often referred to as the backbone of any veterinary clinic or hospital—for good reason. You may see one of our vet techs floating around Urgent Pet Care Omaha doing any number of tasks to help clients, care for patients, or otherwise keep our hospital running smoothly. While many human nurses are specialized in a particular area of care, our vet techs are responsible for a myriad of different tasks throughout the hospital. We love our vet techs, because we wouldn’t be able to properly serve Omaha’s pet community without them. To get a better idea of what this fantastic group does on a daily basis, we’ve compiled a list of the places you will find a vet tech in our clinic, along with what you may see them doing.

In the treatment room—doing it all for your pet

This is where all the action is, thanks to our vet techs. The treatment room is where we bring most pets to perform diagnostics, draw blood, or give medications or injections. It’s also where we typically intake emergencies or place pets before hospitalization. Our vet techs are trained to assist in all these procedures, from start to finish. If your pet requires a hospital stay, our technical staff will prepare your pet’s kennel, review the plan with the veterinarian, monitor your pet’s vitals, and give medical treatments as needed throughout their stay. You’ll often find a vet tech or two in this room. 

In the surgical suite—taking care of your pet from start to finish

If your pet requires surgery, our vet techs will be integral to the process. From administering sedatives, to placing monitoring equipment, to surgical scrubbing, veterinarians depend on our support staff to fully prepare and monitor pets during surgery. Once in the surgical suite, a vet tech may be responsible for observing your pet’s anesthetic parameters, or they may be scrubbed in to assist your veterinarian with certain procedures. When the surgery is over, a vet tech will help recover your pet from anesthesia and wait by their side until they can be safely placed in their kennel. 

At a computer station—keeping your pet’s records up-to-date

Each time your pet receives a medication, blood draw, or other treatment, the information must be written down to ensure we maintain excellent medical records. Additionally, all anesthetic parameters are recorded, which means our vet techs spend quite a bit of time in front of the screen. If you don’t see a vet tech with a pet, look for one near a computer workstation. 

In the examination room—helping your veterinarian

You may have met one of our techs in the exam rooms during your appointments. They may intake your pet, asking questions about your pet’s diet, medications, and the signs you are observing at home. Vet techs will often help hold patients for their physical examination, record findings for the veterinarian, or take vital signs. During your pet’s treatment, they may pop in to relay messages from the veterinarian, or simply to let you know your companion is in good hands—vet techs are always reassuring. 

In the radiology area—taking specialized images of your pet

X-rays are an important part of veterinary medicine, and we couldn’t take them without help from our vet techs, who are trained to take radiographs correctly. After recording your pet’s measurements, our team will modify the X-ray machine’s control units accordingly, and then safely position your pet to achieve optimal images. This process can be lengthy and physically taxing, since our techs must wear heavy lead protective gear when taking X-rays. 

In the pharmacy—filling your pet’s prescriptions

You may find one of our vet techs in the pharmacy area preparing medications for your pet. Whether your veterinarian prescribes pills, powders, or injectable suspensions, our support team is skilled in measuring and drawing up precise doses of medications for their patients. 

There is a reason why our veterinary support staff are referred to as technicians—from fluid rates to X-ray beams, they are responsible for knowing and using specialized information pertaining to pets. But, our vet techs are so much more than that. Behind all the fancy equipment and beeping machines is a handful of caring, nurturing individuals who want nothing more than to take excellent care of your furry friend. Give us a call to schedule an appointment, and see our devoted vet techs in action.