Veterinary technicians are valuable resource for producers - Animal Health

Veterinarians rely on the help, knowledge and expertise of technicians in day-to-day practice.

They take two years of post-secondary education at an approved school and spend five to six weeks at an approved clinic on a practicum to complete their training, which includes parasitology, hematology (blood work), serum chemistry, anesthesiology, radiology (X-rays), necropsies and animal handling. These subjects apply to large and small animals.

Producers should get to know local technicians because they can answer questions on animal health and discuss the vaccination protocols that veterinarians have set up.

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At our clinic, technicians are valuable assets in our day-to-day operations. Often they accompany veterinarians on calls that deal with animal export work, health monitoring such as gathering blood for herd Johne’s certification or semen evaluating. They speed the work and improve efficiency and also help

educate clients.

Technicians are highly trained with the microscope when it comes to parasitology, blood work and semen motility evaluation. Often, if clients bring in fecal samples to check for internal parasites or lungworms, the work is given to the technicians. Results are recorded and the technician and veterinarian team provide recommendations to the producer or small animal owner.

Technicians can also help producers doing their own herd sampling, such as those who live far from the clinic, by giving advice on the tests necessary and the type of blood vial needed.

Larger clinics have machines that do blood counts and serum chemistry to measure the function of internal organs such as the kidneys and liver. Technicians do these tests and interpret the results and may be the person who provides the results to the owner. This is done in consultation with the attending veterinarian. On these cases producers have two people solving their problem.

Other producers request our technicians to accompany us at processing and pregnancy checking and maybe when we are castrating large numbers of bulls. They are efficient at needling, implanting and recording, and their livestock handling abilities come to good use.

The majority of veterinary technicians are women and I find they are gentler and more patient on average when handling livestock than their male counterparts. They use the brain versus the brawn approach.

Dexterity at drawing blood and inserting intravenous catheters is also good.

The relationship is similar to the one shared by doctors and nurses. With intensive care patients, the veterinarian usually makes the diagnosis and the treatment plan while technicians do the catheterization, injections, monitoring, cleaning and care of the animals.

I think technicians are more involved in the overall case than their nurse counterparts. This is partly because they are involved from the beginning to end, whereas in a large hospital a patient might go through several departments and likewise several nurses.

Technicians pay attention to details such as following government forms and maintaining logs, which the law requires for radiology and narcotics. I usually let technicians fill out most forms because there are fewer mistakes that way.

Next time you have a problem, remember that veterinary technicians can be an excellent reference source and can advise when and where the veterinarian should be involved.

Many veterinary receptionists are also technicians. In small clinics they serve both capacities while in larger clinics they may have opted to do more client service and interaction. This is generally less physical than technician duties and eliminates having to go out in our cold Canadian winters to do herd work.

Technicians know a lot about the preventive procedures necessary for the health of your farm animals, including dogs and cats.

Treat them professionally and you will be rewarded. They even like chocolates or flowers from time to time. Even wild flowers picked off your farm are well received.

The golden rule of treating others as you would wish to be treated goes a long way at a veterinary clinic.

Roy Lewis is a veterinarian practising in Westlock, Alta.