INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL CARE

Personal Qualifications:

Genuine care for animals
Also serves animal parents
Enjoy working with people
Good communication skills
Calm, alert
Resourceful
Able to cope with stress

Physical Requirements

Job is physically demanding
Walk and standing, reaching, climbing, bending, crouching
Be able to lift 50 pounds

History of Vet Med

As far back as 2500 BC
Usually farm animals
17th and 18th centuries, cities began to support vet research to improve livestock health
First vet school in 1761 in Lyons, France
US-based vet schools began in 1850s, with less than a year of training
Most of the 20th Century, vets were male serving farms in rural areas

American Vet Med Association

Accredits colleges for vets and vet techs
Vets: 4 yr science degree, 4 yr vet school
Must pass national and state exams

Most vet support staff must graduate from an accredited program to be licensed.

Self-Check #1:

TRUE or FALSE? The vet med field is an ideal refuge for people who prefer to avoid people and just work with animals.
Which of the following is a typical benefit of a job in vet med?
C: The chance to make a difference in the lives of animals.
The first vet school was founded in Lyon, France in 1761.
TRUE or FALSE? Most vets in the 20th Century were female.

Legal Aspects of Vet Practice

Vet Practice Acts: The laws that govern vetmed in a particular state.

Board of Vet Med Examiners (BVME)
- A group of governor-appointed vets that oversee a state’s vet med practices.
- Administers license/certification exams
- Holds hearings to air complaints about its state’s vet professionals
The Vet Practice Acts vary by state but define the educational and licensing requirements that apply to the state’s vets
They require: graduate from an AVMA-accredited vet school & pass state and national exams.
Also requires continuing education classes
American Association of Vet State Boards (AAVSB) maintains a database of the requirements for credentialing of vet professionals in each state.
Also defines physical facility requirements that hospitals must meet
A vet tech may also be called:
- Animal Tech
- Registered Vet Tech
- Certified Vet Tech
- Licensed Vet Tech
- Graduate Vet Tech
“Vet Nurse” not legal, as nurse refers to humans.

State and Federal Agencies

Vetmed is highly regulated by state and feds
Regulated to protect workers or the public from disease and other hazards

Drug Enforcement Agency

Division of the US Dept. of Justice
Enforces the Controlled Substances Act
A federal law that controls the manufacture, purchase, & distribution of certain medications- usually medications with the potential for abuse.
Use requires written record

Controlled Substances Act:

Must be licensed to purchase, use, or dispense
Meds must be kept in a double-locked area
Meds used or dispensed must be logged
Written records must be kept for 5 yrs
Inventory must be taken every 2 yrs

US Department of Labor

Requires that each employers register & obtain an Employer ID Card.
Enforces the standards known as the Occupational Safety & Health Regulations.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

Division of Dept of Labor
Protects workers from workplace hazards
Employers must post certain notices & maintain written safety plans & safety equipment

Display job safety & health posters
Record occupational injuries & illnesses
Display warning & identification signs
Provide written plans for job safety & health
Train employees in proper procedure
Provide protective equipment for employees

US Dept of Health and Human Services

Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health for Biomedical research
FDA

Food and Drug Administration

Division of Health and Human Services
Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act is the primary law they enforce
Center for Veterinary Medicine that monitors the animal care industry.

US Dept of Agriculture

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) enforces the Animal Welfare Act.
Also monitors the import/export of animals & develop programs to control disease in food animals
Food Safety Inspection Service ensures meat/poultry are safe and correctly labeled
Agricultural Research Service
Extension Service

Animal Welfare Act

Group of federal laws designed to ensure lab animals receive the best possible care.
Also to breeders to research/education
Sets standards for care of all warm-blooded animals except rats/mice
All aspects of daily care

Environmental Protection Agency

Vet practices that offer certain grooming services must comply with the EPA.
Exempt from federal Insecticide, fungicide, & rodenticide Act.

State Dept of Health

X-ray machines

Additional State & Local Regulations

General business license

Self-Check #2:

OSHA stands for: Occupational Safety & Health Administration
The Vet Practice Act is a set of laws written by A: State legislators
The Controlled Substances Act governs the sale, manufacture, & distribution of potentially dangerous drugs.
B: X-Ray machines --- State Dept of Health
C: Pesticides --- EPA
A: Lab rats --- Animal Welfare Act
Vets who dispense or prescribe narcotic drugs are licensed by: C--- DEA

Types of Vet Practices

Small Animal Private Practice
- family/companion animals
- small animal practice is a practice the usually sees dogs and cats
- small animal companion practice is a practice that sees rabbits, birds, guinea pigs
- Staff: vet techs, assistants, kennel workers, receptionists, office manager
Vet Referral Practice
- Ophthalmology
- Oncology
- Internal Medicine
- Equine Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
Large Animal Practice
- Farm animals
- works closely with stable managers
- disease prevention
- develops programs to increase meat or milk production
Mixed Animal Practice
-sees large and small animals

Voluntary Professional Accreditation
- Voluntarily comply with the American Animal Hospital Assoc.
- Requires top-quality equipment, highly trained staff
AAHA regularly inspects hospitals
Biomedical research facilities may choose to follow requirements of Assoc. For Assessment & Accreditation of Lab Animal Care.

Self-Check #3:

The term mixed animal practice refers to a vet clinic that treats: D --- both large and companion animals
The agency that offers voluntary accreditation to companion animal hospitals is: A --- AAHA
TRUE or FALSE? The primary goal of the vet health team is to treat the greatest number of animals possible.
Most vet assistants are employed by: C --- small animal practices

The Vet Health Care Team

Delegation of tasks in vet hospitals
Vets delegate tasks to free up time
Vet staff may assist in filling prescriptions, administering meds, or preparing animals for surgery

Vet Tech

Graduates of AVMA-accredited programs are called vet techs
Prohibited from diagnosing disease, prescribing meds, & performing surgery
Works directly under the vet

100 AVMA-accredited programs in the US
Must pass the national exam

Vet Tech Specialist

Vet techs that specialize
Society: group of people that have an interest in a particular area of vet med
Academy: Groups of vet professionals that achieve specialty status

National Assoc. Of Vet Techs in America (NAVTA): provides a process to allow vet techs societies to develop credentialing exams and guidelines
Recognized specialty academies:
- Academy of Vet Emergency & Critical Care Techs
- Academy of Vet Tech Anesthetists
- Academy of Vet Dental Techs
- Academy of Internal Medicine for Vet Techs
Societies that haven’t achieved specialty status:
- Society of Vet Behavior Techs
- The American Assoc. Of Equine Vet Techs

Vet Assistants

Works under vet or vet tech
Good communication skills

Kennel Aide

Boarding kennels
American Boarding Kennel Assoc.

Vet Receptionist

Trained on the job, few programs

Vet Practice Manager

Responsible for all business aspects
Vet Hospital Managers Assoc.

Self-Check #4

One of the tasks a vet may delegate to a support staff member is: D --- dispensing medication to a client
TRUE or FALSE? Both vets and vet techs can prescribe medications
Vet assistants work directly under: B --- the vet or vet tech
Ordering supplies - C --- practice manager
Initial client contact - D --- receptionist
Preparing surgical equipment- B --- vet tech
Restraining an animal- A --- assistant

Vet Practice Design

Areas of the vet clinic:
- Outpatients are patients that do not stay in the hospital; they usually receive vaccines, removal of sutures, & annual exams
- Inpatients are patients that stay in the hospital; dentals or surgery
- Client is the pet parent
- Patient is the pet
Reception Area
- first greeted; considered the coordination center of clinic
- many things happen here: filing records, phone calls, & payments
Exam Room
- temperature taking, pulse, and respiratory rate
Surgical Suite
- surgical table, surgery and anesthetic supplies
- 3 rooms: prepare, surgery, recovery
Treatment Area
- center of the practice
- receive meds and treatment
Grooming area
- some offer grooming services
Hospital Ward
- confinement area for pre/post surgery patients
Isolation Area
- animals with easily transmittable diseases are kept here
X-Ray Room
- next to surgical suite
- lead aprons, gloves, & collars and lead eyeglasses
Darkroom
- Used to develop xrays
Lab
- clinical diagnostic procedures
- had microscope & specialized equipment for analyzing blood samples
Employee Lounge
- Food and take breaks
Pharmacy
- medicine and supplies
Staff Offices and Library
- vet offices
- practice manager
Storage Areas
- pet food, treats, flea & tick

Self-Check #5

The reception area is the vet practice’s coordination center
Which of the following is NOT part of good client care? C --- a place where clients stand a reassure their pets during surgical operations
TRUE or FALSE? All vet practices include a grooming area
Isolation area - B --- quarantine of patients
Treatment area - D --- medication/diagnostic procedures
Lab area - C --- Clinical procedures
Hospital Ward- A --- confinement of inpatients

Other Opportunities in the Animal Care Field

Kennel Aide
Supervisor
Assistant Manager
Manager

Lab Animal Tech
- check animals daily for food, comfort, and maintain environment conditions
- American Assoc. For Lab Animal Science offers the certification exam
Assistant Lab Animal Tech
- Helps techs to take care of animals
- Cleans cages, observe animals

Pet Shop Attendant
Pet Sitter
Salesperson
Dog trainer
Animal Control Officer
Animal Shelter Aide
Zoo Animal Caretaker
Wildlife Rehabilitator

Self-Check #6

Animal Control Officers are responsible for: A --- picking up stray animals
TRUE or FALSE? No formal education is required to own/operate a pet sitting business
A wildlife rehabilitator takes care of injured/orphaned wild animals with the goal of returning them to the wild
TRUE or FALSE? Illness in zoo animals is easy to spot
Which of the following companies hire vet techs/assistants for their sales force? D --- all of these

Professionalism

The conduct, aims, or qualifications that characterize or mark a profession or professional person.
Professional Presentation & attitude
- wear appropriate clothes
- Must be patient, sensitive, confident, proud, competent, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and understanding
Professional Assoc.:
- National Assoc. Of Vet Techs in America (NAVTA)
- Assoc. of Vet Dental Techs
- Vet Lab Assoc.
- Academy of Vet Emergency & Critical Care Techs
- American Vet Med Assoc.
- American Animal Hospital Assoc. (AAHA)
- Assoc. Of Zoo Vet Techs
- Vet Tech Anesthetists Society
Professional Ethics
- Professionals: individuals who meet a profession’s requirements & agree to uphold its ethical code
Principles of Vet Med Ethics is the official ethical code for vets
Wrote in 1867 by American Vet Med Assoc.
Vet tech code of ethics in 1989

Self-Check #7

Which of the following reflects professionalism? D --- all of the above
Principles of Vet Med Ethics is the official code for vets
TRUE or FALSE? Animal research is cruel, unnecessary & has no benefit.
Vet practices that refuse legal requests on ethical grounds are B --- running the risk of the client not returning

	Created by Jessica Warfle almost 9 years ago

Notes of the first study guide of Penn Foster's Vet Tech Program