Veterinary technicians usually work with veterinarians in private clinics, assisting in animal care and laboratory work. Vet techs perform functions for veterinarians in much the same way that nurses help out doctors. Veterinary technicians usually have to complete a two- or four-year program and pass a state board exam.

Vet techs usually spend a lot of time doing lab tests, such as blood counts. They also assist the vets in operations, regular check-ups, and long-term animal care when needed. Vet techs typically clean cages and examination rooms, care for animals that are recovering from surgery, and take and develop x-rays.

Some vet techs work in research facilities, in animal testing. Some work for zoos, in wildlife centers, in livestock management, or other fields. In fact, a veterinary technician degree is fairly versatile, and job prospects are much better than average for the 2000-12 period. The only places of employment that may be difficult to get into are zoos, as zoos are generally scaling back on employees and there aren't many positions to begin with.

There were about 53,000 vet tech jobs in 2002. The average earnings that year were $22,950. The work is usually very fulfilling for animal lovers, but can be physically and emotionally stressful. Physical stress is caused by lifting heavy cages, restraining or holding animals, and bites, scratches, and more. Emotional stress comes from dealing with upset pet owners, euthanizing pets, and witnessing abuse and neglect. However, for most techs, the joy of working with animals and their families outweighs the negatives.