How to Become a Veterinary Assistant in Kansas

Most veterinary assistants love working with animals, but they also interact with many different people as well.

If you want to learn more about what it takes to become a veterinary assistant in Kansas, read on!

We’ll present the job further, including duties and expected salary!

Veterinary Assistant Employment and Job Duties in Kansas

Finding a job as a veterinary assistant in Kansas is relatively easy.

You can send your application and resume to the following types of facilities:

• Pet clinics,
• Animal rescue facilities,
• Animal shelters
• Zoos
• Educational institutions

Some specific companies you can consider are:

• Veterinary Centers of America
• Banfield Pet Hospital
• Vetco Wellness Centers and Vaccination Clinics
  • These clinics are generally found in PETCOs.

All of these companies can be found in several cities across the state, and while they’re the best known, they’re not the only ones.

There are differences between them when it comes to rules and requirements, so keep that in mind.

Your duties and responsibilities will be similar to the ones below:

• Communicating with clients
• Making appointments
• Request records requests from other vets
• Inventory control
• Cleaning vet gear
• Sanitizing animal cages
• Operation room cleaning
• Help with filling prescriptions
• Prepping exam and operating spaces
• Keeping records updated
• Pay attention to the dietary needs of pets
• Make sure the animals get enough exercise

If your application gets rejected because you don’t meet certain criteria, you can try to volunteer first.

Becoming Certified as a Vet Assistant in Kansas

One of the first things to know about veterinary assistants in Kansas is that they don’t need a license to work or get hired as such.

When it comes to most employers, they’ll usually ask for minimum age, high school diploma, or GED.

The majority of employers will also ask for a certification or diploma in the field as well.

The Approved Veterinary Assistant or AVA is the preferred certificate for these professionals.

You can earn this certification from NAVTA, through an exam.

NAVTA currently recognizes a few ways of becoming qualified to sign up for the exam, as seen below.

Externship

This is an ideal option for those who don’t work in this field just yet and have no other related experience.

This is a training program that encompasses classroom and practical education.

The program should last for a few months.

Experiential Learner

Some people with no credentials may already work in the veterinary field, as already explained.

If you’re one of these individuals, you must work 20 hours per week in a veterinary facility.

After you accumulate a certain amount of hours, you can take the exam.

Veterinary Assistant Program

For this option, you also have to work part-time in a vet facility.

After you complete training, you can take the test to become an Approved Veterinary Assistant.

Earning Other Credentials

Perhaps you hope to have more career options later down the line.

For this you can enroll in a post-secondary school where you can earn a degree like:

• An Associate Science degree in veterinary medicine
• A Bachelor Science degree in veterinary medicine

You can see the schools offering such programs in the table below.

However, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) must approve the program you choose.

When enrolling, some of the schools might ask for:

• Tuberculosis clearance within a year
• Tetanus vaccine within 10 years
• Health insurance
• Criminal background check

These are some of the topics you’ll study:

• How to identify different breeds
• Animal anatomy
• The best ways to administer meds
• How to administer post-operative care
• Handling various breeds of animals
• Medical terminology
• Handling chemicals

You can even choose a specialization, if you want to, like the ones below:

• Dental Technician
• Anesthetist
• Internal Medicine
• Emergency and Critical Care
• Behavior Technician
• Zoological Medicine
• Equine
• Clinical Practice
• Nutrition
• Clinical Pathology

The duration of the programs offered by these schools is of at least 2 years.

It might be possible for you to have to pass the VTNE (Veterinary Technician National Examination).

The duration of this exam is of 3 hours, it has 150 questions, and it costs $300.

Salary Information for a Veterinary Assistant in Kansas

In Kansas, veterinary assistants earn on average $29,609 per year.

You can earn more than this if you have more certifications and more experience.

Regional Salary in Kansas

Additional Information About Vet Assistants in Kansas

No matter where you got your credentials as a veterinarian assistant, it’s best to stay updated on any possible changes for this field.

For instance, the AVA certificate has to be renewed every 2 years.

Here are the best resources:

• VetMedTeam
• Kansas Veterinary Medical Association
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
• Kansas Humane Society
• Leavenworth Animal Welfare Society