14 Pros and Cons of Being a Vet Office Manager

Vet office managers are in charge of various duties such as bookkeeping, keeping records, reception, and many more.

If you’re interested in a career as a vet office manager, you could be in for a real treat.

You’ll play a big role in the well-being of pet owners and their pets.

But before you dive headfirst, you may want to consider weighing both the pros and cons of being a vet office manager.

Below you’ll find a list of the advantages and disadvantages associated with this career to help determine whether this is an ideal career path for you.

Pros of Being a Vet Office Manager

First, let’s start with a list of pros of being a vet office manager:

1. Rewarding Career

One of the biggest pros of working as a vet office manager is that it is an extremely rewarding career.

When you are working at reception at an office, you are the first person that clients will come in contact with.

You will have the opportunity to explain the process to them and go over treatments that their pets may need.

Additionally, you’ll be able to discuss billing and other relevant information with clients.

Overall, this experience can be rewarding, especially since many of these clients will be facing crises.

For you, it will be a great opportunity to make sure that your pet receives top-notch care at your office.

2. Never a Dull Moment

One thing you won’t have to worry about working as a vet office manager is being bored.

A career as a vet office manager means you will be doing a range of duties beyond just sitting at reception.

If this is something that sounds exciting, you could be the perfect candidate for this career.

And if you thrive on variety, you have met your match.

You’ll partake in everything from staff training to upkeeping the facility to bookkeeping.

Every day will be different, full of many opportunities and challenges.

3. Competitive Pay

Vet office managers make an average of $37 to $47 per hour.

This is a great salary to start with, considering you are not required to have any formal education.

Vet office managers can also make up to $52 per hour, which is well above other manager positions across various fields.

If doubling the average salary of an American sounds enticing, a vet office manager may be the ideal career for you.

So what does this mean for you?

Not only will you be making a decent living, but you’ll also be making a highly competitive salary.

4. Job Stability

Compared to other careers, vet office managers have better job stability and security.

Why is this, you ask?

This is mainly because pets and pet owners are not going away anytime in the near or long-term future.

As of today, nearly 66% of people in the U.S. own a pet.

For you, this means that you will always have a job in pet healthcare, especially if you are considering a vet office manager.

As long as there are pets around, clinics will need to exist, which means office managers will need to run them.

Even if pet ownership declines slightly, it will never go away completely, making this one of the more secure jobs out there today.

5. Minimal Schooling

If you love animals, want to work with animals, and want to stay on the administrative side of things, a vet office manager is a great career to consider.

In addition, if you are not up for too much schooling, this is a great option.

Vet office managers don’t need to enroll in vet school or undergo formal training.

Instead, you’ll get to enjoy working in an office environment and still connect with pets daily.

Many other roles in veterinary require you to undergo years of schooling and training.

Becoming a vet office manager allows you to learn and train on the job without receiving any type of license.

6. Leadership Role

A vet office manager is indeed a leadership role.

So, if you are an individual who thrives on leadership and prefers roles that allow you to guide others, consider a career as a vet office manager.

You’ll be in charge of mentoring and training employees who work in your office.

This means you have a responsibility to ensure that all employees are up-to-date with state guidelines.

This role provides ample opportunity to lead, guide, and make an impact in the office where you work.

7. Career Advancement

Not only will you benefit from career advancement as a vet office manager, but those opportunities will be diverse.

For instance, if you are considering moving up the ladder, you’ll soon find out that you can utilize your skills to transition into other roles, such as a regional manager, a corporate role, and many others.

Maybe you want to work in recruitment, or perhaps you are considering working on special projects.

The opportunities are endless, and they will come with a higher salary, too.

Cons of Being a Vet Office Manager

Now let’s look at some of the cons of being a vet office manager:

1. Expected to Work Long Hours

The majority of vet office managers are paid a salary.

With that being said, don’t be surprised if you are expected to work longer than normal days, weekends included.

If you’re expecting to work a regular 9-to-5 job with weekends off, this may not be the best career choice for you.

If you are not comfortable giving up your weekends and being on call when the office is short-staffed, think twice about a career as a vet office manager.

At the end of the day, a vet office will be unable to run efficiently unless there is an office manager who is determined to go out of their way.

2. Risky Job

When you choose to work with or near animals, you must deal with the risks that come along with it.

For instance, you risk getting bitten when working with animals.

Animals may come in scared and aggressive.

They may try to attack the first person they come in contact with.

If you plan on going through with this career, always remember to be prepared to encounter a variety of situations that could put you in harm’s way.

3. May Be Stressful

Most jobs produce some amount of stress.

If you’re unwilling to deal with hectic moments during your time as a vet office manager, think twice about this career.

Most of the time, you’ll enjoy relaxing moments, but there will be other times when the job will produce unwanted stress.

You may face unexpected emergencies concerning pets, and you may quickly learn you cannot deal with seeing pets in pain.

This is the type of career where you must be prepared to deal with many types of unexpected situations.

4. Rude Clients

Not all clients you encounter will be rude.

But let’s just face it—dealing with clients or customers daily means you’ll eventually come across some that will challenge you.

Some may not be as kind as others.

Clients coming into a vet office may be in panic mode if they are dealing with a sick pet.

You must have excellent customer service skills and be able to handle all types of customers, even if you don’t feel like it.

5. May Experience Burnout

As a vet office manager, you are solely responsible for being the problem-solver in the clinic.

Eventually, this can start to take a toll on you if you allow it.

Most vet officer managers do experience a period of burnout, but mainly when there are just too many problems to take care of at the same time.

This can make your job more challenging than it should be, especially during flu season or even when you are short-staffed.

Having to be responsible for all of these responsibilities during these times can be exhausting.

6. Little Room for Error

One of the biggest disadvantages of being a vet office manager is that you are not allowed to make mistakes.

You are responsible for maintaining records, bookkeeping, and sensitive information.

If you put in incorrect information, it can result in consequences.

You must ensure that you always perform well, even when you are exhausted or under a lot of stress.

One small mistake can result in bigger problems later on, so always be sure to look over your work.

7. Can Be Emotionally Draining

Finally, you will find that a career as a vet office manager can be emotionally draining at times.

There will be many days when you will feel at your best.

But there may be other days when you feel the complete opposite.

You will encounter sick pets that may have to be put down.

Other times, you may encounter pets that have significant injuries.

Over time, this can make you emotionally drained.

If you don’t manage stress well, this may not be a good fit for you.

Pros and Cons of Being a Vet Office Manager – Summary Table

Should You Become a Vet Office Manager?

For those who thrive on working with animals but also want to partake in administrative duties, a career as a vet office manager may be an excellent career choice for you.

You must make sure you don’t mind working in an environment that comes with a lot of responsibilities and one that is fast-paced.

If you choose to settle for a vet office manager career, you’ll soon find that the pros outweigh the cons, and it’s fortunately rewarding.