If you want to become a vet in Texas, first you need to know what the licensing requirements are.
Read on in order to learn more and start the career of your dreams.
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Veterinary Technician Job Description and Duties in Texas
Vet techs in Texas have many job tasks to complete every day, but some are more common than others.
The most common tasks include:
- Administering medications
- Taking x-rays,
- Processing tissue samples,
- Assisting in surgery and emergency care
- Performing lab tests
- Teeth cleaning,
- Electrocardiography,
- Bandaging,
- Wound cleaning,
- Maintaining detailed and accurate records of meds, supplies, patients
Education and Training Required for Veterinary Technicians in Texas
If you don’t have the minimum of experience required in this state, you will need to train.
You can do so once you join a training program through a college in your area.
The degree you have to pursue is the Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree of Applied Science degree.
You can also opt for a bachelor’s degree.
An associate’s degree has a duration of 3 years, while for a bachelor’s degree, you need to join a 5-year program.
Remember to check whether the program you choose is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
You can also get a degree in Animal Science with vet tech specialization as an alternate option.
Check out the schools below in order to choose the right one for you.
Top 17 Schools in Texas
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Austin Community College District | 5930 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, Texas 78752 |
| Austin Community College | 1501 W Hwy 290 Elgin, TX 786211 |
| Blinn College | 902 College Ave, Brenham, Texas 77833-4098 |
| Cedar Valley College | 3030 North Dallas Ave, Lancaster, Texas 75134-3799 |
| Dallas College | 3030 N. Dallas Ave. Lancaster, TX 75134 |
| Houston Community College | 3100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002 |
| Lone Star College System | 5000 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, Texas 77381-4399 |
| McLennan Community College | 1400 College Dr, Waco, Texas 76708 |
| Navarro College | 3200 W 7th Avenue, Corsicana, Texas 75110 |
| Palo Alto College | 1400 W Villaret Blvd, San Antonio, Texas 78224-2499 |
| Pima Medical Institute | 11125 Equity Drive Houston, TX 77041 |
| Pima Medical Institute | 6296 Gateway Blvd. East El Paso, TX 79915 |
| Tarleton State University | 1333 W. Washington, Stephenville, Texas 76401-0000 |
| Texas A and M University | 955 University Blvd, Kingsville, Texas 78363 |
| Tyler Junior College | 1327 S. Baxter Avenue Tyler, TX 75701 |
| Vet Tech Institute of Houston | 4669 Southwest Fwy Ste 100, Houston, Texas 77027 |
| Weatherford College | 225 College Park Drive, Weatherford, Texas 76086-5699 |
After you finish your training and get a degree, you can consider getting licensed.
In order to enroll in the program of choice, you might need:
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- To complete certain classes right before enrolling in the degree program
- 2 letters of recommendation
- One of them must come from a veterinarian
- Health insurance
- Pass a drug test
- Pass some medical assessments
- Buying a medical malpractice policy
The theory part features subjects like:
- Introduction to veterinary technology
- Anatomy and physiology
- Emergency care and first aid
- Pathology
- Anesthesiology
- Radiology
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
- Parasitology
- Toxicology
- Nutrition
The last semester of a vet training course is generally a preceptorship.
In order to fulfill practice requirements, you can join an internship or an externship.
You will generally do practice in:
- Medical Terminology
- Basic Comparative Animal Anatomy and Physiology;
- Veterinary Office Procedures;
- Basic Pharmacology;
- Practical Animal Nutrition;
- Nursing Care and Handling of Animals;
- Animal Behavior;
- Applied Radiography;
- Applied Anesthesiology;
- Applied Clinical Laboratory Procedures;
- Principles and Practices of Medical and Surgical Assistance;
- Animal Diseases.
Becoming a Licensed Veterinary Technician in Texas
In Texas, vet techs are issued certifications by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
To apply, you have to:
- An application form
- Proof you graduated from the training program described earlier
- To pay a fee
- $300 for the exam
- $100 for the license
- Score at least 70% on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE)
The VTNE exam is made of 150 questions and has a duration of 3 hours.
Your new vet tech license will be mailed to you after you pass the licensing exam.
The vet tech license has to be renewed after a while, and you will need to take 10 extra hours of education.
Employment and Salaries for Veterinary Technicians in Texas
Having a vet tech license allows you to work for any vet facility you want.
Some of these include:
- Private clinical practices
- Zoos
- Veterinary teaching hospitals
- Rescue centers
- Wildlife or exotic animal rehabilitation centers
- Humane societies,
- Research facilities,
- Feedlots,
- Pharmaceutical companies
The biggest employers in Texas are:
- Animal Care & Control (Fort Worth)
- Animal Diagnostic Clinic (Dallas)
- VCA Animal Emergency Hospital Southeast (Houston)
- VCA Animal Emergency Hospital (League City)
- Central Texas Veterinary Specialty Hospital (Austin & Round Rock)
- Animal Emergency Services North Texas (Grapevine)
- Center for Veterinary Specialty Emergency Care (Lewisville)
- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Glen Rose)
- Bayou Wildlife Zoo (Alvin)
Average Salary of Veterinary Technicians in Texas
Annual Salary Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$28K | |
$37K | |
$49K |
Texas Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | 100 | $35,990 | $17.30 | $45,190 | $28,350 |
| Amarillo, TX | 160 | $35,630 | $17.13 | $45,090 | $24,230 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,750 | $40,910 | $19.67 | $50,090 | $29,640 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 180 | $38,020 | $18.28 | $46,670 | $29,210 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 120 | $35,020 | $16.84 | $50,290 | $21,640 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 400 | $42,990 | $20.67 | $61,000 | $28,700 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 190 | $34,420 | $16.55 | $44,850 | $22,250 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,460 | $41,040 | $19.73 | $54,280 | $30,120 |
| El Paso, TX | 280 | $35,710 | $17.17 | $45,980 | $25,720 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,670 | $40,630 | $19.53 | $49,210 | $29,470 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 200 | $36,100 | $17.36 | $45,570 | $28,190 |
| Laredo, TX | 50 | $40,370 | $19.41 | $69,530 | $25,160 |
| Longview, TX | 130 | $35,810 | $17.21 | $45,110 | $27,080 |
| Lubbock, TX | 230 | $34,800 | $16.73 | $44,350 | $26,570 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 190 | $34,480 | $16.58 | $47,280 | $24,430 |
| Midland, TX | 70 | $39,980 | $19.22 | $48,080 | $30,070 |
| Odessa, TX | 40 | $37,540 | $18.05 | $48,360 | $29,670 |
| San Angelo, TX | 50 | $35,740 | $17.18 | $45,550 | $28,020 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,730 | $39,570 | $19.02 | $49,090 | $28,770 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 50 | $35,000 | $16.83 | $45,780 | $28,090 |
| Tyler, TX | 140 | $35,500 | $17.07 | $45,270 | $27,460 |
| Victoria, TX | 60 | $36,250 | $17.43 | $44,550 | $28,320 |
| Waco, TX | 130 | $36,870 | $17.73 | $45,810 | $26,840 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 60 | $34,420 | $16.55 | $42,250 | $27,690 |
* Employment conditions may vary by location.
Additional Information for Veterinary Technicians in Texas
You may want to keep updated with any changes in the licensing process.
For that, check out the next resources:
- American Veterinary Medical Association
- Texas Veterinary Technician and Assistant Association
- National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
- Academy of Veterinary Technician Anesthetists
- Academy of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Technicians
- Academy of Internal Medicine for Veterinary Technicians
- American Association for Laboratory Animal Science
