Veterinary Assisting Program

Veterinary Assistant Program

What is a Vet Assistant?

Veterinary assistants care for animals under the supervision of a veterinarian or veterinary technician. They’re responsible for feeding, bathing, and exercising the animals, and they restrain them during examinations and treatment. Vet assistants, as they’re often called, sometimes also perform lab work, such as drawing blood and collecting urine samples.

Program Description

The Veterinary Assistant program trains people for a career working as a veterinary assistant. Students will learn veterinary terminology, feline and canine behavior and restraint, husbandry of exotics and pocket pets, exam room procedures, pharmacology and inventory, as well as nursing skills, vaccine protocols, treatment, and prevention of internal and external parasites, and much more.

Students will gain an understanding of a variety of common diseases and medical conditions seen in clinical practice. Students will also learn nursing skills, such as taking vitals, bandage application, and ear/eye medicine administration, vaccine protocols, treatment, and prevention of internal and external parasites. Hospitalized patient care including cleaning, feeding, walking, fluid therapy, and pain management, as well as the importance of teamwork in veterinary practice will be discussed. Finally, students will learn about the assistant’s role in surgical procedures including; patient prep and recovery, surgical room conduct, and surgical instrument and supply care.

The courses consist of 150 classroom hours.

A final grade of 70 (C-) or higher is required to pass this course.

Prerequisites

NOTE: Background checks are required for most allied health positions. Students with felony convictions may have difficulty obtaining employment in these fields.

  1. Must be physically fit, capable of kneeling to work with larger dogs, and able to lift 40 pounds.
  2. Must be at least 16 years of age

Supplies

  1. Navy Blue Scrubs
  2. closed-toe shoes
  3. Basic calculator
  4. Watch with a second hand, available at TRCC bookstore

Course Schedule

Spring 2024 CRN # 81502

  • Instructor: Ashton Antico
  • Instructional Method: Traditional – These classes are fully on campus. For more information about Instructional Methods, visit here.
  • Dates: Mondays & Wednesdays, 2/26/24 – 7/3/24 (No class: 5/27 & 6/19)
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Room: B118
  • Cost: $2,299, textbook included.
  • Registration deadline: 2/19/23

Register Now!

To register for this course, please visit our Workforce Registration Page. You’ll find directions on how to register, along with information about information sessions with Workforce advisors, funding sources for financing your tuition, refund policies, and more.

 

WIOA, Veterans AND SNAP Eligible Funding