The Veterinary Assistant supports the veterinarians and veterinary technicians in ensuring quality veterinary care for all pets, advocates for pets, educates clients on all aspects of pet health, and ensures a safe and effective hospital environment.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS  Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.  Act as the extra eyes, ears and hands for the veterinarian and veterinary technician to ensure the best quality pet care and to maximize the veterinarian's and veterinary technician’s productivity. Communicate with veterinarian, veterinary technicians and all other associates to maintain the flow of patients.  Provide professional, efficient and exceptional service at all times. This includes performing or preparing procedures that do not require veterinarian or veterinary technician assistance, completing preparatory work for other procedures, ensuring that clients and pets are comfortable in the hospital, and monitoring hospitalized or surgical pets as allowed in the state practice acts.  Educate clients about Optimum Wellness Plans, preventive care, pet health needs, hospital services and other issues.  Obtain relevant information and history from clients and maintain proper and complete medical charts.  Ensure the safety of pets, clients and associates by utilizing safe restraining techniques, following standard protocols, and maintaining clean, sterile and organized treatment areas, exam rooms and labs.  Assist with surgery as applicable.  Utilize technical skills to the fullest, within state practice acts and as outlined in the NAVTA guidelines for veterinary assistant skills and duties.  Mentor other paraprofessionals

Ability to work at a computer for long periods of time.  Ability to be confident around pets (i.e., dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.)  Client needs and work volume may often require more than 40 hours per week to complete essential duties of this job. This position requires special hours including working weekends and evenings.  Must have mental processes for reasoning, remembering, mathematics and language ability (reading, writing, and speaking the English language) to perform the duties proficiently.  The noise level in the work environment is moderately high.  Requires sufficient ambulatory skills in order to perform duties while at hospital.  Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb as well as manipulate (lift, carry, move) up to 50 pounds.  Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm-hand-finger dexterity with the ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard and operate equipment.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.  Associate is routinely exposed to a variety of pets that may bite or scratch, and on occasion, exposed to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication/controlled substances.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND/OR TRAINING  Certificate of completion from a NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant program, or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. High School Diploma or equivalent preferred.  Must be able to perform all required skills of NAVTA approved veterinary assistant programs at a level in which to aid in the efficiency of the practice.  Must be at least 18 years old to perform duties involving radiography (x-ray) and exposure to radioactive substances.  One year related experience required with customer service preferred.