Workplace Spotlight

What is it Like to Work in a Vet Clinic?

Veterinary clinics serve as a vital hub for the health and wellbeing of animals. They provide comprehensive medical care, diagnostics, and treatment for pets and other animals. Vet clinics play a crucial role in preventing and managing diseases, promoting animal welfare, and ensuring the longevity of our beloved companions.

Vet clinics offer a wide range of services, including routine check-ups, vaccinations, surgical procedures, dental care, and emergency treatments. Additionally, they also often serve as a source of education and guidance for pet owners, offering advice on nutrition, behaviour, and general pet care.

While each vet clinic is different, there are some common threads between them:

1. Communication is key – not only with your fellow co-workers, but with clients as well.
2. A love for all animals – you’ll need to be willing to work with and care for all sorts of animals, from dogs and cats to horses, birds, and even reptiles.
3. You’ll need to be tough – some of the work can be hard, both physically and emotionally, but incredibly rewarding as well.

Key Outcome

Care for pets and animals

The key outcome of a vet clinic is to promote and safeguard the health and wellbeing of animals.

Key Tasks

• Conduct physical examinations and health assessments of animals.
• Administer vaccinations and medications.
• Assist in surgical procedures.
• Perform diagnostic tests, such as blood work and radiographs.
• Supervise animals kept overnight.
• Educate pet owners on proper animal care and nutrition.
• Maintain accurate medical records and patient information.
• Clean and sanitise clinic spaces.
• Order and manage inventory of supplies and medications.

Industry

You can find vet clinics in the professional, scientific, and technical services industry

Vet clinics are generally found in the professional, scientific, and technical services industry. There are a few different kinds of vet clinics, including exotic animal clinics, mobile clinics, farm animal clinics, and emergency clinics, just to name a few.

Work Environment

You can expect regular hours and on-site work

Regular hours  |  Work on-site  |  Jobs in metro, regional, and rural areas  |  Very strong job growth

Most vet clinics are open the usual 9 to 5, and are often open on weekends too. Additionally, many clinics offer emergency after-hours services, so you might find that you need to work at night and during holidays as well.

The nature of work in a vet clinic typically requires hands-on interactions with animals, so remote work or working from home is uncommon. But some administrative tasks and even telehealth services can be done remotely.

Vet clinics can be found all across the country, though the kinds of animals you can expect to care for might differ between locations (e.g. farm animals will be much more common in rural areas).

How do we expect working in a vet clinic to change in the future?

The work in a vet clinic is likely to undergo several changes in the future, driven by advancements in technology, evolving pet care trends, and shifts in veterinary medicine.

The use of telehealth services is expected to increase, allowing vets to provide virtual consultations and remote monitoring and guidance to pet owners, enhancing accessibility and convenience.

There is also a growing awareness around preventative care, including proactive wellness programs, nutrition advice, and early disease detection, with an emphasis on keeping animals healthy and preventing future health issues.

With advances in technology, AI-powered tools and algorithms could potentially assist in diagnostics, data analysis, and treatment recommendations, augmenting a vet’s expertise and supporting decision-making.

Vet clinics may also place increased emphasis on sustainability practices, such as reducing waste, adopting eco-friendly products, and promoting responsible pet ownership.