Vet. Assist.???? college degree?? what is it???

Question

I am going to college starting next week for my basics for a associate degree. But the college is going to be adding a new major vet. assist. in 2009 and I am thinking about changing my major or taking some classes that are involved with the major .

What does a vet. assistant do? I mean I really do not want to have anything to do with surgery or a bloody animal. I like being the person to walk the animal. shots. clean, bathe. and such.

Also in high school i was really bad in science. always very close to failing the close . so when i think of college science. its not a good feeling. im sure a vet. assist. has to do a lot of science right?

Answer 1

Ok well I am a vet assistant now and I can tell you if you don't like blood DON'T do this. It does involve the "icky" parts of the job such as dealing with blood, puss and a lot of other gross things. Animal blood unlike human blood can get on you and won't harm you. So there have been times when I have actually gotten blood on me. I've been vomited on, peed on, pooped on. I've been bitten, scratched and almost got rabies. The technicians (like a nurse for humans) give shots, take blood and give controlled drugs or the doctors will do that depending on the kind of clinic or hospital you end up it. If you want walk a dog, clean and bathe you should work in a doggie day care place or grooming place. I'm not saying your a bad person I'm just saying maybe stay with the associate degree or something else because surgery and blood is part of the job as a vet assistant. Plus, you don't need a degree in it! That's ridiculous! I'm a high school student and I work as a vet assistant! You need a degree to be a technician and vet but not assistant. To put it bluntly- the assistants are the technician and doctors b*****s. It's not a glamours job but if you really love animals and don't mind gore and blood and really want to help them than this is a good job for you but still get a degree because it's not a career. Its great experience and some spending money but couldn't pay the bills. Could you deal with dead animals? Because that is something else you would need to handle as an assistant. You would have to put the body in a body bag and put it in the freezer till the owner decides what arrangements need to be made. That is something that is hard to learn how to deal with. And I can't stress this enough: vet assistants deal with blood and gore and you don't need a degree for it!

Also, on a cellular level it does have to do with science and I'm sure as a degree it would focus on that but actually doing the work you don't really use any science unless you count running blood work or make up medicines.

Don't get me wrong- I love love love love love my job (I want to be a vet) but it's the kind of the thing you must love the gross parts too not just the cute animals.  

Answer 2

im sort of in the same position realy.. im not good at science.

im wondering about being a vet assistant and ive read up about it..some websites say differently but you must have 5 GCSE's at grade C or above and it must include a science OR maths.. so im really confused too .. but im sure you really need to have a science subject included. You can do a course in animal care.. this will get you into Vet assistance...

anyway good luck XO