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What is a Credentialed Veterinary Technician?

Volume 01: Issue 02

Helpful abbreviations: Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)

Hi there, thanks for checking out this months issue of What's Happening Meow. I want to go into more detail about what a Credentialed Veterinary Technician is and how we plan to make a difference. Did you miss last month's issue? Be sure to go back and check out "Issue 01: Who We Are" so you can learn a little more about us.

At Felix and Fido, we understand navigating your pet's health concerns and well-being can be tricky. There are so many clinics to choose from and each one has a slightly different philosophy on animal medicine, equipment and type of care they provide. Rest-assured we are here to help! Our team consists of credentialed veterinary technicians who have varying experience in Veterinary clinics, critical and emergency care, shelters and humane societies, and often have their own pets at home they care for. Veterinary Technicians provide nursing care for your pets and often have specialized areas of expertise. The Veterinary industry consists of passionate individuals who are often misunderstood in their job duties, education, fees, worth and the contribution they make to animal well-being. Everyone loves the idea of having a pet companion from dogs, cats, rabbits, snakes, rats, horses and the list goes on. However, rarely do pet owners prepare for the amount of time, money and dedication their pet actually requires. It's nice to see you here looking for ways to support your pet(s). Our veterinary technicians work in conjunction with your family vet to help provide outpatient nursing care at home. Whether that be palliative care, post operative care, wound management or even regular injections and maintenance we take the stress out of transporting your pet to the clinic and provide nursing care right in the comfort of their home. Depending where you are located you may have access to veterinary virtual care and telemedicine where our veterinary technicians can be on location, at your house, providing pertinent information to your remote DVM. We then carry out the recommended treatments on the spot, so you get full circle care right at home. After every appointment we email a detailed description of what we did with your pet to your regular vet, so they can keep your pet’s records completely up to date. When figuring out your pet's health care needs, first, we highly recommend building a positive relationship with your Veterinarian. Get to know the clinic's philosophy on animal welfare and client education so you are going to a place you feel comfortable and trust. Know your payment options, and that there is help available to ensure your pet gets the care they need and deserve. Next, please understand how important prevention and regular checkups are. Ask questions, understand fees and costs, diet and exercise and what lifestyle is right for your type of pet.

Our team consists of Registered Veterinary Technicians who are highly skilled and knowledgeable. Each technician has a vast array of expertise and experience so please take the time to read each technician's profile to see who is best suited for your needs. At Felix and Fido our goals are to provide quality nursing care for patients at home, to alleviate the demand on clinics and emergency hospitals, to provide flexible career opportunities, to create changes in legislation and utilize tech skills in a variety of ways, to educate the public and create awareness for what a Vet Tech actually does. Are you aware the care we provide our animal patients is to the same standard that you see in your own hospital. Animals, just like humans, suffer from a wide range of disease and illness. Registered technicians (like Registered nurses) have completed post-secondary education from a credentialed college, have written and passed the national examination and are required to submit multiple hours of continuing education each year in order to maintain our registration status. We are a huge component to successful treatment and care for your fur family. It's a long road to build, but we believe being in people's homes and providing treatments like palliative and post-operative care, help with medications, wound management, etc will shed some light on the level of dedication and care veterinary medicine provides.

In order to achieve the above we have created a platform where pet owners can connect with licensed/registered/certified veterinary technicians for at home nursing care. Within the Veterinary industry you will come across Vet Techs, Vet Assistants, and Registered Veterinary Technicians (or Certified/Licensed depending on their Provincial or State regulatory boards). So, why is having a credentialed Vet Tech so important? "Having a formal education and professional certification, vet techs are qualified to do more advanced clinical tasks than vet assistants who usually learn on the job or complete a certificate program." -from the Alberta Animal Health Source. You may want to consider asking your Vet if there is an RVT on staff? (or CVT/LVT - which are either Registered/Licensed/Certified depending on where you are located.) RVTs are highly trained professionals working as an integral part of the veterinary medical team. Most people are unaware of the daily tasks performed by an RVT or that they even exist in a clinic setting. A Registered/Certified/Licensed Veterinary Technician (R/L/CVT) has graduated from a Veterinary Medical Association (like CVMA) or an Association of Veterinary Technicians accredited program, successfully completed the Veterinary Technician National Examination and has met all the requirements identified by their state or provincial professional association. Hiring someone to care for your loved ones at home, or bringing them to a hospital that doesn’t have formally trained nurses sounds pretty scary. Your fur family should have access to formally trained, educated and experienced medical professionals too. Look for a Veterinary Technician who is Registered, Licensed or Certified for quality care. We have passionate, qualified, caring, credentialed Veterinary Technicians all across Canada and in the United States (and are growing more every day!) If you don't see anyone in your area, send us a message and we'll focus on finding someone close to you!