The Veterinary Technology Blog

If sharing your square footage with an animal companion is your idea of a pandemic silver living, here are some great pets to adopt or foster even if you live in a tiny, overpriced studio apartment.

While animal aid is secondary to humanitarian relief efforts, for people who have suffered injuries, the loss of friends, family members and even their homes, losing a pet can add to the feeling of devastation.

Whether you prefer to become an equine vet tech or adventure into the more exotic vet tech studies like with tigers, there are a variety of academic paths one could take as a large animal vet technician. Many schools offers courses particularly geared at helping you learn how to work with large animals. Some even have farms on campus or nearby. Read on to learn more about programs across the country.

It’s one of life’s many small tragedies that pet lovers often must outlive their animal companions. For many of the estimated 84.9 million households with a pet, the loss of an animal companion is the loss of a family member. Fortunately, a growing trend in hospice and palliative care for animals means that this transition need not be as painful, or as lonely, as it once was.

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University runs the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital, which recently opened a new stereotactic radiation facility that has changed the game in the Midwest. This state-of-the-art facility, which provides precise radiation therapy and helps treat cats, dogs, and even rats is part of a larger trend in the U.S. that could mean more jobs for technicians.

Most people can’t resist the furry allure of pets. Difficult days can easily be turned around by watching hilarious animal antics. Social media has made it possible for animal lovers worldwide to share and view cute content of their cats, dogs, bunnies, hedgehogs, and other unique animals.

As pet ownership becomes more widespread, services like pet insurance, fun grooming options, and even travel are now offered by fellow pet-lovers. One of the toughest things about going on vacation is having to leave pets behind. But what if you didn’t have to?

Activists like Hayley Adams and other conservationist leaders that came before her didn’t have a career roadmap when they sought to make a difference in wildlife conservation; they had to etch out their own paths. But now, learning institutions are offering more specialized training programs for individuals that want to join the effort.

If the average hamster or cat isn’t your style, there is a wealth of exotic pets that are legal for you to own. These unusual pets are typically found in the wild, but the right caretaker can provide the perfect environment for those animals to thrive in a domestic setting.

While choosing a veterinarian may seem like an arbitrary one to some, the truth is, not all veterinary hospitals are equal. Some of the top complaints that clients have about their veterinary clinics include unfriendly staff, long wait times, and insensitive handling of delicate situations, like the euthanization of a pet.

Ever wonder what Fluffy the dog does all day while everyone is gone? Does Spike the iguana seem like they have a mysterious past? Noticed that Speedy the Gerbil has started wearing spandex and a cape? Your pet may be a superhero in disguise.

While Fido definitely deserves a bone on every holiday, pet owners should take care to limit treats to those that are safe for pets to eat. Although the family dog or cat may longingly look at the Thanksgiving turkey with stars in their eyes, pet owners should be careful to look up beforehand which foods are safe to give pets.

People care very deeply about their pets—often more than fellow humans. Studies show that many are bothered more by animal suffering than the suffering of our own species. For example, Society and Animals (2017) found that participants had more empathy for human children, puppies, and fully-grown dogs than for humans adults.

If you consider your pets a part of your family, then why not include them in the harvest season festivities? As highly social animals, dogs tend to thrive in situations where they can be themselves, while cats might prefer to observe from a safe distance, walking the perimeter and keeping watch. With just a handful of common household items, you can design and personalize cute, simple costumes in a snap.

This list includes three outstanding university vet tech departments and 15 extraordinary faculty members selected for distinguished academic and professional accomplishments.