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Launching a Rewarding Career Improving Animal Health – Vet Tech Programs in Las Vegas

Are you deeply passionate about animal welfare and scientific learning? Seeking a hands-on healthcare career allowing you to leverage both interests daily? If so, consider training to become a licensed veterinary technician in Las Vegas!

Vet techs play a vital role caring for the pets, livestock, zoo animals, and wildlife calling the Las Vegas area home. As a vet tech, you‘ll experience the immense satisfaction of directly making animal lives healthier and more comfortable – while enjoying strong local job prospects.

Nevada employment for veterinary techs is projected to surge by 19% between 2020 and 2030. That‘s over triple the 5% average growth rate forecast across all occupations in the state. With such high demand, coupled with the strong wages vet techs command, Las Vegas graduates enter the job market poised for robust careers.

This guide serves as your comprehensive resource for exploring acclaimed local programs, insights into daily responsibilities, first-hand perspectives from working vet techs, and expert strategies to prepare for a rewarding vet tech career in Las Vegas.

Accredited Vet Tech Programs Offering Cutting-Edge Training

While not yet required to practice in the state, graduating from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) program ensures you‘ll be comprehensively prepared to pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) on route to becoming a licensed, certified vet tech able to provide expanded medical services with less direct vet supervision.

Las Vegas hosts several standout options:

Pima Medical Institute

Pima Medical Institute‘s rigorous 21-month associate degree program includes over 1,000 hours of live animal handling and clinical skills development during an 8-week, full-time externship. With average class sizes of just 12 students and a maximum student-instructor ratio of 15:1, graduates consistently report feeling ready to thrive in vet tech roles after benefiting from significant personalized guidance.

Core Pima course topics span animal anatomy/physiology, terminology, hospital procedures, anesthesia, surgical assisting, diagnostic imaging, pharmacology, emergency response, and lab sample collection/testing.

Students gain experience working with dogs, cats, rats, snakes, rabbits, turtles, birds, gerbils, mice, guinea pigs, and more in Pima‘s on-campus veterinary medical center which features a laboratory, pharmacy, radiology suite, two surgical suites, dental suites, and small animal ward.

Over 95% of graduates secure employment in the field or continue education within a year of completing the program.

Carrington College

At Carrington College, aspiring vet techs can complete their training in just under two years. The 88-week associate degree program comprises seven academic quarters, including over 1,000 hours interning full-time at an external veterinary clinical site.

In addition to scientific knowledge, Carrington emphasizes preparing students for the customer service elements of working in a veterinary practice – educating clients on home treatment options, explaining invoice charges, resolving billing issues tactfully, and ensuring positive experiences for animals and their owners.

Coursework covers complementary sides of the vet tech role – administering anesthesia, prepping animals for surgery, assisting in laboratory analysis, taking radiographs, handling medical emergencies confidently, as well as organizational skills like scheduling appointments, updating patient files, purchasing pharmaceutical supplies, and supporting general veterinary practice operations.

American College of Healthcare

Offering flexible program lengths to suit varied schedules, the American College of Healthcare provides rigorous diploma and associate degree options with blended online and in-person learning. Students wanting to launch their vet tech career quickly can complete the 40.5 credit hour diploma in just 9 months by taking classes full-time.

Those seeking deeper scientific knowledge and training can instead opt for the 90-credit associate degree spanning 18 months. Regardless of program choice, students complete over 500 hours interning on-site at animal hospitals, shadowing vet technicians, and gaining invaluable experience providing hands-on care.

Both programs cover core topics like medical terminology, office procedures, anatomy, pharmacology, anesthesia, surgical preparation, and diagnostic imaging. Associate-level students take additional coursework in animal nutrition, reproduction, parasitology, hematology, clinical chemistry, immunology, and advanced nursing.

College of Southern Nevada

Vet techs wanting to gain advanced skills preparing them for clinical instruction roles, cutting-edge research improving veterinary technology, or supervisory positions may benefit most from completing a 4-year Bachelor of Applied Science degree.

The College of Southern Nevada provides the premiere local pathway to continue education beyond the 2-year associate level. Courses expand on typical lower-level content to include more rigorous exploration of lab animal medicine, physiology, microbiology, public health as it relates to transmission between humans and animals, veterinary behavior, ethics of animal testing, and instructional best practices.

The 127-credit online program features flexible enrollment suitable for working professionals with classes delivered through the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE)‘s WebCampus portal.

Regardless of which vet tech program appeals most, experiencing hands-on small animal care early through veterinary office volunteer work or employment in pet retail stores, kennels, shelters, or grooming salons will prove extremely valuable preparation for clinical externships. Large animal handling experience can similarly help secure eventual jobs at livestock practices, zoos, wildlife rehab centers, and animal control departments after graduation.

Vital Services Vet Techs Provide to Keep Pets Healthy in Las Vegas

Graduates from accredited Las Vegas programs land jobs at over 275 area veterinary hospitals and private practices providing medical care for household pets. Others assist veterinarians specializing in large animals like horses and farm livestock. Some utilize their training at animal shelters, zoos, breeders, or laboratories conducting pharmaceutical research trials.

Wherever they work, vet tech daily responsibilities typically include:

Administering Anesthesia & Monitoring Patients During Surgery

  • Preparing drug calculations
  • Readying intravenous fluids
  • Operating anesthesia gas machines
  • Intubating animals
  • Closely tracking vital signs
  • Managing pain levels
  • Providing breathing support

Assisting In Diagnostic Tests and Medical Imaging

  • Collecting tissue, blood, urine samples
  • Running lab tests to uncover abnormalities
  • Preparing animals for radiographic imaging
  • Taking precise digital x-rays from proper angles
  • Administering radioisotopes for nuclear scans

Conducting Initial Patient Examinations

  • Weighing animals
  • Logging temperature, pulse, respiration
  • Checking ears, skin, gums for issues
  • Reviewing animal medical history
  • Identifying reason & urgency for vet visit

Treating Injuries and Providing Critical Care

  • Stopping bleeding & bandaging wounds
  • Immobilizing fractured limbs
  • Administering seizure medications
  • Monitoring heart arrhythmia
  • Performing CPR during emergencies

Educating Clients on Proper Care & Medication Administration

  • Demonstrating home treatment techniques
  • Teaching owners how to best give medications
  • Providing written instructions on pet nutrition
  • Answering client questions on animal health

Managing Medical Records in Veterinary Practice Software

  • Entering patient histories
  • Tracking vaccination schedules
  • Billing for medication & services
  • Scheduling follow-up exams

Roughly 30% of veterinary technicians work weekends or variable shifts at clinics offering 24/7 emergency services. Others work more standard weekday hours at private practices – enjoying 9am to 5pm or 10am to 6pm consistent schedules conducive for pet owners.

Job Growth and Salary Outlook for Nevada Vet Techs

Veterinary technicians earn over 20% higher median annual salaries in Nevada than the national average – currently averaging total yearly compensation of $37,690 across the state.

The prospects look equally bright in terms of job availability, with openings for vet techs in Nevada projected to surge nearly 19% from 2020 to 2030 – more than triple the 5% national growth rate forecast for the profession.

These positive indicators make this an opportune moment to complete vet tech associate degree training from one of Las Vegas‘ highly-regarded AVMA-accredited programs.

While demand looks strong statewide, earning a clinical certification in a specialty area – like anesthesia, surgical assisting, or lab animal medicine – gives graduates a proven edge securing higher-level hospital roles or jobs specific to livestock, exotic species, Shelters, and other care settings.

Proving one‘s knowledge through a clean background check and passing the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) also offers critical advantages in the local market.

Words of Wisdom from Working Las Vegas Vet Techs

We asked experienced veterinary technicians across Las Vegas what current students should keep top of mind as they work towards entering the field. Here‘s what they wish they knew before graduating:

"Get the most you can out of the hands-on labs in school. It‘s incredible how much more you retain actually drawing blood, running tests, placing IVs, etc vs only reading about it. Muscle memory doesn‘t happen overnight once you‘re working!" – Isabella R.

"If big animal medicine interests you, find mentors at horse practices or dairy and cattle farms willing to teach handling skills. Large animal specialization helps your resume stand out since most programs focus almost solely on dogs and cats." – Ryan T.

***"When job hunting, work backwards from the clinics with the practice philosophy closest matching yours. Not all hospitals operate alike. Getting a feel for hospitals‘ styles helps determine the best culture fit so you stay driven over the long-term."

  • Sofia G.***

"Get comfortable using the latest veterinary office software programs! So many practices now use solutions like Avimark, ezyVet, or Vetport to track cases, update files, fill prescriptions. Hit the ground running on their systems." – Olivia D.

We‘re grateful for our local veterinary technicians generously providing such fantastic tips for new graduates entering the rewarding field!

Continuing Education Through Bachelor‘s Programs and Specialized Certifications

While not mandated in the state, earning voluntary specialty certifications like the Approved Veterinary Assistant (AVA) designation from the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) signals advanced expertise in areas like:

  • Veterinary dentistry
  • Anesthesia administration
  • Equine nursing
  • Pain management
  • Clinical pathology
  • Emergency & critical care

Certification requires intensive review of current practices through continuing education and readings, followed by passing comprehensive written exams. Some certifications mandate a set number of hands-on clinical hours before sitting for assessments.

Vet tech bachelor degree programs like the cutting-edge curriculum offered from UNLV allow particularly ambitious students to further specialize. Students enrolled in the online BS program take upper-level classes in areas like:

  • Veterinary microbiology
  • Physiology
  • Behavior
  • Exotic animal medicine
  • Clinical instructional methods
  • Public health as it relates to animal to human disease transmission

Advanced credentials, whether through certifications or bachelor‘s degrees, open doors to research roles developing innovative veterinary technology, corporate jobs with pharmaceutical companies testing new medications, training potential for universities and trade schools, and leadership positions overseeing hospital units or directing practice operations.

Start Your Rewarding Career in Animal Health – Choose Las Vegas for Vet Tech Excellence

From Pima Medical Institute and Carrington College to options at the College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas offers multiple pathways to complete accredited vet tech training poised to set you up for gratifying work caring for the pets, farm animals, and wildlife calling this vibrant region home.

With demand projected to continue rising rapidly across Nevada, coupling an associate degree with specialty credentials and bachelor‘s level training equips ambitious vet techs for the most challenging and rewardinganimal healthcare careers – whether in clinical practice medicine, cutting edge research improving veterinary technology, or instruction developing the next generation of animal caregivers.

Are you ready to translate your passion for science and compassion for animals into professional skills bettering lives daily? Las Vegas features prime opportunities to transform animal welfare through launching an engaging vet tech career.