Lead Veterinary Technician/Assistant

About the role

At Petco, we're dedicated to helping pets live their best lives. We believe in the universal truths of pet parenthood and strive to improve lives by providing what's right for pets and their families. Founded in 1999, we've grown to serve more than 60 years of trust and support for pets and pet parents across the U.S., Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

Responsibilities

• Greet clients and patients arriving for appointments and escort them into an exam room.
• Obtain and record weight and vital signs (temperature, pulse, respirations, pain score, body condition score) in the electronic medical record.
• Collect thorough patient histories and document visits in the EMR.
• Aid veterinarians with appointments, surgeries, dentistry, and euthanasia, under supervision.
• Perform patient restraint, collect and process laboratory samples, and handle medications as directed.
• Answer and route telephone calls, schedule appointments, provide client education, relay test results, and maintain and update client/patient records.
• Prepare patients for surgical and dental procedures, assist with anesthesia, monitor patients during recovery, and prepare for hospital discharge or transfer to overnight care facilities.
• Administer injectable and oral medications, perform intravenous fluid therapy, keep patients clean, watered, and fed, and safely walk canine patients for elimination.
• Train new staff members and disseminate knowledge as needed.
• Maintain a clean and organized hospital environment, perform regular cleaning based on necessity and schedule.
• Assist with inventory ordering, scheduling, and other tasks as assigned.
• Monitor and answer the practice phone, route calls appropriately, and manage wait times during peak/busy times or emergencies.
• Uphold and enforce all policies of Petco and Vetco Total Care.
• Supervise paraprofessional staff and participate in the training of new staff members.

Requirements

• At least 1 year of previous experience working in a veterinary practice or sufficient experience to ensure excellent performance at the listed skills.
• Leadership capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Care and sympathy towards pets and pet parents.
• Telephone and computer skills.
• Willingness to learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change.

Qualifications

• Ability to perform all duties with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Bending, kneeling, lifting up to 30 pounds, standing for long periods of time.
• Direct supervision from the Area Operations Manager.
• Immediate daily supervisory duties over paraprofessional staff.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Knowledge of veterinary practices and procedures.

Benefits

Learn more about Petco Total Rewards, including health and financial benefits, 401K, incentives, and PTO at https://careers.petco.com/us/en/key-benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.