Job: Veterinary Technologist / Technician (Canada)

I have been an RVT for 7 years- this is not a job that you can make a living at. I do love my career- it is very interesting and I'm constantly learning new things and can play with animals on a daily basis. However, love does not pay the bills! For the amount of work us techs do- we are never adequately paid for it! I take x-rays, get blood, run blood and fecals and urine, I talk to clients, I lift dogs over 100 lbs, make sure the clinic is adequately stocked, intubate, trouble shoot with the EKG machine, monitor GAs, perform dental prophies, client education, etc. etc! The amount of money a tech will make is only good as a second income. You cannot live on what a tech makes unless you are married or living with someone who makes more. Just because you love your job- you should not live in poverty! As long as there is no law stating that a vet hospital must hire an RVT- we will not be paid adequately! While a vet can hire someone off the street- who has only just finished high school- show them how to look through a microscope and turn on an x-ray machine and call themselves a "vet tech"- An RVT will not be adequately paid and the average life span of an RVT will continue to be 5 years until they move onto something else (ie. sales). I myself am going back to school as I would like to one day move out of my parent's basement.

I work in a Veterinary Hospital. 95% female workers here and they all want to better themselves. I am one of the only males and I just started a few weeks ago. I would like to increase my hourly wage and at the moment I make $10.00 an hour and $11.00 an hour during graveyard shift. I would like to get a raise so I make more money and at the same time impress my boss and the other girls that work there as well. Thank you.