As part of National Pet Wellness Month in October, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) will celebrate National Veterinary Technician Week (NVTW) from Oct. 15 to 21.
National Veterinary Technician Week marks the culmination of a yearlong 25th anniversary celebration for NAVTA, a nonprofit organization devoted to developing and enhancing veterinary technology.
The weeklong event gives veterinary technicians the opportunity to promote their profession to the public and their colleagues. Many veterinary technicians are expected to commemorate the week by volunteering at shelters, organizing fundraisers and collecting funds for pets and their owners affected by last year’s hurricanes.
Celebrating NVTW is especially meaningful this year, according to NAVTA Executive Director Patrick Navarre, BS, RVT. “So many traditional celebrations did not happen [last year], but what did happen was a real-life demonstration of how veterinary technicians play such an important role in caring for pets, even in stressful situations,” Navarre said.
A veterinary technician’s primary responsibilities in a clinic involve animal nursing, administering medications, assisting in surgery, taking radiographs, performing ultrasound, inducing and monitoring anesthesia, performing dentistry, managing the hospital and performing laboratory tests.
For more information on NAVTA, visit http://www.navta.net. For information on NVTW, visit http://www.navta.net/news_events/index.php.