Veterinary Technician

The Veterinary Emergency Hospital Midlothian (VEHM) is a small, busy, privately owned, 24/7 animal emergency hospital serving the greater Midlothian community with empathetic, progressive care. As part of our expansion, we've opened a second location-Veterinary Emergency Hospital Arlington Urgent Care (VEHA). Together, VEHA and VEHM function as one cohesive organization, united in our commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality veterinary care across both locations.

VEHM remains our primary hospital and the core of our company. We take pride in delivering exceptional medicine, exemplary patient care, and compassionate client service - around the clock. VEHM is open 24/7, and VEHA offers Urgent Care services daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Both locations are open on weekends and holidays to provide continuous, top-of-the-line veterinary care when it's needed most.

Both locations are fortunate to be surrounded by many extraordinary general practice veterinarians, with whom we collaborate and proudly support. As an emergency and urgent care network, we do not provide routine or wellness services, such as vaccines, dentals, or preventatives, to the public. These services are reserved exclusively for employee-owned pets.

As we continue to grow, we're excited to welcome new talent-individuals who are passionate about patient care and ready to make a meaningful difference in a fast-paced veterinary environment.

Ideal Candidate for the Veterinary Technician Position

We are searching for highly motivated and skilled veterinary technicians to join our team. In this role, you will collaborate closely with veterinarians and lead technicians to offer outstanding care to our patients. Your responsibilities will include providing critical ICU care, assisting with surgical procedures, administering outpatient treatments, and prioritizing patient comfort in every situation. Our veterinary technicians play a vital role in all aspects of patient care, including, but not limited to, anesthesia, wound care, pharmacy, medication administration, and client communication.

Position Type Available: Full-Time | Part-Time | Relief | Optional Split-Location with VEHM/VEHA


You'll be hands-on in

• Urgent, emergency, ICU, and critical care
• Surgical and special procedural assistance
• Anesthetic, critical care, and ICU monitoring
• Inpatient and outpatient treatment
• Client education and communication
• Pharmacy, medication administration
• Diagnostic Processing
• Supporting patient comfort, client communication, and continuity of care

This is a hands-on, high-impact role involving anesthesia, triage, surgery, diagnostics, and more.

What We Offer

• Competitive wages (based on experience), shift differential, overtime
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Wellhub wellness app program
• Short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• Generous PTO and pet care discount
• A non-corporate, supportive team culture focused on learning, growth, and compassionate care

Key Job Duties:


Patient Care

• Obtain and document thorough and precise patient histories
• Educate clients on patient care and conditions
• Communicate updates on patient status to clients
• Review medical records, discharge instructions, and treatment cost estimates with clients
• Initiate triage and emergency procedures, including CPR
• Provide wound care and bandage maintenance using aseptic techniques
• Monitor anesthesia, transfusions, and vital signs of critical care patients
• Administer medications via various routes (oral, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular)
• Apply transdermal medication patches and fill prescriptions
• Diagnostic and Laboratory Procedures
  • Collect samples, including venous, fecal, ear, bodily fluids, and urine (including ultrasound-guided cystocentesis)
  • Prepare samples for in-house or external laboratory testing as required
  • Operate in-house laboratory equipment (CBC, Chemistry, EPOC, Coags, Fecal, Snap Tests, Urinalysis, and HeskaView Telecytology)
  • Prepare slides and conduct microscopic examinations
  • Obtain diagnostic results, including digital radiographs (with proper positioning), laboratory tests, ECG, blood pressure, SP02, and ETCO2
  • Assist with ultrasounds, endoscopy, surgery, and specialized procedures

Treatment and Hospitalization

• Place and maintain intravenous catheters (including feeding tubes, jugular catheters, central lines, and PICC lines, based on experience)
• Provide hospitalized patient care, including treatments, feeding, and walking/cleaning litter boxes.
• Assist veterinarians with physical exams and procedures

Surgical and Anesthesia Support

• Induce, intubate, monitor, and recover patients from anesthetic procedures
• Clean and sterilize surgical instruments using autoclaves and gas sterilizers

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain client and patient medical records.
• Assist with customer service duties (answering phones, greeting clients, processing payments, and managing medical records)
• Clean and disinfect equipment, kennels, treatment areas, and bathe patients
• Operate oxygen delivery systems (flow-by, high-flow, nasal cannula, Snyder, incubator, and tanks)
• Assist with euthanasia and handle patient remains, including preparation for cremation or home burial.
• Maintain inventory and stock supplies
• Perform laundry duties

Requirements

Work Requirements & Physical Demands

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 40 pounds unassisted
• Extended periods of standing, walking, bending, or reaching
• May need assistance with lifting heavier animals or materials

This position may involve exposure to occupational hazards commonly found in a veterinary medical environment, including:

• Radiation exposure during diagnostic imaging
• Ethylene oxide gas (used in sterilization processes)
• Hazardous medications and controlled substances
• Infectious and zoonotic diseases from ill or injured animals
• Disinfectants and chemical agents used in cleaning and sanitation
• Unpleasant odors, loud noises , and other environmental factors
• Animal-related injuries , including bites, scratches, and exposure to bodily fluids
• Aggressive patient behavior during restraint or treatment

Who Thrives Here

At VEHM, we value individuals who bring heart, curiosity, and teamwork to every shift. Our environment is fast-paced, collaborative, and centered on compassionate care - for our patients, our clients, and each other.

Skills to possess - and qualities that help you thrive here:
• Remain calm, confident, and compassionate under pressure and in critical situations
• Possess strong veterinary technical skills, including patient restraint, IVC placement, sample collection, and patient monitoring
• Demonstrate excellent client service, communication, and multitasking abilities
• Take initiative, value continuous learning, and approach challenges with a positive, problem-solving mindset
• Maintain a passion for patient comfort, safety, and quality medicine
• Have experience with EzyVet or other veterinary emergency software (a plus, but not required)


Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Minimum 2 years of experience as a Veterinary Technician (or equivalent clinical experience)
• Emergency or Critical Care experience preferred, but not required
• Licensure welcomed, but not required
• Must be able to work outside standard weekday hours (availability beyond 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday); weekend day participation is mandatory

Not Sure You're "ER/UC Qualified"? Don't Count Yourself Out. ?

?If emergency, urgent care, and critical care seems to be calling you and you're confident in your skills with client communication, payment processing, medical record accuracy, patient restraint, radiographs, obtaining vitals, venipuncture, administering medications (IV, SQ, IM, PO) running lab work, assisting in procedures and surgeries, and have a solid understanding of pet behavior, infectious disease, common diseases, husbandry, sample collection, sterilization, aseptic technique, and euthanasia procedures, but haven't yet worked in Emergency or Urgent Care we'd still love to hear from you.

You may be an excellent fit for our Junior Veterinary Technician or Pet Care Technician position.


At VEHM, we recognize that not everyone starts with emergency experience; what matters most is your foundation, your compassion, and your determination to grow. We are working on a new program to invest in training and mentorship to help you expand your skills and confidence in our ER/Urgent Care environment.

Where Your Passion Finds Its Purpose

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Our hiring process is built on fairness, transparency, and opportunity, designed to support passionate professionals who want to make a meaningful impact in emergency and urgent care.

All applications are reviewed and processed through our official VEHM Careers Page Portal, in coordination with the VEHM Recruitment Team.

We're excited about the pawsibility of welcoming you into the next chapter of your veterinary journey - right here with us at VEHM/VEHA, where passion truly meets purpose in urgent and emergency care.