What should you study in college to become a veterinary assistant?

Answer 1

No state in the US has any educational requirements for working as a veterinary ASSISTANT. This is an entry level-position in a veterinary facility and training is generally done on the job. Because most training is done on the job it is often very cursory and lacks the depth and breadth of a formal education. Veterinary assistants are generally taught the basic how-to but not the why or when you would do something different. They tend to do basic tasks such as animal restraint, basic care and sanitation, assist in patient monitoring, prepare instruments for use in surgeries or daily treatments, they may give medication as prescribed by the veterinarian, collect biological samples and perform basic diagnostic tests like reading fecals. Veterinary assistants are generally not the equivalent of a formally educated veterinary technician. For example, many assistants can place an IV catheter and hook up a fluid line to it, but they generally don't know how to calculate the appropriate amount of fluids to give in a 24 hour period to maintain hydration, replace lost fluids from vomiting/diarrhea, calculate the appropriate number of drops per hour to provide the correct amount of fluids or understand the different types of IV fluids available and when each type is appropriate to a given situation. They may monitor anesthesia but they generally don't know how the different anesthetic drugs they are giving affect the body other than producing sedation or anesthesia---do they cause a drop in blood pressure that needs to be compensated for, do they make it more likely for animals that have seizures to have one, do they need to change the anesthetic protocol to compensate for heart, liver or kidney issues in a given patient. Veterinary assistants generally require much more supervision than a credentialed veterinary technician

There are voluntary educational opportunities, however these are not equivalent to a college degree program and are instead basic vocational training. There is no over-sight by a professional body to ensure that the majority of these programs provide adequate or correct information. There is no requirement for hands-on training and instructors often have little or no experience or education in the veterinary field. There are a handful of certification programs that are designed and approved by veterinary professional organizations or that are offered by colleges which also offer accredited veteirnary technology programs and these are better choices for someone who wants to be a veterinary assistant.

Answer 2

In the United States, you are not required to take any college classes to be a veterinary ASSISTANT - this is a lay position that does not have any formal training requirements. There are many college degrees to become a veterinary TECHNICIAN, which is what I would recommend you pursue if this is your dream. Veterinary technicians are typically paid better than veterinary assistants, and they have more responsibilities and duties than a veterinary assistant does.

However, if you want to learn more to be a better veterinary assistant, I would suggest taking courses related to Biology - zoology, botany, microbiology, etc. Some chemistry classes would be helpful too.