by David Caddell, Hospital Director

National Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week is each year during the second full week in October. This is a chance for veterinary clinics and hospitals to thank and recognize what many consider the “backbone” of the practice: our valued Veterinary Assistants (VAs) and Licensed Veterinary Technicians (LVTs). This recognition week provides all veterinary practices the chance to thank and recognize the many important contributions our veterinary technicians provide.

Our “techs” are essential in providing continuity of care for our patients. A dedicated and passionate tech plays a crucial role in preserving animal health and welfare. They put in long days and display complete dedication to serving in a caregiver role, while also ensuring that our clients feel valued.

To celebrate Vet Tech Week, our veterinarians and tech team leaders worked hard to put together a memorable week as a show of our support and gratitude for the VAs and LVTs. They started out with creating our version of the Hollywood Walk of Stars: each tech had their own star which we displayed throughout our treatment area and ICU, starting on Monday 10/13. We also ordered in from Jimmy John’s to ensure our hardworking teams were fed.

Cookies for Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week.

On Tuesday we provided the team with bagels and cream cheese. Wednesday it was treats from Insomnia Cookies. Thursday was a feast from Lee’s Famous Chicken. Finally, on Friday, we gave each tech a card (signed by our veterinarians), a pair of bandage scissors, custom cookies, and Cottage Inn Pizza. All of these appreciative actions were designed to communicate to our techs THANK YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOU! We hope you had a wonderful Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week.

If you’re thinking about becoming a VA or LVT, take a look at the AVMA site for an overview.