Licensed veterinary technicians, referred to as veterinary nurses at MSU, are integral members of the veterinary health care team. Similar to nurses in human medicine, veterinary nurses have been educated in the latest medical advances and are skilled at working alongside veterinarians to provide pets with the best medical care possible.
Veterinary nurses are compassionate, highly motivated paraprofessionals dedicated to animal health care. They are entrusted with diverse medical responsibilities that include animal nursing care, laboratory specimen analysis, surgical assistance, anesthesia, radiographic imaging (x-ray), nutritional management, dental prophylaxis, physical therapy, and client education. These varied duties afford the veterinary paraprofessional a profound impact on every aspect of animal care. Their involvement enables veterinary hospitals and animal care and research facilities to offer expanded services efficiently and effectively, and as a result, veterinary nurses are in high demand.