A Thank You Letter to our RVTs
When you think of October, many think of falling leaves, pumpkins and Halloween. I certainly am a sucker for pumpkin spice lattes and changing foliage, but in my world I also have the honour of celebrating October as Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) month. This is a month dedicated to celebrating our incredibly skilled, meticulous and compassionate veterinary superheroes.
RVTs, a month simply is not long enough to thank you for all that you do. As a veterinarian, my job is just not possible without you, and every day I see firsthand the profound impact you have on our patients and their owners.
Thank you for:
- Always being one step ahead. Just as I have gotten my thoughts in order, you have already seemed to read my mind and have exactly what I need laid out neatly
- Being able to take my complicated treatment plans and execute them with ease
- Rigging up an oxygen hood out of an e-collar and saran wrap in an emergency- your creativity never ceases to amaze me
- Carefully monitoring pets after surgery and making sure their recovery is pain-free
- Already having blood pulled, spun and run by the time I am stepping out of my appointment
- Being able to lift animals who are twice your size
- Having magical abilities to calm down nervous pets (and owners)
- Being able to hit even the smallest of veins, on a very 'spicy' feline
- Somehow knowing what I am referring to when I say, "Do you know where that thing is?"
- Advocating for patients. You have an innate ability to see when an animal is becoming stressed or anxious in hospital and always speak up on their behalf
- Saving me from bites or bruises, with your superior animal-handling skills
- Perfecting the art of x-rays. You always manage to capture the clearest images on the wiggliest patients
- Celebrating with me when a tooth I have been trying to extract for 30 minutes comes out cleanly
- Your unwavering support during difficult days
- Being a wealth of knowledge on everything from nutrition to pain management
- Being a source of comfort and support for those who have lost their cherished pet
Our RVTs are formally educated, highly trained professionals, but they are so much more than that. They are phlebotomists, dental hygienists, anesthetists, pharmacists, radiographers and the ultimate "jacks of all trades." Our technicians love and care for your pets like they are their own. The veterinary world would simply not spin without our RVTs.
So, Missy, Meghan, Krissie, Rosie, Vanessa, Angel, Heather, Esther and Amanda thank you. This October, and every day beyond, let's celebrate all that you do.
Written by Dr. Sarah Buchanan.
Dr. Stephanie: "Working without our veterinary technicians would be like working without my right hand! They move around like Ninja's, caring for patients and people behind the scenes so smoothly and thoroughly that we sometimes take it for granted! They anticipate the needs of the pets, the pet owners and the doctors and they get the job done."
Dr. Nina: "I could not get through one minute of my day without our wonderfully talented RVTs. They care for your pets with such gentle skilled hands and stay calm, cool and collected under the most stressful situations to ensure your family members get the best care they possibly can. I am so thankful to be able to work alongside these incredible women."
Dr. Rebecca: "When you really stop and think about the skills an RVT brings to the table, it's a bit mind blowing. They are basically multitasking unicorns. I can't even count the number of times I've started a sentence "Hey Vanessa, can you..." Or "Hey Meghan, do you mind..." Or "Hey Missy, where is..." Only to find the task already done or what I'm looking for magically appearing in front of me before my sentence is complete. I could not be more proud to have these incredible humans as my teammates and colleagues. Thank you!"