A Day in the Life of a Veterinary Technician
Banfield Veterinary Technician Kiterie Dunlop knew from a young age that she wanted a career in pet care. We caught up with her to chat all about her work as a fear free certified Vet Tech, advice for future technicians, and why her personality is more like a dog than any other animal.
Tell us a little about yourself:
I am a game nerd and a book lover, and I love all things animals. I have been that way my whole life. When I was ten years old I thought I wanted to be a vet, but I’ve found I actually prefer being a Vet Tech. I have two dogs (Alaskan Klee Kais) and two cats.
What does your day-to-day look like as a Banfield Veterinarian Technician?
I’m Fear Free certified, so I am the go-to person for all the scared babies, especially if nobody else can touch them. I do tech appts most days, and I am very client focused. I spend a lot of time doing client education and have tons of handouts. I never do surgery and feel like it would be a waste of my strengths.
Why did you choose Banfield?
I chose my hospital because the then practice manager and still current Chief of Staff convinced me that they would listen to my ideas when it came to Fear Free, and they have! I love my team and get a lot of support.
What advice do you have for someone attending school to be a Veterinarian Technician?
When starting out, ask doctors why they are recommending different treatments, what different findings mean, and take good notes. Find the thing that you are good at and talk to your team about how you can do those things every day and grow in that direction. Not every technician has to do surgery, and not every technician has to like rooms or tech appts. Some are great at labs. Be that go-to person for that thing you like. And if you are bad at something, do it more. If you’re scared of a type of animal, learn more about it and its behavior. That is the best way to improve or get over fears.
If you could compare yourself to an animal, what would it be and why?
I would probably be a dog. I am a cat person, but I would be a dog because I am bouncy, chipper, and happy to greet. I want to help everyone and do all the things.
*Fear Free is an online educational platform for veterinarian professionals to train on emotional wellbeing and the reduction of fear, anxiety, and stress in pets.
