If you love working with animals, take the next step in a new career as a veterinary assistant. A veterinary assistant is vital to any veterinary team providing health care to large and small animals.

However, interacting with animals is only one part of a veterinary assistant's responsibilities. They also support licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians' performance in daily and essential tasks.

Course Information

Our VET 320 - Veterinary Assistant Series is an Education-to-Go (Ed2go) 96-hour, bundled series of four online courses designed to prepare students for a rewarding career as a Veterinary Assistant. You will be equipped for an entry-level position in a veterinary hospital or zoo upon completion.

Taught by a practicing veterinarian and college instructor, this course covers a wide range of topics, including:

  • Vaccinology, parasites, and nutrition.
  • Pet first aid and CPR.
  • Confidentiality, communication, and medical records.
  • Prescriptions and behavioral counseling for puppies and kittens.
  • Reproduction, anatomy, breeding, pregnancy, and infertility.
  • Disease and disorders.

Flexible Course Delivery

Ed2go continuing education online courses run for six weeks with a two-week grace period. Courses begin on a Wednesday in the middle of each month. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course: one on Wednesday and another on Friday. Interactive quizzes, assignments, and online discussions supplement the lessons, which are all done online. No textbook is required. In lieu of partial drops or refunds, students may transfer to open sessions of the same course if needed.

A certificate of course completion is awarded upon successful completion of all four courses in the series and achieving a minimum score of 75 percent on the final exam.

How to Register

Job Outlook

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers is projected to grow 19 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Program Requirements

Hardware

  • This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software

  • PC: Windows 8 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Materials

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be accessible online. 

Required Courses
Become a Veterinary Assistant
  • History of Veterinary Practice and Dog and Cat Reproduction
  • Vaccinology for Dogs and Cats
  • Parasites Infesting Pets and People
  • How to Pick the Best Food for Your Pet; Prescription Diets
  • Euthanasia: The Procedure, How to Help Clients, and Assisting Children With Pet Loss
  • Workplace Safety and Veterinary Hospital Economics
  • Pet First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
  • External Parasites of Pets, Including the Flea
  • Confidentiality and Grievances, Client Communications, and Client Education
  • Medical Records and Prescriptions
  • Alternative Therapies in Veterinary Medicine
  • Behavior Counseling for Puppies and Kittens and Putting It All Together in a Health Plan
Become a Veterinary Assistant II: Canine Reproduction
  • Prebreeding Assessment and Management
  • Female Reproductive Anatomy and Disorders
  • Male Reproductive Anatomy and Disorders
  • The Reproductive Cycle and When to Breed
  • Natural Breeding and Artificial Insemination
  • Reasons for Female Infertility: Uterine and Ovarian Disorders
  • Reasons for Female Infertility: Effects of Abnormal Estrous Cycles
  • Reasons for Male Infertility
  • Pregnancy Diagnosis and Care of the Pregnant Bitch
  • Whelping: Normal and Assisted (Including Cesarean)
  • Postpartum Disease
  • Neonatal Care: Birth to Six Months
Become a Veterinary Assistant III: Practical Skills
  • Basic Dog Restraints
  • Basic Restraint Techniques
  • Exams, Pilling, and Nails
  • Blood Collection
  • Blood Tests
  • Urine Tests
  • Surgeries
  • Hygiene 101
  • Gender, Age, and Dosage Calculations
  • Exam Room Skills (TPR)
  • Radiology and Medical Terminology
  • Injections, Vaccines, and Worms
Veterinary Medical Terminology
  • Ready, Set, Go
  • Where, Why, and What?
  • Musculoskeletal System
  • Head to Toe and What's in a Name?
  • Digestive System
  • Urinary and Cardiovascular Systems
  • Respiratory System
  • Integumentary and Endocrine Systems
  • Reproductive Systems
  • Nervous System and Seeing and Hearing
  • Hematologic, Lymphatic, Immunologic, and Oncological Terminology
  • Physical Exams, Drugs, and Dissection
Schedule

Registration for ED2Go courses

To register for VET 320, follow the instructions by clicking here.

Contact Information

Please contact wdcehealthcare@pgcc.edu or patterrn@pgcc.edu for additional information.