Description
Diagnose, stabilize, and treat acutely ill or injured animals in emergency and critical care settings. Perform urgent procedures and surgery, interpret rapid diagnostics, manage ICU care, and counsel owners during crises while coordinating transfers and supervising ER staff.
- • Triage incoming cases and prioritize patients based on acuity.
- • Perform rapid physical exams and point-of-care diagnostics.
- • Obtain and interpret STAT imaging, including radiographs and focused ultrasound (FAST/TFAST).
- • Stabilize airways and breathing with oxygen therapy, intubation, and mechanical ventilation as needed.
- • Establish IV/IO access and deliver fluids, vasopressors, and emergency drugs.
- • Provide analgesia, sedation, and anesthesia for unstable patients.
- • Perform CPR and manage post–cardiac arrest care.
- • Manage shock, trauma, toxicities, GDV, dystocia, seizures, heatstroke, and anaphylaxis.
- • Perform emergency procedures and surgeries such as wound repair, gastropexy, C-section, tracheostomy, and chest or abdominal taps/tubes.
- • Interpret laboratory results quickly and adjust treatment plans.
- • Monitor ICU patients, including ECG, blood pressure, SpO2, end-tidal CO2, temperature, and urine output.
- • Administer blood products and manage transfusion reactions.
- • Place and manage feeding tubes, urinary catheters, and central or arterial lines.
- • Implement pain management and critical care nutrition plans.
- • Counsel owners on prognosis, options, risks, costs, and aftercare.
- • Provide compassionate guidance and perform humane euthanasia when indicated.
- • Coordinate referrals, transfers, and handoffs with primary veterinarians and specialists.
- • Supervise, train, and delegate tasks to ER technicians and support staff.
- • Maintain accurate medical records, controlled substance logs, and discharge instructions.
- • Uphold infection control, biosecurity, and safety protocols, and participate in overnight, weekend, and holiday coverage.
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Agriculture
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
