Nancy Patsos, LVT, VTS (ECC), discusses unique issues and how practice leadership can help alleviate them. 

Addressing challenges for veterinary technicians

Veterinary technicians are an integral part of any animal health practice. However, the role presents unique challenges as these professionals balance patient care, client relations, and administrative tasks. Energy, emotions, and personal wellness are known contributors to how a veterinary professional handles these challenges. In a 

interview, Nancy Patsos, LVT, VTS (ECC), chief veterinary technician at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center—the world’s largest nonprofit animal hospital—in New York, New York, discussed what challenges many veterinary technicians face on the job and how practices can help alleviate them.

Collective heritage: Honoring the past, inspiring the future

The following is a transcript of the video:

What are challenges that veterinary technicians often face on the job?

 High patient value and time pressures. The technicians are frequently expected to assist multiple patients in short time frames…whether they're drawing blood or running diagnostic tests. [Short time frames] can really lead to rushed procedures or decreased accuracy or attention to detail, [as well as] physical and mental fatigue.

There's emotional stress. Technicians witness patient suffering, discomfort, and emergencies, which, over time, can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, and difficulty maintaining emotional boundaries.

Keeping up with technology is another challenge. Technology is changing so fast, and technicians can struggle with constantly learning new equipment and software.

Addressing these challenges often requires good support systems, ongoing education, and clear communication from the leaderships and colleagues.

Exploring career options for veterinary technicians

Caring for zoo animals as a veterinary technician

In recognition of National Veterinary Technician Week in early October, 

 is celebrating veterinary technicians throughout the entire month. Follow our dedicated 

 page for the latest content highlighting the roles and stories of these veterinary professionals.

Videos

Good morning dvm360 readers! Did you know dvm360 recently launched Fetch Encore? On December 14, for only $25 USD, attendees will have the chance to earn 6 live CE credits in feline medicine through this new virtual symposium. The symposium will feature well-known industry leaders such as Christopher Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ, Caitlin Dutcher-Lundy, RVT, VTS (CP-Feline), Autumn McBride, DVM, and more! Register 

 today to secure your spot for our first Fetch Encore!

Besides the exciting news of Fetch Encore, here is what else you can find this week on dvm360.com:

In an unpublished opinion, a New Jersey federal district court 

 a class action lawsuit against Zoetis, Inc., that was brought by 8 pet owners claiming Zoetis misrepresented the safety of its bedinvetmab injection (Librela; Zoetis), a monoclonal antibody treatment for osteoarthritis pain in canine patients

Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine 

 this week it has received full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education, making the school 1 of 31 fully accredited veterinary schools in the US.

 of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomed Dana Connell, DVM, MPH, DACVIM (Oncology), and Zachary L. Neumann, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology) to the show to chat about IDEX Cancer Dx testing.

 is now available online! Mélanie Perrier, DrMedVet, DACVS, DECVS, CERP, discussed how to manage equine back pain, a common problem in these patients that is often multifactorial and requires a complete and accurate diagnosis.

 shared a commentary about celebrating professional wins and shares that before most veterinary professionals joined the industry, they were clients.

Articles

Wrap up: Class action lawsuit against Zoetis over Librela dismissed, and other news

Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DECVIM-CA. (Image courtesy of Zoetis)

Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DECVIM-CA, is internationally recognized for his expertise in companion animal medicine. He currently serves as global chief medical officer at Zoetis. Before joining Zoetis, Goldstein was chief medical officer at the Stephen & Christine Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, New York, the largest nonprofit animal hospital globally. He previously served as an associate professor of internal medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York, where his work focused on infectious, renal, and genetic diseases.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

National Pet Wellness Month emphasizes prevention. How does osteoarthritis (OA) fit into the larger preventative care conversation for cats and dogs, especially considering many cases go undiagnosed until later stages?

 That’s a really important question and important concept. Osteoarthritis is a disease that starts in young dogs. It starts subtly. It’s a disease that causes abnormal inflammation in the joint that then causes pain, and all of those things start young. Often, pet owners don’t pick up on it until dogs are older because they don’t pick up on it until it’s quite severe.

We can even expand prevention conversations to wellness discussions. Prevention is part of an overall wellness program, and it includes seeing dogs and cats on a schedule, starting when they’re puppies and kittens, even if there is nothing apparently wrong with them.

And then we prevent the things that we can from happening using vaccines and parasiticides, but we also try to do early detection. We try to pick up things early before there are clinical signs by doing physical exams and blood work. Maybe take x-rays if OA is suspected, and then we can start treating early. There are huge advantages to starting treatment early. So, I would say prevention is wonderful. Wellness as an overall package is even better, and that includes prevention and early detection, and treatment.

What are some of the most common barriers veterinarians face in identifying osteoarthritis early clinically and in communicating with clients about subtle signs of pain?

 I think part of it is just that mindset of wellness and prevention. I think pet owners—and many veterinarians—are still used to a 

 kind of mentality, which means wait until it’s really late—until the dog and cat are showing obvious signs, and then bring them to the vet. We need to change our mindset to a wellness-first one.

There is also a lot of education that needs to happen, both for veterinarians and for pet owners, on how to detect osteoarthritis early. Dogs and cats are very good at hiding their clinical signs. They’re a lot closer to the wild than we are, so they’re not going to show [many] subtle signs. [When we feel pain,] we [might prefer] to take something for it. We don't want to be at that level of pain.

But dogs and cats still appear to be normal—they’ll chase a ball and catch a Frisbee despite being in pain. So, it's important to educate pet owners on what the early signs of pain are. Don’t wait until they can’t go up the stairs. Look at how they get up. Look at how they’re sitting. Look at how they’re lying down. Look at how long it takes them to get up in the morning. Make videos of your dog when they’re normal, when they’re young and healthy, and then see how that progresses.

For cats, we have a feline OA checklist that shows people things that you can look for to diagnose OA early. Those kinds of tools are really important.

It's important even for the veterinarian. Many veterinarians didn’t learn about this in vet school. Pain was often not a huge subject, even though part of our role as veterinarians and the oath we take is to manage pain.

So, education should come first. We should also have the awareness that pain is a disease. We don’t want dogs to be in pain, even if it appears subtle; it’s probably not subtle to them.

We have therapies today that can alleviate that pain in an easy, convenient, persistent way. I think that [conversations on] pain should be part of the discussion that clients have with a new puppy or kitten, just like nutrition, spay/neuter, and vaccines.

Let’s talk about your dog’s or cat’s mobility. Look at how they can run around and wiggle today. Let’s make sure that they have that level of comfort for as long as they possibly can in their life. If there is any change at all, let’s jump on it early and treat it.

 The number we have is 40%—it may be even higher for dogs because a lot of it goes undiagnosed. It is one of the most common and undiagnosed problems because people think their dogs are just getting older, and they don’t bring them to the vet. By the time they’re 8 or 9 or 10, other issues need to be addressed as well. They might have metabolic diseases or other diseases, and then osteoarthritis kind of takes a backseat because there are more pressing issues. Really, the timeframe to diagnose osteoarthritis is when pets are young and when the disease is relatively less clinical, and then jump on it early and try to prevent that pain from getting worse down the road before the patient potentially develops other conditions as they age.

dvm360: Over the past few years, how have advances in pain management, including monoclonal antibodies, changed the way veterinarians approach OA earlier and more effectively?

 Monoclonal antibodies have changed a lot of things. They’ve changed how we treat dermatologic disease and now they’re changing how we treat pain. Traditionally, in veterinary medicine, again, there was this mindset of “if it’s not severe, I’m not going to worry about it.” Back in the day, when I was in vet school, many veterinarians didn’t believe that pain was a thing. Luckily, we’ve gone past that.

However, today, many veterinarians still treat pain as needed. There’s this concept of 

if they’re having a bad day, give them a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID). 

Because of concerns about chronic NSAID use and the inconvenience of daily dosing—once or twice a day—these medications are often given only [when symptoms flare up]. In essence, we’re telling owners, “Your dog will have good days and bad days. When they have a bad day, give them something."

What we should be saying is, “We don’t want your dog to have good days and bad days. We want every day to be a good day.”

So, let’s make sure we have something on board that will alleviate pain chronically, even in the days where it’s not as obvious, because the things that are causing pain—the abnormalities in the joints—they’re there all the time. The pain is there all the time. Even if pets don’t display pain consistently, the underlying discomfort remains constant. Let’s make sure they’re not in pain at all.

Monoclonal antibodies are canine-specific antibodies and function like the body’s own antibodies, which makes them very safe. They’re given once a month chronically, and they provide persistent, constant pain relief, without the ups and downs of “I’m going to give a pill or not give a pill.” It’s game-changing for how we can treat pain starting early on and then persistently for the life of the dog or cat or as long as they’re in pain. Again, our oath is—and I think every pet owner would agree—we don’t want them to be in pain at all.

Beyond new therapies, what other developments in preventive medicine or technology excite you the most about the future of maintaining long-term mobility and comfort in pets?

 It’s definitely an exciting area. It’s a great question because it’s an area I am and all of us are very passionate about. [The future of preventive medicine is about] helping drive that transition into preventive medicine and wellness, which will provide longer, healthier, happier lives with a better quality of life for our patients.

Quality of life is really the key goal. Conversations around giving veterinarians better tools for earlier diagnosis and disease prevention support the mission of helping pets live longer, happier lives. It’s about shifting the mindset—educating veterinarians and pet owners, and providing the right tools, like the ability to watch videos and ensure that these animals are maintaining the same mobility they had as puppies and kittens.

It’s also about education: knowing what to do once you start noticing subtle signs. For example, if you’re palpating a joint and it feels a little uncomfortable, take an x-ray—and then help the pet owner understand the value of that step. You’re often asking them to invest in an x-ray for a dog that seems relatively healthy, so explaining the “why” behind it is key. When we diagnose osteoarthritis early and start managing it, we not only relieve pain now, but also prevent it from worsening down the road.

That’s what excites me most about where we’re headed: having the right tools and continuing to shift the profession toward a wellness-first, prevention-driven mindset rather than a “call me if there’s a problem” approach.  

Goldstein calls for a shift in veterinary practice from reactive pain treatment to proactive osteoarthritis prevention and lifelong wellness, as National Pet Wellness Month comes to a close.

Rethinking pain: Q&A with Richard Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DECVIM-CA on preventive OA management

Melody Martínez urges veterinary technicians to unite for fair pay, recognition, and professional growth through collaboration and advocacy in their field.

A message to vet techs from Melody Martínez, CVT

In this video, Melody Martínez, CVT, executive director of the Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association, calls on veterinary technicians to unite, collaborate, and innovate within their profession to achieve fair pay, better utilization, and greater recognition. She also encourages technicians to advocate for their professional goals and growth.

On being seen in veterinary medicine: A conversation with Melody Martínez, CVT

Below is a transcript of the video, which has been lightly edited for improved clarity.

 I think that we have not seen a lot of change in the way that technicians are respected in the profession, and I think that it can inspire people to just give up. I think that we have to keep going. And so I want to tell technicians: reach out to each other and continue to collaborate and to innovate the way that technicians do. 

I think that it's important for us to continue to demand the things that we are entitled to and the things that we deserve from the profession. [Such as] being fully utilized, being paid a living wage or [a] thriving wage, ideally; and being supported. And then for assistance, in particular, to be supported to go to school, if that's what you want; being given clear pathways that grow your skills and grow your pay. I want to see that we are advocating—communicating clearly, [saying] "This is what we want. We want steps to grow. We want to see those steps clearly laid out so that we can reach them. And we want every time we reach those milestones, every time we gain that new skill, we want to see our pay increase." I think that's huge.

"I started to question my self-worth": A first-generation vet tech on belonging, access to care, and her journey through vet med

Melody Martínez, CVT, urges veterinary technicians to unite for fair pay, recognition, and professional growth through collaboration and advocacy in their field.

Veterinary technician students recently met at the Elmwood Park Zoo (EPZ) in Norristown, Pennsylvania, for a day of learning, leadership, and inspiration. The special event was the zoo’s first Vet Tech Summit, which drew more than 50 second-year students from Manor College in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania; Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; and Camden County College in Blackwood, New Jersey; as well as industry leaders and professional veterinary technicians.

Veterinary technician students tour the Frank and Paige Engro Veterinary Health Center at Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pennsylvania, during the Vet Tech Summit. 

Held in partnership with the Zoetis animal health company, the summit held during National Veterinary Technician Week provided attendees with tours of the Frank and Paige Engro Veterinary Health Center led by EPZ veterinary technicians, who spoke about their day-to-day experiences. “Every day is different for us in the veterinary department here at the zoo. We will work on a wide range of animal species, from tiny little frogs, all the way up to our giraffes,” Michele Goodman, VMD, attending veterinarian at EPZ, said in a 

“We want to show [the students] the work that we’re able to do here to provide excellent care to our animals, which is not only on the veterinary department but also working with our keepers and our educators to do behavioral husbandry or…conditioning on a lot of our animals. That enables us to work on many more animals without anesthesia, so we let them choose to participate in their own care,” she added.

Goodman and Stephanie Marks, DVM, FVTE, program director of veterinary technology at Manor College, both said one of the Vet Tech Summit’s goals was to highlight some of the different career opportunities available to the students after they graduate. “The zoo is a unique career opportunity for a technician. It’s not where the majority go. Many are interested, but they don’t necessarily end up there…. There’s so much you can do to take advantage of [your degree],” Marks added.

As part of the summit, students heard from industry panelists about a variety of career options open to veterinary technicians, listened to a presentation about innovations with monoclonal antibodies, networked with industry leaders and peers, and visited animals in residence.

Veterinary Technician students catch a glimpse of the work of the zookeepers caring for giraffes at Elmwood Park Zoo. 

During the panel discussion, veterinary technicians represented a variety of different career paths such as entrepreneurship, academia, and roles outside traditional veterinary practices such as zoo medicine. Panelists included Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, FVTE, an owner and educator with Empowering Veterinary Teams LLC, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bailey Donovan, BS, CVT, a specialist in teaching and veterinary learning technology at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison; and Kourtney Conti, CVT, a veterinary team member at EPZ.

“Traditional roles within a general practice or within an [emergency department] and specialty practice, are not the only things we can do. Once you get your credentials as a CVT, LVT, LVMT, or RVT, you can do anything—literally anything,” 

Jodi Koch, VMD, a managing professional services veterinarian with Zoetis, gave the presentation on monoclonal antibodies. In an interview with 

, she said one key takeaway from the lecture is that veterinary medicine is a team sport that relies on technicians. “They are just as important as the veterinarian, and especially as innovation continues within the veterinary space, they’re going to be so much more heavily involved in the diagnosis. They’re becoming even more of an integral part of patient management,” Koch said.

That sentiment was echoed by Marks. “Veterinary technicians are absolutely critical to the entire veterinary health profession. We veterinarians cannot do our job without them. It’s impossible. They are our eyes and ears on a lot of what’s happening as we are working with clients or in surgery or something else. They are absolutely critical for the most efficient functionality of the practice,” Marks said.

Laura P. Clark, DVM, PhD, who works in academic global medical affairs with Zoetis and serves as an EPZ board member, said that another goal of the summit is to ensure that veterinary technician students know that they matter and their voice matters. “I want them to know that there are so many things that these talented young students and future veterinary technicians can do. If they can think it, they can be it,” Clark said in a 

Summit organizers said they are planning to annually hold the event. Clark noted that her goal is to keep increasing the number of participating schools to reach more students. “This year, we have the privilege of working on 3 programs. I’d like to advance that to 6 programs next year [and] maybe 9 programs in the third year. [I’d like to] continue this because this is such a unique but wonderful opportunity to offer something different and novel,” Clark said.

Exploring career options for veterinary technicians. 

. October 17, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/exploring-carer-options-for-veterinary-technicians

The first Vet Tech Summit at the Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania was attended by more than 50 students from 3 area colleges. 

Student veterinary technicians explore zoo medicine and other career options

VolitionRx Limited, and its subsidiary Volition Veterinary Diagnostics Development LLC., announced earlier this month that it not only participated in the HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response Dogs (HOPE AACR) Annual Conference, but it donated its Nu.Q Vet Cancer Test to support canines providing both emotional comfort and support to people in the US affected by crises and disasters. HOPE AACR is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that has around 300 teams that respond to disasters from man-made trauma, natural disasters, debriefs, and more.

"We were delighted to be able to sponsor HOPE AACR's event through donating the Nu.Q Vet Cancer Test. The screening test is accessible, affordable, and easy-to-use. Many of the crisis canines we saw are 'high-risk' breeds, such as golden retrievers, German shepherds, beagles, and so on. Being able to offer the test to the dogs that bring comfort in challenging times, has been such a privilege,” Tom Butera, DVM, CEO, Volition Veterinary, said in an organizational release.

For canines over 10 years old, almost 50% of them will develop cancer, making it one of the most common causes of death in canine patients.

 A cancer diagnosis can be scary for pet owners, but early detection can offer them hope for better outcomes and more effective treatment options, such as minimally invasive cancer screening tests like Nu.Q Vet Cancer Test. For dogs over 7, certain breeds such as Golden Retrievers, Boxers, Rottweilers, and Bernese mountain dogs, are all predisposed to developing cancer, and common signs veterinary professionals can have clients and teams look out for in dogs can include

Along with testing, early detection can also rely on preventive care. Veterinary teams can help clients stay on top of their pet's wellbeing by maintaining regular checkups, discussing health risks that are breed-specific, talking to clients about adding cancer screening to annual or semi-annual exams, and monitoring dogs' behavior or physical changes.

"Ensuring our crisis canines are healthy is our number one priority. Throughout my career in veterinary oncology, I have seen how earlier cancer detection can improve patient outcomes and also improve the quality of life of the dog and its owner,” expressed Michelle Silver, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology).

“The Nu.Q® Vet Cancer Test is intended for use during regular preventive check-ups of older dogs (seven years and older) or for younger dogs of high-risk breeds and we were delighted to offer the Nu.Q® Test to our crisis response canines at our annual meeting. Providing this additional screening tool allows our HOPE AACR dogs to continue to help people in their time of need,” she concluded.

Volition Donates Nu.Q® Vet Cancer Tests to HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response Dogs. News release. Volition Rx Limited. October 17, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/volition-donates-nuq-vet-cancer-tests-to-hope-animal-assisted-crisis-response-dogs-302587549.html

Cancer in Pets. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed October 23, 2025. 

https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/cancer-pets

Montgomery T. Cancer Screenings for Dogs: Understanding Why Early Cancer Detection Matters. PetMd. May 29, 2025. Accessed October 23, 2205. https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/cancer-screenings-for-dogs

VolitionRx Limited donated its Nu.Q Vet Cancer Test to support dogs that provide emotional support and comfort to those impacted by crisis and disasters.