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Veterinary Assistant

Healthcare

Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Veterinary Science

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
  2. 2Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
  3. 3Administer anesthetics during surgery and monitor the effects on animals.
  4. 4Fill medication prescriptions.
  5. 5Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
  6. 6Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
  7. 7Perform routine laboratory tests or diagnostic tests, such as taking or developing x-rays.
  8. 8Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
  9. 9Administer medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
  10. 10Collect laboratory specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, for testing.
  11. 11Clean, maintain, and sterilize instruments or equipment.
  12. 12Perform office reception duties, such as scheduling appointments or helping customers.
  13. 13Record information relating to animal genealogy, feeding schedules, appearance, behavior, or breeding.
  14. 14Provide emergency first aid to sick or injured animals.
  15. 15Prepare surgical equipment and pass instruments or materials to veterinarians during surgical procedures.
  16. 16Educate or advise clients on animal health care, nutrition, or behavior problems.
  17. 17Prepare feed for animals according to specific instructions, such as diet lists or schedules.
  18. 18Prepare examination or treatment rooms by stocking them with appropriate supplies.
  19. 19Provide assistance with euthanasia of animals or disposal of corpses.
  20. 20Write reports, maintain research information, or perform clerical duties.
  21. 21Perform hygiene-related duties, such as clipping animals' claws or cleaning and polishing teeth.
  22. 22Perform enemas, catheterizations, ear flushes, intravenous feedings, or gavages.
  23. 23Perform accounting duties, such as bookkeeping, billing customers for services, or maintaining inventories.
  24. 24Exercise animals or provide them with companionship.
  25. 25Place orders to restock inventory of hospital or laboratory supplies.
  26. 26Sell pet food or supplies to customers.
  27. 27Dust, spray, or bathe animals to control insect pests.
  28. 28Groom, trim, or clip animals' coats.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Vet Helper
  • Avian Keeper
  • Vet Assistant
  • Animal Caregiver
  • Animal Caretaker
  • Vet Receptionist
  • Animal Care Provider
  • Kennel Vet Assistant
  • Vet Kennel Assistant
  • Veterinary Attendant

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BiologyDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional ScienceDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
ChemistryDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Customer and Personal Service87%
  • English Language77%

    English

  • Biology71%

    BiologyAdditional Science

  • Administrative70%

    Business

  • Medicine and Dentistry70%

    BiologyChemistry

  • Computers and Electronics64%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingA little
  • Time spent standingAlmost all the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

15%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Search the programme catalogue