Comer Vet Celebrates Our Vet Tech and Assistants

Veterinary technician Jessica holds down an injured cat while Dr. Caitlin Quinn shaves and cleans around its injury site.

October’s calendar is jam-packed with autumnal and Spooky Season happenings: Georgia National Fair, Sunbelt Ag Expo, Madison County Harvest Festival, Halloween festivities, UGA football, and Rock Lobsters hockey, just to name a few. But each October, the Comer Vet doctors set aside a week dedicated to honor our staff, with a special emphasis on our vet tech and assistants.

This year’s Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week, which Comer Vet expands into a staff appreciation celebration, was commemorated Oct. 13 through 17. The clinic’s leadership held themed dress-up days, welcomed industry friends who wanted to treat the team with lunches and goodies, and did its best to spoil those who spoil your pets at their every visit.

“Our technician and assistants are a vital part of our team. Not only do they provide the business with the ability to be efficient and sustainable, but they are a critical part of our culture of customer service and patient care,” says Dr. Tyson Strickland, veterinarian and owner of Comer Veterinary Hospital. “They consistently go above and beyond to provide top-quality medicine and case management services, and we are so grateful for each of them. To say we couldn’t do it without them is an understatement!”

Vet assistant Kaydence Human performs a canine dental scaling procedure at Comer Vet.

Comer Vet’s tech and assistants obtain patient history and diagnostics, help carry out treatments, manage supplies and the surgical suites, and do daily tasks around the clinic to make sure patients have a sterile, safe, and welcoming environment at their appointments.

“They are not given credit for all they do for us and the animals: clean up poo, pee, and other excrements. They put their life on the line to keep others from being bit. They hug on our old babies and feed them treats during their final farewells. They keep us smiling,” says Dr. Mandy Adams, veterinarian at Comer Vet. “I really couldn’t do my job without them.”

Vet assistants and vet techs have similar job roles within veterinary clinics. Given the licensure and additional education required to become a tech, they have more autonomy as far as procedures and aid they can render pets without immediate supervision by a veterinarian. Jessica Morris, Comer Vet’s practice manager, is its registered vet tech and does a phenomenal job overseeing the assistant team: Aggie Bennett, Cheyenne Clark, Alexis Gibson, Kaydence Human, Lexi Johnson, Kayley Martin, Savannah Scoggins, Cori Slay, Kelsi Smith, Hollie Stamey, and Carson Upshaw.

Vet assistant Hollie scans a canine patient to make sure its microchip was correctly placed.

“They’re the unsung heroes of your pet’s care,” Dr. Caitlin Quinn, veterinarian at Comer Vet, says of the support team. “They’re the ones behind the scenes ensuring your veterinarian can do their day-to-day job.”

Dr. Amy Goggans, a fellow veterinarian at the clinic, agrees. “Techs and assistants make me more efficient and allow me to be more available for clients and family. At Comer Vet, we value both our work and our personal time, and having that staff makes both possible for us as doctors. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them. They keep us organized and on track,” she says.

In addition to all they do for animals and pet parents, Comer Vet’s support staff members are the ones who keep energy up, no matter what the day’s caseload brings.

“Without our veterinary staff, our days would be so much harder,” says Dr. Preston Russell, veterinarian at Comer Vet. “They call us out when we need it, have exceptional skills and make us laugh on those tough days when we have had so many losses, and let us know that with every loss there is always a win.”

Vet assistant Kelsi checks a rabbit's vital signs during its neuter procedure at Comer Vet.

The Comer Veterinary Hospital doctors echo each other’s sentiments that their practice wouldn’t be the same without this team having their backs. Dr. Faith Chamlee lauds them for their encouragement and ability to bolster every aspect of treatment and community within the clinic, not to mention their selfless attitude when it comes to caring for small animals, exotics, and hobby farm pets.

“They are the support system that our entire company relies on,” she says. “I am so thankful for the friendships that I have built within our community of support staff. They fill the long days with laughter and the hard days with so much joy and encouragement.”

Though the official appreciation week may be over, the sentiment doesn’t end on a calendar date.

“Our veterinarians are beyond blessed to work beside them,” Dr. Quinn says. “They deserve to be celebrated and appreciated every day.”

Vet assistant Savannah applies a laser treatment to a dog patient's surgical site after its spay procedure.