The details of veterinary assistants' duties vary from practice to practice, but some duties are the same wherever you work. As a vet assistant you work closely with veterinarians, animals and the animals’ owners to streamline the pets' visits and make sure that their care environment is clean.

Clean Animal Cages

Vet assistants are responsible the cleanliness of animal cages. On a daily basis, you must remove each animal from its cage and and clean all debris that has accumulated over the previous 24 hours. You will remove urine, fecal matter, hair and other dirt to ensure cages are hygienic and safe for the animals. You generally will use waterproof gloves and anti-bacterial cleaning supplies to accomplish this task.

Sterilize Equipment

A vet assistant must sterilize equipment after every exam or surgical procedure. During surgery, you collect and discard bloody wound dressings and and place surgical tools in an anti-bacterial solution. Once an examination or procedure is completed, you must thoroughly clean the table and surrounding area. Industrial-strength cleaning solutions are used on tables and equipment to ensure complete sterilization.

Clean Animals

Vet assistants must make sure animals are clean and groomed. Common duties include cleaning out animals' ears, brushing them to prevent matting and bathing them before they go home. Animals may need to be restrained during the cleaning process.