# Veterinary Assistant and Animal Care (Certificate of Achievement)

Yuba College · 2026-2027 Catalog · Department: Veterinary Technology

Source: https://yc.yccd.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Yuba-College-Catalog-26.pdf#page=172

The Certificate of Achievement in Veterinary Assisting and Animal Care trains students in the skills necessary to care for animals in any of several different workplaces: small animal veterinary hospitals, equine and farm animal practices, animal shelter, exotics and wildlife medicine, lab animal medicine, or public health. The Certificate is designed both for individuals seeking employment as veterinary assistants, as well as for veterinary technology students or veterinary technicians seeking additional training in specific fields such as shelter medicine.

The Certificate of Achievement in Veterinary Assisting and Animal Care trains students in the skills necessary to care for animals in any of several different workplaces: small animal veterinary hospitals, equine and farm animal practices, animal shelter, exotics and wildlife medicine, lab animal medicine, or public health. The Certificate is designed both for individuals seeking employment as veterinary assistants, as well as for veterinary technology students or veterinary technicians seeking additional training in specific fields such as shelter medicine.

This convenient distance learning program is ideal for the working professional. It allows for more flexibility than a traditional college curriculum and is designed to allow students to complete the Certificate of Achievement in just one year.

In addition to providing the necessary information to upgrade current job skills for those already employed in veterinary facilities, this course of study also provides an excellent preparation for the individual interested in applying to the Yuba College Veterinary Technology Program.

For additional information, please contact the Yuba College Veterinary Technology via phone at (530) 740-1732 or (530) 740-1740, or via email at bloghry@yccd.edu, akuykend@yccd.edu, or kmathis@yccd.edu. Please also visit our website (https://yc.yccd.edu/vettech/) as well as the Yuba College Veterinary Technology Facebook page. You can also visit the Veterinary Technology program itself in the 1700 Building (across from the Veteran's Resource Center) on the Marysville campus.

Students who complete this program should be able to:

1. Apply critical thinking skills when confronted with issues and problems in veterinary medical practice.
2. Display behavior consistent with the highest professional ethics to foster personal growth and civic responsibility.
3. Demonstrate understanding of principles of husbandry, restraint, and handling of animals to include knowledge of normal and abnormal life processes and the common medical procedures performed in veterinary medical practice.

**Required courses**

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VETT-7 | Veterinary Business Management | 3 |
| VETT-12 | Intro to Veterinary Medical Math | 2 |
| VETT-52 | Human-Animal Bond | 3 |
| VETT-55 | Veterinary Medical Terminology | 3 |
| VETT-91 | Veterinary Assisting | 3 |
| **Complete 4-5 units from the following:** | |  |
| VETT-8 | Large Animal Care and Nursing | 3 |
| VETT-9 | Laboratory Animal Medicine | 2 |
| VETT-10 | Exotic and Wildlife Medicine | 2 |
| VETT-54 | Public Health and Infectious Disease | 3 |
| VETT-56 | Shelter Medicine | 3 |
| **Total units required for certificate** | | **18-19** |