Tail Talk with Dr. O’Hara

Inside The Life Of A Vet Assistant: Meet Abingdon Animal Medical Center's Carrington Hobbs

• Dr. O’Hara • Episode 10

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Meet Carrington Hobbs

The exam room tells only half the story. Step behind the scenes with us as we talk with our lead vet assistant, Carrington Hobbs, about the real craft of keeping pets calm, owners reassured, and a busy clinic running on time. From the first wag or wary stare to a smooth surgical morning, you’ll hear how small choices—tone of voice, pacing, a well-placed treat—can turn anxiety into trust.

We break down a day in the life: surgeries prepped at dawn, appointments stacked in the afternoon, and constant adjustments for the unexpected. You’ll learn why formal certification isn’t the defining factor for vet assistants here, and why compassion, patience, and a stable energy are. We share clear, actionable techniques for easing fear at the veterinary clinic: reward-based handling, gentle touch when treats won’t land, and the surprising power of a short walk to the back to reset a stressed dog or cat. These strategies help us read body language, reduce tension, and make exams more accurate and humane.

Teamwork sits at the center of our approach. Our assistant anticipates surgical needs, sets up instruments, and keeps the flow tight so we can focus on medicine. That preparation shortens anesthesia time, reduces errors, and gives every patient a calmer experience. If you’re curious about becoming a vet assistant—or simply want to understand what great veterinary care looks like—you’ll find honest insights on dedication, continuous learning, and the attitude that pets instinctively trust.

Love what you hear? Subscribe, share the show with a fellow pet person, and leave a review to help others find us. Need care now? Call or text 276-628-9655 or book at MyAbbingdonVet.com.

To learn more about Abingdon Animal Medical Center visit:
https://www.MyAbingdonVet.com
Abingdon Animal Medical Center
19586 Dennison Drive
Abingdon, VA 24211
276-628-9655

SPEAKER_00:

Welcome to Tale Talk with Dr. O'Hara, where eastern Tennessee and Southwest Virginia's favorite pets get the spotlight they deserve. It's the heart behind Abington Animal Medical Center, combining small-town charm with state-of-the-art veterinary care. Whether your furry friend purrs, barks, or just steals your socks, this is the place for tips, tails, and a whole lot of tail wagging.

SPEAKER_03:

Welcome back, everybody. Skip Monty, co-host slash producer back in the studio with Dr. O'Hara and Carrington Hobbs, who is the vet assistant at Abington Animal Medical Center. Carrington, how's it going?

SPEAKER_01:

Good. How are you?

SPEAKER_03:

I'm doing just fine. We appreciate you uh appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to hang out with us and tell us all about what you do. So if you don't mind, why don't you kick us off by telling us what it's like to be a vet assistant?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, um every day's different, but um typically, you know, we have some appointments in the mornings, um, we do surgeries in the mornings, uh, and then we see appointments in the afternoon. So um really we just spend the day with the animals taking care of them depending on what they're here for.

SPEAKER_03:

So what kind of training or certification does it take to be a vet assistant? What what do you typically need to be able to become a vet assistant?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, to be a vet assistant, you don't have to have any like certification. But training-wise, um, it's just really important that you if you know like animals and want to be around them, you're passionate. Um you don't get aggravated easily with them. Um because it's not always easy. So having a good heart with animals is probably the big thing.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that's the only environment you need to be a good and really enjoy working with the animals, you know, dogs and cats and enjoy what you do. You have that time experience, and Janet has been doing this for five to six years.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, about five years now.

SPEAKER_02:

So, I mean, she's been doing a long time, but she's really good. She's like, you know, what I would consider her she's like my lead assistant. She's like the mom. She gotta keep all the cubs in line, you know what I mean? Yeah, do all the stuff.

SPEAKER_03:

You're the mom. Wow. Well, how uh Carrington, how do you support both the medical team and pet owners during appointments?

SPEAKER_01:

Animals, when they come here for appointments, even if it's just a simple appointment, they're usually nervous, um, just like when kids go to the doctor. So um comforting the animals, making sure that we tell them it's okay. You know, we talk to them just as you would talk to a kid. Um And then a lot of times the owners are nervous too. Um it's just like, you know, if you've got young kids and you take them to the doctor as a parent, you're nervous too. Um so just comforting the owner too, and we just let them know that they'll be okay and that we always take the best care of the pet.

SPEAKER_03:

Give us some examples. How do you create a welcoming environment and and chill out a nervous pet?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, we have lots of treats um in our exam rooms and here in the back. So um we offer everybody treats. Usually with nervous dogs, offering them a treat is the way to you know, build trust with them. Um some dogs will turn a treat down, but most of the time they won't. If they turn the treat down, then we'll just give them extra pets, extra hugs, and just talk to them.

SPEAKER_02:

We kind of learn, I've learned over the years too, sometimes is taking if they're nervous, we take the dog or the cat away from mom and dad. It's kind of weird, and then spend some individual time with them, like me and the assistants, and then they get comfort in realizing they kind of see the hospital, the back, and then they realize kind of oh, everything's cool here. I can be okay without mom and dad. And they're actually oftentimes much easier to deal with that way. And then when we bring them back into the exam room to talk to mom and dad, they they can be a new dog cat. They're like, Oh, that's cool, you know, no big deal.

SPEAKER_03:

Huh. Interesting. Actually, I've I've seen a vet do that to me before because my dog was freaking out. Very cool. Well, if um from both of your perspectives, um if any of our listeners, viewers are interested perhaps in pursuing a vet assistant position somewhere, if that's something that that uh is their calling, what qualities do you think make somebody especially great in this role?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, if I'm gonna speak like Carrington, I mean, like I said, she's like mom, first of all, dedication. You know, you have to be dedicated, and she is. Your energy's gotta be good. If you're gonna be I mean, that's one thing. Dogs and cats can sense energy, I mean, to the core. It's probably one they're very emotionally, you know, they got great emotional senses. So you gotta have that, and you have to be willing to, I mean, learn. Um and because there's more to it. I mean, you uh, you know, like Carrington, she preps all my surgery stuff. You know, when I have surgery the next day, she makes sure it's all ready to go. So basically I just have to walk into the surgery, you know what I mean? But it's just years of repetition and knowing and working as a team. Me and her have to work as a team. You gotta be a good team member.

SPEAKER_03:

And just about anything. You gotta be a good team member. Carrington, what about from your perspective?

SPEAKER_01:

Um, well, pretty much everything Doc said, but I would add to um, you know, to have a good attitude. Um, it's always important to have a good attitude, especially here, um, because we just do a bunch of different things and it's not always easy. Sometimes it's stressful. Um, so just keeping a good attitude is important too.

SPEAKER_03:

All right, very cool. Well, thanks. We'll let you get back to it. And uh, Doc, we'll uh we'll see you in the next episode. Carrington, maybe we can have you back sometime.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, thank you.

SPEAKER_00:

Thanks for joining us on Tale Talk with Dr. O'Hara. If your four-legged family member needs a checkup, a stylish groom, or just a cozy place to stay, give us a call or text at 276-628-9655 or visit myabbingdonvet.com to book your appointments. Abingdon Animal Medical Center, a small town field with state of the art care and plenty of belly rubs.