Meet the Veterinary Teaching Hospital team: Chris Dumas

Chris Dumas is a licensed veterinary technician with the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s small animal surgery team.

Originally from Coral Springs, Florida, Chris has been helping to care for pets at WSU for the past four years. At home, he has three cats and three dogs, and during his free time, he enjoys doing home improvement and watching sports.

He recently took some time to discuss his experiences and veterinary medicine.

What is your typical day like at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital?

On a day-to-day basis, I help receive and work up patients, prep patients for surgery, set up and work the operating room, and scrub into surgery and provide help to surgeons.

Why did you choose a career in veterinary medicine?

I have known I wanted to work with animals since I was younger. After following the money and working several other jobs not in the animal field, about 10 years ago, I realized I wanted to work a job that made me happy and changed my career to where I am now.

What is your favorite thing about your job? What are the most rewarding aspects?

My favorite thing is that I am doing things – like assisting with pituitary surgeries – that no other person in my position is doing. I love that people travel the country for our services.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering a career in veterinary medicine?

Don’t do it for the money.

Do you have any pets?

I have three cats. Adagio is a cow kitty, and she plays the princess card often. There is Garbage cat, an orange long hair tabby. He is the oldest at 14, deaf, and completely in his own blissful world. Finally, there is Mr. T. He is by far way too smart to be in a cat’s body, and we are thankful he doesn’t have thumbs. I also have three dogs, Tornado, Jak, and Tuna. Jak and Tornado are typical Jack Russells, and Tuna is a great Pyrenees mixed with a Boston terrier – she was an accident.