If you have a dog or cat, you may have had to take him or her to the vet because they got sick or injured. However, when you get there, you rarely see the vet immediately. Usually, a vet tech or vet assistant will look at your pet and ask you questions. After all that, the vet may see your pet to administer medications or take x-rays. However, there is a difference between a vet tech and vet assistant.
A vet tech is on a higher level than a vet assistant. A vet tech may provide treatment and some forms of medication to a pet, whereas a vet assistant merely helps the vet tech or vet. A vet tech gets a salary, whereas a vet assistant gets paid hourly.