veterinarian

veterinary technician

medical director

veterinary assistant

veterinary receptionist

Carevet

Pros:
Each hospital is able to build their own workplace culture, and while CareVet has SOPs and expectations for overall business operations, they do not micro-manage the day-to-day.

Regarding working at the HQ office, I feel the office environment is overall positive. The HQ team is lean but efficient, and very hard-working. Each department has subject-matter experts that provide guidance in their areas of expertise, whether that be finance, accounting, HR, operations, marketing, or another area.

People who thrive here tend to be self-motivated, adaptable, forward-thinking, and collaborative. Work-life balance can be good if you are diligent about getting your work done and setting personal boundaries when you are out of office. Unlimited PTO helps with this. 

I do believe that the leadership team is open to feedback, which is refreshing. We do routine engagement surveys and take action on the constructive feedback we receive pretty quickly, which I have not found to be true in past workplaces.

I appreciate the innovative attitude the leadership team has.

Lastly, I really appreciate the fact that every single District Manager at CareVet has been a Hospital Manager, so the people most closely supporting the hospitals are people with industry-specific experience.

Cons:
As CareVet has grown, there have been growing pains. For a time, things felt a bit disorganized but the team has adapted and started to develop SOPs to better support our teams. While doing so, there has still been an emphasis on affording the hospital leadership teams the autonomy to build their own culture at the local level and run day-to-day as works best for their clientele and teams. I do think we have found a good balance but there is always room to improve on this.

HQ team is staffed on the lean side, which can make it difficult to keep up at busier times of the year. Collaboration and communication are key to overcoming this.

Advice to Management:
Provide more recognition opportunities for individual contributors at HQ. We celebrate some wins but not others.

Provide more opportunities for HQ team members to learn more about the veterinary industry. In addition to having us travel to visit a few hospitals each year, you could also have HQ team members with industry experience (i.e., District Managers), Veterinarians, or Hospital Managers present on specific challenges our hospitals face daily. Not only would it help build rapport with the hospitals, but it would also help HQ team members have more context and respect for what our teams go through.

More team-building for HQ team.

Continue HQ summit on an annual basis, but allot more time for each department to present or go over what their team is responsible for.

Continue hosting Hospital Managers annually to help build rapport and provide learning opportunities.

As an aside, I would love to see the 401k match increase now that we have grown a bit (Edited to Add: the 401k match increased and is now quite generous as of 1/2025 - I'm encouraged to see they took feedback and applied it quickly).

A Typical Day at Work:
A typical day at CareVet varies depending on your role, but at the hospital level, your experience is largely influenced by the leadership in that specific hospital. The day-to-day operations can be challenging but rewarding if your hospital leader fosters a positive environment and prioritizes collaboration.

What I Learned:
I’ve learned a great deal about leadership, team building, and advocacy during my time here. CareVet encourages personal and professional growth, and I’ve been able to implement ideas and contribute meaningfully to the organization.

Management:
In my experience, CareVet’s leadership trusts its employees and supports autonomy, which is something I deeply value. My leadership believes in me, wants me to grow, and does not micromanage. However, management at the field and corporate levels can vary significantly. The success of a hospital often depends on the field leader and their ability to support and collaborate with hospital managers.

Workplace Culture:
Overall, the workplace culture is positive, but it’s heavily influenced by individual leaders. Some hospitals view CareVet as "money hungry," which often stems from interactions with field leaders who focus too much on numbers. However, my experience has been that the company values knowledge, experience, and advocacy when communicated effectively.

The Hardest Part of the Job:
Two challenges stand out:
The lean corporate structure. While I appreciate the efficiency and caution against over-hiring, some departments (like Facilities) need additional support to ensure hospital requests are handled in a timely manner.
Compensation for field roles. Base salaries are often 20-30k below industry standards, which can be discouraging despite initial bonuses.

The Most Enjoyable Part of the Job:
The most rewarding part of working for CareVet is being heard and trusted. When I advocate for my team, my voice is not ignored, and I feel empowered to make a real impact. The company values ideas and innovation, which makes me feel like an integral part of the organization.

Overall:
CareVet has been a great place to work, with leadership that values autonomy, innovation, and growth. While there are areas for improvement—such as increasing support at the corporate level and addressing compensation discrepancies—I’ve had a positive experience overall. This is a company that listens and genuinely strives to improve.

Having spent a considerable amount of time at CareVet, I feel compelled to share my insightful and nuanced perspective on the company's work environment and culture. This extended review will delve into various aspects of my experience, offering a detailed account of both the positive and potentially improvable elements.

Firstly, let me emphasize the overall positive nature of my tenure at CareVet. The compensation structure is undeniably commendable, offering industry-competitive salaries and benefits. This financial recognition significantly contributes to employee morale and fosters a sense of value within the organization.

Furthermore, I have consistently encountered exceptional support from the HQ team. They demonstrably prioritize empowering managers like myself, providing the necessary resources and guidance to effectively lead and navigate the complexities of hospital management. While there is, of course, an inherent expectation of accountability and leadership – a standard prevalent in most managerial roles – the HQ team balances this with a supportive and collaborative approach.

Looking towards the future, I harbor genuine excitement for CareVet's continued growth and success. The company's dedication to innovation, combined with its commitment to its employees, instills a strong sense of optimism for the years ahead.

However, in the spirit of providing constructive feedback, I acknowledge that some online reviews may paint a different picture. It is crucial to remember that individual experiences can vary considerably within any large organization. While I wholeheartedly endorse my own positive observations, I respect the perspectives of others and recognize that their experiences may differ. My intention is not to dismiss their accounts but rather to offer a balanced and comprehensive overview of my own personal journey at CareVet.

In conclusion, I stand firmly behind my decision to join CareVet and envision a long and fulfilling career within this thriving organization. The combination of competitive compensation, supportive leadership, and a promising future outlook solidifies my conviction that CareVet is a truly exceptional employer. I encourage prospective candidates to consider their own priorities and values when evaluating online reviews, recognizing that individual experiences can be shaped by diverse factors.

I hope this lengthy and detailed review offers valuable insight for both current and potential CareVet employees. 

I worked in a very successful, profitable, respected veterinary hospital for over 25 years. I loved my job until CareVet completely burned me out. The first year went great. They were supportive and valued our opinions on what worked best at our clinic. After the first year was up things started to decline. We were forced to take three price increases within one year!! We were told we had to hire new staff members yet cut our current employees hours. We were not allowed to fire anyone. Even if there were life threatening mistakes made. They wanted us to hire new employees with no experience at a higher pay rate than our seasoned employees. The upper management micromanaged us. The only thing they cared about was the productivity score. I was the hospital manager on a 40 hour salary yet expected to work 60 plus hours every week. The hours over 40 counted against the productivity score even though I wasn’t paid for more than 40 hours . There was zero work life balance. Upper management had no idea of our current numbers and would make threats based off incorrect numbers. It started becoming clear that they do not want the hospital manager and hospital director to have a good working relationship. They tried on multiple occasions to come between us. Between not being able to fire incompetent employees and trying to turn us against each other and making us cut hours a very toxic environment developed. The majority of the staff quit. We couldn’t keep employees due to the focus on productivity numbers and cutting of hours. It quickly became apparent that I could no longer work there. It was no longer about treating pets and clients the way I would want to be treated. Instead it was all about price increases and how to tag on extra fees to increase the productivity score. I asked for an exit interview and was never granted one. If you care about pets and pet owners do not work for CareVet! 

I started with CareVet earlier this year as a veterinary assistant/receptionist. When I started, I loved my position and all that I was learning. But that changed VERY quickly for me. Within a month and a half, more than half of the staff was gone. Due to a delay in hiring by CareVet, we have almost NO staff to this day. As someone who just entered the field, I am being asked to do tasks I am not trained on and running the ENTIRE clinic by myself (open to close). I have felt very uncomfortable with what CareVet has asked me to do. I am asked to do managerial work, vet tech work, receptionist work, vet assistant work, and more all by myself because we do not have any staff. I was thrown into surgery with ZERO experience while having to run the clinic as well. At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m asked to be the vet as well. I will NEVER take my own animals to a CareVet veterinary office regardless of who the vet is due to the fact that I know how these offices are ran. I know that the staff will be severely short-staffed and asked to do work that they are not trained for. Would you feel comfortable with a vet assistant that had zero training in surgery with your pet? I wouldn’t! CareVet asks more and more from me with zero recognition or incentive, even though they offer these things for other staff to come in from other offices. I am leaving the company due to burn-out and more stress than I have ever experienced in my life so far. I highly recommend NOT working for CareVet if you value your worth and providing a great experience for the clients. 

They have no real understanding of what it takes to operate a hospital. Their ideal practice is one that is severely understaffed where a select few employees absorb the roles of many in order to increase profits. Turnover is high and those who leave are seldom replaced with no compensation for those who are forced to pick up the slack. They will draft profit targets but remain unsatisfied even when those targets are met and continue moving an ever-changing goalpost until employees and burnt out and fed up. Despite claiming to let practices operate independently and not being "one of those" corporations that change everything, they micro-manage everything and roll out partnerships and programs despite staff's resistance. Somehow even as they seem to dip their hands into everything, they still remain largely unreachable -- employee concerns and attempts at contacting higher-ups often fall on deaf ears, they'll say someone will be coming to meet with us but no one will show up, etc. They are not competitive with what other hospitals in the area are paying. They've raised prices so much that they've made even the most basic veterinary care inaccessible for most of our community, forcing loyal clients to take their business elsewhere and completely ruining our reputation. My hospital is fantastic because of my colleagues that operate under CareVet, but the corporation as a whole feels very shady, controlling, and disorganized. Would not recommend. 

Working for CareVet has been a meaningful and rewarding experience. The company places a strong emphasis on creating a supportive, compassionate workplace culture, and that has been one of the greatest strengths of my time here. CareVet consistently encourages collaboration, and communication,, and I've always felt that they truly care about the well-being of both their teams and their patients. The culture is driven by kindness, high standards, and a genuine effort to do what's right for the animals and the clients we serve.
CareVet fosters a culture of teamwork, mentorship, and continuous improvement. I appreciate that leadership is open to feedback and invested in providing resources to help practices succeed. There is a focus on celebrating wins, recognizing hard work, and supporting each other through the challenges that naturally come with veterinary medicine. Even during busy or stressful times, the environment feels collaborative, and I've had the opportunity to work with passionate, dedicated professionals who truly love what they do.
Overall, CareVet has been a supportive and growth – focused organization to be part of, and I'm grateful for the opportunities I've been given to develop both personally and professionally.

As someone who had only worked for privately owned companies prior to joining CareVet, I was admittedly nervous about making the transition to a corporate setting. You often hear that in “corporate America,” you’re just a number — but my experience with CareVet has been quite the opposite.

I’ve been with CareVet for a little over three years now and truly love this company. From my district managers (past and present) to my VPO and everyone else I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside, every interaction has been positive and supportive. I greatly value the professionalism, encouragement, and friendly one-on-one conversations I’ve experienced here.

My favorite part of working for CareVet is that my day-to-day still has a small-company feel. I’m not micromanaged, but there’s a huge team of support ready to help whenever I need it.

Being trusted to assist at other hospitals has made me feel genuinely valued, and I appreciate that CareVet provides meaningful opportunities for growth within the company.

Overall, I’m incredibly grateful to be part of an organization that not only values its employees but also invests in their success. I look forward to continuing to grow with CareVet and contributing to its mission of providing exceptional care and support — for both our teams and the pets we serve.

Carevet let's individual hospitals have a lot of say in how they run their practices which is not easy to find! DVMs have much more freedom compared to most other veterinary corporations. The job has many moving parts and requires you to be on top of your game (it can get challenging but very rewarding when you succeed). Pay is pretty decent, corporate is very supportive and most of important, this job is fulfilling!  Getting to help keep a business that saves animals open means the world to me.  Workplace culture is very healthy and we listen to each other's needs.  Even with a salaried position, I feel I have a good work-life balance and not burnt out.  The hardest part of the job is being vet medicine, it can be very emotional witnessing suffering pets but helping save pets balances it all out and knowing you are part of helping a pet not suffer.  Also, watching budget, labor, and revenue can be hard when unforeseen circumstances arise.  The best part is team support and it's definitely worth it working here if you're up for the challenge and personal growth. 

Apparently, beer is served at CareVet HQ. Guess what we got as a Christmas bonus? CareVet branded cheap socks and a tumbler. That should be anyone’s cautionary tale as to the way non-DVM staff are treated. The deep lack of basic respect and dignity combined with the arrogance and inexperience of the new medical director have driven clients and staff alike away from a clinic that was a benchmark in the communities we served.

HQ will ignore questions, refuse to take accountability for mistakes, yet move the productivity goalposts back every quarter because someone’s gotta pay for all that beer. We earn the beer for them, and they get to drink it. 

Clients can no longer afford basic care and preventatives because prices have doubled in our clinic and are leaving, but the masters are thirsty,  so we guilt those clients into paying the bill so that we earn more beer that we’ll never get to drink 

Staff are exhausted from fulfilling multiple roles within the clinic, but the masters won’t hire more staff because that cuts into the beer budget

Staff have spoken out about problems in the clinic, and would really just like one of the beers we handed over but the response from the masters was loud and clear: let them wear socks

Don’t work for this company if you have any self-worth. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Veterinarian 99 salaries reported	$143,914 per year
Veterinary technician 19 salaries reported	$20.24 per hour
Medical director 22 salaries reported	$170,909 per year
Veterinary assistant 18 salaries reported	$16.71 per hour
Veterinary receptionist 12 salaries reported	$16.13 per hour

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