I am currently a veterinary assistant attending vet tech school. As placing catheters is part of the program, I agree that it is a fairly easy skill to learn. However, I'd argue that the issue at hand is more significant than just placing catheters. To have an LVT present to place the catheter means there's an LVT around to supervise the monitoring of anesthesia, to intubate, to review labwork, etc. As an assistant I can perform all the tasks associated with monitoring anesthesia, I know the normal ranges and for the most part I know what's abnormal and I can alert the vet. But, prior to attending the program could I actually read an ECG and understand it? No. Could I correct minor abnormalities such as bradycardia or low BP? Sure, but I couldn't begin to evaluate the underlying cause. Could I save a crashing patient? Well, I could hand my vet the atropine and epinephrine, and I could pray. At my previous hospital I read hundreds of differentials, and by "read" I mean identify the leukocytes from a pictogram on the wall - but there was so much more that I was missing because I was not properly trained. I have worked at a clinic that did not employ an LVT and in retrospect there was an egregious amount of oversight in the health of the patients. The role of the LVT is invaluable and cannot simply be replaced by training assistant's to place catheters.