Vetco Total Care Hospital Relief Veterinarian - Pekin, IL
Listed compensation
$131-$164/hr
The week · per this postingWeekdays only
Ask the employer about the work setting and time off.
Job Description
Petco Veterinary Services offers relief veterinarians the chance to work in two distinct settings: Vetco Vaccination Clinics and Vetco Total Care full-service veterinary hospitals. In both environments, you'll have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of pets every day.
As a relief veterinarian with Petco, you'll enjoy flexible online scheduling, allowing you to choose shifts that work best for your lifestyle. There's no minimum or maximum number of shifts required, and we offer a variety of weekday and weekend hours to fit your needs. You also have the freedom to set your own rate for each shift, ensuring you have control over your compensation. Continue practice activities outside of Petco shifts and enjoy NO agency fees!
Our appointment-based model helps manage patient flow and ensures you're able to leave on time, while our trained, experienced staff handles the operations, letting you focus on providing the best care possible. Stay up to date with important clinic news, policy updates, and product announcements through our monthly newsletter. And as a bonus, enjoy a 15% discount on all Petco products and services, perfect for treating your own pets.
What's the difference between Vetco Vaccination Clinics and Vetco Total Care Hospitals?
Vetco Vaccination Clinics: These clinics focus on basic wellness checks, vaccinations, heartworm testing, and microchip placement. We do not offer surgeries, emergency, or illness care. Our locations are primarily within Petco stores, with a few housed in advanced mobile van units.
Vetco Total Care: These full-service veterinary hospitals offer a complete range of services, from preventive care and diagnostic workups to outpatient surgeries and dental procedures.
Our hospitals are equipped with digital dental X-rays, Butterfly IQ+ Vet ultrasound imaging, and fully equipped surgery suites, including heated hydraulic surgery tables, full anesthesia monitoring, and more.
Licensed and trained hospital staff ensure the highest standards of care, with no overnight or emergency on-call shifts.
Requirements
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine state license in good standing
- Appropriate state-specific licensing to perform all shift functions including the ability to perform blood draws & administer vaccines
- DEA in good standing required for full-service Vetco Total Care hospital relief shifts
- Ability to provide Professional Liability Insurance + license defense policy
- Compliance with all local state and federal mandates
Ready to Make a Difference?
Vetco Vaccination Clinics and Vetco Total Care full-service hospitals provide access to high-quality veterinary care in 48 states. Help us continue providing exceptional care to pets across the country. Explore available locations for relief shifts and discover where you can make an impact.
Together, we're making pet healthcare better.
Send an email or schedule a call directly with one of our Talent Advisors to learn more! Explore all open shift locations on the Vetco Clinics website.
Illinois state bid rates average $131.00-$164.00/hr. Shift rates may vary depending on the clinic location and duration of the selected shift.
Key Responsibilities
Provide high-quality veterinary care in either a vaccination clinic or a full-service hospital setting. Perform medical duties including wellness checks, diagnostics, and surgical procedures while maintaining patient flow.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Certifications
Key Skills
Veterinary Medicine Career Context
The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$307k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $307k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Of the 50 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 98% have no call, 98% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 8.7 / 10 · top 5% in veterinary medicine | ranked against 3,030 Veterinary Medicine listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $272k–$341k | Veterinary Medicine median $137k (middle half $123k–$170k)16 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$307k in purchasing power | Illinois index 100.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Veterinary Medicine listings in Illinois | 153 active | 3,087 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 98% no call · 98% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | Illinois healthcare professional listings: 38% state a sign-on bonus (median $50k) · 14% offer loan repayment205 active listings, Oct 2026 |
| New Veterinary Medicine listings | 929 in the last 30 days | 508 the 30 days before (+83%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Veterinary Medicine pay trend | +2.9% vs prior quarter | —through Sep 2026 |
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Vetco Total Care Hospital Relief Veterinarian - Pekin, IL at Vetco Clinics a 8.7 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 5% in Veterinary Medicine — ranked against 3,030 active Veterinary Medicine listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties, no weekend requirements, no night shifts.
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