VETS 411 - Preventative & Shelter Medicine

Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 2
Laboratory Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): None

Restriction(s): Restricted to students enrolled in the BS Veterinary Technology major or permission of instructor.

Corequisite(s): None

The course includes both practical experience and theoretical coursework concerning preventive and shelter medicine. The practical experience provides additional opportunity to develop skills in the areas of preventive medicine and nursing including, but not limited to, safety, restraint, specimen collection, laboratory procedures, and nursing procedures. Common infectious and parasitic diseases of small animals, their diagnosis and treatment, vaccinations and other preventive medicine will be covered in depth from both a general medicine and shelter medicine perspective. The course is given in cooperation with local humane organizations.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Course:

The student will be able to perform physical exams, venipunctures, injections, and other oral and topical medication techniques with improved confidence.
The student will understand common small animal medical conditions, diseases, and preventive medicine protocols.
The student will be able to perform common diagnostic tests including serology, complete blood cell counts, serum chemistry, urinalysis, fecal analysis, and cytology.
The student will understand about vaccination, protocols, administration, and their application to animals based on risk assessment.