COURSE OUTLINE
VET 151
Dept. No.
Dept. Abbr.
Small Animal Veterinary Technology with Lab
Course No.
Course Title
____4__
Credit(s)
Prepared by
Science &
Allied Health
______
Department
Faculty
C. Gargamelli
Program Coordinator
_______
9/2/15
Cluster Chairperson
Date
______________________
_________
Reviewed by
______________________
Department
Cluster Chairperson
Dean
Date
Course Description
VET *151
SMALL ANIMAL VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY WITH LAB
4 credits
Nursing procedures in small animals and laboratory species are discussed. Topics include physical examinations,
common medical nursing techniques and emergency care. Long term nursing care of common animal conditions
will be discussed including client education. The course includes vaccination protocols, nutritional support and
specialized problems encountered in companion and laboratory animals. Relevant clinical cases will be utilized in
lecture discussions.
Prerequisites: VET* 100 and VET* 101, each with a grade of “C” or better, and proof of Rabies Vaccination.
General Objectives of the Course
Learning Objectives:
Students completing the course will be able to:
 Describe the general care protocols for small and laboratory animals including daily health checks, postoperative care assessments, medicated bathing and nail trimming procedures.
 Describe the special care procedures for geriatric, pediatric, and recumbent animals.
 Describe and demonstrate procedures for assessing body temperature, heart and respiratory rates in small
and laboratory animals.
 Perform patient triage and understand survival prediction indices.
 Describe emergency resuscitation concepts and procedures.
 Explain methods of determining the hydration status of patients; calculate fluid requirements for
rehydration and replacement therapy in patients.
 Differentiate between sensible and insensible losses.
 Explain routes of fluid administration therapy and monitoring procedures for fluid therapy patients.
 List canine and feline blood types; describe the procedures for cross matching and blood transfusions.
 Describe methods of physical therapy practices in small animal practice.
 Describe the procedures in respiratory therapies used in small animals.
 Describe common diseases of small and laboratory animals.
 Describe small animal vaccination protocols.
 Explain zoonotic diseases of small and laboratory animals including methods of prevention, treatment
and control.
 Describe common diseases of the eyes, ears, and explain methods of diagnosis and treatment in small
and laboratory animals.
 Describe common cardiac disorders of small animals and methods of diagnosis and treatment.
 Describe common endocrine disorders of small and laboratory animals including methods of diagnosis
and treatment.
 Describe common urogenital, gastrointestinal disorders of small and laboratory animals and explain
methods of diagnosis and treatment.
 Describe common orthopedic disorders of small animals.
 Understand nutritional objectives and principles in feeding companion and laboratory animals.
 Describe the components of a nutritional assessment for small and laboratory animals.
 Describe special dietary considerations in feeding adult, pediatric, geriatric, pregnant, lactating, injured,
and health compromised small and laboratory animals.
 Explain routes and methods of providing nutritional support to hospitalized patients.
Specific Objectives of Instructional Unit
Unit No
I
II
Instructional Unit
Preventative health care programs
for small and laboratory animals
Small Animal and Laboratory
Animal Medical Nursing
(The specific objectives reflect the behavioral outcomes,
which include what the student will be able to do at the
completion of the unit. Evaluation is then to be based on
the student's accomplishment of these objectives. Assume
that each statement is prefixed with "The student will be
able to".)
1.
Exposure to proper husbandry, and various breeds
and anatomy of various animal species.
2.
Be able to define appropriate preventative health
care programs for various species.
3.
Discussion of appropriate nutrition plan for
various species
4.
Define and understand appropriate preventative
health care programs for various species. Wellness
care including vaccination protocols, deworming
protocols will be emphasized
1.
Describe general care of small and laboratory animals,
including bathing, grooming, ear cleaning and nail trimming
procedures
2.
Explain the special considerations in the care of recumbent,
geriatric, and pediatric patients
3.
Describe the procedures for obtaining body temperature, blood
pressure, pulse rate character, and respiratory rate
4.
Differentiate between sensible and insensible fluid losses and
explain methods used to determine patient hydration status and
calculate fluid requirements for rehydration of patients
5.
List routes of administration of fluid therapy treatments and
describe monitoring procedures used for fluid therapy patients
6.
Describe the indications for and procedures used in blood
transfusion and oxygen therapies
7.
List the canine and feline blood groups and describe procedures
for blood typing and cross-matching
8.
List and describe the five methods of physical therapy used in
small animal practice
9.
Describe the indications for and procedures used in respiratory
and topical therapies in small and laboratory animals
10. List and describe common diseases of dogs, cats, and
laboratory animals and provide an overview of small animal
vaccines and vaccination protocols
11. Define zoonosis and identify common zoonotic conditions and
methods of control of zoonotic diseases
12. List common diseases of the eyes and describe methods for
diagnosis and treatments
13. List and describe common cardiac and endocrine disorders of
dogs, cats, and laboratory animals and describe methods of
diagnosis and treatment
14. List and describe common urogenital and gastrointestinal
disorders of dogs, cats, and laboratory animals and describe
methods for diagnosis and treatment
15. List and describe common orthopedic disorders encountered in
small animal practice
III
Small Animal and Laboratory
Animal Surgical Nursing
1.
Describe the preoperative, intraoperative, and
postoperative responsibilities of the veterinary
technician in surgical assistance
2.
Describe indications and use of prophylactic
antibiotics for surgical patients
3.
Describe signs of blood loss in the postoperative
patient
4.
Discuss concerns related to hypothermia in
anesthetized patient and describe methods for
increasing patient body temperature
intraoperatively and postoperatively
5.
Describe postoperative abnormalities that can
occur in surgical incisions
6.
Describe the procedure for removal of skin sutures
7.
Discuss general considerations for care of
bandages and drains
8.
List and describe indications, preoperative and
intraoperative, and postoperative considerations
for common elective procedures in dogs and cats
9.
List and describe indications, preoperative,
intraoperative and postoperative considerations for
common non-elective procedures in dogs and cats
10. List considerations related to client education for
discharged surgical patients
IV
Small Animal Emergency Nursing
1.
List the components in an emergency care
station/crash cart.
2.
Discuss standard triage protocols used in
evaluation of a small animal trauma patient
3.
Discuss possible secondary complications of
trauma and critical illness, including pain, DIC,
shock, and cardiopulmonary arrest, and their
recommended therapy or resuscitation protocols
4.
Discuss small animal blood donors, blood types
and blood transfusion protocols
5.
List the objectives of monitoring critical care
patients and discuss the approach to patient
monitoring based on the principles of triage and
body system anatomy
6.
List common emergencies in small animal
veterinary medicine
7.
List equipment, supplies, and medications needed
to respond to small animal emergencies
8.
List the minimal data base collected during
assessment of small animal emergency patients
Describe initial management, assessment,
diagnostic and treatment procedures for common
small animal emergencies
9.
10. Describe procedures for placement and
maintenance of IV catheters
11. Discuss considerations in development and
implementation of fluid therapy in emergency
situations
12. Describe indications for use of blood and blood
products and procedure for their use.
V.
Small Animal and Laboratory
Animal Diagnostic techniques and
nursing skills
1.List and describe general principles for the collection of
samples for laboratory testing
2. Understanding different diagnostic modalities used in a
variety of hospital settings, how to obtain diagnostic
samples and understanding the importance of proper
collection of the diagnostic samples and interpretation of
the samples will be discussed.
3.Describe the patient’s preparation, positioning and
procedures for blood collection from peripheral veins of
small and laboratory animals
4.Describe indications and procedures for performing
thoracocentesis, abdominocentesis, fine needle aspiration,
blood typing etc. and describe advantages and
disadvantages
5.List and describe procedures for the collection of urine
samples from small and laboratory animals and give
advantages and limitations of each method
6. List the routes used for administration of medications in
small and laboratory animals and describe procedures for
administration of medication by each route.
7. Describe the procedure for placement and care of a
peripheral intravenous (IV) catheter
8. Describe general care of small and laboratory animals
including bathing, grooming, ear cleaning and nail
trimming procedures
VI
Animal Behavior
9.Describe the procedures for obtaining body temperature,
blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate in small and
laboratory animals
1. Define behavior wellness and explain the importance of
behavior wellness programs in pet animal practice.
2. Differentiate between positive reinforcement, positive
punishment, negative reinforcement and negative
punishment.
3.Describe aspects of social behavior and social hierarchies
in dogs, cats, and laboratory animals
4.List criteria that define behavioral health in dogs and cats
5.Define socialization and identify critical periods of social
development in dogs and cats
6. Describe methods of dealing with threatening and
aggressive animals.
7. List and describe common products used for behavior
modification in dogs and cats and handling aggressive
animals.
VII
Small and Laboratory animal
nutrition
1.
List the legal requirements of pet food labels and
considerations in evaluating pet food label
information
2.
Describe the considerations in evaluating homeprepared diets
3.
Describe the components of a nutritional
assessment for dogs, cats, and laboratory animals
4.
List special considerations in feeding adult,
pediatric, geriatric, pregnant, lactating, injured and
ill dogs,cats, and laboratory animals
5. List and describe routs and procedures for
VIII
Nursing concepts in alternative
medicine
1.
providing nutritional support to hospitalized
patients.
Describe considerations in the development of
home-prepared diets for dogs and cats
2.
List the commonly used nutraceuticals and
describe their therapeutic uses
3.
List the commonly used Western herbs and
describe their therapeutic uses
4.
List the common ingredients found in Chinese
herbal and ayurvedic herbal formulas
5.
Describe the principles of aromatherapy and list
common aromatherapy oils and their uses
6.
Describe the basic principles of homeopathy and
list forms of homeopathic preparations and
considerations for storage and administration
7.
Describe the principles of flower essence therapy
and list common flower essences and their uses
8.
Define applied kinesiology and list the techniques
used for a patient’s assessment and treatment
9.
List the theories that describe the principles of
acupuncture and describe the role of the veterinary
technician in acupuncture therapy
10. List and describe the physical modalities used in
alternative and complementary medicine