VT 105 Animal Nursing III (Exotic Animal Medicine)
Spring Quarter
Instructor: Dr. Salvador Hurtado
Office: 110-Q. Phone: 964-6665
Office Hours: Monday 11-1; Tuesday 12-1;
Thursday 11-1; or by arrangement
E-mail: shurtado@pierce.ctc.edu
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The student will develop a basic understanding of various exotic animal species
commonly treated in veterinary clinical practice. The husbandry and general
characteristics of each species will be discussed; topics will include restraint, parenteral
injections, laboratory sample collection techniques, housing, nutrition, common diseases
and their treatment.
MATERIALS OF INSTRUCTION:
Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents by Hillyer and Quesenberry, second edition. (Optional)
Lecture note packet.
LECTURE SCHEDULE:
Week #1
Introduction; husbandry of birds
#2
Husbandry of birds
#3
Husbandry of rodents
#4
Husbandry of rodents
#5
Exam; Husbandry of rabbits
#6
Husbandry of rabbits
#7
Husbandry of the ferret
#8
Husbandry of reptiles
#9
Exam; Husbandry of reptiles
#10
Husbandry of ornamental fish
LABORATORY SCHEDULE:
Week #1
Birds: restraint, parenteral injection sites, and laboratory specimen collection*
#2
Rodents
#3
Rodents
#4
Rodents
#5
Rabbits
#6
Ferrets
#7
Reptiles
#8
Ornamental fish
#9
Oral reports
#10
Oral reports
*These procedures will be discussed for all species
GRADING SYSTEM:
2 Midterm written exams (100 pts. each)
Final written exam
Oral report
= 200
= 100
= 25
325 Total Points
Exams will cover both lecture and laboratory material
Grades will be assigned based on the percentage of total points attained in accordance with the
departmental grading system.
Wearing an approved uniform is required in all lectures and laboratories.
Students with disabilities who believe they may need academic adjustments, auxiliary aids or
services to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements are encouraged to
register with the Access and Disability Services (ADS) Office, Welcome Center, 3rd floor of the
Cascade Building. You may also call the ADS Office to make an appointment to meet with the
ADS Coordinator at (253) 964-6468 or 964-6526.
Students requesting accommodations must obtain the “Approved Quarterly Academic
Adjustments, Auxiliary Aids or Services” (green) form provided by ADS before any adjustments
are made.
Emergency Procedure
Call 911 and then Campus Safety in response to an imminent threat to persons or property.
In the event of an evacuation (intermittent horns & strobes), gather all personal belongings
and leave the building using the nearest available safe exit. Be prepared to be outside
for one hour and stay a minimum of 200 feet from any building or structure. So long as it is
safe to do so students are expected to stay on campus and return to class after evacuations
that last less then 15 minutes. Do not attempt to re-enter the building until instructed by
an Evacuation Director (identified by orange vests) or by three horn blasts or bell rings.
Please notify the nearest Campus Safety Officer or Evacuation Director of any one left in
the building or in need of assistance. Should a class be cancelled, it is your responsibility to
keep up on reading, homework, and deliverable assignments.
Fort Steilacoom Campus Safety (253) 964-6751
Puyallup Campus Safety (253) 840-8481
Animal Nursing III Oral Reports
Each student will be expected to make an oral presentation during the laboratory period on weeks
9 and 10 of the quarter. The topic of the presentation will be a common medical disease that
affects exotic animals kept as pets. Students may choose the animal and the disease to present
based on their own interest. The oral presentations should be 3-5 minutes long. The format and
content of the presentation will be left to each student to determine, but it must effectively
communicate the essential information regarding the disease (see grading rubric).
Sample Topics for Animal Nursing III Report
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Internal parasitism in exotic animal species.
External parasitism in exotic animal species.
“Snuffles” in rabbits.
Diarrhea in rabbits.
GI stasis in rabbits.
Feather picking in birds.
Substances or materials toxic to birds.
Chlamydiosis in birds.
Beak abnormalities in birds.
Egg binding in birds.
Malnutrition in birds.
Antibiotic induced gastrointestinal disease in guinea pigs.
“Scurvy” in guinea pigs.
Hyperestrogenism in intact female ferrets.
Adrenal gland tumors in ferrets.
Pancreatic tumors in ferrets.
Vitamin A deficiency in turtles.
Metabolic bone disease in reptiles.
Dysecdysis in reptiles.
Respiratory infections of rats and mice