Course description
This course introduces avian, exotic pet and laboratory animal clinical skills. Students are introduced to handling, restraint and medication administration methods as well as laboratory animal guidelines and research procedures. Off-site labs are required. These labs may take place outside of scheduled class hours.
Course content
Care and husbandry of exotics
- Breeds and species
- Handling, restraint and identification methods
- Husbandry and nutrition
- Physical examination
- Common diseases of small mammals, avians and reptiles
Clinical procedures
- Parenteral administration of drugs
- Blood sample collection
- Oral dosing
- Anesthetic and recovery procedures
- Beak, wing and nail trimming (avians)
- Post-mortem skills
Laboratory animal medicine
- Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) user training program
- Guidelines, legislation and regulations
- Ethics of using animals for research
Learning activities
Learning activities may include recorded lectures, group work, presentations, case studies, discussion boards, preparation of client education handouts, quizzes, written assignments, client communication simulations and guest speakers.
Means of assessment
Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on:
Lab evaluations: 10-30% (no single evaluation worth more than 10%)
Assignments: 20-50% (no assignment worth more than 20%)
Quizzes: 0-30% (no quiz worth more than 10%)
Term test(s): 0-20%
Final exam: 30-40%
Total: 100%
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- safely and competently perform small mammal and avian essential skills as designated by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association;
- identify common breeds and species of small mammals, reptiles and avians;
- safely restrain rodents, rabbits and avians;
- describe the husbandry and nutritional needs of small mammals, reptiles and avians;
- perform physical examination of rodents, rabbits and avians;
- perform basic care procedures for rodents and rabbits, such as nail trims;
- administer drugs parenterally to rodents and rabbits, and collect blood samples;
- describe common avian procedures such as beak, wing and nail trims;
- describe common diseases of exotic species, including symptoms, diagnostics and treatments;
- perform a post-mortem-style dissection and collect representative samples for laboratory analysis;
- explain the role of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) in maintaining the welfare of animals used for research and teaching;
- complete the CCAC animal user training program;
- discuss the ethics of and regulations for use of animals in research.
Textbook materials
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks may include:
- JM Bassert, AD Beal & OM Samples (Current Edition). McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians. Elsevier.