Large Animal Clinics

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
VTEC 2107
Descriptive
Large Animal Clinics
Department
Veterinary Technology
Faculty
Science & Technology
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
30
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Contact hours

Lecture: 2 hours/week

and

Lab: 2 hours/week

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Learning activities

Learning activities may include online video lectures, written assignments, discussion board, classroom activities such as case studies, student presentations, poster sessions, and interactive flipped classroom group work. 

Practical skills will be taught using pre-lab videos, video and instructor evaluations, on-site dry labs and off-site live animal instruction at farms and large animal veterinary facilities. 

Course description
This course covers aspects of large animal veterinary technology. Topics include the restraint, physical examination, husbandry, medical procedures, surgical procedures and general healthcare of equines, ruminants and other farm animal species.
Course content

Breed recognition:

  • equine, bovine and small ruminant breeds

General nursing skills:

  • stress-free handling and restraint
  • twitches, halters, chutes
  • complete physical examination including
    • assessment of vital signs, body condition score and hydration
    • thoracic and abdominal auscultation

Large animal procedures:

  • hoof care and grooming
  • permanent identification
  • oral medication administration
  • injection sites, administration of injectable drugs and venipuncture
  • equine leg wraps, woundcare and bandaging
  • disbudding and dehorning
  • regional nerve blocks for lameness assessment

Large animal husbandry and healthcare:

  • biosecurity and housing
  • preventative healthcare programs and herd health targets
  • vaccination protocols and administration of vaccines, dewormers and other medications
  • respiratory syndromes, lameness, colic, peri-parturient diseases and other common conditions
  • equine nutritional needs and disease prevention
  • nutritional requirements for dairy and beef cattle, with emphasis on feeding for different types of production
  • feeding recommendations for pigs, poultry, sheep and goats
Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • demonstrate equine and ruminant essential skills designated by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, using live animals;
  • recognize common breeds of equines and ruminants;
  • safely handle and restrain equines and ruminants;
  • perform husbandry care for equines and ruminants;
  • observe biosecurity protocols;
  • perform physical examinations of equines and ruminants including vital signs, auscultation and body condition score;
  • complete medical records for equines and ruminants;
  • safely perform procedures in equines and ruminants, such as medication administration, bandaging and venipuncture;
  • discuss wound care as it applies to large animal species;
  • discuss appropriate analgesia and common anesthetic techniques used in equines and ruminants;
  • develop preventative healthcare programs, including vaccination schedules, for both equines and production animals;
  • discuss the nutritional needs of equines, and the food types and feeding methods used in equine nutrition;
  • discuss and compare the nutritional needs of and feeding methods for, ruminants (for milk, wool and meat production), pigs, and poultry.
Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the ÌÇÐÄvlog´«Ã½Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester.

In order to achieve a grade of C (or higher) in the course, students must:

  • demonstrate competency (a performance of 60% or higher) in an evaluation of each of the assigned essential skills
  • attend a minimum of 80% of the scheduled labs
  • achieve a final minimum grade of 60% in each of the lecture and lab components of the course

Evaluation will be based on:

Lab evaluations: 10-40% (no single evaluation worth more than 10%)

Assignments: 10-40% (no assignment worth more than 20%)

Quizzes: 0-20% (no quiz worth more than 10%)

Term test(s): 10-20%

Final examination(s): 30-40%

Total: 100%

Textbook materials

Consult the ÌÇÐÄvlog´«Ã½Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Required textbooks and materials may include:

  •  JM Bassert, AD Beal. (current edition) McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians. Elsevier.
Prerequisites

VTEC 1201 and VTEC 1202 and VTEC 1203 and VTEC 1204 and VTEC 1205

Students in the Veterinary Technology program are required to maintain a minimum grade of C in all courses in order to progress in the program.

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

(VTEC 2407 and VTEC 2417) = VTEC 2107

Which prerequisite