Exotic Animal Practice

Key learning objectives:

• Understand how to collect diagnostic samples including sampling sites and blood volumes, faecal, urine and bone marrow samples
• Interpret haematological and biochemical profiles based on knowledge of normal values and the changes which occur in disease processes
• Evaluate bone marrow samples
• Describe how to collect and evaluate cytological samples
• Appreciate microbiological investigation of exotic animals

Key learning objectives:

• Revise the correct storage, dispensing and labelling of medicines
• Understand the pharmacokinetics, potential interactions and adverse effects of common therapeutic agents including anaesthetics, anti-inflammatories, analgesics, anti- microbials and anti-parasitics.
• Describe what immunisation options exist for exotic patients
• Delivery of drugs to exotic pets and zoo animals

Key learning objectives:

• Identify the type of fluid replacement required
• Calculate fluid requirements
• Appreciate different administration techniques and cannulation techniques
• Select appropriate agents for the restraint, pre-medication, induction and maintenance of anaesthesia
• Monitor anaesthesia
• Apply knowledge of emergency and resuscitation techniques in anaesthesia to clinical situations if required
• Understand the basic principles of emergency and critical care medicine of exotic pets

Key learning objectives:

• Appreciate the value of imaging techniques in mammals, reptiles and avian species including:
  • Review radiography and radiology of soft tissues and the skeleton
  • Revise contrast media techniques
  • Describe ultrasonography and echocardiography of exotic patients
  • Become familiar with the principles of endoscopy including the respiratory, gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts

Key learning objectives:

• Understand basic surgical techniques, surgical neutering and coelomic surgery
• Use knowledge gained to implant microchips
• Apply knowledge gained to performing various oesophagostomy techniques
• Describe how to repair shell and beak defects
• Explain the use of radiosurgery in exotics
• Approach the orthopaedic patient and understand the common fracture types in different species, the principles of internal and external fracture repair and muscle tendon adhesions

Key learning objectives:

• Explain the investigation and treatment of gastro-intestinal diseases in birds
• Investigate and treat diseases of the upper and lower airways including the nares, sinuses, and infections such as Chlamydophilosis and Aspergillosis
• Approach beak and feather disease and feather plucking
• Understand urogenital tract disease including excessive egg laying, egg binding, cloacal disease and orchitis
• Manage trauma cases including fractures

Key learning objectives:

• Describe the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of common skin diseases including ectoparasitic, bacterial, viral, fungal and endocrine disorders
• Understand diseases affecting the gastro-intestinal tract including Tyzzer’s disease, wet tail, dental malocclusions and coccidiosis
• Transform your approach to the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disorders
• Approach the diagnosis and treatment of endocrine conditions
• Develop your understanding the diseases which affect the reproductive and urinary tracts
• Appreciate conditions which affect the CNS
• Understand sebaceous gland dermatitis, reproductive and adrenal gland disease affecting the skin and behavioural induced skin disease in gerbils

Key learning objectives:

• Diagnose and treat dermatological diseases
• Investigate and treat gastrointestinal diseases including motility disturbances, mucoid enteropathy and diarrhoea
• Formulate a treatment plan for dental disease including overgrown teeth and traumatic injuries to teeth, treatment of abscesses and caries
• Be familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract disease including Pasteurellosis
• Understand conditions affecting the musculoskeletal and nervous systems including vestibular disease
• Investigate and treat reproductive and urinary tract diseases
• Describe common infectious diseases such as E cuniculi, myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease

Key learning objectives:

• Diagnose and treat ectoparasitic, bacterial, fungal, viral and neoplastic skin disease in ferrets
• Investigate and treat diseases affecting the gastrointestinal, respiratory and urogenital systems in ferrets
• Understand infectious diseases in ferrets such as distemper, tuberculosis, Aleutian disease and human influenza
• Assess disease patterns, environmental factors and fish husbandry and apply these to quarantine and disease prevention strategies
• Perform clinical examinations and have a knowledge of anaesthesia, medication and therapeutics with respect to fish
• Diagnose and treat common skin diseases, ocular disorders, respiratory and internal disease and have an understanding of the principles of fish surgery

Key learning objectives:

• Review the husbandry and diseases of small pet marsupials such as sugar gliders, wallabies and opossums and how to treat them
• Outline the husbandry and diseases of pet skunks and how to treat them
• Describe the husbandry and diseases of Procyonids such as the raccoon, coatimundi and kinkajou and how to treat them
• Explain the husbandry and diseases of Herpestids such as the dwarf mongoose and meerkat and how to treat them
• Understand the husbandry and diseases of Asiatic short clawed otters and how to treat them
• Review the husbandry and diseases of African pygmy hedgehogs and how to treat them
• Detail the husbandry and diseases of Prairie dogs and how to treat them
• Increase your knowledge on the husbandry and common conditions affecting pet amphibians and how to treat them
• Outline the husbandry and diseases of commonly kept invertebrates and how to treat them

Key learning objectives:

• Formulate an approach to the sick reptile including post hibernation anorexia and hypocalcaemic collapse
• Diagnose and treat dermatological conditions including dysecdysis, scale rot and abscesses and metabolic, nutritional and infectious bone and shell disorders
• Diagnose and treat common gastroenterological disorders including mouth rot, vomiting and regurgitation and liver disease
• Approach respiratory and cardiovascular disease including pneumonia and lungworm
• Investigate respiratory tract and reproductive disease
• Understand the common infectious diseases of reptiles

Key learning objectives:

• Formulate an approach to the restraint, anaesthesia and trauma management of wild birds and mammals
• Diagnose and manage common disorders of the following wildlife species: the red fox, badger, hedgehog, bats, deer, small mustelids (Weasels, Stoat, Polecat, Pine Martens), otter, wild cats, squirrels, wild lagomorphs, seals, rodents, wild birds, reptiles and amphibians
• Approach rehabilitation of wildlife
• Understand the zoonotic diseases which affect particular species of wildlife

Key learning objectives:

• Diagnose, treat and prevent ectoparasitic, bacterial, viral, fungal and neoplastic skin diseases
• Understand gastrointestinal disease including bacterial gastroenteritis, gastric dilation, diarrhoea and dental caries
• Appreciate diseases affecting the cardio-respiratory system
• Describe metabolic/ nutritional bone disease, musculoskeletal and neurological disease, arthritis and limb fractures
• Investigate and treat infectious diseases
• Diagnose and treat diseases of the urogenital tract including endometrial, ovarian and mammary disease

Key learning objectives:

• Approach the routine health-care management and common disease problems of zoo animals
• Review how to restrain zoo animals
• Understand drug delivery systems, immobilisation and anaesthetic regimes