Small Animal Medicine

Key Learning Objectives

• Understand the rationale behind selection of appropriate tests for your patients
• Consider the different sampling techniques, sample processing and identify factors that may affect them
• Become familiar with the clinical pathology of hepatobiliary and renal disease
• Structure your approach to anaemia to differentiate between non-regenerative and regenerative types before determining possible underlying causes
• Transform your understanding of haemostasis to enable you to determine when, why and how it goes wrong
• Use your knowledge to interpret laboratory data from clinical patients to help you prioritise further investigations

Key learning objectives:

• Understand the principles and practical aspects of cytological sample collection, storage and preparation
• Maximise the value of your microscopy skills
• Perfect your ability to describe the principles of routine cytological examination and how this informs a cytological diagnosis
• Transform your understanding of the different cytological characteristics of effusions, aspirates and lavage samples
• Familiarise yourself with some of the conditions most commonly diagnosed by cytology

Key learning objectives:

• Develop your understanding of deglutition and dysphagia
• Familiarise yourself with the pathophysiology of:
  • Regurgitation
  • Acute and chronic vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
• Enhance your diagnostic approach to gastrointestinal abnormalities
• Describe the principles and basic use of endoscopy in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease and when it is indicated

Key learning objectives:

• Improve your understanding of the pathophysiology of hepatic and hepatobiliary disease
• Devise a systematic diagnostic approach to the jaundiced patient
• Perfect your investigative approach to suspected hepatobiliary disease
• Understand the pathophysiology of exocrine pancreatic disease
• Describe the investigative approach to acute and chronic exocrine pancreatic diseases
• Discuss the therapeutic options in hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases

Key learning objectives:

• Review the principles of radiography, radiology and the significance of radiation protection
• Appreciate the use of contrast radiography in a variety of situations and using a variety of techniques
• Understand the principles of ultrasound imaging
• Familiarise  yourself with the basic principles of advanced imaging
• Compare and contrast CT and MRI as diagnostic tools

This practical day will include: 

• Case based discussion
• Film reading session
• Practical abdominal ultrasound scanning

Key learning objectives:

• Develop your ability to critique radiographs
• Enhance your skills in interpreting radiographs in a systematic and thorough manner
• Practice your ultrasound imaging skills to help you to differentiate between normal and abnormal abdominal structures

Key learning objectives:

• Learn the basis of immune function and the immune response to better understand the pathophysiology of immune-mediated disease
• Develop your diagnostic approach to common immune-mediated diseases in small animals
• Transform your understanding of the basis of therapy for immune-mediated diseases
• Discuss the use of common immunosuppressive therapies

Key learning objectives:

• Get to grips with the underlying principles of endocrine anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology
• Become familiar with the clinical signs and diagnostic approaches in cats and dogs with endocrine disorders such as
  • Hypo and hyperadrenocorticism – common and uncommon presentations
  • Hypo and hyperthyroidism
  • Primary and Secondary hyperparathyroidism
• Understand the basis of medical and (where appropriate) surgical management for diseases affecting the adrenal, thyroid and parathyroid glands

Key learning objectives:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical signs associated with endocrine pancreatic disease including insulinoma
• Describe the investigation and management of diabetes mellitus and diabetic ketoacidosis in the dog and cat
• Get to grips with understanding the causes of failure to control diabetes and the approach to the unstable diabetic patient
• Understand the pathophysiology of pituitary endocrine diseases
• Become familiar with the clinical signs, investigation and management of pituitary endocrine disease in the dog and cat

 Key learning objectives:

• Be able to understand the principles of tumour biology and staging
• Formulate a general investigative approach to the cancer patient
• Develop your understanding of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical oncology
• Familiarise yourself with the therapeutic management of common canine and feline neoplasms
• Enable yourself to recognise and manage common oncologic emergencies

Key learning objectives:

• Diagnose and treat Haemoplasma infections
• Explain the diseases of hunting cats including toxoplasmosis, pox virus, mycobacterial disease and salmonellosis
• Approach enteric infections of the cat including protozoal disease (Trichomonas foetus, Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Isospora) and bacterial/viral disease
• Understand fungal mycoses
• Control infectious and zoonotic disease in the home, clinic, shelters and cattery situations

Key learning objectives:

• Familiarise yourself with a thorough and systematic approach to the assessment of the critically ill patient’s major body systems
• Enhance your understanding of the minimum database and its’ interpretation
• Implement your assessment of your patients when considering their fluid, electrolyte and transfusion requirements
• Understand the principles and practical aspects of critical patient monitoring
• Recognise imminent cardiopulmonary arrest more promptly
• Learn how to select and apply both basic and advanced life support

This module includes a practical session where the following techniques will be reviewed:

• Placing a tracheostomy tube
• Thoracocentesis
• Chest drain placement and appropriate management

Key learning objectives:

• Compile a list of the major infectious diseases in dogs
• Describe the diagnosis and management of common infectious diseases in dogs 
• Familiarise yourself with the clinical signs of significant imported diseases occurring in dogs 
• Understand the principles of vaccination and vaccination regimes
• Learn the steps involved in the pet travel scheme
• List notifiable diseases in dogs

Key learning objectives:

• Extend your understanding of the principles and importance of a physical examination in patients with suspected cardiac disease
• Familiarise yourself with the principles of electrocardiography
• Integrate your understanding of the approach to electrocardiographic interpretation to help you identify common arrhythmias
• Improve your evaluation of thoracic radiographs in reference to cardiac patients
• Understand the basic principles of echocardiography and its role in diagnosis of cardiac disease

Key learning objectives:

• Recognise and understand the events involved in the pathophysiology of cardiac failure
• Define systolic and diastolic failure
• Appreciate the species differences in prevalence of congenital and acquired cardiac diseases
• Describe the major congenital cardiac diseases in dogs and cats
• Transform your understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of acquired valvular, myocardial and pericardial diseases
• Familiarise yourself with the therapeutic options and their applications in patients with cardiac disease
• Learn how to manage emergency cardiac patients for improved outcomes

Key learning objectives:

• Understand the diagnostic techniques available to investigate urinary disease
• Delve into the detail of the pathophysiology of acute and chronic renal failure, glomerular disease and proteinuria
• Develop your investigative approach into renal disease
• Improve your therapeutic management of such cases

Key learning objectives:

• Describe and understand the factors involved in the development of crystalluria and urolithiasis in cats and dogs
• Understand the principles of management of lower urinary tract disease in cats and dogs
• Explore the often complicated management of FLUTD and urethral obstruction
• Examine the possible causes of urinary incontinence, their diagnosis and management
• Classify canine prostatic diseases and understand their pathogenesis, diagnosis and medical management

Key learning objectives:

• Develop a problem-solving approach to skin diseases
• Describe the steps involved in dermatologic examination in cats and dogs
• List and understand the techniques used for the laboratory investigation of skin disease and when they should be used
• Recommend a rational problem-solving approach to the investigation and treatment of :
  • Alopecia
  • Pruritus
• Become familiar with the common presentations of bacterial, parasitic and fungal skin disease
• Identify common dermatologic manifestations of systemic disease and their pathogenesis

Key learning objectives:

• Revise your understanding of the principles of functional neuroanatomy
• Become adept at a thorough and systematic neurologic examination to help you localise lesions
• List and understand further diagnostic techniques available to investigate neurologic disease
• Consider the investigation and management of common neurologic syndromes
• Understand the steps involved in the investigation into the aetiology of seizures in dogs and cats
• Improve your ability to manage seizures in an emergency and longer term.

Key learning objectives:

• Perfect your ability to perform common ophthalmic examination techniques:
  • Basic neuro-ophthalmological examination
  • Ophthalmoscopy: Distant Direct; Close Direct & Indirect
  • Correct use of Fluoroscein for corneal evaluation
  • Tonometry & Gonioscopy
• Get to grips with current ocular therapeutics: what do you need to have on your pharmacy shelf?
• Familiarise yourself with the medical management of common ocular conditions
• Identify the ocular manifestations of systemic diseases
• Be able to recognise common ocular conditions that require surgery

Key learning objectives:

• Improve your understanding of the importance of a detailed and thorough physical examination
• Integrate a dyspnoea algorithm into your investigations of respiratory disease
• Develop an understanding of the importance of diagnostic aids in the investigation of respiratory disease: radiography; endoscopy; ultrasonography and cytology
• Consolidate your knowledge of upper and lower airway disease, parenchymal and pleural space disease
• Familiarise yourself with the principles of primary and ancillary respiratory therapeutics
• Learn the best approach to the acute management of the dyspnoeic patient