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
• Develop your haematological skills by becoming adept at interpreting both normal and abnormal haemograms, identifying reticulocytes and discovering platelet and white cell abnormalities
• Improve your approach to patients with neutropaenia and marked leucocytosis

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:

• 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

Delivered online through our Moodle platform supported by the module tutor/speaker

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

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:

• 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

Delivered online through our Moodle platform supported by the module tutor/speaker.

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:

• 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:

• 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

Delivered online through our Moodle platform supported by the module tutor/speaker

 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:

• 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:

• 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

Delivered online through our Moodle platform supported by the module tutor/speaker

Key learning objectives:

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

Approach the pathophysiology, diagnosis and, where appropriate, treatment and management of common viral diseases in cats including FeLV, FIV and FIP and respiratory infections.

• 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:

• 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