Small Animal Medicine

Key learning objectives:

• Select appropriate diagnostic tests based on the clinical context and patient presentation.

• Perform and interpret blood smears and cytology from masses, joints, body cavities, urine and ear canals, recognising limitations and when biopsy is indicated.

• Collect and submit samples for microbiological culture and interpret culture and sensitivity results using antimicrobial stewardship and One Health principles.

• Obtain and interpret thoracic and abdominal radiographs and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS).

• Recognise key ECG patterns and artefacts and identify when findings require intervention.

• Place and manage feeding tubes (NG, NE and oesophagostomy) and integrate nutritional assessment, caloric needs, diet selection and obesity management into case care.

Key learning objectives:

• Differentiate vomiting from regurgitation and develop a prioritised differential diagnosis list for acute vomiting.

• Formulate diagnostic and management plans for vomiting patients in outpatient and hospital settings.

• Interpret haematology and biochemistry findings in vomiting patients.

• Diagnose and manage gastric ulceration and acute and chronic pancreatitis.

• Use abdominal POCUS appropriately in vomiting patients, recognising its indications and limitations.

• Recognise toxicological causes and systemic disease, including Addisonian crisis, and develop appropriate diagnostic and treatment plans.

Key learning objectives:

• Distinguish small and large intestinal diarrhoea and generate appropriate differential diagnoses for acute diarrhoea.

• Explain chronic enteropathy and dysbiosis and develop stepwise diagnostic and treatment plans for acute and chronic diarrhoea.

• Interpret gastrointestinal biomarkers, serology and parasitological and bacteriological faecal findings.

• Use pharmacological treatments appropriately, including understanding mechanisms, indications and side effects.

• Diagnose and manage protozoal infections including Giardia and Tritrichomonas.

• Integrate nutritional management and recognise extra-intestinal causes of diarrhoea.

Key learning objectives:

• Formulate a structured diagnostic plan for polyuria and polydipsia and interpret urinalysis, serum biochemistry and endocrine assays.

• Compare diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats and develop treatment and monitoring plans including insulin therapy and dietary modification.

• Recognise and manage diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic states.

• Diagnose hyperadrenocorticism and evaluate treatment options, drug mechanisms, patient safety and long-term follow-up.

• Describe the clinical features and diagnostic approach to feline hyperaldosteronism.

• Select nutritional strategies for endocrine disorders presenting with polyuria/polydipsia, including diabetes and hyperadrenocorticism.

Key learning objectives:

• Construct a problem-oriented differential diagnosis list and perform a structured clinical evaluation of the anorexic patient.

• Diagnose and manage feline hepatic lipidosis, canine hypothyroidism and feline hyperthyroidism, including the effect of comorbidities.

• Assess anorexia associated with renal, hepatic, neoplastic and haematological disease.

• Select and manage feeding tubes including NG, NE and oesophagostomy tubes, recognising indications and complications.

• Construct an appropriate nutritional plan, including caloric requirements and diet selection.

• Recognise anorexia as an early sign of systemic deterioration and adjust monitoring and intervention accordingly

Key learning objectives:

• Formulate a diagnostic plan for stranguria, haematuria, dysuria and urinary incontinence.

• Diagnose and manage urinary tract infections, feline idiopathic cystitis and urolithiasis, including struvite and calcium oxalate stones.

• Interpret urine culture results and distinguish contamination, asymptomatic bacteriuria and true infection.

• Evaluate urinary incontinence, including urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) and ectopic ureters.

• Diagnose and manage canine prostatic disease, lower urinary tract neoplasia and feline ureteric obstruction.

• Apply antimicrobial stewardship and select advanced imaging appropriately in complex or recurrent lower urinary tract disease.

Key learning objectives:

• Interpret red blood cell morphology and complete blood count data to distinguish regenerative and non-regenerative anaemia.

• Diagnose and manage immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA), thrombocytopenia, coagulopathies and immune-mediated polyarthritis.

• Select and perform appropriate blood transfusion protocols, including cross-matching and management of transfusion reactions.

• Recognise infectious causes of anaemia or jaundice, including haemoplasma, Ehrlichia and FIP.

• Develop a structured diagnostic and management approach to jaundice, including hepatobiliary and haemolytic differentials.

• Compare immunosuppressive treatments and develop monitoring and long-term management plans for immune-mediated and infectious haematological disease.

Key learning objectives:

• Construct differential diagnoses for abdominal distension and distinguish types of abdominal effusion including transudate, modified transudate, exudate, haemorrhagic and chylous effusions.

• Recognise and manage haemoperitoneum and gastrointestinal obstruction, including foreign bodies.

• Diagnose and manage acute pancreatitis, including supportive and nutritional care.

• Interpret radiography and abdominal ultrasound findings in abdominal distension and acute abdomen.

• Develop emergency triage and fluid resuscitation protocols for shock secondary to abdominal disease.

• Recognise protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) and abdominal feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), and plan follow-up and monitoring after acute abdominal disease.

Key learning objectives:

• Use a structured diagnostic approach to coughing or dyspnoeic dogs and cats and differentiate upper airway, lower airway, parenchymal, pleural and mediastinal disease.

• Interpret thoracic radiographs and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) findings in respiratory disease.

• Diagnose and manage common respiratory conditions including tracheal collapse, feline asthma and chronic bronchitis.

• Perform bronchoalveolar lavage appropriately and recognise pleural space and mediastinal disease.

• Develop an emergency management plan for dyspnoea, including oxygen therapy and stabilisation.

• Evaluate infectious respiratory disease and use antimicrobials in line with antimicrobial stewardship principles.

Key learning objectives:

• Perform and interpret a neurological examination to localise lesions in dogs and cats.

• Develop differential diagnoses and select diagnostic tests for seizures and ataxia.

• Manage status epilepticus and develop long-term management plans for epilepsy.

• Differentiate central and peripheral vestibular disease and distinguish seizures from syncope.

• Recognise infectious and inflammatory neurological disease including toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosis and FIP, and hepatic encephalopathy.

• Recognise toxicological neurological presentations and select appropriate treatment.

Key learning objectives:

• Perform fine needle aspiration (FNA) and interpret cytology, including round cell, epithelial and mesenchymal patterns and features of malignancy.

• Apply tumour staging principles and develop diagnostic and treatment plans for common neoplasms including mast cell tumours, lymphoma and lower urinary tract neoplasia.

• Design chemotherapy protocols including drug selection, dosing, side-effect management and monitoring.

• Apply safe chemotherapy administration protocols for veterinary staff and patients.

• Integrate palliative care, quality-of-life, nutrition and analgesia into management of incurable neoplasia.

• Communicate prognosis and treatment options effectively with owners, including ethical considerations and expectations.

Key learning objectives:

• Communicate effectively with clients and veterinary team members across different personality types, emotional contexts and clinical scenarios.

• Use active listening and emotional self-regulation during high-pressure consultations.

• Recognise occupational stress and burnout and apply strategies to support resilience and wellbeing.

• Use the Conversational AI simulator to practise complex or emotionally charged consultations.

• Reflect on the psychological demands of internal medicine practice and develop sustainable habits for long-term wellbeing and clinical performance.