2008 Units of Study - Year 4

Students are required to undertake periods of time on farms to learn aspects of farm management and the roles of veterinarians on farms. Students may have opportunities to practice their animal handling skills during these placements. The minimum compulsory period of extramural experience in Animal Husbandry is 25 days and is to be done after commencing the course. The number of days required for placement at each farm type is: horse 5 days, dairy 5 days, beef 5 days, sheep 5 days, pig 3 days, poultry 2 days. Students will undertake 5 days of practical classes at the University's Camden farms to develop handling skills with cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and poultry. Students can commence extramural farm placements only after successful completion of animal handling practical classes at Camden and completion of enrolment in all units of study in Years 1 and 2. Students may also undertake an optional 4 weeks of elective placements, which do not carry any assignment requirements.

This course teaches students about the planning and implementation of safe anaesthesia for small and large animals. Where possible case material from both Veterinary Teaching Hospitals is incorporated to highlight the clinical application of this unit of study. The focus is primarily on dogs, cats, horses and production animals; however discussion of other species is included. Within the scope of Veterinary Anaesthesia the course will cover: different anaesthetic agents and techniques for different species; anaesthesia for common disease conditions; equipment used in anaesthesia; pain management; and resuscitation techniques for cardio-pulmonary arrest. Lectures introduce the theory that underpins safe and humane anaesthetic practice. Tutorial classes reinforce and develop further the concepts discussed in lectures. Practical classes demonstrate to students the techniques and procedures performed routinely during clinical anaesthesia as well as life saving procedures that may be required in an emergency. Clinical Learning sessions introduce students to the Anaesthesia Unit at the UVC-S and provide opportunity for them to observe anaesthetic procedures and participate in clinical rounds.

Medicine commenced in third year as part of clinical sciences, and now continues through the first semester of fourth year. Resource sessions on diseases of various organ systems constitute the didactic component. Case based material will be utilised for tutorials and practical classes. Veterinary Clinical Pathology is integrated into the course and assists in the diagnostic process by providing laboratory information, which may also be utilized in monitoring response to treatment. Laboratory data analysis will form the major part of lectures and tutorials. The unit of study is based on the study of dogs and cats with reference to other animal species as necessary.

The course covers the radiographic appearance of the normal structure and function of the various organ systems commonly investigated by radiology. Students will be taught to recognise, describe and diagnose the changes in structure and function related to diseases that are commonly found in radiographs. There will be an introduction to the special radiological techniques, including radiological contrast studies that are commonly used to further demonstrate diseases. The role of diagnostic ultrasound in the diagnosis of the common diseases of soft tissues will also be covered.

Lectures, demonstrations and practical classes address the principles and practice of soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery in companion animals using an integrated, systems and problem-orientated approach. Practical classes provide instruction and practice in basic procedures such as desexing, cystotomy, gastrointestinal biopsy and resection, fracture fixation, surgery for cruciate ligament rupture, ophthalmic surgery, and other common surgical procedures.

The aim is to develop knowledge and skill in medicine of birds (including poultry). Emphasis is placed on the epidemiology, management and preventive medicine of chickens (commercial broiler and layer operations) and diagnostics, medicine and surgery of caged birds. For poultry, there is a large focus on how to approach a production or health-limiting problem on-farm to resolve any performance-limiting issues. The cage bird component covers a wide range of avian species including waterfowl, psittacine and passerine birds. It will address the collection and analysis of clinical, necropsy and clinicopathologic information to investigate individual bird and flock problems. It will cover individual bird and flock therapy. This unit of study also includes medicine of reptiles, "pocket pets" (rabbits, guinea pigs etc.), fisheries and aquaculture. The reptile and "pocket pets" component will cover anatomy and physiology applicable to clinical examination and common problems encountered in practice in Australia. Diagnosis and treatment of common conditions affecting fisheries and aquaculture species will also be presented. Students will gain experience handling representatives of the common species and performing common clinical procedures.

Horse Medicine and Surgery is designed to provide a foundation whereby students become competent to deal with a horse or horses experiencing common medical or surgical problems as would be encountered in mixed practice. Much of the lecture course utilises problem-based learning using a case-based approach. This approach is designed to augment skills developed in other disciplines including anatomy, pathology, microbiology and small animal medicine and surgery. The course is designed to assist the student in learning effective problem solving skills, determination of differential diagnoses and the judicious use of appropriate diagnostic aids when attempting to reach a diagnosis. Options and approaches to commonly used therapeutic measures are included. Areas of emphasis in the course include lameness, respiratory diseases, abdominal pain (colic), weight loss, diseases of foals, ophthalmology, reproductive management, dermatology and various other aspects of equine surgery and internal medicine. There are a series of practical classes designed to augment and expand the student's experiences in horse medicine and surgery.

The aim of this unit of study is to provide students with an understanding of the major factors driving the profitability and sustainability of the commercial pig industry. Students will be provided with the basic skills to resolve production and profit-limiting problems on pork production units. The emphasis is on managing endemic disease and preventive medicine, with consideration given to welfare aspects of intensively housed animals. Practical classes are designed to provide students with the opportunity to observe and participate in specialized husbandry and diagnostic practices undertaken on pig farms.

This course aims to facilitate deeper learning approaches to gain an understanding of diseases of ruminants within various livestock production systems. It uses a case-based approach with TILHAP's (Teaching Innovations in Livestock Health & Production) to demonstrate how systematic problem investigations provide an 'evidence basis' for implementing rational disease control by management at the herd and flock level on-farm. This process is extended to problem management at the regional, national and international levels, illustrating the numerous career paths for veterinarians in servicing the food and fibre industries, and preparing students for their extramural training as interns in rural mixed and public practice. The aim is for our graduates to: use systematic pathological and epidemiological principles in the conduct of investigations to diagnose the common management and disease problems of ruminants; readily obtain information from numerous knowledge resources that can lead to constructive advice, facilitating farm animal production and welfare; develop skills in animal handling, clinical examination, pregnancy diagnosis, specimen collection, necropsy procedures, use of diagnostic laboratories and farm animal medicine and surgery; apply their skills and knowledge in problem solving to design applied research and extension programs that promote disease control and prevention programs to assist optimal farm animal production.