VET340 Wildlife and Exotic Pet Medicine

Two independent modules;

Wildlife Helalth and Exotic Pet Medicine. Wildlife Health will look at the important aspects of health and disease of wildlife, with a focus on the Nordic ecosystems. Help the student to understand the connection between the health of wildlife, human health, domestic animal health and environmental status, using a One Health approach. The aim is for students to understand wildlife medicine on a population level and global perspectives, however some time will be spent at the individual level i.e. wildlife rehabilitation.

Exotic Pet Medicine covers birds, reptiles, rabbits, rodents and ferrets. The aim of this module is to equipe students with the basic skills and knowledge (Day one competence) to be able to treat these animals in clinical practice. Teaching will be through traditional and online lectures and case studies.

The course shall enable the student to:

Wildlife Health:

• Explain the concepts of disease and health in the wildlife context (D1C: 1.7, 1.9, 1.21, 1.38)
• Know the legislation and stakeholders that are relevant for management of disease and poor welfare in wildlife. (D1C: 1.3, 1.26)
• Understand the role of the veterinarian and animal health authorities with regard to disease and welfare of wildlife (D1C: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.25, 1.26)
• Know the connection between the health of wildlife, human health, domestic animal health and environmental status, using a One Health approach. (D1C: 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.29, 1.37)
• Know selected important and currently relevant diseases that affect or may affect wild animals, wildlife management or disease management in Norway. (D1C: 1.5, 1.9, 1.10, 1.16)

Exotic Pet Medicine

• Be familiar with the basic anatomy and physiology of the common exotic pets. (D1C: (1.9, 1.18)
• Understand the link between husbandry and health. (D1C: 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, 1.26, 1.38)
• Have a basic knowledge of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of the common diseases seen in exotic pets. (D1C: 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17, 1.18, 1.19, 1.20, 1.21,1.22, 1.23, 1.24, 1.25, 1.27, 1.28, 1.30, 1.31, 1.32, 1.33, 1.38)
• Explain the principles and execution of save methods of sedation, general anaestehsia and analgesia treatment of the commom exotic pets. (D1C: 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17, 1.18,1.20, 1.27, 1.28, 1.31, 1.32)
• Have the basic knowledge of the use of diagnostic imaging with X-ray examination of the most common exotic pets. Including how to use diagnostic imaging with radiographs as a diagnostic tool in the work up of common diagnosis seen in exotic pets. (D1C: 1.17, 1.20, 1.22, 1.23, 1.24)