Course Description
This course covers aspects of large animal veterinary technology. Topics include the restraint, physical examination, husbandry, medical and surgical procedures and general healthcare of equines, ruminants and other farm animal species.
Course Content
Breed recognition
- equine, bovine and small ruminant breeds
Safe restraint and physical examination:
- twitches, halters, chutes
- assessment of vital signs, body condition score and cardiorespiratory systems
- thoracic and abdominal auscultation
Large animal procedures:
- hoof care and grooming
- permanent identification
- oral medication administration
- injection sites, administration of injectable drugs and venipuncture
- equine leg wraps, woundcare and bandaging
- disbudding and dehorning
- regional nerve blocks for lameness assessment
Large animal husbandry and healthcare:
- biosecurity and housing
- preventative healthcare programs and herd health targets
- vaccination protocols and administration of vaccines, dewormers and other medications
- respiratory syndromes, lameness, colic, peri-parturient diseases and other common conditions
- equine nutritional needs and disease prevention
- nutritional requirements for dairy and beef cattle, with emphasis on feeding for different types of production
- feeding recommendations for pigs, poultry, sheep and goats
Learning Activities
Learning activities may include online video lectures, written assignments, discussion board, classroom activities such as case studies, student presentations, poster sessions, and interactive flipped classroom group work.
Practical skills will be taught using pre-lab videos, video and instructor evaluations, on-site dry labs and off-site live animal instruction at farms and large animal veterinary facilities.
Means of Assessment
Evaluations will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. A final minimum cumulative grade of 60% is required in both lecture and lab components, in order to obtain a C grade in this course. Evaluation will be based on the following:
Lab Assessments 20-50% (no assessment worth more than 25%)
Assignments 20-50% (no assignment worth more than 25%)
Midterm 10-20%
Final Examination 20-40%
Total 100%
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- recognize common breeds of equines and ruminants;
- safely handle, restrain and examine horses and ruminants;
- perform husbandry care for equines and ruminants;
- observe biosecurity protocols;
- measure and assess the vital signs and body condition score of equines and ruminants;
- safely perform common procedures such as permanent identification, record keeping, medication administration, bandaging and venipuncture in equines and ruminants;
- discuss wound care as it applies to large animal species;
- discuss appropriate analgesia and common anesthetic techniques used in equines and ruminants;
- develop preventative healthcare programs to promote optimum health in both equines and production animals;
- discuss the nutritional needs of equines, and the food types and feeding methods used in equine nutrition;
- discuss and compare the nutritional needs of, and feeding methods for, ruminants (for milk, wool and meat production), pigs, and poultry.
Textbook Materials
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Required textbooks and materials may include:
- JM Bassert, AD Beal. (current edition) McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians. Elsevier.