Why is the experience of going to the vets a negative one for some animals? Is it the anticipated pain, the way the place smells, the colour of the waiting room, the noises coming from the consulting room, or something else?
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Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Describe the theories and concepts of animal welfare and animal behaviour.
Explore different animal welfare approaches, techniques, and skills in different clinical areas.
Investigate how to implement good animal welfare practice in a clinical setting in relation to specific species.
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There are 4 modules in this course
In this first week, we look at animal welfare as a science, how we can use evidence to make objective measures to determine whether an animal is experiencing positive or negative welfare, and why it is so important in the veterinary clinic. We’ll also look at what constitutes normal cat, dog, and rabbit behaviour, what motivates canine aggression and what we can do if an owner reports aggressive behaviour in their dog.
What's included
17 videos4 readings2 assignments4 discussion prompts
This week we are examining what owners can do to help their animal companions better cope in the clinic BEFORE they arrive, what clinic staff can do to help reduce anxiety for the pet once they have entered the building, and we will define the terms ‘trigger stacking’ and ‘building a welfare bank account’. How to improve patient welfare and reduce stress in the waiting room and consulting room will also be explored this week by examining the latest scientific evidence, and we will also discuss the techniques and benefits of low stress handling, how to perform a low stress examination on a cat, dog, and rabbit, and how to handle a cat or dog that is behaving aggressively.
What's included
14 videos2 readings1 assignment3 discussion prompts
This week we are going to delve into what we can do to make the preparation room, also known as the treatment room, less worrying for our patients. We will discuss pre-emptive, multi-modal analgesia prior to going for surgery, and the difference between light anaesthesia and nociception. We’ll also consider what we can do to make the operating room, and the kennels or recovery area more welfare focussed, and the ways in which we can improve the clinic experience for the long-term inpatient.
What's included
8 videos3 readings1 assignment3 discussion prompts
This week we are talking about pain in rabbits, cats and dogs – how to recognise it, how to score it, how to treat it, and why, physiologically, treating acute pain is so vital. We’ll also study pain pathways, multimodal analgesia, the post operative advice we can give to owners to ensure good welfare continues when they take their animal home, and what owners can do to enrich the lives of their pets if they must be strictly rested for an extended period of time.
What's included
14 videos4 readings1 assignment4 discussion prompts
Instructors
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Animal Health
The University of Edinburgh
University of California, Davis
University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Edinburgh
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Reviewed on Aug 23, 2024
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