12/27/2024 5:37:25 AM	VETT 123 Course Outline as of Summer 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  VETT 123	Title:  SMALL ANIMAL VET EMERG
Full Title:  Small Animal Veterinary Emergencies
Last Reviewed:8/28/2023

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	2.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	2.00	Lab Scheduled	0		8 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	2.00			Contact Total	35.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 105.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  ANHLT 123

Catalog Description:

Students will study both theoretical and practical aspects of assisting the veterinarian in the management of small animal (dog and cat) medical and traumatic emergencies. This class will include recognition, assessment, and triage of the emergent veterinary patient. Common specific emergency situations will be reviewed, including underlying cause, diagnostics, initial treatment, and ongoing intensive patient care.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of VETT 50

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Students will study both theoretical and practical aspects of assisting the veterinarian in the management of small animal (dog and cat) medical and traumatic emergencies. This class will include recognition, assessment, and triage of the emergent veterinary patient. Common specific emergency situations will be reviewed, including underlying cause, diagnostics, initial treatment, and ongoing intensive patient care.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of VETT 50
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe and discuss the role and typical tasks of veterinary technicians in treating veterinary emergencies.

2. Identify and describe the techniques and tools used to assess emergency patients.

3. Identify and describe the needs for patient stabilization, treatment of common emergency conditions, and intensive patient care.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe physical examination and triage in an emergency medicine context.

2. Describe typical emergency patient care as would be required to be a functional member of a treatment team and effective client communication.

3. Explain the use of laboratory tests and imaging techniques in emergency medicine.

4. Discuss the unique husbandry and supportive medicine needs of emergency and unstable patients including fluid therapy, nutritional therapy, pain management, and ICU patient monitoring.

5. Identify the physiologic mechanisms and effects of cardiovascular shock and discuss the rationale of current treatment protocols.

6. Describe and recognize cardiopulmonary arrest and discuss current treatment protocols including Cardiopulmonary-Cerebral Resuscitation (CPCR).

7. Discuss the recognition and treatment of respiratory aspect of emergencies including a variety of administrations of oxygen therapy.

8. Identify the events and phases of normal wound healing and discuss the principles of wound therapy.

9. Describe the general principles and techniques of trauma management, including wound healing and bandaging.

10. Describe the recognition and treatment of common emergencies on a system basis, including gastrointestinal, ophthalmologic, neurologic, metabolic, and hematologic emergencies and toxicities.

11. Identify normal and abnormal parturition patterns and discuss typical dystocia management including neonatal care.

Topics and Scope

I. The Emergency Examination

    A. Phone triage and client communication

    B. Common problems requiring immediate treatment

    C. Triage and physical examination

    D. Role of veterinary team members in emergency patient care

    E. Diagnostic testing in an emergency context

II.  Emergency Patient Care

    A. Monitoring equipment

    B. Pain assessment and analgesics

    C. Fluid therapy and intensive care catheterization

    D. Oxygen therapy and airway management

    E. Cardiovascular monitoring including electrocardiograms and central venous pressure

    F.  Wound healing and bandaging

    G. Neurologic assessment and acute central nervous system injury

    H. Nutritional needs and support of intensive patients

    I. Common medications in emergency medicine

    J. Calculations for emergency medicine

III. Specific Conditions

    A. Cardiovascular shock

    B. Cardiopulmonary arrest and CPCR

    C. Trauma and injury assessment

    D. Dystocia and reproductive emergencies

    E. Neonatal care

    F. Toxicities and decontamination

    G. Emergency endocrine and metabolic conditions

    H. Acute ophthalmologic injury, care, and treatment

    I. Coagulopathies and hematologic emergencies

Assignments:

1. Reading in texts and handouts (20-40 pages/week)

2. Reading, summarizing, and answering questions regarding case studies or emergency protocols

3. Case report(s)

4. Performance of mock exercises in emergency or ICU patient care

5. Creation and evaluation of emergency medicine protocols

6. Quizzes (3-10) and exam(s) (1-3)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 20%
Case report(s); protocol creation
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 30%
Participation in mock exercises; case report(s)
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 50 - 80%
Quizzes and exam(s)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care for Veterinary Technicians. 4th ed. Battaglia, Andrea. Saunders. 2020.

Veterinary Technician's Manual for Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. Norkus. Wiley. 2018 (classic).

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