Introduction to Nursing Exotic Patients
A six week online tutored CPD course with John Chitty
Week 1
The Rabbit Consultation
- Handling, examination and history taking
- Preventative care
- Making your clinic rabbit friendly
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Appreciate the importance of stress reduction in rabbits, including during hospitalisation and examination
- Understand essentials of preventive care of rabbits
- Understand handling and therapeutic techniques in rabbits
Week 2
Anaesthesia of Small Furries
- Basic anaesthesia
- Reducing stress around anaesthesia
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Describe a holistic approach to stress reduction in the peri-anaesthetic period to improve anaesthetic success rates
- Prepare a patient for anaesthesia
- Understand how to provide airway support for rabbits
Week 3
Examination of Parrots
- Handling and examination of parrots
- Basic husbandry of parrots
- Routine grooming techniques
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Achieve safe handling techniques for parrots
- Understand the basic husbandry of pet parrots and how this relates to disease
- Appreciate and apply the techniques of beak, nail and wing trimming and understand how issues with these adnexa may reflect systemic disease
Week 4
Avian Anaesthesia and Imaging
- Basic anaesthesia techniques
- Introduction to avian radiography and ultrasound
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Appreciate basic anaesthetic techniques, including induction and intubation, to improve anaesthetic success rates
- Take a well-positioned radiograph and interpret the image
- Understand the indications for ultrasonography in birds
Week 5
Reptile Examination Techniques
- Handling
- Examination techniques
- History taking, including the husbandry review
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Achieve safe handling techniques of reptiles – snakes, lizards and chelonia
- Perform a basic examination of these species
- Appreciate the role of husbandry in reptile disease and how to conduct a full husbandry review
Week 6
Reptile Anaesthesia, Imaging and Hospitalisation
- Basic anaesthesia techniques
- Introduction to reptile radiography and ultrasound
- Hospitalisation requirements for reptile species
Learning objectives:
By the end of this week, delegates should be able to:
- Appreciate basic anaesthetic techniques, including the importance of ventilation and when to use it
- Take a well-positioned radiograph
- Perform ultrasonography in reptiles
- Understand the hospitalisation needs of reptile species