Week 1

Nutrition and Husbandry at Home

Dietary requirements

Environmental needs

Incorrect feeding problems

Obesity

Tempting rabbits to eat hay

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Discuss the nutritional requirements of rabbits and why these are important

Recognise problems related to incorrect or poor diet and the implications these have on health and welfare

Appreciate that rabbits need large enclosures, which allow them to exhibit normal behavioural patterns.  These are important from a health and welfare perspective. We will examine what rabbits need to be happy

Understand obesity and how to implement a weight loss programme for rabbits

List various methods to encourage picky rabbits to eat hay!

Week 2

Preventative Healthcare

Neutering – when and why

Vaccination – myxomatosis, RVHD1 and RVHD2

Endo and ectoparasites

Flea treatment

Worming treatment

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand the best time to neuter rabbits

Appreciate why we should be neutering all rabbits – health, welfare and behavioural benefits

Know all the latest vaccination information and background on these fatal viruses

Know which endo and ectoparasites can affect rabbits and the clinical signs

Discuss if rabbits require prophylactic flea and worm treatment, and if so, when?

Week 3

Implementing Rabbit Clinics and Client Evenings in Practice

Setting up rabbit clinics

Running client evenings

What to discuss

Health checking

Benefits to the practice

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand that client education is imperative but there is more than one way to deliver this

Discover the benefits of both rabbit clinics and client evenings

Know what should be discussed and the clinical examination to help detect problems

Appreciate why being a rabbit friendly practice is of benefit to you!

Week 4

Common Medical Diseases

Gastrointestinal stasis and blockages

Dental disease

Urinary tract disease

E. cuniculi

Myxomatosis and RVHD

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Describe the common conditions that rabbits present to veterinary practices and require hospitalisation

Ascertain if a rabbit has gastrointestinal stasis or a blockage – differences and treatments

Identify clinical signs and causes

List the treatment options

Describe preventative measures to help ensure rabbits remain healthy

Week 5

Rabbits in the Practice

Reducing stress

Hospitalisation

Gold standard rabbit nursing

Medicating

Fluid therapy and blood sampling

Supportive feeding

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Understand that everything that we do to rabbits whilst they are hospitalised induces some degree of stress.  Learn ways to reduce this, which are easily achieved in practice

Appreciate that hospitalised rabbits can require in-depth care which can be daunting. Learn how to effectively nurse rabbits to ensure optimum care

Learn how to medicate rabbits in an effective and safe manner is imperative, as well as how to syringe feed, deliver fluid therapy and acquire successful blood samples with minimal stress to the rabbit or nurse!

Week 6

Rabbit Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Signs of pain

Analgesia options

Making rabbit anaesthesia safer

Monitoring under general anaesthesia

Learning objectives
After completion of this week, participants should be able to:

Review rabbit anaesthesia and learn how to build up your confidence, including pre op, intra op and post op care. Anaesthetising rabbits can be overwhelming but doesn’t need to be!

Know the clinical signs rabbits show when they are in pain, and learn how to use the Rabbit Grimace Scale

Review the analgesics available for rabbit medicine

Understand the parameters monitored during anaesthesia – including CO_2, SPO_2,reflexes, HR, RR and BP readings