Description
This CPD course is aimed at veterinary nurses working in general practice
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!
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Claire = 65 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Crossword quiz = 10 minutes
- Written assignment – rabbit enclosure design = 30 minutes (to be submitted before 5pm Friday of week 6)
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?
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Claire = 50 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
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!
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Claire = 50 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
- Written assignment – client information leaflet = 30 minutes (to be submitted before 5pm Friday of week 6)
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
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Claire = 70 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Multiple choice questions quiz = 10 minutes
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!
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Claire = 60 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Crossword quiz = 10 minutes
- Written assignment – practice protocols = 30 minutes (to be submitted before 5pm Friday of week 6)
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 CO2, SPO2,reflexes, HR, RR and BP readings
Learning materials this week:
(released on Monday morning for on demand learning until the course ends – approximate timings)
- Pre-recorded tutorial with Claire = 55 minutes
- Further reading = 60 minutes
- Forum discussion topic = 10 minutes
- Crossword quiz = 10 minutes
- Written assignment – anaesthesia guide = 30 minutes (to be submitted before 5pm Friday of week 6)
The course will be fully tutored by Claire Speight and will consist of 15 hours of CPD given in various formats, including tutorials, tasks, case studies, forum discussions and quizzes. This course is tutored for 6 weeks, followed by a two week extension of untutored ‘catch up’ time, before the course officially ends.
All delegates will then have unlimited lifetime access to the learning material for future reference
Rhiannon M –
really good course, I learnt a lot.
Rated: Introduction level
Madison G –
This course was amazing! Rabbits are a really brushed over subject within veterinary, and it gave me a lot of information about them in every aspect of their care, that has helped me understand them better, and share what I have learnt with the rest of my team.
Rated: Introduction / Intermediate level
Matthew B –
Informative and provided a lot of useful knowledge that can be used within practice
Rated: Introduction level
Peter G –
Great course, Really informative, lots of useful hints and tips to make rabbit care even better
Rated: Intermediate level
Liz C –
This course has been brilliant. A mixture of basic information I already knew along with new ideas i can take back into practice. The course was well put together and all information has been given at appropriate times. The written assignments have been really useful in making me think and remember the information I have been given.
Rated: Intermediate level
Debbie M –
I really enjoyed the course and I have learnt loads, I hope to be able to make some changes in my practice with my new found knowledge.
Emma C –
Excellent. Assignments took time to complete
Cadi M –
I thoroughly enjoyed the 6 week course, the content was in-depth and I learnt a lot! Will definitely be taking what I learnt back to practice to improve our rabbit patients experience by sharing my new knowledge with colleagues.
Melissa P –
Very informative and well explained topics. Interesting and thought provoking tasks, that will be useful in practice.
Emma T –
Amazing course covered all aspects of rabbit care, tutorials were very informative and the assignments were all useful!