Agricultural Sciences
Animal Health Technology (AHT) - Courses
Year 1 Required Courses | CREDITS | |||||
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VS | 101 | Anatomy and Physiology | 3 | |||
This course covers the gross, microscopic and functional anatomy and physiology of domestic animals. | ||||||
VS | 102 | Animal Behaviour and Handling | 3 | |||
This lecture/lab course covers small and large animal restraint and physical examinations. Animal behaviour, and introductory nursing care. | ||||||
VS | 103 | Animal Care and Nursing I | 3 | |||
This course provides an introduction into the general day-to-day tasks required within a veterinary clinic. Students learn how to properly maintain medical records, as well as proper clinic sanitation. The protocols associated with an isolation ward and biosecurity are also covered, as they relate to both small and large animal facilities. Students are provided with an overview of livestock operations in Canada, including horse, poultry, swine, dairy, beef, and sheep. Production systems and current issues in different livestock industries are discussed. Animal welfare issues affecting small and large animals are discussed. Students also perform clinic duty rotations in the College Animal Hospital. This includes care and maintenance of clinic supplies, and clinic sanitation. |
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VS | 104 | Communications I | 3 | |||
This course introduces core communication skills that are essential to working in the veterinary field. Both verbal and written communication skills are addressed. Veterinary terminology is also covered and is reinforced in all other courses in the Animal Health Technology program. The lab section of this course consists of a very brief review of basic computer skills. The main focus is on using a veterinary software program. Co-requisites: VS101, VS102, VS103, and VS105. |
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VS | 105 | Surgery I | 3 | |||
Surgical preparation is a vital part of every veterinary hospital. In this course, emphasis is placed on equipment operation and maintenance, instrument identification and care as well as the maintenance of the surgical suite to ensure a sterile environment is maintained. Patient care in conjunction with the protocols required to clip and scrub the animal for surgery is also covered. | ||||||
VS | 106 | Laboratory Procedures I | 3 | |||
In this course a variety of laboratory subjects are covered including hematology, urinalysis, clinical chemistry and microbiology. Students are introduced to the different laboratory techniques used and the theory necessary to understand and interpret them. Prerequisites: VS101, VS103, and VS104. | ||||||
VS | 107 | Animal Care and Nursing II | 3 | |||
This course offers the Animal Health Technologist an opportunity to practice restraint, physical examinations, injections and venipuncture techniques on both large and small animals as well as rabbits and birds. Students are also responsible for the care and medical records on kenneled patients. Students learn about administering medications, general nursing care as well as disinfectants in veterinary clinics and on farm. An introduction to the husbandry, handling, and clinical diseases of ferrets, rabbits, pocket pets, exotics and birds is covered. Prerequisites: none. | ||||||
VS | 108 | Anesthesia and Analgesia | 3 | |||
Principles and concepts of anesthesiology are discussed. Topics covered include pre-surgical patient preparation, anesthetic agents and adjuncts, pharmacological calculations, anesthetic monitoring equipment as well as the proper administration and monitoring of anesthesia. | ||||||
VS | 109 | Nutrition | 3 | |||
This course provides a general overview of the basics of nutrition, digestion, feed components, and nutritional deficiencies of both monogastrics and ruminants. Students are exposed to small animal prescription diets and the role they play in the prevention and management of disease. The steps involved in performing a nutritional assessment plan as well as how to implement a nutritional action plan is also discussed. | ||||||
VS | 110 | Animal Diseases I | 3 | |||
This course gives students an awareness of the most commonly recognized diseases in small animal veterinary practice. The emphasis is on the technologist's role and students discuss case management, disease prevention, treatments, nutrigenomics and diagnostic testing. The lab component of VS 110 covers the anatomy and physiology of all body systems. Prerequisite: VS 101 | ||||||
Year 2 Required Courses | CREDITS | |||||
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VS | 201 | Animal Care and Nursing III | 3 | |||
This course is designed to review lecture material in restraint and physical examination of all species. Students learn about fluid therapy, fluid calculations, wound care, bandaging, senior pet counseling, gross pathology, rehabilitation and general nursing care. In the lab component, students perform common technical skills required in practice. |
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VS | 202 | Surgery, Dentistry and Pain Management | 3 | |||
This course utilizes fundamental knowledge from VS 105 and VS 108 and incorporates it into surgical and dentistry labs. It also expands upon previous training in the areas of veterinary anesthesia, surgical preparation and dentistry. Students learn to safely and confidently administer, monitor and record anesthetic depths during surgical and dental procedures. Anesthetic drugs, monitoring, surgical instruments and pre-surgical preparation are reinforced. Students use the autoclave, prepare surgical and dental packs, prep animals for surgery, and gown, glove and assist the veterinarian during surgical procedures. Students engage in pre and post anesthetic discussions with owners, and learn how to perform a Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) procedure. They also learn dental abnormalities and the treatments available for dogs and cats as well as an introduction to equine, ruminant and small mammal dentistry. |
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VS | 203 | Laboratory Procedures II | 3 | |||
This course focuses to a greater degree on skills and knowledge learned in VS106 and is intended to increase accuracy in the performance of clinical laboratory techniques. More sophisticated tests and skills are required for hematology, cytology and serology; with emphasis on consistency through test repetition. Parasitology skills, both theory and practical, are introduced in this course. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all first year AHT courses. Co-requisite: VS 201, VS 202, VS 204 and VS 205. | ||||||
VS | 204 | Pharmacology | 3 | |||
This course covers various classes of drugs, their pharmacological action and use, routes of administration, absorption, metabolism, and excretion and pharmacokinetics. It also includes veterinary calculations, basic inventory control, handling and dispensing of drugs, as well as regulations governing veterinary use of drugs. Rational and safe use of drugs in veterinary clinics and in food producing animals is stressed. | ||||||
VS | 205 | Diagnostic Imaging | 3 | |||
This course studies all methods of diagnostic imaging, including radiographs, ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI and CAT scan. Care and use of equipment, safety, quality control, and positioning for small animals, horses and exotics are discussed. |
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VS | 206 | Animal Care and Nursing IV | 3 | |||
This is a multidisciplinarian course consisting of various topics such as obstetrical procedures and care of the newborn for each of the major large and small animal species and bull breeding soundness evaluation. Gross pathology, miscellaneous large animal diagnostic techniques and common zoonotic diseases in all species are also discussed. The labs use multiple clinical applications of knowledge and skills from this course as well as from previous courses. Prerequisites: VS 202, VS 203, VS 205, VS 207 and VS 220. | ||||||
VS | 207 | Animal Diseases II | 3 | |||
This course provides a working knowledge of the common diseases in beef, dairy, sheep, swine, and horses. Emphasis is placed on understanding infectious diseases and their cause, treatment, and prevention. Reportable diseases, parasitic diseases and diseases related to management procedures are also discussed. There is a review of the small animal infectious diseases and vaccines. Prerequisite: VS110. | ||||||
VS | 208 | Clinical Practices | 3 | |||
This course is required for second year Animal Health Technology students. It is designed to utilize surgery and anesthesia skills already learned, and to develop new technical skills and knowledge that are required in emergency, critical care and large animal clinical situations.
The lecture portion covers advanced nursing care, triage, blood transfusion medicine, toxicities, anesthetic emergencies, CPCR and other emergency and critical care procedures practiced in Veterinary Medicine. The lab portion may consist of small animal surgery, small animal dental, large animal anesthesia, nerve blocks, CPCR, and emergency medicine techniques, and continues to utilize skills learned in VS 201, VS 202 and VS 203. Prerequisites: VS 202, VS 203 & VS 220. |
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VS | 209 | Communications II | 3 | |||
A continuation of VS104, this course focuses on soft skills, such as improving client compliance, conflict management and developing effective strategies for discussing veterinary expenses with clients. Career-related topics are also covered and include provincial associations and regulations, industry practicums, licensing exams and registrations. Within this course, a comprehensive review of many areas of the program will occur in the form of an online comprehensive exam. Prerequisite: VS104. | ||||||
VS | 210 | Practicum | 3 | |||
This course outlines the system of labour relations in Canada in both government and the industrial sector. Topic areas include the role of unions and management, trends in labour and employment legislation, bargaining and contract negotiations, collective agreements, strikes, grievance procedures, alternative labour conflict resolution techniques and potential future issues in labour relations. Prerequisites: VS 204 VS 206 VS 208 & VS 221 |
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VS | 220 | Student-led Clinic 1 | 3 | |||
This course is designed to allow students to develop leadership and communication skills and integrate routine responsibilities of day to day veterinary clinic operation. Students apply technical and communication skills by participating in the Student Led Clinic which includes aspects of Animal Health, Public Relations, Retail Management and Clinic Organization. | ||||||
VS | 221 | Student-led Clinic II | 3 | |||
This course is designed to allow students to develop leadership and communication skills and integrates routine responsibilities of day to day veterinary clinic operation. Students apply technical and communication skills by participating in the Student Led Clinic which includes aspects of Animal Health, Public Relations, Retail Management and Clinic Organization. Prerequisite: VS 220 | ||||||
CREDITS | ||||||
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