Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course is designed to introduce the student to the wide range of infectious and non-infectious diseases and disorders of large animal species. The student will develop knowledge of the scientific name; the common name(s); the species affected; the age, sex, and breed predisposition; the etiology/pathogenesis; the clinical signs; the diagnostic tests and the basis for the diagnosis; the treatment; and the prevention for each disease presented. Large animal diagnostic and treatment procedures will be covered in the laboratory portion of the course.  

It is designed for second year veterinary technology students and is a graduation requirement for the Associates Degree in Applied Sciences in Veterinary Technology. Credits in this course are not transferable to a four year school towards a baccalaureate degree. 

There is no specific text required for this course, although The Merck Veterinary Manual is recommended as a reference book

Upon successful completion of the course, the short term outcome will be that the student will have satisfactorily accomplished the goals and objectives of this course content guide and confirmed as provided in the assessment above. The long term outcome desired is for the student to gain sufficient knowledge of large animal diseases and procedures to successfully pass the National Veterinary Technician Board Examination and effectively utilize the knowledge gained in their Cooperative Education Experience and as a practicing veterinary technician upon graduation. The course content guides are developed by college-wide subject area faculty and approved by the administration.  

Laboratory tasks with an asterisk indicate tasks the student must be able to perform since they are listed as "essential tasks", and tasks with two asterisks indicated tasks listed as "recommended tasks" by the Accreditation Policies and Procedures of the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Tasks with no asterisks are considered neither "essential" nor "recommended", but are taught based on instructor, SAC, and/or advisory committee recommendations. This course content and outcome guide specifies which tasks students are required to perform (as indicated in the task description) and the tasks on which they have been educated and have observed but individual performance is not required.  

1.0   LARGE ANIMAL DISEASES

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL:
The goal is for the student to develop a comprehensive knowledge of the following diseases, disease processes, and disorders that occur in large animal species.

2.0   LARGE ANIMAL DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT PROCEDURES (LABORATORY COMPETENCIES)

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL:
The goal is for the student to learn the proper method of performing certain large-animal diagnostic and treatment procedures. Students will also learn the methods of patient preparation and assisting for those diagnostic and treatment procedures traditionally performed by veterinarians. 

This is a three-credit-hour course that meets for two-lecture hours per week, and three-lab hours per week. This course is presented as a series of lectures and laboratories; diseases and disease processes will be covered in order based on species and organ systems. In areas where one disease occurs in multiple species, the comparative aspects shall be presented to the student. The laboratory will concentrate on commonly used diagnostic and treatment procedures used in large animal veterinary practice

The student shall have successfully completed all of the course work in the first year veterinary technology curriculum.  Grades will be based on the student=s understanding of the course content as demonstrated by periodic quizzes, a comprehensive final exam, and attendance in both lecture and lab classes. To receive a passing grade, the student must have attended a minimum of 80 percent of each of the lecture and lab classes. Students that are not able to go on field trips must write a paper on the topics covered on the field trip that shall be no shorter than the equivalent of 3 double spaced 8" x 11" paper, with 1 inch margins, 12 point type.