HOME STUDY COURSE ANIMAL HEALTH CARE
- Take better care of your own pets; or lay a foundation for a career working with animals
- Learn from a team of animal health experts from both the UK and beyond -when you study with ACS you have the backing of a whole team of course developers and tutors
- Learn about veterinary practices and animal health care
I thoroughly enjoyed my course and found it to be most comprehensive and thorough, encompassing all aspects of animal care both domestic and in the farming environments.
The course was clearly defined and simple to follow. Tutor's comments most helpful and understanding & constructive. Return of assignments within a short time assured continuance of interest.
I would recommend a course with A.C.S. to anyone considering undertaking one."
- Jo
Duration 100 hours
What is in the Lessons?
There are twelve lessons as follows:
1. Introduction to Animal Health Care
•Scope and Nature of snimal welfare and control
•Understanding veterinary services
•Veterinary code of practice
•How to transport animals
2. Common Animal Health Problems
•Reasons for ill health in animals
•Animal injuries
•Conditions
•Food and nutrition problems
•Problems caused by living organisms
•Animal parasites
•Common disorders with family pets
•Ill health in dogs
•Ill health in cats
•Ill health with caged birds
•Ill health with aquarium fish
•Mice
•Wild animals common conditions
•Ill health with reptiles
3. Animal Behaviour
•Understanding communication in dogs
•Significance of scent
•Understanding barking
•Dog body language
•Handling cats
•Bird communication
•Types of behavior
•Time orientation
•Space orientation
•Understanding territorial behavior
•Understanding aggression
•Introduction to horse psychology
4. Signs (Indicators) of Ill Health
•Vital signs as indicators of health status
•What is the healthy animal
•Signs and symptoms of diseases
•Recognising ill health
•Diagnosing diseases
•Taking smears and tissue samples
•Diagnosing and controlling different types of diseases including
•Viruses
•Bacteria
•Protozoa
•Parasites
•Mites
•Fleas
5. Veterinary Facilities
•The animal first aid kit
•Record management for animals
•Enclosures for animals
•Environmental requirements
6. Safety Procedures when Dealing with Animals
•Understanding duty of care
•How to handle heavy weights
•Reducing your back injury
•Protective equipment
•Dealing with chemicals
•Skin penetrating injuries
•Risk categories
•Separating animals
•Disposing of dead or infected tissues
•Dangerous non-animal wastes
•Storaging and handling of medicines
•How to handle larger animals
7. Administration of Animal Health
•Scope of animal insurance
•Quarantine
•Importing animals from one region or country to another
•Managing a veterinary office
•Using the telephone
•Keeping records
•Filing
8. Animal First Aid Procedures
•Types of wounds
•Cuts on animals
•Punctures
•Tears
•Treating and cleaning wounds
•Granulating wounds in animal tissues
•Stitching a wound
•Bone and joint problems
•Treating broken bones
•Tendon injury
•Understanding poisoning
•Restraining animals during first aid
•Restraining cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep
9. Preventative Health Care
•Animal diet
•Problem insect control
•Using dips
•Using vaccinations
•Avoiding stress to livestock
10. Routine Health Treatments
•De-sexing animals
•Castration or vasectomy
•Spaying
•Tubal ligation
•Castrating cats
•Castrating dogs
•Pregnancy
•Gestation periods
•Using euthanasia
•Anaesthesia and analgesia
•Preparing an animal for surgery
•Sterilising equipment
•Castrating a colt
11. Health Problems in Domestic Pets
•Burn injuries
•Infections of the urinary tract
•Shock
•Electrolytes
•Ticks
•Health issues with reptiles
•Fish problems
12. Care of Animals after illness -Rehabilitation
•Nursing animals through recovery
•Planning recovery and rehabilitation
What qualification will I achieve for completing this course?
This is an individual module course. The individual module courses are 100 hour long usually and can be taken on their own or as part of a larger program of study.
If you wish to take an individual module course as a stand alone course, you can elect to sit an optional exam at the end of it.
If you successfully pass the exam and all assignments, you will receive a Statement of Attainment. You can take examinations at a time and location to suit you. If you enrol, you will be sent further information on how to arrange examinations at the end of the course.
If you do not wish to take the exam, you will receive a Course Completion letter when you have passed all assignments.
There is an assignment at the end of each lesson. So for example, if an individual module course contains ten lessons, you will need to complete ten assignments. Assignments can be sent to us via email, post or fax.
Other qualifications, such as certificates, diplomas etc may require examinations to be taken as part of the overall assessment process.
You can find further information on the examinations process by clicking on the “Enrolment” link above.
You can find further information on other courses by clicking on the “Courses” link above.
EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE
Contact several bodies/organisations that are concerned with animal welfare, and obtain any literature or other information which you can, regarding issues such as the following:
- Restrictions placed by local councils upon the keeping of pets.
- Legal requirements placed upon farmers or pet owners, with respect to animal welfare
Find two different types of domestic animals which you can observe (ie. different species).Observe each on two different occasions, for at least 15 minutes each time.Make notes of their behaviour.Note any similarities between behaviour on the different occasions, and between the different types of animals.Describe methods used for controlling/restraining animals during an examinationList as many things as you can that might cause a dogs' temperature to go to 40oC.Contact a state government veterinary/agriculture department, and find out anything you can about health risks to humans from domestic & farm animal diseases in your country.Try to determine what animals are the biggest threat; what diseases are a more serious threat, and what controls are in place to minimise such problems.List any animal diseases which may be also contracted by man, which you are aware of?Research exotic diseases in your country or region and take notesDesign a standard "Patient record" card/form for use by a general practice veterinarian.
COURSE AIMS
To describe common health problems in various animals, including injuries & diseases.......- To explain the natural behaviour of different types of domestic animals in different situations.
- To identify common signs of ill health in different animals.
- To describe the purposes of different facilities used in veterinary practice.
- To determine safety procedures for a veterinary practice.
- To describe different administration procedures in a veterinary practice.
- To describe/select first aid procedures/treatments for different animals in response to common health problems in animals.
- To describe requirements for maintaining good health in domestic animals, including nutrition & preventative medicine.
- To develop an understanding of routine treatments for healthy animals.
- To develop a broader awareness of health problems and their treatment in domestic pets.
- To develop skills in caring for animals prior to, during or after treatment
Animal Health -a new ebook written by Animal Health tutors from ACS Distance Education
More Information on ACS Distance Education and our courses
Who are our tutors?
Our tutors are all highly experienced and professional, knowledgeable in their field of study. We have staff from around the world, enabling us to gain a wide variety of perspectives. We have a school in the UK and in Australia. If you would like to have a look at our tutors, then click on the “The School” in the boxes above and choose “The Staff” option.
Sample Course Notes
Our courses are all written by highly qualified tutors and writers, who also teach on the courses, so know them well. We strive to update our courses and improve them with new information, methods and knowledge on an ongoing basis. If you would like to see examples of some of our courses, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, and then click on “Sample Course Notes”.
What learning method should I choose?
We offer three learning methods – e-learning, correspondence and online. If you are not sure which is the right choose for you, then click on the “Enrolment” box above, then “Learning Methods.”
How Long will it take to complete the course?
This obviously varies from student to student. Some students will have more time for study than others. Some students may work quicker than others, so it is an individual thing. We estimate that most students will take, for example, 4 – 6 months to complete a 100 hour individual module, but we allow up to 12 months for you to complete it.
Longer courses will obviously take longer. You can find more information on the length of time required and so on the “Enrolment” box, then selecting “Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.”
What Do Our Students think of us?
If you would like to read comments from our previous students, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, then “Student Testimonials”.
I don’t think this is the right course for me.
If you’re not sure about this course, then why not look at our wide range of other courses. Click on the “Courses” box above.
You may also wish to design your own course to fit in with exactly what YOU want. To do so, click on the “Enrolment” box, then “Design your Own Course”.
If you would like more advice on a course, then you can contact us and ask a tutor about the courses. You can contact us by calling 0800 328 4723 or +44(0) 384 442752 or emailing info@acsedu.co.uk
Recognition and Accreditation
For more information on our recognition and accreditation, click on “The School”, then “Recognition”.
Who is ACS Distance Education?
If you want to know more about ACS and our history, then please click on “The School”, then “About us.”
ANIMAL HEALTH CARE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE
An introduction to veterinary practices and animal health care
Specifically designed course to develop your understanding of veterinary and animal health care practices.
An ideal starting point for someone wanting a career in the veterinary industry or who wants to work in health care with pets or farm animals.
Learn about common health problems, animal behaviour, signs of ill health, Veterinary facilities, safety and first aid, administration of animal health, preventative health care, routine health treatments, health problems in domestic pets and rehabilitation care.
