Birds, Wildlife, Fish and Exotic Pets

Subject VETS30023 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 6.25
Level: 3 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

Year Long, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable

Standard

Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: Lectures: 47 hours. Practicals: 12 hours.
Total Time Commitment: 100 hours
Prerequisites: Successful completion of all subjects in Year 2 of Bachelor of Veterinary Science course.
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: Years 1 and 2 (Semesters 1-4) of the BVSc course
Non Allowed Subjects:

None.

Core Participation Requirements:

Prospective students are advised to familiarise themselves with the Faculty's Academic Requirements Statement http://www.vet.unimelb.edu.au/docs/CoreParticipationReqs.pdf

Coordinator

Assoc Prof Amir Noormohammadi

Contact

Email: amirh@unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview:

Birds component includes:

  • clinical signs, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and epizootiology of diseases in individual animals as well as affected flocks;
  • poultry management: nutrition, preventive medicine; and
  • cage and aviary bird medicine.


Wildlife component includes:

  • the role of veterinary surgeon in the area of wildlife work;
  • veterinary role in regulatory activities and wildlife disasters; and
  • characteristic anatomical features of various groups of native mammals;
    - husbandry and diseases of:
    - marsupials including orphans;
    - other native mammals;
    - exotic (zoo) mammals; and
    - reptiles

Fish and exotic pets components include:

  • husbandry and diseases.
Objectives:

At the end of this subject students should:
With respect to birds:

  • be aware of the management and welfare issues associated with the keeping of poultry and other birds;
  • be aware of the variety of diseases affecting poultry and other birds;
  • understand the factors influencing outbreaks of disease in flocks and/or individual animals;
  • be able to suggest a probable diagnosis/ differential diagnosis from the history, epidemiology, clinical signs and gross post-mortem lesions;
  • be able to recommend appropriate ancillary tests to facilitate a definitive diagnosis and prognosis;
  • be able to specify appropriate therapy or other course of action for affected flocks and/or individual animals;
  • be able to recommend appropriate measures for disease control and/or prevention;
  • know the statutory regulations applicable to the husbandry, welfare, disease control and use of therapeutic substances/vaccines in these animals;

With respect to wildlife:

  • be familiar with the various groups of Australian mammals;
  • possess the essential information to be able to clinically examine and make a diagnosis of disease in non-domestic mammals;
  • understand specific features of the husbandry of these animals as they relate to disease prevention and the management of clinically ill animals;
  • be familiar with the legislation governing protected animals, particularly legislation with specific veterinary involvement;
  • be familiar with the husbandry, clinical examination and the principal diseases of reptiles;

With respect to fish:

  • be familiar with the principal features of the management of farmed and aquarium fish, be able to carry out a clinical examination, diagnose and treat specific diseases of fish;


With respect to exotic pets:

  • be familiar with the principal features of the management and husbandry of such species, and be able to carry out a clinical examination, diagnose and treat specific diseases.
Assessment:
  • One 1-hour written paper at the end of Semester 1 (40%)
  • One 15-minute oral examination at the end of Semester 1 (20%)
  • One 1-hour written paper after the Semester 2 intra-semester break (40%)
    Students are required to pass the subject on aggregate mark
Prescribed Texts: None
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Related Course(s): Bachelor of Veterinary Science(PV)

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