Birds and Non-Domestic Animals

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

At the end of this course students should: 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; 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; and 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.

Diseases of birds: topics include 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.

Diseases of non-domestic animals: topics include the role of the veterinary surgeon in wildlife work; characteristic anatomical features of various groups of native mammals; diseases and husbandry of marsupials including orphans; other native mammals; exotic (zoo) mammals; reptiles; veterinary role in regulatory activities and wildlife disasters; and diseases of fish.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

After completing this subject students should have developed:

• cognitive, analytic and problem solving skills, involving independent thought, rational enquiry and self-directed learning;

• professional and technical skills; and

• respect for intellectual integrity and professional ethics.