TECH245-0715: Canine and Feline Endocrine Diseases Module 2
Text only: The lectures for this course will be presented in a predominantly text format.

  

Instructor: Paula Plummer, LVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM)
Course Open: July 27, 2015-September 3, 2015
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Mondays, August 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2015; 8:00-9:30pm ET
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience in your CE course, we request you attend a Practice Session prior to the first Real Time Session. Please arrive promptly at the start time; each Practice Session is up to 1 hour in length. For more information, please visit the CE Practice Area.

Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate course geared toward veterinary technicians seeking in-depth information on endocrine diseases in canines and felines. This course is also designed for veterinary technicians working toward a specialty certification in emergency/critical care or small animal internal medicine. Module 1 is a required pre-requisite for Module 2.
VSPN CE Course: This course has been RACE approved for veterinary technicians only. The Veterinary Information Network (VIN) is RACE Provider #22.

Course Description:
This is the second module to a two module course on canine and feline endocrine diseases. Renal disease, adrenal gland disorders and Diabetes Mellitus will be covered in the second module. The course will finish up with case based discussions covering any endocrine disorder that was covered in either module. The cases presented during this course will be designed to enrich the learning process to ensure the veterinary support staff is comfortable with which diagnostic tests may be ordered, nursing care and client education with endocrine diseses. With this course being the second module of the endocrine series the participant will still be expected to understand physiology of the normal endocrine system of the canine and feline patient as some information will carry over from module 1.

This course consists of four (4) Real Time Sessions of ninety (90) minutes each, supplemental library materials, interactive message board discussions, a mandatory end-of-course test, and may include online multiple choice quizzes (after each Real Time Session). Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course.

*To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to

• understand normal hormonal functions in the canine and feline patient.
• discuss pathophysiology of renal disease, adrenal gland disorders and diabetes mellitus.
• demonstrate knowledge in current treatment options that a veterinarian may prescribe for disease processes such as chronic kidney disease, acute kidney disease, hypoadrenocorticism, hyperadrenocorticism, diabetes mellitus and neuroendocrine conditions
• discuss treatment options and nursing care that a veterinarian may prescribe for the conditions listed above.
• provide client education including home care for the conditions listed above in the canine and feline patient

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.

Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.

About the Instructor:
Paula Plummer has been at Texas A&M University since 2007, first working in the Small Animal ICU and then moving to the Feline Internal Medicine service in 2011. She graduated from Murray State College in Tishomingo, OK and has been a registered veterinary technician since 2000. In 2011 she received her veterinary technician specialty in emergency and critical care and in 2014 she received her second VTS in small animal internal medicine. Paula has spent most of her career in academia working in the critical care unit or feline internal medicine teaching veterinary students tasks that will help them be a better patient advocates when they graduate. Paula is also involved in teaching technicians in online programs and being a guest lecturer and lab instructor at local, regional and national continuing education symposiums. When she is not working, Paula enjoys spending time with her husband and furry 4 legged family.

Course Outline:
Week 1 (Real Time Session August 3): Oh That Kidney and the Problems You Cause!
Content: Chronic and acute kidney diseases are conditions we see as technicians frequently. After this week you will have the knowledge base and understanding to know exactly what is happening with your patient. Treatment options the veterinarian may prescribe and home care with the chronic renal failure patient will be discussed as well

Week 2 (Real Time Session August 10): What Happened To The Adrenal Gland?
Content: The endocrine system is full of tiny glands that have control of many normal functions of the body and the adrenal gland is one of them. Again normal physiology will be reviewed before pathophysiology. Hypoadrenocorticism and hyperadrenocorticism will wrap up the class with proper diagnostics the veterinarian may prescribe, how the veterinarian may interpret those tests, treatment and home care for the owners.

Week 3 (Real Time Session August 17): Diabetes Mellitus, aka The Suga Diabeetus!
Content: Diabetes mellitus is a condition that we see day in and day out in the veterinary field. This week will cover of course, pathophysiology along with diagnostics, treatment options the veterinarian may prescribeand what to do with all those complications in both the canine and feline patient in regard to nursing and client communications.

Week 4 (Real Time Session August 24): Endocrine Cases, Time to Apply What We Have Learned
Content: The last week the class with wrap up with endocrine cases. The cases that were presented throughout the entire course will be given updates on their progress. New cases with endocrine disorders will be presented as an interactive way for the class to further their learning in which diagnostic tests the veterinarian may order, nursing care and client education.

CE Credits: 6

Tuition: $120 ($108 early bird special if enrolled by July 13, 2015)

* Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
**Enroll in both modules by June 15, 2015 and receive a 15% discount off the original course price.
*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on August 15, 2015 at 5 PM ET, or when the maximum number of participants is reached.
*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

To Enroll:
  

1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
4. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 792 or email VSPNCE@vspn.org. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.

*Note: "This course is approved for 6 continuing education credits in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education." Call VSPN CE at 800-846-0028 ext. 792 for further information. (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board).

Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VSPN office 800-846-0028 ext. 792 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
* Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VSPN office at 800-846-0028 ext. 792.

*For more information on VSPN's upcoming CE courses, check the VSPN Course Catalog.

Charlotte Waack, RVT, CVT
VSPN Director/VSPN CE Interim Director

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 792
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452 226154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357

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