TECH156-0111: Equine Pharmacology

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INSTRUCTOR(S): Cindy Ann Shower, DVM

COURSE OPEN: January 7-February 16, 2011

REAL TIME SESSIONS: Sundays, January 16, 23, 30, and February 6, 2011; 9:30pm-11:00pm ET (USA)
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 RTS. Times and dates will be listed in your course confirmation email. Expect to spend up to 1 hour at one of the 2-4 practice sessions held prior to the first RTS.

Level and Prerequisites: All members of the veterinary support staff may join the course and its discussions; however, this course is focused toward veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants and ancillary staff working in small animal facilities.
VSPN CE course: open to all VIN members and VSPN members. This course has been submitted to RACE for approval for veterinary technicians.

Course Description:
All members of the veterinary support staff may join the course and its discussions; however, this course will help the veterinary technician understand the various drugs used in equine practice, potential side effects, and nursing aspects to aide the equine practitioner in prescribing and treatment regimens. This is an intermediate course. VSPN CE course: open to all VIN members and VSPN members. This course has been submitted to RACE and North Carolina for approval for veterinary technicians.

Veterinary technicians are an essential part of the veterinary health care delivery team. As such, veterinary technicians often have the important role of administering drugs to horses on the order of a veterinarian. It is imperative that understanding the serious consequences this role can play on the outcome of a case. It is mandatory the veterinary technician have knowledge of the types and actions of the drugs used in equine veterinary medicine. This course is designed to give the basic understanding of commonly used drugs and preparations in equine practice. Mechanism of action, delivery method(s), and the purpose and drug interactions will be the focus of the course. Basic drug calculations will also be reviewed.

The course will be presented in four (4) 90 minute real time interactive live sessions and will include online handouts, quizzes, and message board discussion interaction with both the instructor and other course participants.

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

• identify commonly used analgesics, indications and adverse reactions for their use in equines.
• identify commonly used antibiotics, their bacterial class coverage, and antibiotic choices for specific organ system in equines.
• distinguish drug classifications and the common drugs within each class.
• demonstrate drug dosage calculation.
• identify commonly used controlled drugs and the record keeping required.
• describe commonly used antiparasitic drugs and the parasites that are susceptible to each class.
• identify commonly used injectable and inhaled anesthetics, their indications and hazards.
• recognize a drug reaction and how to report it.
• recognize commonly used topical preparations, their indications, and limitations of use.
• define biotransformation and list the common chemical reactions involved in this process.

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

• Highly recommended: Knottenbelt, D. C. (2006). Saunders Equine Formulary. Elsevier Health. VIN Store: https://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=99811

About the Instructor: Cindy Ann Shower, DVM has a special interest in equine medicine and surgery and raises Ponies of the Americas when off duty from working. Dr. Shower was the principal large animal (equine) practitioner for Rabun Animal Hospital in Mountain City Georgia and previous owner of Leap of Faith Mobile Veterinary Services which emphasized equine work. She currently retains a high interest in equine work and equine relief, currently practices mixed species medicine, splitting her time between clinics in the mountains of North Carolina and islands of Hawaii.

Course Outline:
Week 1: Drug Classification and Dosage Calculation
Content: Our first lecture will include an overview of the more common drug classifications, examples of drugs within each class, and a review of drug calculations.

Week 2: Gram Negative, Gram Positive, or Mixed Bag!
Content: The second week will cover the use of antibiotics, their mechanism of action, and delivery methods. Specific organ system usage for antibiotics will be discussed

Week 3: Alpha, Beta, Kappa, Mu! Is this a Frat Party?
Content: Commonly used analgesics and anesthetics, along with their method of action and delivery will be covered. How to do proper record keeping for controlled drugs will also be covered.

Week 4: Inside, Outside, Upside Down
Content: Commonly used antiparasitic drugs, method of delivery and parasite coverage will be discussed. We will also cover topical ophthalmic meds, derm preparations, and recognizing drug reactions. Reporting of drug reactions will also be covered.

CE HOURS: 6

Tuition: $120 ($108 early bird special if enrolled by December 24, 2010).
*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). You must include the following information in the comments section of the CE enrollment form in order to be eligible for this discount: your program director's name and contact information (email/phone) and school name.

** To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close when the maximum number of participants is reached or at 5pm ET the day of the first Real Time Session unless otherwise noted. If the first Real Time Session is on a weekend, course will close on the Friday before the first Real Time Session.

**For more on how online CE works see the VSPN Participant's Resource Center

TO ENROLL:
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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 1-800-700-INFO (4636) or email (VIN CE) CEonVIN@vin.com or (VSPN CE) VSPNCE@vspn.org). Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.

Note: "This course has been submitted for approval 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 1-800-700-4636 for further information. (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board).

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COURSE WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY: Withdrawal prior to the listed start date of a course entitles the registrant to a complete refund or a credit toward a future VIN CE course, whichever is preferred. Withdrawal within 1 week after the listed start date (i.e. including no more than one real-time session) entitles the registrant to a credit toward any future VIN CE course. (Refund policy does not apply to courses with only one real-time session.) After the first real-time session, a registrant may withdraw due to special circumstances and receive prorated credit towards a future VIN course. These requests will be handled on an individual basis. The amount of the prorated credit will be determined based on 65% of the time remaining in the course at the time of withdrawal. It is not possible to withdraw retroactively.
Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).

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** For More Information on VSPN's upcoming CE Courses, check out http://www.VSPN.org/CE

Nanette R. Walker Smith, M.Ed., RVT, CVT, LVT
VSPN Content Director & VSPN CE Director

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
1-800-846-0028 or 1-530-756-4881 or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452226154
Charlotte Waack (Charlotte@vspn.org), ext 193
Chris Upchurch (Chris@vspn.org); ext 197
Darci Palmer (Darci@vspn.org); ext 179
Debbie Bess (DBess@vspn.org); ext 178
Mary Mould (Mary@vspn.org); ext 159
Nanette Walker Smith (Nanette@vspn.org); ext 187

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