Enrollment is closed.

Course Information:
This course is designed to provide the foundation principles of exotic companion animal husbandry and nutrition. Veterinary team members play an integral role in evaluating the husbandry and nutrition of exotic companion animal patients during history taking and examination. Participants will be provided with history taking techniques to assist in obtaining and evaluating husbandry and nutrition information from owners. Recognition of improper husbandry and nutrition, as well as recommendations for making improvements will be discussed at length. Common disease conditions associated with improper husbandry and nutrition techniques will also be discussed.

• Discuss proper husbandry & nutrition for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rodents, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, ferrets, birds, and a variety of reptile species.
• Ask questions to adequately evaluate patient husbandry & nutrition during history collection.
• Recognize improper husbandry techniques.
• Explain how disease conditions are related to improper husbandry techniques.
• Understand gastrointestinal stasis & nutrition-related urinary conditions in rabbits, guinea pigs, & chinchillas.
• Offer nutrition recommendations for sugar gliders, hedgehogs, & ferrets.
• Discuss the nutritional content of seed vs pelleted diets.
• Understand nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism in reptiles.

RACE Accreditation: This program has been approved for 6 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval.(20-763819)

Week 2 (Real Time Session March 17): Sugar Gliders, Hedgehogs & Ferrets
In this week’s session we will discuss proper husbandry & nutrition for sugar gliders, hedgehogs, & ferrets, explain how disease conditions relate to improper care, and learn to offer nutritional recommendations for these species.

Week 3 (Real Time Session March 24): Birds
In this week’s session we will discuss proper husbandry & nutrition for birds, learn to ask questions to adequately evaluate patient husbandry & nutrition during history collection, explain how disease conditions are related to improper nutrition, and discuss the nutritional content of seed vs pelleted diets.

Week 4 (Real Time Session March 31): Reptiles
In this week’s session we will discuss proper husbandry & nutrition for a variety of reptile species, learn to ask questions to adequately evaluate patient husbandry & nutrition during history collection, explain how disease conditions are related to improper nutrition, and understand nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism in reptiles.

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.

Tuition: $126 ($113 early bird special if enrolled by February 17, 2021)
Prices are listed in US dollars.

* Students currently enrolled in an AVMA accredited or CVMA approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).

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. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext.792 or email VSPNCE. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.