Enrollment is closed.

Course Information:
Gerontology is the study of aging. As companion animals age, they undergo changes. These are not a disease process but a decline in reserves and strength as well as other changes in all body systems which increases the likelihood of a patient developing disease. This course will help the veterinary technician to understand what happens in aging and ways to improve quality of life for the patient and their owner.

• Discuss what happens as animals age.
• Outline where to begin looking at the pet’s quality of life.
• Discuss what physical rehabilitation for the geriatric patient entails.
• Discuss common physical and functional changes associated with aging.
• Understand how chronic pain affects the pet.
• Point out non-pharmacologic therapies that can help the chronic pain.
• Discuss multimodal pain management.
• Discuss quality of life assessment.
• Examine Multimodal Rehabilitation for the Geriatric Dog.
• Discuss Manual therapies that can be used and precautions.
• Explain Hydrotherapy.
• Discuss Geriatric Canine and Feline Activities of Daily Living (ADL).
• Know what muscles and movements are important for geriatric animals.
• Analyze what the objectives are for geriatric patients.

RACE Accreditation: This program has been approved for 3 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval. (20-766511)

Week 2 (Real Time Session April 19): ): Quality of Life, Setting Goals, Modalities and Therapies in Physical Rehabilitation plus Environmental Modifications
In this session we will go further into a quality-of-life assessment, examine multimodal rehabilitation for the geriatric dog, describe manual therapies and hydrotherapy. We will discuss geriatric canine and feline activities of daily living, muscles and movements that are important for these patients, and analyze our overall objectives.

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: $63 ($57early bird special if enrolled by March 15, 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.