Enrollment is closed.

Course Information:
This course will give beginning information to help evaluate if dogs, cats, horses, or rabbits are obese. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in these pets. It can cause other comorbidities to be exacerbated. Starting with the beginning, the pet must be evaluated, the owner must be educated, and a plan must be developed for the pet. Pain must be assessed, and various routines of physical rehabilitation will be discussed to help the pet lose weight. Various titles of texts and papers will be placed in the library to encourage the student to try to get these documents whenever they have time.

• Identify an obese dog or cat from an overweight pet from a normal weight pet.
• Explain documentation for increasing obesity in dogs and cats.
• Discuss what makes obesity/overweight bad for health.
• Discuss educating owners about the problem.
• Discuss differences in calories.
• Examine evidence for physical exercise.
• Discuss pain assessment prior to physical activity.
• Discuss exercises for dogs and cats.
• Recognize basic concepts of hydrotherapy.
• Identify equine obesity.
• Discuss diseases to which obese equines are predisposed.
• Discuss equine therapeutic exercises.
• Examine considerations for beginning ridden work.
• Discuss consequences of rabbit obesity.
• Explain some ways to help rabbits lose weight with exercises.

RACE Accreditation: This program has been approved for 3 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval. (#22-42968)

Week 2 (Real Time Session March 17): HELP, My Pet Looks Like Jabba the Hutt: Part 2
Real time session 2 will be a continuance of discussing canine and feline exercises. We will also review equine and rabbit obesity, weight loss, and exercises.

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: $66 ($59 early bird special if enrolled by February 17, 2022)
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.