Veterinary Assistant with Horse Care Management

Do you love animals — horses in particular? Have you considered a career as a veterinary assistant, stable manager, or horse caretaker? If so, this course sequence teaches you the skills you need to work directly with horses. Whether you're interested in joining a stable, equestrian center, or veterinary facility that works with large animals, having a fundamental knowledge of horse caretaking and veterinary science is essential. The Veterinary Assistant with Horse Care Management sequence provides a broad overview of horse care topics while teaching the technical skills needed to work as a veterinary assistant.

Veterinary Assistant with Horse Care Management covers the foundational skills needed to work in veterinary office with a specialized focus on horse care management. These complimentary fields of study are perfect for individuals interested in working with horses or current veterinary assistants wanting to diversify their skillset.

You will gain a breadth of knowledge that can take you from the veterinary office to the stables and beyond. You will learn to be an asset in all aspects of a horse's clinical and caretaking needs, from assisting surgical and dental procedures to measuring vitals.

Having Veterinary Assistant and Horse Care Management credentials acknowledge the dedication of those with a special interest in the well-being of horses. In addition, completing these two intensive courses adds credibility to your qualifications and affirms that you have met industry-recognized levels of proficiency.

What you will learn

• Basic principles of equine husbandry practices.
• A broad knowledge of horse care for both the stabled horse and horse kept on grass.
• Proper management of the health and condition of horses in various situations and conditions.
• A deeper understanding of horse behavior as well as practical skills in properly handling and training horses.
• A practical knowledge of various aspects of horse breeding, as well as the importance of genetics and selective breeding.
• The anatomy and physiology of the major organ systems.
• How to handle medical records and communicate with clients and coworkers.
• How to restrain animals for procedures, take vital signs, and bathe them.
• All about nutrition, vaccinations, and administering medication.
• How to assist during surgery and dental procedures.
• Preparation of prescriptions and taking blood samples and radiographs.

How you will benefit

• A comprehensive understanding of horse care, horse management, and husbandry is key to starting a career in the horse industry.
• Cultivating a broad knowledge of horses will increase your level of success as a wrangler or horse caretaker
• Holding a certificate of completion increases your competitiveness in the horse industry job market.
• Upon passing this course, you will have the knowledge to be a valued team member in a veterinary hospital.
• For the Veterinary Assistant portion of the course you will have assistance from our Externship Coordinator and access to our Externship Starter Kit.

Veterinary Assistant

1. Getting Started file
2. Welcome to the Veterinary Hospital file
3. Getting Ready for Your First Visit file
4. Physiology and Anatomy 1: Directional Signs and the Skeletal System file
5. Physiology and Anatomy 2: The Nervous System, Endocrine System, and Muscles and Joints file
6. Physiology and Anatomy 3: The Circulatory and Respiratory Systems file
7. Physiology and Anatomy 4: The Digestive System, Urogenital System, Liver, and Spleen file
8. Front Office Duties: Records, Confidentiality, and Client Relations file
9. More Front Office Tips, and Determining Age and Gender of Kittens and Puppies file
10. Canine Restraint file
11. Feline and Exotic Restraint file
12. The Physical Examination: Procedures, Restraint, and Vital Signs file
13. Everyday Procedures for the Veterinary Assistant file
14. Workplace Hazards and Infection Control file
15. The Reproductive Cycle and Sterilization Procedures file
16. Vaccinology file
17. Nutrition Basics and Prescription Foods file
18. Prescriptions: Preparing and Calculating Doses file
19. Prescriptions: Types of Medications and What They Do file
20. Giving Medications file
21. The Euthanasia Process file
22. Taking Blood Samples file
23. Interpreting Blood Tests and Handling Blood file
24. Urine Collection, Handling, and Interpretation file
25. Tests: Serology, Scrapings, Smears, Flotations, and Necropsies file
26. Radiographs and Personal Safety file
27. Radiographic Positioning file
28. Pain Recognition and Emergency Care file
29. Dentistry: Charting, Tooth Disease, and Dental Care file
30. External Parasites: Fleas, Ticks, Mites, and More file
31. Parasites of the Gastrointestinal Tract and Heart file
32. Poisonings in Pets file
33. Surgery 1: Preparing the Patient file
34. Surgery 2: Your Role During and After file
35. Understanding Animal Behavior file
36. The Job Search and Future Opportunities file

Horse Care Management

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac

Software Requirements:

• This course is preferred with the latest versions of Windows and Mac OS. Although the versions listed below are compatible, it's strongly recommended to have the latest operating system for an optimal experience.
• PC: Windows 8 or newer operating systems
• Mac: OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 or later
• Browser: The latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari (although Google Chrome is preferred).
• Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to download
• All applications listed above must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional material requirements:

1. Can I register for courses if I am an international student?

Yes, because ed2go courses are online you never have to actually travel to the school. Most schools offer telephone or online registration.

2. How long does it take to complete a course?

All of our courses are self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start them when you want and finish them at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive eighteen (18) months to complete the course.

3. What if I don't have enough time to complete my course within the time frame provided?

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact your Student Advisor to help you work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

4. Do I have to buy additional materials?

No.

5. Can I get financial assistance?

ed2go courses are non-credit courses, so they do not qualify for federal aid. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements.

6. What happens when I complete the course?

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.

7. Am I guaranteed a job?

ed2go courses will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. We don't provide direct job placement services, but our facilitators and career counselors will help you build your resume and are available to give advice on finding your first job. Facilitators will also be available to use as a professional reference upon completion of the course. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

8. Who will be my instructor?

Each student is paired with a facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (via e-mail) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.

9. What software or hardware do I need in order to take online courses and what are the system requirements?

In order to take ed2go courses, you need access to a computer and the Internet. You can access the course contents from any web-enabled computer. We recommend that you have a word-processing program (Microsoft Word is the best) and the latest version of Internet Explorer.

10. Can I use a Mac?

Yes.

11. How can I get more information about this course?

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, please feel free to contact us via LIVE chat (click the button above). If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please feel free to send us a question using the "Contact Us" form to the right. You may also call us at 1-877-221-5151. We will answer your questions promptly.

12. When can I start the course?

Our courses are open enrollment. You can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Please note that once the course curriculum is accessed online or through submission of a material shipment confirmation, refunds cannot be issued.

13. Does this program prepare for a certification?

Upon completion of this course you will receive a certificate in Horse Care Management and Veterinary Assistant.