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VET30480

Academic Year 2025/2026

Senses, Exotics & Crit Care (VET30480)

Subject:
Veterinary Medicine
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Veterinary Medicine
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Ms Monica Augusto
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module consists of a series of lectures, practical classes and tutorials to cover the following topics:

- Exotic animals (medicine and basic surgery)

- Small animal emergency medicine and critically ill patients
- Common toxicological disorders

- Special sense organs, including pathology of sense organs
- Common ophthalmological conditions in small animals, bovine and equine

- Basic medical oncology and surgical oncological principles in small animals

Aspects of the most common clinical conditions will be covered including pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical signs, diagnostic approach / tests, medical and surgical management and prevention. Contributory material from all disciplines where relevant (microbiology, pathology, large and small animal medicine, surgery and therapeutics) will be included.

***Please check and be aware if this module is a prerequisite (Academic Regulation 3.27(a)) for any future modules.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

- Demonstrate knowledge of common conditions affecting the eye and ear and their pathology
- Recognise the basis for a complete examination of the ocular structures
- Describe and reflect on common infectious conditions of the eye
- Implement therapeutic plans for common ophthalmological conditions

- Outline basic handling procedures for clinical examination of various exotic animals, and methods employed to obtain appropriate diagnostic samples
- Obtain a relevant clinical history to each species and explain how poor husbandry may contribute to disease in exotic animals
- Describe basic mechanisms of disease, their clinical manifestations, prevention and treatment in exotic animals

- Establish an approach to emergency patients including triage, initial decision making and prioritization of diagnostic procedures
- Manage common emergency situations, including toxicological emergencies
- Recognise common techniques used in the monitoring and treatment of critically ill animals
- Describe the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of common complications in critically ill patients

- Outline common neoplastic conditions affecting small animals
- Establish a diagnostic plan / medical approach for staging of oncological patients
- Define potential treatment options in small animal oncology, including medical (chemotherapy), surgical and adjunctive treatment modalities

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

32

Practical

6

Autonomous Student Learning

82

Total

120


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Combination of:
- Didactial lectures
- Practical and tutorial classes (task-based learning)

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

The students should have a solid grounding in the core disciplines providing foundation to or contributing to this clinical course e.g. anatomy, histology, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology and pathology.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Co-requisite:
VET30050 - Applied Therapies, VET30160 - Intro Clinical Med and Surg, VET30560 - Veterinary Pathobiology I, VET30570 - Veterinary Pathobiology II

Additional Information:
Pre-requisites: VET30050, VET30560, VET30570 and VET30160


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): Assessment consists: intra-trimester examination (20%) & end-of-trimester examination (80%), covering lecture content, associated practicals and relevant topic reading material, with MCQ & SAQ format End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
Alternative non-linear conversion grade scale 50% No
100
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

When requested, feedback on formative or summative assessment will be provided individually, within a reasonable timeline post assessment.

BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets
BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline ophthalmology
BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Emergency and Critical Care

Other relevant course material provided and referenced during lectures

Name Role
Ms Monica Augusto Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Benoît Cuq Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Cormac Dolan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Pamela Kelly Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Filipe Martinho Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Kevin Murtagh Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Louise O Leary Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Joe Cassidy Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20 Fri 09:00 - 10:50
Spring Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Fri 09:00 - 10:50
Spring Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Fri 13:00 - 14:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 22 Fri 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 23 Fri 15:00 - 15:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 23 Fri 16:00 - 16:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 24, 25 Fri 16:00 - 17:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 32 Mon 08:00 - 08:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 23 Mon 14:00 - 14:50
Spring External & School Exams Offering 1 Week(s) - 30 Mon 14:00 - 15:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Mon 15:00 - 16:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 25 Mon 16:00 - 16:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Thurs 09:00 - 10:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20 Thurs 12:00 - 12:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 24 Thurs 14:00 - 15:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 25 Thurs 14:00 - 15:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20 Thurs 14:00 - 16:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Thurs 15:00 - 17:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 25 Thurs 16:00 - 17:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 31 Tues 08:00 - 08:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 22 Tues 09:00 - 09:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21 Tues 14:00 - 15:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 22 Tues 14:00 - 16:50
Spring Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 25 Tues 16:00 - 17:50
Spring Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 32, 33 Tues 16:00 - 17:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Wed 08:00 - 08:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20 Wed 09:00 - 09:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 21 Wed 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 22 Wed 15:00 - 16:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 23 Wed 16:00 - 16:50
Spring Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 24 Wed 16:00 - 17:50