Animal health care is a popular job and one that’s equal parts rewarding and challenging. If you’re an animal lover, here’s an opportunity to turn your passion into a career. This course is ideal for pet owners, animal workers or anyone aspiring to be a veterinary nurse or animal technician.
The Certificate of Animal Health Care is an online professional development program designed to equip you with an understanding of animal health care and basic veterinarian procedures.
In this animal health care course, you will learn about preventative health care, the scope of services offered by animal health care providers, and how to identify common signs of ill health in farm animals and domestic pets.
You will also learn about the safety measures, facilities and administrative tasks required in veterinary clinics, and the routine treatments and first aid performed by veterinary professionals.
On completion of this course, you will have a gained a comprehensive knowledge base in animal health care to build a career working with animals in a health care setting.
Course Structure
Unit - Animal Health Care
Unit 1 – Introduction to animal health care
- Nature and scope of veterinary services
- Private veterinary practices
- Other veterinary services; laboratories, quarantine, agriculture departments, pharmaceutical companies, educational, etc
- Other animal services; breeders, holiday care, etc.
- Animal welfare and control
- Veterinary services
- Code of practice
- Terminology
- Transporting animals
Unit 2 – Common health problems in farm animals and pets
- Causes of ill health
- Injury
- Conditions
- Nutritional problems
- Living organisms
- Parasites
- Family pets common conditions
- Dogs
- Cats
- Caged birds
- Aquarium fish
- Mice
- Wild animals common conditions
- Reptiles
Unit 3 – Animal behaviour
- Communication in dogs
- Scent
- Barking
- Body language
- Handling cats
- Bird language
- Types of behaviour
- Time orientation
- Space orientation
- Territorial behaviour
- Aggression
- Horse psychology
Unit 4 – Signs of ill health
- Vital signs
- The healthy animal
- Signs & symptoms of diseases
- Recognising ill health
- Diagnosis of diseases
- Taking smears
- Taking tissue samples
- Diagnosis and control of different types of diseases including
- Viruses
- Bacteria
- Protozoa
- Parasites
- Mites
- Fleas
Unit 5 – Veterinary facilities
- Types of facilities; clinic, hospital, mobile facility, emergency facility,etc
- First aid kit; aids for diagnosis, instruments, medicines, preparations, etc
- Record management
- Enclosure for animals
- Environmental requirements
Unit 6 – Safety procedures
- Duty of care
- Lifting heavy weights
- Reducing back injury
- Protective equipment
- Dealing with chemicals
- Skin penetrating injuries
- Risk categories
- Separating animals
- Disposal of dead/infected tissues
- Dangerous non-animal wastes
- Storage and handling of medicines
- Handling larger animals
Unit 7 – Administration of animal health
- Animal insurance
- Quarantine
- Importing animals
- Managing a veterinary office
- Telephone usage
- Record keeping
- Filing information
Unit 8 – Animal first aid
- Types of wounds
- Cuts
- Punctures
- Tears
- Treating and cleaning wounds
- Granulating wounds
- Stitching a wound
- Bone and joint problems
- Broken bones
- Tendon injury
- Poisoning
- Restraining animals during first aid
- Restraining cats
- Restraining dogs
- Restraining horses
- Restraining cattle
- Restraining sheep
Unit 9 – Preventative health care
- Preventing ill health
- Balanced diet
- Insect control
- Dip
- Vaccination
- Comparing natural active immunity, artificial active immunity, natural passive immunity, and artificial active immunity
- Tetanus antiserum
- Types of vaccines
- Alternatives to vaccination
- Avoid stressing livestock
Unit 10 – Routine health treatments
- Desexing
- Castration
- Vasectomy
- Spaying
- Tubal ligation
- Castration of cats
- Dogs
- Pregnancy
- Gestation periods
- Euthanasia
- Anaesthesia and analgesia
- Preparing an animal for surgery
- Sterilising equipment
- Castrating a colt
Unit 11 – Health problems in domestic pets
- Burns
- Urinary tract infections;
- Shock
- Electrolytes
- Ticks
- Reptiles
- Fish problems
Unit 12 – Rehabilitation Care
- Scope of rehabilitation
- Planning a recovery
- Animal nursing
- The hospital pen
- Monitoring temperature, pulse, respiration
- Enclosures
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
It was helpful and a great way to gain some more knowledge for the career I’m interested in
I.Porpaczy, Harrington Park, NSW | Certificate of Animal Health Care
Learning/training process was neat and enjoyable
D. Taleb, Werrington County, NSW | Certificate of Animal Health Care
It was a good experience, I enjoyed the courses
V. Quinonez, Banyo, QLD | Certificate of Animal Health Care
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrol Online: Click Add to Cart/View Cart on the course page.
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Enrol via Purchase Order/Tax Invoice
Enrolling Multiple Staff?
To enrol multiple staff, please complete the Employer Enrolment Form. We’ll be in touch within 60 minutes during business hours!
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and Direct Deposit.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional development for:
- Pet owners
- Animal Carers
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