MCCCD Program Description

Veterinary Assistant II

Course: VET104

First Term: 2019 Fall

Lecture 3.0 Credit(s) 2.0 Period(s) 2.0 Load
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: T- Lab Load

Description: This is a lecture/laboratory course where students will learn hands on skills needed to perform the duties of a veterinary assistant. The course will build foundation skills for veterinary clinical care for the veterinary assistant. This course includes foundations in pharmacy and pharmacology, surgical preparation and assisting, the veterinary assistant`s role in collection of laboratory samples, and diagnostic imaging.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Discuss the legal issues of pharmacology, including federal and state regulations. (I) 2. Assist with handling medications and filling prescriptions. (I) 3. Describe possible routes and methods of drug and vaccine administration that the veterinarian or veterinary technician may choose, and demonstrate appropriate small animal restraint for each protocol. (I) 4. Demonstrate assisting with surgical preparation of surgical equipment/room, patient positioning and aseptic technique, and proper record keeping, including patient records and surgical logs. (II) 5. Demonstrate the skills needed to assist the veterinarian or veterinary technician with proper collection of laboratory specimens. (III) 6. Demonstrate the skills needed to assist the veterinarian or veterinary technician with the completion of diagnostic radiographs and ultrasonic imagines, including restraint, preparation of equipment, positioning of patients, and record keeping. (IV)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Pharmacy and pharmacology A. Legal issues 1. Controlled vs non-controlled 2. Groups of drugs 3. Prescription vs over the counter (OTC) drugs B. Filling medications and inventory control 1. Dispensing drugs 2. Storing, handling, disposal of biological and therapeutic agents and hazardous waste 3. Inventory control C. Vaccinations 1. Vaccine protocols 2. Routes and methods of drug and vaccine administration II. Surgical preparation and assisting A. Surgical preparation 1. Surgical instruments and sutures 2. Sterilization methods 3. Aseptic technique 4. Recovering surgical patients 5. Surgical logs B. Surgical suite and equipment maintenance 1. Proper operating room conduct 2. Maintenance of the surgical suite 3. Maintenance and proper storage of surgical gowns, drapes and instruments III. Laboratory procedures A. Laboratory sample collection 1. Personal protection equipment and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 2. Hematology a. Basic cells of the blood b. Blood tubes c. Assisting with blood collection 3. Urine collection 4. Fecal collection 5. Rabies and tissue handling 6. Cytology 7. Ectoparasites 8. Necropsy procedures B. Laboratory record keeping 1. Laboratory logs 2. Filing reports 3. Quality control IV. Radiology and ultrasound imaging A. As low as reasonably acceptable (ALARA) B. Restraint, preparation and positioning of patients C. Quality control D. Filing of imagines E. Diagnostic processing of imaging F. Radiology logs

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: April 23, 2019

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.