Nurses Certificate in Small Animal Nutrition

The first module of this small animal nutrition programme will review the anatomy and physiology of the canine and feline gastrointestinal tract and the biochemistry of digestion to enable you to have a firm basis for your nutritional knowledge as you progress through the course.

There will also be a brief study of the anatomy and physiology of the kidneys and liver, followed by the physiology of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis.

In this module you will study the principles of basic nutrition and life-stage feeding. There are naturally some important differences between the nutritional requirements of cats and dogs to consider.

This module also includes case studies so that you will have an opportunity to practise nutritional calculations.

In this module you will learn about the commonly, and some of the uncommonly encountered exotic mammalian species (eg rabbits, rodents, ferrets and a brief discussion of sugar gliders, small primates etc) and their basic gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology. The aetiology of nutritional diseases in these species and how best to avoid them by supplying optimally balanced diets will be discussed. Clinically relevant areas of other organ systems will also be described eg calcium metabolism and the urinary tract in rabbits. By the end of this module you will feel comfortable in approaching clinical nutritional support for the generally ill patient as well as those suffering specific disease conditions. Cases from the speaker's practice will be drawn on to illustrate these issues and you are invited to bring your own cases, with as much information as possible, on the day, or to send them through ahead of time.

The second exotic module will cover the nutritional requirements of birds such as psittacines; raptors, other commonly presented wild UK birds and backyard chickens. To allow you to feel more comfortable with a variety of reptiles, species such as terrestrial and freshwater chelonia; snakes; representative species of commonly encountered lizard species (herbivore, omnivore and carnivore) will also be discussed. Understanding the basic gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology of these species will help you understand the aetiology of the nutritional diseases which these species experience and how to prevent them with optimal diets. Clinically relevant areas of other organ systems will be described including Vitamin D metabolism and UV light. Cases from the speaker's practice will be drawn on to illustrate these issues and you are invited to bring your own cases, with as much information as possible, on the day, or to send them through ahead of time.

Pet owners are often bewildered by the information on pet food packaging and as a nurse running nutrition clinics you require the knowledge and skills to translate this data into everyday language. This module will review pet food choices, discuss ‘fashionable’ diets and the impact of feeding on behaviour. This module includes case studies and a practical session so that you will have an opportunity to practise nutritional calculations using a wide range of commercial pet food products. By the end of this module you will be better positioned to speak knowledgeably and communicate productively with your clients on the occasionally contentious topic of what they choose to feed their pet, and why.

This module will cover topics such as weight management and oral care at home, but also the support of more critically ill patients such as those affected by anorexia and cancer. Patients suffering from critical illness and/or injury often require assisted feeding. Their owners benefit from training and significant support to improve the welfare and outcomes for their pet and result in speedier recovery and shorter hospitalisation times. This module will give you the confidence to run successful nurse clinics in your practice.

Gastrointestinal signs are a major concern to many pet owners and are a frequent reason to seek nutritional advice. Whether the pet is hospitalised or cared for at home, nutritional support is particularly important for these cases. This module will provide in depth guidance on the ideal approach to cases such as adverse food reactions, colitis, pancreatitis, and hyperlipidaemia. Many endocrine conditions also benefit from personalised nutritional management as they are so complex and affect many different body systems. This module will deepen your understanding of the nutritional care of patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal or endocrine disorders.

This module primarily focuses our attention on the nutritional management of patients who have been diagnosed with organ failure which is more common in the mature cat and dog. A wide variety of organs can be affected including the kidneys, liver, brain and heart. Also included in this module are specific nutritional considerations for urolithiasis and FLUTD. Patients affected by orthopaedic disorders whether young or old can also benefit from nutritional support. Such cases are commonly presented at the clinic for their mobility issues and it has been shown that they require less medical intervention when they receive appropriate dietary management.