Handbook

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Enrolment in Master of Veterinary Studies (Conservation Medicine) or Doctor of Veterinary Medical Sciences.

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Unit content:This unit provides veterinarians with training and expertise in wildlife medicine, which can be applied in private practice, zoos and wildlife conservation projects. The course is divided into taxonomic modules. Each module will cover relevant aspects of veterinary medicine for the taxon in question, such as: anatomy and physiology, handling and chemical restraint, diagnosis and treatment of common diseases and injuries, and aspects of nutrition and husbandry associated with maintaining wild animals in captivity. Wildlife medicine is considered a specialised field. The principles for treatment of disease and injury in domestic animals can often be applied to wild animals. However, there are also many exceptions to the “domestic animal rule”. The key to successful wildlife medicine is to understand the similarities between domestic and wildlife species and be aware of the differences. Wild animals are very different patients than their domestic counterparts. Most wild animals endure physiological stress, to varying degrees, when handled or housed in captivity. The consequences of physiological stress can be fatal in some species. Therefore even the simplest of procedures in domestic animal medicine, such as physical examination, can often only be conducted on wild animals under anaesthesia to ensure the safety and welfare of the animal and the handler. In the wild, debilitated animals often have a lower chance of survival. Therefore, wild animals tend to ‘mask’ clinical signs of illness in the early stages. This ‘preservation reflex’ provides a clinical challenge for veterinarians, as it can be difficult to determine the severity of a condition until the advanced stages. Furthermore, it is necessary for veterinarians to develop the skills to look beyond the initial clinical presentation of a wildlife case, to determine whether an underlying nutritional condition or infectious disease predisposed the animal to injury or illness. This unit has five compulsory topics and four elective topics. Veterinarians can select electives that will be relevant to work in private practice or to conservation work in the fields of captive and free-ranging wild animal management.

Other notes:Enrolment in this unit in the internal mode is subject to approval by the Academic Chair.