Birth to Weaning

Build the specialist skills and confidence required to provide expert care for puppies and kittens under six months old, from birth through to weaning.
  • Nurse

  • 5 hours

      Overview

      Neonatal and paediatric care is often a significant source of stress in veterinary practice, as these fragile patients are rarely covered in depth during standard nursing education. This course is designed for nurses who want to overcome the uncertainty of low case numbers and feel fully prepared for these unique clinical challenges. You will explore every stage of early development, including the complexities of hand-rearing, calculating specific nutritional requirements, and managing fluid therapy for tiny patients.

      The training also addresses the increasing demand for client education, empowering you to provide accurate, professional advice to breeders. In addition to medical nursing and risk factor recognition, the course provides essential guidance on providing safe anaesthesia and preparing for caesarean sections in practice. Whether you are supporting a lactating dam or an orphaned neonate, this course ensures you have the attributes to provide high-quality care during the first critical months of life.

      Intended learning outcomes

      By the end of this course, you should be able to:
      • Describe the developmental stages of a neonatal and paediatric patient
      • Calculate the nutritional needs of neonatal and paediatric patients
      • Outline the needs of the orphaned neonate
      • Discuss the options of fluid therapy for neonatal/paediatric patients, including assessing dehydration status
      • Provide safe anaesthesia for neonatal/paediatric patients
      • Prepare for a caesarean in practice
      • Recognise and approach additional risk factors for neonatal and paediatric patients
      “I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.”
      HERMANN HESSE, SIDDHARTHA