EXOT200-0508: Basic Fish Medicine

INSTRUCTORS:
Drury Reavill, DVM, DABVP (Avian), DACVP (course coordinator)
Helen Roberts, DVM
Shane Raidal, BVSc, Ph.D, FACVSc
E. Scott Weber, VMD, MSc
Brian Palmeiro, VMD

DATES:
May 20 - June 17, 2008
Real-time sessions: Tuesdays, May 20, 27, June 3 and 10; 9:30 - 11:30 pm ET (USA)

Course Description
Aquarium fish medicine is a challenging and exciting area of veterinary medicine. It is fortunate that as veterinarians, we are uniquely trained to work-up diseases and attempt therapies in many animal species. These skills serve us well in the realm of aquarium fish. The only additional skill needed will be an understanding of the fish environment.

Veterinarians and veterinary staff interested in or already practicing fish medicine are welcome to enroll in the course. Integration of the basic information presented in the course will provide course participants with the requisite knowledge and skills necessary for the successful evaluation, diagnosis and management of fish diseases. Participants already familiar with this basic knowledge will also benefit by learning and discussing current skills and techniques for the assessment and treatment of various fish disease conditions. Participants will also be provided with a library of resources for future reference that includes applicable texts and journals, companies that supply aquatic products including therapeutic agents, continuing education and professional organizations.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Week 1 (May 20): Fish Anatomy and Physiology

• Principles of anatomy and physiology will be discussed in a clinical context. The physiology of osmoregulation and waste excretion will be stressed due to their association with disease conditions and water quality. (Palmeiro)

Week 2 (May 27): Husbandry and Water Quality

• Husbandry will focus on tanks, pond design, management, nutrition, filtration and lighting.
• The management and evaluation of water quality parameters and their association with disease will be stressed. These parameters include nitrogenous waste products (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate), oxygen, pH, water hardness and potential toxic agents.
• The concepts of husbandry and management will be stressed since poor management and water quality are often the most important causes of disease conditions in fish. (Reavill)

Week 3 (June 3): Overview of Common Diseases

• Common diseases and infectious disease agents will be discussed including parasitic, bacterial, viral and fungal. Miscellaneous non-infectious conditions will also be considered. (Weber)

Week 4 (June 10): Basic Diagnostics

• Diagnostic techniques discussed will include history, anesthesia, wet mount examination, biopsies, necropsies, fecals, radiographs, blood collection, bacterial cultures and fish behavior. (Roberts)

MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSIONS:
Discussions will begin on the start date of the course and will continue for one week following the last real time session.

CE HOURS: 8

TUITION:
Member/$140, Non-Member/$220 by May 6, 2008;
Member/$156, Non-Member/$244 after May 6, 2008
Course open to veterinarians and VSPN members.

Required Textbook: None

Recommended Textbooks:

Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment, 1st edition - Noga - 2000
Iowa State University Press; ISBN: 081382558X
Available in the VIN bookstore: https://store.vin.com/custom/edit.asp?p=82230
Be sure to login to receive your member discount.

The Veterinary Clinics of North America Exotic Animal Practice Series

Emergency and Critical Care of Fish
Gregory Lewbart
Vet Clin North Am Exotic Anim Pract 1[1]:233-250 Sep'98 Review Article

Husbandry and Husbandry-related Diseases of Ornamental Fish
Todd R. Cecil
Vet Clin North Am Exotic Anim Pract 2[1]:1-18 Jan'99 Review Article

Clinical Examination of Fish in Private Collections
Ruth Francis-Floyd
Vet Clin North Am Exotic Anim Pract 2[2]:247-264 May'99 Review Article

Hematology and Clinical Chemistry of Cyprinid Fish: Common Carp and Goldfish
Joseph M. Groff and Joseph G. Zinkl
Vet Clin North Am Exotic Anim Pract 2[3]:741-776 Sep'99 Review Article

Pet Fish Formulary
Ted Y. Mashima and Gregory A. Lewbart
Vet Clin North Am Exotic Anim Pract 3[1]:117-130 Jan'00 Review Article

Surgery in Fish
Craig A. Harms and Gregory A. Lewbart
Vet Clin North Am Exotic Anim Pract 3[3]:759-774 Sep'00 Review Article

Common diagnostic and clinical techniques for fish
Drury R Reavill
Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. May 2006;9(2):223-35, v.

Diagnostic cytology of fish
Drury Reavill, Helen Roberts
Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. January 2007;10(1):207-34, vii.

For More Information on VIN's Upcoming CE Courses, check out https://www.vin.com/CE/Catalog.htm

Note: "This course has been approved for 8 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education. Call VIN at 1-800-700-4636 for further information."

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COURSE WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY: Withdrawal prior to the listed start date of a course entitles the registrant to a complete refund or a credit toward a future VIN CE course, whichever is preferred. Withdrawal within 1 week after the listed start date (i.e. including no more than one real-time session) entitles the registrant to a credit toward any future VIN CE course. (Does not apply to courses with only one real-time session.) After the first real-time session, a registrant may withdraw due to special circumstances and receive prorated credit towards a future VIN course. These requests will be handled on an individual basis. The amount of the prorated credit will be determined based on 65% of the time remaining in the course at the time of withdrawal. It is not possible to withdraw retroactively.

Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN office at 1-800-700-INFO.

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Debbie Friedler
Coordinator
Continual Education Division
Veterinary Information Network
CEonVIN@vin.com

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