Course: Game Animal Diseases

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Course title Game Animal Diseases
Course code 2190/VAZVE
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Tutorial
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction English
Status of course unspecified
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Course availability The course is available to visiting students
Lecturer(s)
  • Pikula Jiří, prof. MVDr. Ph.D.
  • Banďouchová Hana, doc. MVDr. Ph.D.
Course content
Lectures: 1. Importance of game animals, population trends of main game animal species, game animals as bio-indicators of environmental quality, ecology and ethology of game birds and mammals, game animal farms 2. Essentials of game animal nutrition. Dietetic causes of morbidity and mortality 3. Anaesthesia and immobilisation of game animals 4. Haematological, biochemical and molecular-biological diagnostics of game animal diseases. The written part of the exam comprises a test with 30 questions and multiple choices of answers 5. Stress reaction and its contribution to the pathogenesis of wildlife diseases (intoxications/infections) 6. Viral infections of importance in game mammals (etiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnostics, differential diagnostics, control measures) 7. Bacterial infections of importance in game mammals (etiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnostics, differential diagnostics, therapy, control measures) 8. Parasites of importance in game mammals (etiology, pathogenesis, life cycle, clinical signs, diagnostics, differential diagnostics, therapy, control measures) 9. Viral infections of importance in game birds (etiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnostics, differential diagnostics, control measures) 10. Bacterial infections of importance in game birds (etiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnostics, differential diagnostics, therapy, control measures) 11. Parasites of importance in game birds (etiology, pathogenesis, life cycle, clinical signs, diagnostics, differential diagnostics, therapy, control measures) 12. Miscellaneous (non-infectious) diseases of both game birds and mammals (e.g. intoxications) 13. Main causes of morbidity and mortality in game animals, diseases common to multiple taxa including zoonoses Practical lessons: 1. Personal safety, health-protective equipment and biosecurity during necropsy and laboratory work with potentially infectious material. Precautions to reduce the risk of injury while handling game animals. Bionomy of important game birds and mammals 2. Legislation rules of veterinary care for game animals. Practical training on how to handle game birds and mammals. Collection of blood and other diagnostic samples, their storage and laboratory processing. Health tests applicable in main game animal species, translocation of game animals 3. Anaesthesia and immobilisation of game animals. Immobilisation tools, anaesthetics used in game animals, care of an immobilised specimen. Practical demonstration of immobilisation in field conditions 4. Essentials of treatment of wildlife casualties and traumas. Care of the handicapped game animals (injured, orphaned) 5. Necropsy of game mammals 6. Necropsy of game birds 7. Diagnostics of viral infections of game mammals. Processing of field-collected samples 8. Diagnostics of viral infections of game birds. Processing of field-collected samples 9. Diagnostics of bacterial infections of game mammals. Processing of field-collected samples 10. Diagnostics of bacterial infections of game birds. Processing of field-collected samples 11. Diagnostics of parasitic infections of game mammals. Processing of field-collected samples 12. Diagnostics of parasitic infections of game birds. Processing of field-collected samples 13. Treatment and veterinary inspection of game animals and venison after hunting, the technology of processing, and legislation pertaining to venison. Consultations and credit awarding

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lectures, Seminars, Laboratory and desk-based work, Clinical work, Extramural practical training
Learning outcomes
The course presents veterinary medicine of game animals i.e., species that may currently be hunted and those under legislation protection despite once being considered game animals. Students gain knowledge of free-range as well as farmed and/or enclosure-kept game animals regarding their biology, ecology, ethology, nutritional requirements, management of wild populations, conservation medicine and welfare. Stress is put on understanding diseases of game birds and mammals that have a serious epidemiological and economic impact, with regard to their etiology, pathology, clinical signs, diagnostics, therapy, prevention and control as well as risks associated with human consumption of venison.
1) theoretical knowledge The student knows/understands: - requirements of game animals for their living environment, - principles of zoological and conservation medicine aimed at game animal species, - is able to identify common stressors influencing the health status of game animals, - is able to describe the main causes of morbidity and mortality of game animals, - is able to explain the link between the health of game animals and humans. 2) practical skills The student is able to: - work with potentially infectious material in the necropsy room and in the diagnostic lab; handle game animals safely to minimise their distress, - perform diagnostic necropsy of game birds and mammals, - collect, store and process diagnostic samples, - to propose and apply practical immobilisation for various game animal species; to monitor vital functions of game animals during immobilisation as well as to prevent and/or handle effectively possible complications, - to make a suspect diagnosis based on the clinical and pathological findings and to propose diagnostic procedures to confirm and/or exclude this suspect diagnosis, - to treat game animal specimens shot by hunters and to perform venison inspection. 3) competences The student is able to: - evaluate the condition and status of the health of game animals, - make a diagnosis of pathogenic agents circulating within free-range, captive and farmed populations of game animals, - provide advice concerning the care and the health status of game animals, - recommend health checks and conditions of translocation and transport of game animals, - recommend medication and therapy and/or complex measures to improve the status of health of game animals as well as to protect the health of wildlife diseases exposed to domestic animals and humans, - provide veterinary care for injured and handicapped game animal specimens as well as orphaned neonates and juveniles.
Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam, Written exam, Practical exam, Oral credit test, Written credit test

Credit requirements: - active participation at a minimum of 85% of practical lessons - oral presentation and successful performance of an assigned diagnostic task - having adequate practical and theoretical knowledge of selected topics studied during practical lessons Knowledge required to pass the exam: - knowledge is tested in a written, practical and oral examination - the written part of the exam combines a multiple-choice and open cloze test consisting of 50 questions (one correct answer only) - during the practical exam students have to demonstrate their ability 1) to perform a diagnostic necropsy of a game bird/mammal, 2) to restrain a live game animal for diagnostic sampling and/or 3) to propose anaesthetic/immobilisation protocols for selected game animals and to prepare the remote drug delivery tools - ability to propose a diagnostic plan and measures to be taken while dealing with mass mortality events in wild birds/mammals
Recommended literature
  • ATKINSON CT, THOMAS NJ, HUNTER DB (Editors). Parasitic diseases of wild birds.. Wiley-Blackwell, 1st edition, 2008.
  • GAVIER-WIDÉN D, DUFF JP, MEREDITH A (Editors). Infectious diseases of wild mammals and birds in Europe.. Wiley Blackwell, 1st edition, 2012.
  • MILLER RE, FOWLER ME (Editors). Fowler's Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, Volume 8.. Elsevier, 1st edition, 2014.
  • MULLINEAUX E, KEEBLE E (Editors). BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties.. Small Animal Veterinary Association, 2nd edition, 2016.
  • SAMOUR J. Avian Medicine.. Elsevier, 3rd edition, 2016.
  • TERIO KA, MCALOOSE D, LEGER JS (Editors). Pathology of wildlife and zoo animals.. Elsevier, 1st edition, 2018.
  • THOMAS NJ, HUNTER DB, ATKINSON CT (Editors). Infectious diseases of wild birds.. Blackwell Publishing, 1st edition, 2008.
  • WEST G, HEARD D, CAULKETT N (Editors). Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia.. Wiley-Blackwell, 2nd edition, 2014.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester