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Mrs. Jones has been a client of your practice for the last 7 years. Her dog, "Bender" the Boxer, is a team favorite. You have celebrated birthdays with Bender in the exam room. Suddenly, Mrs. Jones finds a couple of masses on Bender and you are devastated. You know Mast Cell Tumors are common in Boxers. What if this is a Mast Cell? What if it is Grade 3? You dread the idea of Mrs. Jones having to be told. How can you and your practice treat Bender with the best medicine? So many thoughts flood
your mind and Mrs. Jones can read the expression on your face. “This isn’t good is it…?” she asks.
Advances in veterinary medicine have allowed us to diagnose and treat cancer, often with excellent results. However, that success often comes with complications and side effects. Veterinary team members must have a strong educational foundation in order to play an effective role in the diagnosis, communication and treatment of cancer cases. Many times, team members do not comprehend the basics of this potentially deadly disease and therefore cannot help to educate clients with confidence, decreasing client
compliance. Understanding oncology is critical, along with development and implementation of proper diagnostic and treatment procedures.
Advanced Principles of Small Animal Oncology is a 6 week course that will help you and your practice create the best medical approach for your clients and patients through a comprehensive understanding of oncology. |
Course meets the requirements for 18.00 RACE hours of continuing education credit for veterinary technicians in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB's 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. |
Participants may enroll in this course after it has begun, up to the enrollment deadline date. Participants who enroll after the start date do not miss out on any components of the course.
There are no real time sessions.
The design of this course allows each participant to proceed based on individual schedule, as long as all assignments are submitted by the assignment submission deadline |
The course opens with a refresher of the basics of oncology to provide a review of concepts. It then continues on, detailing the changes that occur to the cells as they become malignant. Team members will gain a full understanding of the viruses that are linked with cancer, along with chemicals, physical, environmental and hormonal cancer related factors. Diagnostic techniques are covered at length, along with treatment options. Safety should be a top priority of team members; therefore PPE, hazards and precautions finish out the course, along with Pawspice options for both team members and clients. |
Advanced Principles of Small Animal Oncology is a 6-week course designed to further the skills of the advanced technician. Although this course carries RACE credits only for technicians, many veterinarians will find this course beneficial to their understanding of oncology and a good starting point for advanced level training.
Upon completion of the course the student will be able to:
Compare and contrast normal cell structure with cancerous cell structure
Recognize common tumor characteristics
Compare and contrast benign and malignant tumors
Differentiate cancer causing viruses
Identify chemical, physical and hormonal factors associated with cancer
Assess immune system responses to cancer cells
Identify the process of carcinogenesis
Evaluate genetic mutations
Compare and contrast effect diagnostic imaging technologies
Evaluate effective sample acquisition methods, including aspirates, scrapings, swabs and imprints
Develop effective biopsy techniques
Identify paraneoplastic syndromes
Compare and contrast effective treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy
Implement effective safety and protective measures
Effectively asses and implement pain management and nutritional protocols for cancer patients
Assess and establish end of life measures for cancer patients and their owners |
...I enjoyed the Case Studies. They were similar to current situations I experience on a daily basis.
...I enjoyed learning about techniques for FNAs, safety procedures to impliment at my practice, and about paraneoplastic syndromes.
...I enjoyed reading the text about specific conditions and chemotherapy medications. I felt that the section on safety was well done but rather short.
...The assignments made you think more about what was read in the reading assignment. The answers were not directly found in the text but required more thought than just going through the text. I also liked the case studies. They allowed practical application of the topics discussed.
...This course offered a wide variety of information beneficial to my career on a daily basis.
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Withrow & MacEwens Small Animal Oncology, 5th edition by Stephan Withrow, DVM, DACVS, DACVIM; David Vail, DVM, DACVIM; 2013 Elsevier
Important Text Information: This course utilizes a textbook. It is up to each participant to determine the best way to acquire the text. Some will already have the text in their library and therefore will not need to purchase another copy. Where to purchase and in what format is totally up to the participant. The text is available as a print publication and as an eBook.
VetMedTeam has an Elsevier Text Portal, which is provided as a courtesy, and enables the participant to receive a 25% discount on printed textbooks and a 35% discount on eBooks. To access this portal, please use the following link:
VetMedTeam's Elsevier Text Portal
Important: Regardless of what option the participant chooses, access to a copy of the textbook is mandatory. Without the text the student will not be able to complete the assignments, case studies and examinations as the material is not reprinted within the course. If enrolling close to or beyond the course start date, it is recommended that the text be purchased as an eBook to prevent text acquisition related delays. |
Completed students are awarded a certificate of completion. Completion requirements include:
- Instructor Graded Interactive Module Assignments: Designed to help the participant reinforce newly learned material
- Instructor Graded Interactive Case Study Assignments:Designed to help the participant apply the newly learned skills and knowledge though patient and practice based scenarios
- Examinations: All examinations must be submitted with a score of 80% or better.
- Course survey
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 Kim Albin, LVT, VTS (Oncology)
Kim obtained her LVT in 1996 and became a VTS (oncology) in 2008. She has worked with the Oncology Unit at Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital 6 years, focusing on animal and handler safety. She has published several articles in Veterinary Technician magazine, the Canadian Veterinary Technician magazine, and is currently working on a Chemotherapy Safety Book.
Kim is past president of the Veterinary Technician Cancer Society and is the safety coordinator for many Veterinary Oncology Clinics. In her spare time, Kim is a mother, wife, and a sponsored amateur triathlete on the Lansing Triathlon Team, as well as a fitness instructor at the YMCA. |
May 15, 2013 - Registration deadline is 11:30 PM Eastern May 24, 2013
August 01, 2013 - Registration deadline is 11:30 PM Eastern August 10, 2013
November 01, 2013 - Registration deadline is 11:30 PM Eastern November 10, 2013
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