Diploma in Animal Health

The Diploma in Animal Health provides South Africa with a cadre of animal health technicians who are well-grounded understanding and have an of animal diseases and who can continue to learn in the field situation prior to acquiring post learner animal health qualifications.

The qualification provides learners with learner level knowledge of animal health, competence in the practical application of animal disease prevention and control in the field situation and competence in assisting the veterinary surgeon in curative veterinary medicine.

The qualification provides knowledgeable personnel in the field who can bridge the gap between the rural livestock farmer and the veterinary surgeon by providing primary animal health care to subsistence and semi-commercial farmers in isolated areas who cannot afford the services of a veterinarian or who are beyond the reach of the veterinarian in isolated areas.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Senior Certificate without endorsement.

Or

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, granting access to Diploma studies.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4, granting access to Diploma studies.

Exit Level Outcomes

1. Assist the veterinarian in performing basic diagnostic and treatment procedures associated with the common livestock diseases.
2. Assist the veterinarian in performing preventative and curative medicine procedures associated with the common diseases in animals.
3. Provide primary animal health care to subsistence and semi-commercial farmers living in areas where veterinary services are not available.
4. Effectively communicate with livestock owners in areas of production and management.

Specific Outcomes

1.1 Learners will be able to restrain the animals so that a thorough examination can be done.

1.2 Learners will be able to collect the history associated with the disease and effectively communicate this to the veterinarian.

1.3 Learners will be able to recognise a normal animal.

1.4 Learners will be able to examine animals to differentiate the normal from the abnormal in assisting the veterinarian in coming to a diagnosis.

1.5 Learners will be able to collect blood, faecal and other samples from animals and use the microscope to examine them in the clinical and laboratory situation.

1.6 Learners will be able to use various growth media to identify bacteria that cause disease in animals.

1.7 Learners will be able to take a specimen from the clinic to the laboratory and put into motion the necessary procedures to solve the problem of what is causing the disease in the animal from which the specimen was taken.

1.8 Learners will be able to perform various basic herd health procedures and assist the veterinarian in the treatment of animals related to the procedures.

2.1 Learners will be able to co-ordinate information learned in the disease theory modules with what they see in the practical situation to prevent disease in animals.

2.2 Learners will be able, during their practical sessions, to gather information associated with given diseases and use that information to solve the problems of cattle dying, by preparing vaccination and other preventative medicine programmes to prevent the deaths.

2.3 Learners will be able to identify the various diseases which cause illness in the domestic animals and assist the veterinarian in the treatment of those diseases.

3.1 Learners will be able to provide emergency care to animals belonging to people living in isolated areas who have never before had such a service.

3.2 Learners will be able to provide basic care to animals with minor conditions needing attention, belonging to people living in isolated areas who have never before had such an animal health service.

4.1 Learners will be able to provide an extension service to the community as they advise livestock farmers on livestock production as it relates to animal health.

4.2 Learners will demonstrate their ability to be able to advise and assist the community in matters related to meat and milk hygiene.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Work as a team to quickly move large stock into a press and neck clamp with a minimum of stress to the animal and without danger of injury to themselves.
• Apply the proper restraint in a responsible and effective way using ropes to control the large stock.
• Restrain small stock and companion animals in such a way that the animals are not injured and with a minimum of risk of injury to themselves.
• Communicate effectively with the owner of the animal to obtain a history of the illness of the animal.
• Ask basic questions related to the illness and to collect the response from the owner in a clear and concise manner.
• Communicate the information regarding the history to the veterinarian accurately.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the normal animal by identifying selected major tissues, organs and systems in theory assessments and in anatomy specimens during practical sessions.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how the normal animal functions by describing the way the major organs and systems work in theory assessments and on the live animal and the practical situation.
• Use what they have learned in the theory to explain in the practical situation how the animal functions on a basic level.
• Demonstrate ability to recognise the normal animal and use that to compare with an animal that is showing signs of illness in the practical situation in the clinic and in the field.
• Collect the vital signs of the animals as they examine the animals in the practical sessions.
• Learners can reflect on what they have learned in the various theory modules of disease courses to complete a basic clinical examination of various animals in the practical sessions.
• Work effectively with others as a member of a team in the practical sessions and draw on their knowledge of the diseases learned in the theory to perform further tests as directed by the veterinary surgeon which might assist the veterinarian in the diagnosis of the disease.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the disease theory modules and apply that in the clinic and laboratory situation by organising and managing themselves and their practical activities responsibly and effectively as they collect skin scrapings from sick animals and use the skin scrapings in the clinic or the laboratory to effectively examine them for evidence of manage mites.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the disease theory modules and apply that in the clinic and laboratory situation by organising and manage themselves and their practical activities responsibly and effectively as they collect milk samples from sick animals and use the milk samples for mastitis tests in the clinic or the laboratory to effectively examine them for evidence of mastitis.
• In the practical situation learners can use what they have learned in the disease theory modules and apply that in the clinic and laboratory situation by organising and managing themselves and their practical activities responsibly and effectively as they collect blood from sick animals and use the blood to prepare stained blood smears in the clinic or the laboratory and examine the smear for blood parasites on the slide.
• In the practical situation learners can use what they have learned in the disease theory modules and apply that in the clinic and laboratory situation by organising and managing themselves and their practical activities responsibly and effectively as they collect faeces from sick animals and use the faeces to prepare faecal flotation in the clinic or the laboratory and examine the flotation under the microscope for evidence of parasitic ova.
• In the practical situation learners can use what they have learned in the disease theory modules and apply that in the clinic and laboratory situation by organising and managing themselves and their practical activities responsibly and effectively as they collect milk samples from sick animals and use the milk samples for culture in the laboratory to effectively examine them for evidence of mastitis causing organisms.
• In the practical situation learners can use what they have learned in the disease theory modules and apply that in the clinic and laboratory situation by organising and managing themselves and their practical activities responsibly and effectively as they collect samples from infected areas such as abscesses from sick animals and use the samples for culture in the laboratory to effectively examine them for the agent causing the infection.
• In the practical situation learners can use what they have learned in the disease theory modules and apply that in the clinic and laboratory situation by organising and managing themselves and their practice activities responsibly and effectively as they collect samples from post mortem specimens during post mortem examinations of animals which have died and use the samples for culture in the laboratory to effectively examine them to find the agent causing the death of the animal.
• During practical sessions learners can draw upon scientific knowledge gained in the disease theory modules and use technology in the laboratory effectively to examine blood specimens for abnormalities which will help the veterinarian in the diagnosis of diseases.
• During practical sessions learners can draw upon scientific knowledge gained in the disease theory modules and use technology in the laboratory effectively to process and examine serology specimens for abnormalities which will help the veterinarian in the diagnosis of diseases.
• During practical sessions learners can draw upon scientific knowledge gained in the disease theory modules and use technology in the laboratory effectively to critically examine post mortem specimens for abnormalities which will help the veterinarian in the diagnosis of diseases.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the theory to enable them to assist in the castration of farm animals in the practical situation in the clinic or in the field.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the history to enable them to assist in the dehorning of farm animals in the practical situation in the clinic or in the field.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the theory to enable them to assist in the docking of farm animals in the practical situation in the clinic or in the field.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the theory to enable them to dose farm animals in the practical situation in the clinic or in the field.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the theory to enable them to assist in the vaccination and giving of injections to farm animals in the practical situation in the clinic or in the field.
• Learners can use what they have learned in the theory to enable them to assist in the dipping of animals to control external parasites in different species of animals.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Learners can collect, organise and assimilate into their understanding information about infectious diseases caused by bacterial, viral, protozoal, rickettsial and fungal agents which they get through lectures, assignments, and independent library reviews and reports.
• Learners can collect organise and assimilate into their understanding information about parasitic diseases caused by both internal and external parasites which they get through lectures, assignments, and independent reading in the library.
• Learners can collect organise and assimilate into their understanding information about metabolic diseases and disease complexes which they get through lectures, assignments, and independent reading in the library.
• During practical sessions learners can work together effectively as a team to identify and solve the problem of what is causing sickness in a group of animals related to infectious diseases by putting together a vaccination and management program which will display responsible decision making and creative thinking, in nutrition management, pest control, veterinary hygiene, use of biological and therapeutic management.
• During practical sessions learners can work together effectively as a team to identify and solve the problem of what is causing sickness in a group of animals related to parasitic diseases by putting together a management program which will display responsible decision making and creative thinking, in camp rotation, strategic dosing and dipping.
• During practical sessions learners can work effectively as a team to identify the problems which are causing sickness in animals related to metabolic and complexes of diseases and solve the problem by putting together a management program which will display responsible decision making and creative thinking, in feeding, breeding, selection and preventative medicine.
• Participate as responsible citizens in the life of the local and national community by participating in the veterinary care of animals in the community through the clinical care portion of the programme as they assist the veterinarian in treatment of sick animals both in the clinic and in the villages in the community.
• Interact across a wide range of social contexts in a culturally and aesthetically sensitive manner as they interact with clients form many socio-economic levels who bring their animals to the clinic for treatment.
• Learners can identify the problem of what is causing sickness in the animals related to infectious diseases and solve the problem by assisting the veterinarian in the treatment of those diseases, in a way which will display responsible decision making.
• Identify the problem of what is causing sickness in the animals related to parasitic diseases and solve the problem by assisting the veterinarian in the treatment of those diseases, in a way which will display responsible decision making in camp rotation, strategic dosing and dipping.
• Identify the problem of what is causing sickness in the animals related to metabolic and complexes of diseases and solve the problem by assisting the veterinarian in the treatment of those diseases, in a way which will display responsible decision making in using injections, oral medications and appropriate manipulations of animals.
• Identify the problem of what is causing sickness in the animals related to toxicity diseases and solve the problem by assisting the veterinarian in the treatment of those diseases, in a way which will display responsible decision making in dosing, tubing or injecting those animals for treatment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Learners will be able to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to assist in the care of emergencies in large animals such as choke, urea toxicity, milk fever, etc.
• Learners will be able to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to assist with the care of emergencies in small stock such as dystocia, bloat, pregnancy toxaemia, etc.
• Learners will be able to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to assist with the care of emergencies in companion animals such as strychnine toxicity, eclampsia, etc.
• Learners will be able to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to assist in the care of minor conditions and problems in large animals such as abscesses, minor lacerations and minor injuries.
• Learners will be able to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to assist in the care of minor conditions and problems in small stock such as abrasions, foot rot and minor fractures.
• Learners will be able to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to assist in the care of minor conditions and problems in companion animals such as hot spots, diarrhoea and minor skin conditions.

Associated Assessment Criteria fot Exit Level Outcome 4

• Learners can communicate effectively with livestock owners in the practical situation to convey their knowledge about cattle farming and demonstrate their ability to solve minor problems related to the production and management of the animals.
• Learners can communicate effectively with livestock owners in the practical situation to convey their knowledge about small stock farming and demonstrate their ability to solve minor problems related to the production and management of the animals.
• Learners can communicate effectively with livestock owners in the practical situation to convey their knowledge about pig and poultry farming and demonstrate their ability to solve minor problems related to the production and management of the animals.
• Learners can use their knowledge form theory modules to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to advise farmers on the proper handling of milk and milk products.
• Learners can use their knowledge from theory modules to demonstrate their ability in the practical situation to advise farmers on the proper handling of meat and meat products.
• Learners can use what they have learned from the theory modules to demonstrate in the practical situation their ability to alert people in the community about zoonoses.

Integrated Assessment

Continuous assessment by using a range of formative and summative assessment methods including but not limited to oral and written quizzes and tests, assignments, practical reports and projects reports, formal written exams and formal practical exams which allow the learner to demonstrate applied competence.