Dermatology with Drs Sonya Bettenay and Ralf Mueller

• Introduction
• Timetable for Modules
• Content of Modules
• Reading List
• Technical Requirements for Online Study
• Register for this Course

Drs Sonya Bettenay and Ralf Mueller are well known in Australia, New Zealand and Europe for their dedication to the practicalities of dermatology insmall animal practice. They have given numerous seminars and courses which have helped many practicing veterinarians to obtain a more satisfying approach to their dermatology cases. This Post Graduate course in Dermatology is designed to allow veterinarians to obtain a very hands-on and practical approach. From diagnostic work-up of patients in all the major possible categories (allergy, immune mediated, infectious etc…), to ongoing management of those impossible chronic skin cases, the course is designed to keep one's interest and develop practical case-oriented skills. Pathophysiology of the major disease groups to further develop fundamental knowledge, is generally covered in a case-oriented fashion, enabling the clinically oriented practitioner to maintain a sense of reality.

The ten modules are structured so that they stand alone, although throughout the year work builds on previous cases and discussions. The two workshops focus on the practice skills of fast thinking, case management and cytology (one of those essential skills in dermatology!)

The topics covered include allergies (most clinician's daily dilemma), cutaneous infections (bacterial, fungal and parasitic), otitis externa, cutaneous oncology (including basic cytology and management of the specifically 'dermatology oriented' neoplasias), keratinisation defects, immune-mediated skin diseases and more. Medications, treatment regimes, topical and systemic, including dose rates, tips on usage, precautions are also covered.

So if you feel the need to better understand the diseases/be more innovative and confident in treatments of: bald, itchy, crusty, smelly dogs and cats, then consider this course for you!

Key Benefits

By the end of this course you can expect to:

• Use a more effective approach to diagnostic work-ups in all major categories of skin conditions.
• Gain skills in the ongoing management of the sometimes impossible chronic skin cases.
• Improve your fundamental comprehension of the pathophysiology of major disease groups.
• Gain a better understanding of topical and systemic medications and treatment regimes including dose rates, precautions and tups on usage, and knowledge anout new and not widely known drugs.
• Improve your understanding of the gactors that influence normal growth and repair of the skin, along with varied infectious agents and special immunological responses of the skin.
  

Please note:

• There is usually an initial Teleconference held in February. The exact date and time will be advised closer to the time for participants.
• Participants receive a CD containing all of the course notes, several hundred pictures of the most common dermatologic problems and movies showing the most commonly performed diagnostic procedures at the beginning of the year, as well as a hard copy of the course notes.
• The 1st Dermatology Distance Education Workshop is usually held in March or April. The exact date and location will be advised closer to the time for participants.
• The 2nd Dermatology Distance Education Workshop is usually held in November. The exact date and location will be advised closer to the time for participants.

Content of Modules

Module 1 History and physical examination
Taking a dermatologic history
In house laboratory testing
Signalment/breed predisposition
How to increase the chances of diagnostic biopsy
Congenital/psychogenic diseases

Module 2 The approach to the pruritic patient I
Cutaneous bacteriology and normal defence mechanisms
Surface infections
Superficial infections
Deep infections
Antibacterial therapy
Miscellaneous bacterial infections

Module 3 The approach to the pruritic patient II
Pruritus - pathophysiology
Pruritus - management
Insect bite allergy - pathophysiology
Insect bite hypersensitivity - diagnosis and management
Food allergy - diagnosis and management

Module 4 The Approach to the Patient with Papules, Pustules and Crusts - Bacterial Pyoderma and Demodicosis
Atopic dermatitis - diagnosis
Atopic dermatitis - pathophysiology
Atopic dermatitis - management
Contact allergy - diagnosis and management

Module 5 The Approach to the Patient with Papules, Pustules and Crusts II – Dermatophytosis
Flea life cycle
Flea bite hypersensitivity in small animal practice
Effective flea control in the 21st Century
Dermatosis caused by helminths and mites
Antiparasitic agents and their use in small animal practice

Module 6 The Approach to the Patient with Fistulae and/or nodules – Cutaneous neoplasias, deep bacterial infections and mycoses
Cells of the epidermis - keratinocytes, melanocytes, Langerhans cells
The basement membrane
The dermis
Keratinisation defects
Solar dermatoses

Module 7 The Approach to the patient with scaling / Keratinisation defects and selected ectoparasites
Inflammatory cells
Inflammation
Essential fatty acids and inflammation
The pemphigus complex
Immunosuppressive therapy

Module 8 The Approach to the alopecic patient and/or the patient with systemic signs
Relevant laboratory tests for dermatology
Lupus erythematous
Metabolic diseases
Hypothyroidism
Hyperadrenocorticism

Module 9 Immune-mediated skin disease
Cutaneous mycology
Diagnosis of fungal skin disease
Superficial fungal infections
Subcutaneous mycoses
Systemic mycoses
Anti-fungal agents in veterinary dermatology

Module 10 The approach to the patient with otitis externa
Otitis externa
Cutaneous oncology
Topical therapy
Case Studies

Recommended Reading

Textbooks

Library essential:
Scott DW, Miller W & Griffin CE: 'Muller & Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology'. 6th Edition, WB Saunders, 2000. (If you don't have access to other textbooks and want to know which one to buy, you should get this one first. It is the most complete and detailed textbook available, but looking up takes time, not that useful as a quick reference)

Further useful references:
Mueller RS: 'Dermatology for the Small Animal Practitioner', Teton NewMedia 2000 (distributed by the Post Graduate Foundation) (Quick reference book very useful in daily practice, problem-based approach, but not complete)

Griffin CE, Kwochka KW, Macdonald JM: 'Current Veterinary Dermatology', Mosby Yearbook 1993. (easy to read and practical, but not a problem-based approach and not complete)

Mason I, Moriello K. Handbook of Small Animal Dermatology, Pergamon 1994 (Problem-based approach, easy to read, but out of print and difficut to get, not complete)

Foster A, Foil C (Eds): Manual of Small Animal Dermatology, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, 2003

'Veterinary Cytology', Paul Canfield and Patricia Martin

Extracts from:
Current Veterinary Therapy IX, X, XI, XII (ed Kirk).

Canine and Feline Endocrinology and Reproduction, Feldman and Nelson. 2nd Edition.

Journal

Veterinary Dermatology*
'This is the only journal dedicated to veterinary dermatology, it is a colour journal.'

*Orders for subscription of this journal should be sent to:
Blackwell Science Ltd
Journal Subscriptions
PO Box 88 Oxford
OX2 ONE UK
or faxed to: 0011 44 1865 206219 or e-mailed to: journals.cs@blacksci.co.uk
The journal subscription costs around $US120.

Technical requirements for online study WebCT is a software program developed in Canada which provides a platform and a set of web course teaching tools for online learning. As an introduction to the online learning environment The Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science is using this platform to give you access to your course online. This medium will allow you to access your course and participate in online discussions with other participants and your tutor via a computer, a modem and a web browser, such as Netscape or Internet Explorer.

To optimise your use of WebCT for online learning we recommend the following specifications: http://www.pgf.edu.au/disted/index.cfm#technical

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