The Penn Foster Veterinary Assistant Program can help you to develop your abilities keep animals healthy, nurse them when ill and even save their lives. The Program provides all the necessary books, lessons, equipment and learning aids; special charts and videos to demonstrate veterinary procedures; unlimited instructional support; access to student services by phone, mail, fax and website.

The Program consists of nine Instruction Sets

Instruction Set 1
     Introduction to Animal Care. This course explores career opportunities in animal care; certification; animal care skills.

Instruction Set 2
     Behavior. Here you can learn the types of animal behavior; role of the Veterinary Assistant in behavior counseling; common animal behavior problems.
     Handling and Restraint – studies handling and restraint of dogs, cats, birds, horses, and other animals; transporting animals.

Instruction Set 3
     Introduction to Veterinary Terminology. This course discovers anatomical and veterinary procedure terminology; metric terms and abbreviations.
     Animal Skeletal and Muscular Systems. Here you can find anatomy and physiology overview; skeletal system structure and function; joints; muscular system structure and function; muscle groups and muscle physiology; skeletal muscle functions.
     Integumentary, Circulatory and Respiratory Systems. The course studies integumentary system structures; the cardiovascular system; blood and other bodily fluids; the lymphatic system; respiratory system structure and processes.

Instruction Set 4
     Digestive, Reproductive and Urinary Systems – explores the digestive system; accessory digestive organs; the reproductive systems; the urinary system.
     Nervous System, Sensory Organs, and Endocrine System. This course studies the nervous system; the sensory organs; endocrine system.

Instruction Set 5
     Nutrition – studies nutrients; pet foods; methods of feeding; anorexic animals; dietary management.
     Genetics, Reproduction and Aging. Here you can find classification by breeds; reproductive cycles; gestation; aging.
     Avian and Reptile Anatomy. The course learns functions of the major body systems; components of avian body systems.
     History and Physical Examination. The course provides the chart; systems history; observation, palpation, auscultation; client education.

Instruction Set 6
     Pathology. With this course you will study signs of disease; common diseases of animals; prevention; immunity; zoonoses.
     Immunology – studies vaccination; vaccination schedules; adverse reaction to vaccines.
     Emergency Care – discovers common emergencies; wounds; fractures; exposure; triage; shock; crisis intervention.
     Wound Care and Management – learns types of wounds; healing; wound care; bandaging techniques; casts and slings.

Instruction Set 7
     Clinical Parasitology. The course studies types of parasites; ectoparasites and endoparasites; testing for parasites.
     Small and Large Animal Nursing, Parts 1 & 2 - administering oral medications; assisting with the administration of injections; nursing newborns; geriatric care.
     Veterinary Pharmacology. Here you can find introduction to veterinary pharmacology; techniques of drug administration; types of drugs.

Instruction Set 8
     Radiology, Parts 1 & 2 – examines safety; radiography; ultrasonography; caring for equipment.
     Instrumentation and Principles of Aseptic Technique - small and large instruments; surgical packs; cleaning and sterilization; patient preparation.
     Surgical and Anesthetic Preparation. The course investigates the assistant’s role; animal surgery; surgical preparation; assisting with anesthesia administration; post-surgical cleanup.

Instruction Set 9
     Veterinary Practice and Administration – discovers veterinary staff roles; procedure and personnel manuals; facility cleanliness and safety; inventory and supplies; records and logs; admission and discharge; records retrieval and protection; basic filing systems and equipment; screening and processing mail.
     Interpersonal Communication. The course studies basic elements of communication; essential personality traits; professional interactions with clients; prejudice, insensitivity, and discrimination; barriers to effective communication; improving your speech; stress and defense mechanisms.
     General Accounting Practices – studies basic accounting terminology; common accounting systems in veterinary offices; doctors’ fees and fee policies; accepting and declining checks; extending credit on accounts receivable; adjusting or cancelling fees; billing statements and collection letters; deposit slips and bank statements; petty cash; payroll data.
     Veterinary Practice Procedures. The course provides practical applications for accounting, interpersonal communications, and office administration skills.

Tuition – $553
Registration fee – $82
Technology fee – $35
Shipping charge – $119
Total tuition fees - $789