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Get 6.25 RACE approved CE credits* and learn about hystricomorph
(guinea pig and chinchilla) medicine and surgery, from the comfort of your home!

* Upon completion of the course

MEMBERSHIP
COMMUNITY
GROUP DISCOUNT

IS THIS THE RIGHT COURSE FOR ME?

I know, heading into something new can be scary. But fear not! I have the breakdown here for you:

This course is for you if:
  • You want to learn the basics of setting up your clinic to start seeing guinea pig and chinchilla (yes, including how to convince your manager to buy the equipment!);
  • You want to learn about guinea pig and chinchilla medicine, from their ears to the tip of their cute little tails;
  • You want to learn about the most common guinea pig and chinchilla surgeries and procedures (and yes, it includes neutering and spaying!);
  • You want access to an exclusive guinea pig and chinchilla emergency drugs calculator;
  • You want to get 6.25 RACE approved CE* credits while learning with a fun, immersive, online experience;
  • You are a veterinarian, a technician, an assistant, a nurse, or a student! Everyone that wants to learn more about guinea pig and chinchilla medicine and surgery will benefit from this course;
  • You don’t have any previous knowledge on guinea pig and chinchilla medicine, but also if you want to hone your skills. We guarantee you’re going to learn a lot of new content! If not, you have our 7 days guarantee, and can get your money back!
This course is NOT for you if:
  • You don’t want to bring more profit to your practice;
  • You don’t want to see new patients;
  • You don’t want to learn from ACZM diplomates;
  • You don’t want to apply the theory to your daily practice.
* Upon completion of the course

The VETAHEAD’s A Clinician’s Guide to Incorporating Hystricomorphs (guinea pig and chinchilla) into Your Practice covers aspects of how to set up your practice, hystricomorph anatomy, husbandry, handling, clinical techniques, common diseases, diagnostic imaging, therapeutics, anesthesia, medicine, and surgery, among other important topics.

With professional sound and image, you will get an immersive experience, taught by the world’s best, at the comfort of your home.

BECOME A MEMBER

COURSE OVERVIEW

This online professional training course will provide intensive lecture on a wide array of medicine, surgery, commonly performed techniques and procedures in hystricomorph rodents (guinea pig and chinchilla).

The course is aimed at veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals (technician, assistant, nurse) as well as students with a keen interest in hystricomorph medicine and surgery.

The course will cover aspects of how to set up your practice, anatomy, husbandry, handling, clinical techniques, common diseases, diagnostic imaging, therapeutics, anesthesia, medicine and surgery, among other important topics.

BECOME A MEMBER

MEMBERSHIP ACCESS

VETAHEAD essentials

Monthly payment
$ 35
00
Monthly
  • All perks of the free membership !
  • Full access to all VETAHEAD courses, all the time* (RACE approved)
  • Full access to emergency calculators, all the time*
  • Exclusive discounts on partner's events
Join Now!

VETAHEAD essentials

Yearly payment
$ 420
00
Yearly
  • All perks of the free membership !
  • Full access to all VETAHEAD courses (RACE approved), all the time*
  • Full access to emergency calculators, all the time*
  • Exclusive discounts on partner's events
Join now!

*While membership is active.

Looking for group discount? Click here!

SEE WHAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT!

I recently finished the course and I feel so empowered about rabbit medicine now, especially regarding the content in the course about GI stasis and anesthesia. I have often been told by some doctors that I have worked with in the past that you can't do things like ET intubation or use less inhalant anesthesia but now I know that there are so many better ways to approach treating rabbit patients. This means a lot to me because I have been involved with procedures with rabbits where the patient passed away either during or shortly after anesthesia, including one of my own pet rabbits. For a long time, those experiences made me wary of assisting with rabbits under anesthesia and made me question my own skills and abilities. Now, I realize how important it is to raise the standard of care for rabbit patients because they are often not given the same standard of care that dog and cat patients receive.
Mariaelena Sanjuan
Mariaelena SanjuanVeterinary assistant, veterinary student
I really love how Vetahead stands true to its motto, "Making ZooMed accessible". I couldn't have imagined getting a chance to study gold standard of rabbit medicine as a veterinary student from India. During my training, i haven't been able to provide best care to rabbit patients, but this course has empowered me and i can't wait to incorporate this newly gained knowledge into practice as a new graduate. The course modules are very well balanced and the procedure videos are really helpful, especially dental care and anesthesia. I really appreciate the illustrations in the modules and the e-books. The course is self paced and which makes it easier to pick up. This course has inspired me to expand my knowledge on other exotic animals and provide better standard of care to all my future patients. A huge thank you to Dr Proenca for this course and all she does on Instagram. I am truly inspired and I really hope I get to learn from her and Dr Sadar in offline mode someday .
Muskaan Gumber
Muskaan GumberVeterinary student
I feel very fortunate to have found Vetahead. "A Clinician's Guide to Incorporating Rabbits into your Practice" is a very complete online course. I went from knowing very little pieces of information from rabbit medicine that I was reading in books and documents online to being able to confidently give advice to colleagues on how to treat their patients. I definitely know a lot more about this species now. Highly recommend this course to other veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
Iris Vales
Iris ValesDVM
As an emergency doctor, I have encountered many sick exotic species including rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, and even snakes. With my background in my home country (my university had a wildlife rehabilitation center that all junior veterinary students go through at that time), I had been comfortable enough in handling these species. But I often noticed knowledge gaps when I attempted to explain to the owners who came to the ER asking for my help. It was a letdown at a time as a clinician being unable to explain their conditions or disease processes explicitly. However, with the rabbit medicine course at VetAhead, I gained the confidence of dealing with exotic species, especially rabbits. I feel more prepared to handle any cases coming through the emergency door. I can explain to the clients how to care their beloved pets and what to expect during the hospital visit or hospitalization instead of telling them simply “someone (exotic vets) will go through in detail on the next day.” Thank you so much, Dr. Proença and Dr. Sadar!
Vincent Yoon
Vincent YoonDVM
This course has taught me so much! I am so grateful to be a part of something that I have an opportunity to learn and gain experience from that will make me a better future veterinarian. The course structure was great! I was able to follow the videos while I had the lesson work books. I was able to do my notes and watch the videos at the same time. The information was clear and easy to understand. I loved the diagrams and pictures within the lesson book to follow along with the course. Some of the terminology was harder to understand some of the time since I am in undergraduate school and have never been to vet school. This just gave me a chance to research it  and become familiar with it now before hand so I can be ahead of the game. All in all it was a great course and I am excited to see what VETAHEAD has in the future.
Skylar Vasil
Skylar VasilVeterinary assistant
The wide breadth of topics discussed ensured that there was something new to be learned for all participants regardless of experience level. The ability to discuss the material with fellow students and the instructors in zoom meetings allowed me to achieve clarity when needed. The instructors were also very willing to provide additional resources to further supplement our learning. Another awesome aspect of the course are the amazing illustrations. It is often difficult to find anatomically correct diagrams for exotic animal species, but this course provided phenomenal images. This course was a great way to supplement my vet school curriculum. I believe this course would be valuable to all veterinary students that are considering treating rabbit patients in the future. I look forward to future courses provided by Dr. Proenca & Dr. Sadar. I would love to learn more about small exotic patients such as guinea pigs, rats, and ferrets, etc. Mahalo nui loa!
Kealaka'i Matsumoto
Kealaka'i MatsumotoVeterinary student
It was honestly really interactive, which I found amazing, because I learn best from pictures, and there's load of pictures in there. I also found the e-book really good, because I can then write my notes next to it, which makes it really easy to go back to. Also, all the lectures are there for you to go back whenever you want. Overall, the course is absolutely incredible!
Charlotte Mould
Charlotte MouldVeterinary student
A lot of hard work went into preparing each module. It is a well-balanced course for beginners and new graduates like myself to seasoned practitioners. I especially appreciated the course notes, they will be valuable to have for quick access in practice. The accurate anatomical drawings were the main highlight for me. I cannot wait for future courses.
Fiona Sahyoun
Fiona SahyounVeterinary student
Vetahead did an amazing job in developing such an easy to use, beautifully formatted online course. As a Veterinary student in the midwestern US it is quite difficult to expect to see many exotics while in clinical rotations. Lately, my teaching hospital has seen a major 3-fold increased in exotic patients most of which consisting of rabbits. The “Clinician’s Guide to Incorporating Rabbits into Your Practice” online course allowed me to confront those Rabbit cases with so much confidence along with the guidance of my professors. My ability to recognize disease characteristics, recommend appropriate diagnostics, and implement appropriate treatment plans was surely due to my ability to recall the information I’ve learned from this course. Thank you to the Vetahead team for advocating for improved standard of care in our Zoologic species, your work is very inspiring and incredibly necessary.
Floyd Williams
Floyd WilliamsVeterinary student
Vetahead’s “A Clinician’s Guide to Incorporating Rabbits into your Practice” has been an extremely informative series of continual education videos. Not only has it been helpful with me becoming more comfortable with rabbits, it’s had improved my knowledge base and taken the level of rabbit medicine up a notch. Not only is the program easily accessible online, but the on demand availability is essential for a busy practicing veterinarian, mother, and wife. Life can get busy, but the books with the details along with the videos help make learning new about rabbit medicine very easy.
Mary Ngo
Mary NgoVeterinarian
All the lessons were very helpful to me, mainly some topics like endotracheal intubation and surgical skills, such as marsupialization. Learning more about how important is the image diagnosing on dental disease and GI stasis made me really happy. I think everybody should purchase this course to provide the best approach for their rabbit patients! Thanks for the opportunity!
Dandara Franco
Dandara FrancoVeterinarian
I completed A Clinicians Guide to Incorporating Rabbits into Your Practice and it was an amazing course! I never would’ve learned so much about rabbits in school since it’s not a species that is typically covered. They cover so much information, that even if you already know rabbits, you will still learn a lot! The course is fun, you can go at your own pace. It really helps that they provide you with the notes; I like to take additional notes on the pdf that they provide. The quizzes at the end of each lesson are so much fun, that I wish there were more questions! The course was so enjoyable that I want to take more courses from Vetahead!
Yessenia Salmeron
Yessenia SalmeronVeterinary student
Vetahead’s Rabbit Medicine and Surgery course was a great learning experience! The lectures were informative, clear and engaging. I like that the instructors presented different ways of doing procedures, so I was able to get an idea of how to do things  and use equipment in a way that is comfortable to me and fits in my clinic’s budget. The course notes are also a great reference to have. The checklist for materials for working with rabbits is very helpful as I am building my rabbit practice. It’s great to be able to go back to the notes for drug dosages and quick reminders on techniques for procedures. I feel like this course has made me a better rabbit vet!
Nicole Gilmore
Nicole GilmoreVeterinarian
I’ve been interested in wild animal medicine since I was an undergraduate, and now, two years after I’ve finally graduated and became a vet, I see almost exclusively exotic patients at my practice. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have done the “Clinician’s Guide to Incorporating Rabbits Into Your Practice” course! It is such an amazing, well scripted, well made and fun course! And the best part is: you don’t need any experience in exotic animals to take the course and understand it fully, because Dr. Proença and Dr. Sadar teach you the very basics of rabbit husbandry, in a clear and intuitive way. If you’re like me, who is a little more familiarized with bunnies, you can still acquire great knowledge in rabbit medicine and surgery in addition to tips and tricks to make your routine easier, from vets that are connected to and working in the field. The biggest practical difference I see in my practice after I’ve finished the course is that I’m way more confident in seeing my rabbit patients; treating them and making them and their owners feel safe and happy. If you’re a vet and want to start seeing rabbits or if you already do and want to have a better understanding of these patients and offer them the best treatment, I highly recommend you to do the course, it’ll help you offer the best care for your bunny patients. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to the exotic area or if you have years of experience, there are a lot of new things you’ll learn from it! Thanks again to the amazing Vetahead team, especially Dr. Proença and Dr. Sadar, for the amazing experience! I wish you guys the best!
Tainá Klos
Tainá KlosVeterinarian
There's a lot of useful info there, and the thing I liked the most was that there's always multiple options being presented - if you don't have access to CT, the course has a whole hour discussion on x-rays; if you don't have a supraglottic airway device, there's guidance for the other options to intubate your rabbit patient. I'm not saying I loved the course because I received the scholarship, I'm saying I loved it because I had 9 hours of knowledge that I will definitely use on practice.
Carolina Ferreira
Carolina FerreiraVeterinary student
The VETAHEAD Rabbit Course has been such an amazing opportunity. I have always had an interest in rabbit medicine and it has not always been easy to find courses to teach you techniques in exotics. The rabbit course provides a plethora of much up-to-date information to allow you to learn how to treat rabbits in medical setting. Not only that you are provided with beautifully illustrated anatomical pictures we are helpful for visual learners like myself. I found myself reviewing certain topics prior to go into to surgeries. I was also able to re-review the same information after to reaffirm what I had already learned. I loved being able to read the reasoning behind why certain techniques are done! I am always looking for different ways to approach patient care and this course definitely helped me honed a different skillset. Thank you to the VETAHEAD team for providing a valuable opportunity and course to help further bunny care in the veterinary world!
Leonne Chung
Leonne ChungVeterinary student
Being in vet school I realised that majority of the curriculum focuses on the production animals, dogs and cats; and finding a course specially dedicated to exotic companion animals is a great opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed the Rabbit Medicine & Surgery Course. The course layout, the at-to-the-point explanations and the high quality illustrative notes! They were perfect. From basic haematology to surgical methods, everything was covered deliberately. They highlighted how the clinical approach followed for rabbit patients is different at some points than those followed for canine and feline patients- which was a major takeaway!
Swayam Satope
Swayam SatopeVeterinary student
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A COURSE LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN

Exclusive e-books

Each lesson has an exclusive downloadable e-book, beautifully designed, with professionally drawn scientific illustrations.

Exclusive emergency drug calculator

A handy way to get the emergency doses you need for your guinea pig and chinchilla patient, automatically calculated, and easily printable. Enjoy!

Photos and videos of procedures

We won't just explain it to you, we'll show it to you. And you will be able to see it as many times as you need!

Get CE credits without leaving your home

I know, you have a busy life. However, you don't need to leave home or your practice to see the classes! All you need is an internet connection, and voilà! And if you need to stop in the middle, no problem: you can pick up later from where you left it.

Online designed to be online

This is not an in-person course adapted to be seen online, and much less a webinar, recorded on a computer. These are full on classes, with professional image, sound, and editing. It's a masterclass on guinea pig and chinchilla medicine and surgery, an immersive online experience.

Membership access

That's right. On single payment, access to all online courses, all the time!

OUR INSTRUCTORS ARE REAL AUTHORITIES ON THE SUBJECT

LAILA PROENÇA
MV, DVM, MS, PhD, DACZM

Dr. Laila Proença, a native of Brasília, Brazil, stands out as a preeminent figure in Zoological (exotic) Medicine, holding titles such as MV, MSc, PhD, DVM, DACZM. As the founder and CEO of VETAHEAD and PETAHEAD, she dedicates her expertise to revolutionizing veterinary and pet owner education concerning exotic animals. Her extensive qualifications and her role leading VETAHEAD highlight her commitment to enhancing veterinary care through comprehensive online courses and resources, aiming to close educational gaps in the care of non-traditional pets like birds, reptiles, and small mammals.

Beyond her professional training initiatives, Dr. Proença has also established PETAHEAD to support exotic pet owners directly, providing them with the necessary resources and guidance to ensure the wellbeing of their pets. Her efforts are geared towards empowering both the veterinary community and pet owners, making advanced care practices accessible and advocating for a no-species-left-behind approach. Dr. Proença’s influence extends across the global veterinary field as a speaker and author, inspiring continuous learning and improvement in veterinary care and pet ownership.

MIRANDA SADAR
MV, DACZM

Dr. Miranda Sadar is a graduate of the Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. After graduation, she completed a one-year clinical internship in zoological, zoological companion animal, and wildlife medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. After finishing a two-year fellowship in wildlife medicine at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, she completed a zoological companion animal residency at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Sadar was an assistant professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in their zoological medicine service for two years prior to moving back to Colorado State University as an assistant professor in the Avian, Exotics, and Zoological Medicine service.

In 2016, Dr. Sadar became a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM), with a focus on zoological companion animals. Dr. Sadar’s research interests focus around minimally invasive modalities to decrease stress, both situational and painful stress, in zoological, zoological companion animal, and wildlife species.

COURSE LESSONS

Develop an understanding of the principles of hystricomorph medicine, including necessary equipment, specialized diets, and recommended medical literature. Know the specific aspects of anatomy, physiology, husbandry, and behavior of hystricomorphs. Know how to properly restrain, examine, and hospitalize the hystricomorph patient. Know how to properly perform clinical skills, including injections, blood collection, IV and IO catheter placement, and syringe feeding. Know preventive medicine for the hystricomorph patient, and what tests and procedures are involved.

The first lesson is divided into 7 parts:

Set yourself up for success: Educate yourself. What books and journals do I need? What equipment is essential?  

Hospitalizing hystricomorphs, there is more to it than just medicine: Tips for the hospitalization set up

How do I interpret these pips and squeaks?: Unique anatomy, physiology, and behavior

We are not rabbits with short ears: Husbandry tips for you and your clients

(Guinea) pigs don’t fly: Handling, restraint, and physical exam

Going beyond subcutaneous fluids and oxygen: Your clinical skills for dogs and cats can be applied to hystricomorphs

Nobody likes a cystic ovary, preventative medicine for hystricomorphs: Preventative medicine for the hystricomorph patient

Know how to obtain and interpret diagnostic samples and imaging, including hematology, thorax, abdomen and skull radiography, as well as skull CT.

Hematology: Practical information and interpretation of blood work and urinalysis

Imaging is everything: Learning how to interpret hystricomorph radiography – thorax, abdomen, skull

Skull CT: There is no turning back once you learn how to use it

Know how to recognize, diagnose, and manage the most common emergencies in hystricomorphs, including CPR, gastrointestinal disorders, urinary disorders, cardiorespiratory disorders, neurologic disorders, and miscellaneous.

Special considerations: CPR

GDV is a thing in guinea pigs: Gastrointestinal emergencies in hystricomorphs

The unrecognized killers: Respiratory and cardiac emergencies

If stones were diamonds, we would be rich: Urinary emergencies

Oh, this is not the cute kind of head tilt: Neurologic emergencies

It is not hot in the Andes: Heat stroke and miscellaneous emergencies

Know how to recognize, diagnose, and treat common diseases that occur in the GI system of hystricomorphs, including GI stasis, GI bloat, GI obstruction), dental disease (dental malocclusion, dental abscess), and fecal impaction.

Treating GI disorders without metoclopramide, what?!: Hystricomorph digestive disorders

Dental disease is more than just the incisors: Updates on diagnostic approach and treatment

Boar butt?: Fecal impaction in guinea pigs

Know how to recognize, diagnose, and treat common respiratory and cardio disorders in hystricomorphs.

Don’t just wipe those boogers, it could be pneumonia: Upper and lower respiratory diseases

Love is not the only thing that can cause a broken heart: Cardiac disease

Know how to recognize, diagnose, and treat common urinary and reproductive disorders in hystricomorphs.

Kidney disease isn’t just an old cat thing: Urinary diseases

Mammary issues happen in males too: Reproductive diseases

What’s a fur ring?: Some interesting species differences

Know how to recognize, diagnose, and treat common ectoparasites and most common dermatological disorders.

Itchy and scratchy: Ectoparasites and dermatophytes

Is it purulent or is it cancer?: Cervical lymphadenitis vs. lymphoma in guinea pigs

I’m holding a handful of hair, and the chinchilla is across the room: Other dermatologic disorders

Know how to recognize, diagnose, and treat common musculoskeletal disorders in hystricomorphs.

Know how to recognize, diagnose, and treat common ophthalmologic and miscellaneous disorders in hystricomorphs, including hyperthyroidism in guinea pigs.

Develop a detailed understanding and confidence in hystricomorph anesthesia and analgesia, including appropriate monitoring.

Intubation, when and how to do it: Beyond masking hystricomorphs down

Anesthesia protocols and monitoring: Expanding your skills

Develop a detailed understanding of the principles of surgery in hystricomorphs, including how to perform orchiectomy, ovariectomy, and ovariohysterectomy in hystricomorphs and understand important surgical principles to optimize outcomes and avoid complications.

MEMBERSHIP ACCESS

VETAHEAD essentials

Monthly payment
$ 35
00
Monthly
  • All perks of the free membership !
  • Full access to all VETAHEAD courses, all the time* (RACE approved)
  • Full access to emergency calculators, all the time*
  • Exclusive discounts on partner's events
Join Now!

VETAHEAD essentials

Yearly payment
$ 420
00
Yearly
  • All perks of the free membership !
  • Full access to all VETAHEAD courses (RACE approved), all the time*
  • Full access to emergency calculators, all the time*
  • Exclusive discounts on partner's events
Join now!

*While membership is active.

Looking for group discount? Click here!

VETAHEAD 100% GUARANTEE

Don't sweat it. We offer a 7 days guarantee on your first purchase.
If you purchase this course and are not satisfied with it, you receive 100% of your money back.
Just contact us at contact@vetahead.vet.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!

When you're done with the course, please send us feedback of your experience! We would love to hear from you, and improve the way we do our courses. Please send it to contact@vetahead.vet.

BECOME A MEMBER

F.A.Q.

Yes! This course provides you with 6.25 RACE approved CE credits, upon completion.

No, it is not. Starting on October 24 2022, we started our membership! With monthly or yearly payments, you will have access to ALL VETAHEAD courses, current and new. Please click here to learn more.

There is no required time commitment. You can take it at your own pace.

Yes! You can, of course, expect a learning curve. If you put in time and effort to put all you learn into practice, you absolutely can.

Currently, this is not a service we offer.

Yes, each lesson has an exclusive e-book to help you follow along. You will find them under the video for each lesson.

Currently, no. Watching the classes require an internet connection.

It covers everything from the basics of husbandry and anatomy, to intubation techniques, surgery, and anesthesia. There’s something for everyone! If you don’t feel like you got your money’s worth, you have our 7 days guarantee, and can get your money back!

Yes, there is content for everybody. While we made sure to cover basics, we also cover more advanced concepts, such as detailed interpretation of blood work, radiography, step-by-step clinical skills and surgical procedures, most up-to-date treatment recommendations, analgesia, continuous rate infusions, multiple techniques for endotracheal intubation, anesthesia and much more. In addition, if you purchase the course and are not 100% satisfied, we have our 7 days money back garantee.

Yes! There are a few topics that are more geared towards veterinarians, but you absolutely will benefit from this course. The best veterinary care possible is a team’s effort, and your support is fundamental to reach this goal!

Of course! The course covers everything from the basics of rabbit husbandry and anatomy, to intubation techniques, surgery, and anesthesia. It does require basic knowledge of topics such as anesthesia, surgery, diagnostic imaging, and hematology. If you don’t feel like you got your money’s worth, you have our 7 days guarantee, and can get your money back!

Go to log in on the upper right corner of the website, and after filling the log in info, you will be redirected to your dashboard. There, click on the “My courses” option, and you will be able to access all courses you have purchased.

After finishing each lesson, you will take a quiz to wrap up your learning process. After getting the minimum score for approval, you will get your downloadable certificate on your dashboard on our website. Don’t worry; you can take the quiz as many times as you need! The quiz is part of the RACE standards for approval.

*Disclaimer: regulations might change between state veterinary boards. Please verify the regulations with your state’s veterinary medical board.
For our full disclaimer, click here.

We are currently working on bringing more amazing content to you soon.

Some of our upcoming courses include:

                      • Backyard pet chicken medicine and surgery
                      • Ferret medicine and surgery
                      • Rat, mice, hamster and gerbil medicine and surgery
                      • Sugar glider and hedgehog medicine and surgery
                      • Avian medicine and surgery
                      • Reptile medicine and surgery

If you have a suggestion for a course, please Contact Us!
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