• Understand the full picture: explore the biological, ethical, and client-driven factors influencing breeding choices and sterilisation decisions, so you can guide owners with greater confidence and empathy.
• Stay current and confident: refresh and expand your knowledge of both surgical and non-surgical sterilisation options, including benefits, risks, timing, and the latest evidence-based recommendations.
• Enhance clinical outcomes: apply best-practice principles to improve neonatal survival rates and optimise reproductive health.
• Strengthen your clinical problem-solving: learn to recognise, diagnose, and manage common reproductive system pathologies more effectively.

• Control of fertility and breeding
• Timing of desexing
• The oestrous cycle and breeding
• Pregnancy diagnosis in the dog and cat
• Pregnancy in the bitch and queen
• Neonatal care of puppies and kittens
• Mastitis
• Pseudopregnancy
• Mammary neoplasia
• Cryptorchidism

• Advise clients on the risks, benefits, and limitations of all breeding management options.
• Recognise key stages of the canine and feline oestrous cycles.
• Apply appropriate techniques for assessing optimal breeding timing.
• Select and apply appropriate techniques for confirming pregnancy at different gestational stages.
• Advise clients on optimal management of the pregnant bitch or queen.
• Recognise signs of neonatal distress and apply first-line supportive measures.
• Explain the pathophysiology and clinical signs of pseudopregnancy.
• Recognise risk factors and typical presentations of mastitis and mammary neoplasia.
• Plan appropriate diagnostic and management strategies for cryptorchidism.

Contributors

• Thomas Odom BSc DVM
• Kat Crosse MA VetMB MANZCVS DipECVS
• Rebecca Murphy BSc BVSc TCI GlenBred