Curso Medicina Interna Veterinaria

Program Overview

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The Curso de Experto en Medicina Interna de Pequeños Animales is a 6-month, 15 ECTS credit program designed to provide veterinary professionals with a comprehensive understanding of internal medicine in small animals. Taught by veterinary specialists, the program combines theoretical and practical sessions to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to diagnose and treat various internal medicine conditions in dogs and cats. The program is delivered in a blended format, with both online and in-person components, and is offered in collaboration with Vetmedia.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

The Curso de Experto en Medicina Interna de Pequeños Animales is a postgraduate program designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of internal medicine in small animals. The program aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to diagnose and treat various internal medicine conditions in dogs and cats.

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Objectives:

• To provide students with a solid foundation in the different fields of internal medicine.
• To enable students to act autonomously and accurately in diagnostic approaches for their future patients.

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Outline:

The program is structured into 10 modules, each focusing on a specific area of internal medicine:

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Module 1: Hematological and Immunological Diseases

• Interpretation of blood count and blood smear
• Red blood cell abnormalities
• White blood cell abnormalities
• Interpretation workshops
• Interpretation of proteinogram
• Bone marrow cytology
• Hemostasis disorders
• Transfusion medicine
• Immunosuppressive drugs
• Immune-mediated diseases
• Polyarthritis
• Electrolyte disorders

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Module 2: Infectious Diseases

• Clinical syndromes associated with infectious diseases
• Fever
• Use of antibiotics/antibiogram
• Zoonoses/diseases related to BARF diets
• Bacterial diseases: Bacterial diseases in dogs and cats.
Review of guidelines (urological, respiratory, enteric)/Tetanus/Botulism/Brucellosis/Mycobacteria.
• Viral diseases: Viral diseases in dogs.
Viral diseases in cats.
• Vector-borne diseases in dogs: Bartonella, Rickettsia, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasma, Babesia, Leishmania, Hepatozoon, Dirofilaria
• Vector-borne diseases in cats: Toxoplasma/Neospora and other protozoal diseases
• Fungal diseases: Fungal diseases in dogs.
Fungal diseases in cats.
• Vaccination protocols in dogs and cats

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Module 3: Endocrinology

• Approach to growth failure
• Canine and feline GH diseases
• Diabetes insipidus
• Diabetes in dogs
• Diabetes in cats
• Hypothyroidism
• Hyperthyroidism
• Phosphocalcic metabolism: hypercalcemia and hyperparathyroidism, hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism
• Cushing's syndrome
• Feline adrenal pathology
• Pheochromocytoma and adrenal incidentalomas
• Addison's disease
• Hypoglycemia and insulinoma
• Hyperlipidemia

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Module 4: Respiratory

• Introduction to diseases of the respiratory tract (upper and lower): clinical signs (sneezing, nasal discharge, epistaxis, cough and dyspnea), diagnostic protocol (imaging, transtracheal lavage, BAl and AAF) and differential diagnosis.
• Nasal cavity
• Larynx
• Trachea and bronchi
• Lung parenchyma
• Pleural cavity/Clinical diagnosis in effusions
• Clinical cases.
Presentation and discussion of articles.

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Module 5: Cardiology

• The cardiovascular system: embryology and anatomy of the circulatory system.
• Cardiovascular physiology and pathology.
• Evaluation of the cardiovascular system: physical examination and presentation of the most relevant diagnostic tests.
• Cardiovascular therapeutics and nutrition of the cardiac patient.
• Electrocardiography and arrhythmias.
• Cardiopulmonary radiology.
• Echocardiography.
• Congenital diseases and interventional procedures.
• Acquired valvular diseases.
• Myocardial diseases.
• Aortic thromboembolism.
• Approach to the asymptomatic patient.
• Approach to the patient with syncope (transient loss of consciousness) and cyanosis.
• Hypertension.
• Hypotension.

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Module 6: Urinary System

• Diagnostic approach to the urinary system.
• History and physical examination.
• General laboratory approach: How and what to evaluate blood tests?
• How is a urinalysis performed and what important information can be obtained?
• Polyuria/polydipsia
• Hematuria
• Abnormalities in the urination pattern.
Irritative urination signs
• Incontinence.
• Specific diseases of the urinary system:
• Acute kidney disease.
• Chronic kidney disease.
• Management of pyelonephritis.
• Glomerulopathies/Proteinuria/Tubular diseases.
• Diseases of the lower urinary tract.
• Urolithiasis in dogs and cats.
• Congenital diseases.
• Interstitial cystitis and lower urinary tract disease in cats
• Neoplasms.

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Module 7: Critical Care and Toxicology

• Approach to the patient with hemodynamic instability.
• Point-of-care Testing in the critically ill patient.
• SIRS and Sepsis.
• Diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the poisoned patient
• Common intoxications in canine patients
• Common intoxications in feline patients

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Module 8: Digestive

• Laboratory diagnosis in gastroenterology.
• Oral and salivary gland diseases.
• Diseases of the esophagus and pharynx, dysphagia approach.
• Diseases of the stomach.
• Chronic enteropathies/Protein-losing enteropathy
• Approach to chronic diarrhea/Rectoanal diseases (megacolon colitis).
• Peritonitis.
• Pancreas:
• Pancreatitis
• Diseases of the exocrine pancreas
• Diagnosis and clinicopathological alterations of the liver
• Canine hepatic inflammation/infection
• Feline hepatic inflammation/infection
• Vascular diseases
• Metabolic/toxic liver diseases
• Hepatic neoplasms
• Diseases of the gallbladder
• Several clinical case sessions

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Module 9: Reproduction

• Reproductive physiopathology in the bitch and the cat.
• Physiology of the estrous cycle.
• Reproductive pathology of the bitch.
Tumors, cysts, uterine pathology (HGQ, pyometra, tumors). pathology of the vagina and vulva (vaginitis, hyperplasia, tumors, congenital defects...). Infectious causes.
• Advantages and disadvantages of sterilization in dogs and cats.
Non-surgical contraceptive methods in the bitch and the cat. Post-castration urinary incontinence.
• Mammary pathology:
• Mammary tumors in the bitch and the cat.
• Non-tumoral affections of the mammary glands (mastitis, pseudopregnancy lactation, feline fibroadenomatosis.
• Postpartum affections and pediatric care
• Canine andrological pathology: Diseases of the testicles (tumors, orchitis/epididymitis, torsion, hydrocele, cryptorchidism) Diseases of the prepuce and penis (balanitis/postitis, malformations, tumors...)
• The prostate.
BPH, prostatitis, prostatic tumors
• Feline clinical reproduction
• Practical part: Vaginal cytology.
Ovarian ultrasound. Prostate.

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Module 10: Oncology

• Approach to the first visit of an oncology patient.
• Practical chemotherapy.
Drugs, practical administration, side effects and management of the oncology patient.
• New therapies.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs. Metronomic therapy.
• Monitoring and paraneoplastic syndromes.
• Lymphoma in dogs.
• Lymphoma in cats.
• Leukemia/histiocytomas and myeloma.
• Mast cell tumors.
New classifications and treatments.
• Hemangiosarcoma.
• Soft tissue sarcomas.
• Tumors of the musculoskeletal system.
Bone tumors, soft tissue sarcomas.

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Teaching:

• The program is taught by a team of veterinary specialists in the field.
• The program includes a mix of theoretical and practical sessions.
• The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, workshops, and case studies.
• The program provides access to clinical cases, scientific journals in the area, Medline databases, and a digital library.

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Careers:

The program prepares students for careers in small animal internal medicine. Graduates may find employment in:

• Veterinary clinics
• Animal hospitals
• Research institutions
• Academia

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Other:

• The program is offered in Spanish.
• The program is delivered in a blended format, with both online and in-person components.
• The program is offered by the Universidad Europea de Madrid.
• The program is 15 ECTS credits.
• The program duration is 6 months.
• The program is delivered in Villaviciosa de Odón.
• The program is a "Título Propio" (own title) of the Universidad Europea de Madrid.
• The program is offered in collaboration with Vetmedia.
• The program includes a forum for interaction with speakers.
• The program is 50% practical.
• The program is taught in the Universidad Europea's Simulated Hospital, Structure and Function Laboratories, and Applied Animal Research Center.
• The program is designed to provide students with a practical approach to daily clinical practice.