COURSE DESCRIPTION AND DURATION

 

VPP 211: Introductory Physiology, Blood Cardiovascular, Respiratory Systems and Comparative physiology of Gastrointestinal Tract                                                                                  2 Units

The scope of veterinary physiology covers the organization of the body into different systems; body fluid compartments; Homeostasis, cell structure and function; Transport across cell membranes; Blood; Functions and control mechanisms of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems; Comparative study of digestion and absorption in birds, monogastrics and ruminant animals; Biotechnology of rumen fermentation and nutrient degradability; Control of voluntary feed intake; Animal calorimetry.

  • Duration of Study: 3 hours of lecture and 5 hours of practical per week for four

 

VPP 212: Neuromuscular Systems, Sense Organs and Environmental Physiology

4 Units

Lectures and demonstration on the excitable tissues, the generation of action potential, structure and function of muscles, mechanisms of muscular contraction. Sports Physiology, peripheral nervous system, spinal cord and brain stem functions, vestibular organ, somatic sensory mechanism, regulation of motor activity by the brain. Autonomous nervous system, hypothalamus and limbic system. Sleep and wakefulness; Neurophysiologic basis of behavior. The eye and vision, taste, smell and hearing. The physical and chemical environment and animals’ response and protection to changing environment. Temperature regulation.

  • Duration of Study: 2 hours of lecture and 3 hours of practical per week for four

 

VPP 213: Introductory Veterinary Biochemistry                                                                        4 Units It covers lectures and demonstration on the structure and properties of carbohydrates, amino acids and nucleic acids. Metabolism of carbohydrates: glycolysis; alcoholic fermentation,                              pentose       phosphate       pathway,      TCA    cycle      and     glycoxylate       cycle. Metabolism of amino acids; Oxidative degradation of amino acids; metabolism of one carbon units. The urea cycle; metabolism of inorganic nitrogen. Metabolism of purines and pyrimidine nucleosides and nucleotides. Replication, transcription and translation. The gene and protein synthesis. Regulation of gene expression. Mutation of DNA.

  • Duration of Study: 2 hours of lecture and 4 hours of practical per week for four

 

VPP 214: General Veterinary Biochemistry                                                                                  4 Units Lectures and demonstration on the methods of isolation and identification of proteins. Acidity and alkalinity, pH and pK values and their effects on cellular activities, buffers. The nature, classification and functions of enzymes. Elementary enzyme kinetics. Introduction to electron transfer system and oxidative phosphorylation. Principles of Bioenergetics; High energy compounds. Membrane and membrane structures. Effects of acids and alkali on the hydrolysis of nucleic acids. Structure and function of major cell components. Vitamins, coenzymes and cofactors. Metabolic disorders.

  • Duration of Study: 2 hours of lecture and 3 hours of practical per week for four

 

VPP 311: Veterinary Biochemistry of Body fluids                                                                     4 Units Biochemistry       of    body     fluids;     Chemical  composition           of    blood,     plasma      proteins. Coagulation of blood. Haemoproteins- structures and properties. Formation of bile pigments. Biochemistry of endocrine glands: introduction to endocrinology, chemistry of  hormones,  biochemical         processes     involving hormones. Rumen and lactation biochemistry: Metabolism of carbohydrates in rumen, metabolism of proteins in the rumen, metabolism of nitrogenous compounds in the rumen, metabolism of lipids in the rumen. Species specific metabolic disorders: ketosis, hypoglycemia, blood acidosis. Chemical composition of milk. Precursor: product relationship, metabolic pathways in mammary tissue associated with energy metabolism and synthesis of major milk components.

  • Duration of Study: 2 hours of lectures and 6 hours of practical per week for four

 

 

VPP 312: General Veterinary Pharmacology                                                                       3 Units Lectures and demonstration on introduction and brief developmental history of modern pharmacology; the sources and formulations of drugs; mode of drug administration; the physio-chemical              laws            concerning       the     use of     drug        in    animals;      the     absorption, distribution,        metabolism        and      excretion        of     drugs      with      special   reference  to specific/abnormal responses of different species of domestic animals; aspects of pharmacotherapy; practical and legal considerations of pharmacology. Introduction to environmental pharmacology and the role of the veterinarian in the environment.

  • Duration of Study: 3 hours of lecture per week for four

 

VPP 313: Renal Function and Body Fluid, Reproduction and Endocrinology

5 Units

Functions of the renal system, water, electrolyte and acid-base balance. The skin. Mineral and bones. Endocrine organs and their secretions. Characteristics and mode of action of hormone. Functions of male and female reproductive systems. Oestrus cycle, puberty, pregnancy and lactation. Fetal and neonatal physiology. Applications of reproductive physiology in biotechnology.

  • Duration of Study: 3 hours of lecture and 5 hours of practical per week for four

 

VPP 411: Systemic Veterinary Pharmacology                                                                              2 Units Lectures and demonstrations of drugs of veterinary importance used in modifying the function of cells, tissues, organs, and systems; agents affecting central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems; cardiovascular and respiratory drugs; agents influencing kidney function and body homeostasis; drugs affecting reproductive system; vitamins, minerals and hormones influencing metabolism and body growth, locally acting drugs; autacoids. Molecular pharmacology and new strategies for anti-parasitic drug design.

 

Duration of Study: 1 hour of lecture and 2 hours of practical per week for four months.

 

 

 

VPP 412: Veterinary Chemotherapy                                                                                             2 Units

A lecture/practical course dealing with the history and development of modern chemotherapy; principles of chemotherapy as applied to animal medicine; misuse of chemotherapeutics and inherent dangers involved such as drug tolerance, drug resistance, drug hypersensitivity, etc. local and systemic anti-infective agents; chemotherapy of bacterial and mycotic infections; internal and external anti-parasitic drugs; aspects of cancer chemotherapy. Introduction to veterinary medicinal products, immune-pharmacology and immunotherapy will be taught.

  • Duration of Study: 1 hour of lecture and 2 hours of practical per week for four

 

VPP 414: Veterinary Toxicology                                                                                                     2 Units

A lecture/practical course on general principles of toxicology including toxicologic evaluation; chemicals which poison specific organs such as liver, kidney, haemopoetic system etc. Dangers inherent with pesticides and their misuse; hazards of drug over- dosage; toxicities due to poisonous plants and venomous animals of importance to Nigeria; mycotoxins; environmental toxicology and possible effects of environmental contamination of animal feed, water and air; remedial and antidotal measures adopted to overcome poisoning in animals.

  • Duration of Study: 1 hour of lecture and 2 hours of practical per week for four

 

VPP 611: Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology                                                     1 Unit A lecture/practical course on veterinary therapeutics. Emphasis is placed on drug therapy in animals and the rationale used in selecting the drugs of choice for any specific treatment; veterinary clinical toxicology with special reference to drug and formulation-incompatibilities, and the teratogenic factors in clinical pharmacology, measures employed to avoid drug toxicities. Diagnosis and treatment of poisoning in animals; clinical implications of feed additives (growth promoters, prophylactic anti- infective and anti-parasitic agents) and the measures taken to avoid possible implications. Information technology and data on the occurrence and chemotherapy of clinical cases.

  • Duration of Study: 1 hour of lecture and 1 hour of practical per week for four months