Higher Certificate in Canine Health & Well-being

Health, Medication, Diseases, Infections, Holistic Health, Enrichment & More

Online Course First Aid & Health

This veterinary approved and externally accredited online course is written and designed by a qualified registered veterinary nurse and clinicial animal behaviourist. It has been designed for pet professionals, fulfilling Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. However, it is suitable for pet owners too.

The course is made up of multiple learning processes, such as written content, video demonstrations, downloadable resources and suggested tasks. There are no exams, but to obtain your certificate you must answer some multiple choice questions. Like human first aid, it is recommended that you refresh your skills every three years.

Course aims:

To appreciate the welfare issues that impact on the dog through ill health.
To carry out a safe and accurate canine health check/examination.
To recognise a range of different canine ailments and conditions.
Understand how to control and prevent the spread of infection.
How to carry out basic treatments and medication that has been prescribed by a veterinary surgeon.
See full course curriculum below.

Course features:

Written with the benefit of practical veterinary experience.
Information and content based on the latest veterinary standards.
FREE 1 hour recorded seminar, edited so that each topic area accompanies the corresponding lesson.
Easy-to-digest lessons give you the flexibility to learn at home at your own pace.
Recorded video demonstrations.

Tutor and technical support available.
Lifetime access to dip in and out of the course whenever you need to refresh your knowledge.
Accredited CPD certificate of completion.
Works on computers, tablets & smartphones.

Accredited by CPD Standards

Unique verifiable certificate code

Suitable for:

Pet professionals
Dog trainers
Dog carers / sitters

Kennel workers
Dog groomers
Dog walkers

Dog wardens / community officers
Rescue centre workers
Dedicated dog owners

This course includes:

9 modules

Before you enrol:

About the instructor:

Course curriculum:

Module 1: An Introduction to Canine Welfare 9 lessons, 1 quiz
- Welcome
- Virtual Lecture - Aims & Objectives
- The Animal Welfare Act
- Understanding How Illness and Pain Impacts on Welfare
- Virtual Lecture - How Illness Affects Welfare
- Performing a Health Check Examination with Video Demonstration
- Checking Vital Signs: Temperature, Pulse and Respiration
- Virtual Lecture - Health Check
- Suggested Tasks
- Module 1: Self-Assessment Quiz
Module 2: Understanding Disease and Infections 9 lessons, 1 quiz
- Contagious and Non-Contagious Diseases
- Disease Transmission
- Factors that make a dog susceptible to disease
- Virtual Lecture - Respiratory Infections
- Controlling and Treating Disease
- Zoonotic Diseases
- Common Signs of Disease: Vomiting and Diarrhoea
- Virtual Lecture - Vomiting & Diarrhoea
- Suggested Tasks
- Module 2: Self-Assessment Quiz
Module 3: Common Ailments and Administering Medication 9 lessons, 2 quizzes
- Eyes: Injuries and Conditions
- General Care of the Eye
- Ears: Injuries and Conditions
- Ears: Treatment and Prevention
- Virtual Lecture - Eyes & Ears
- Caring for the Mouth and Teeth
- Virtual Lecture - Dental Disease
- Administering Medication
- Suggested Tasks
- Module 3: Self-Assessment Quiz
- Module 3: Ears Self-Assessment Quiz
Module 4: Conditions Affecting the Skin 8 lessons, 1 quiz
- Causes and Symptoms of Skin Conditions
- Ectoparasites: Fleas
- Other Common Ectoparasites and Skin Treatments
- Virtual Lecture - Skin Conditions & Ectoparasites
- Abnormal Growths and Lumps
- Virtual Lecture - Lumps & Bumps
- Anal sac glands (Scent glands)
- Suggested Tasks
- Module 4: Self-Assessment Quiz
Module 5: Endoparasites and How They Affect The Dog 8 lessons, 1 quiz
- Categories of Endoparasites
- Roundworm: Toxocara Canis
- Roundworm: Lungworm
- Tapeworm: Dipylidium Caninum
- Tapeworm: Echinococcus Granulosus
- Treatment for Endoparasitic Worms
- Virtual Lecture - Endoparasites
- Suggested Tasks
- Module 5: Self-Assessment Quiz

Student reviews:

4.9

15 reviews

Sort:

AI Review Summary

Students gained confidence in monitoring their dogs' health and providing proper care practically.
Reviewers appreciated the well-organized modules with videos, quizzes, and links that made learning stress-free.
Learners expanded their canine knowledge across physical, mental, behavioral, and emotional well-being comprehensively.
Students valued the supportive tutors and engaging content that inspired them to pursue further courses.

Based on 15 published student reviews across all star ratings for this course.

In-depth and practical

This course will provide you with in-depth, hands-on knowledge. You will feel more confident in your ability to rate and monitor a dog's well-being, and apply the proper care. The modules are very well organised and meet all types of learning preferences, offering a combination of written material, videos, quizzes,...

Very easy to follow and stress free learning

Really enjoyed this course - it was very easy to follow which made learning the content a stress free experience- would recommend

This course has helped a lot I would recommend

This course has helped in many ways and has intrigued me to do many other things .
This course has also helped me to understand a lot more on dogs.

Excellent, informative course

This was a very informative course which balanced providing enough scientific detail whilst making it accessible to those who are not in the scientific field. The course has helped me to consider a holistic approach to a dog's needs - physical, mental, behavioural and emotional. I would wholeheartedly recommend this...

Canine health and wellbeing

Loved the course learnt a lot. Well explained and shown how to do things. Highly recommend

Canine Health and Well-Being

A wealth of truly interesting and useful learning, presented in easily-digested lessons, with lots of opportunity to look further into areas of particular interest by using the web links provided and going from there. An ideal course for anyone wanting to be a better-informed dog owner or carer. Your dog...