Hello and welcome to the hatching of VTS (Zoo)!

Thank you for visiting the Academy of Veterinary Zoological Medicine Technicians’ website. This NAVTA supported Veterinary Technician Specialty is still in the formative stages. So far it’s been a lot of work putting together an Organizing Committee and writing the petition for NAVTA’s approval. What you see here reflects some of those initial efforts. However, the vast majority of work for the AVZMT Organizing Committee still lies ahead. As we work out details of the credentialing process and write the exam, you will see those changes here.

For those eager to get started, please be aware applications will not be accepted for at least a couple years. Accordingly, the first exam will not be offered until 2012 or 2013.

Please consider the information here as broad brush strokes with the final version yet to come. As things solidify, we’ll supply more details of what is expected in the case reports and skills list. For now, it’s too early to start writing them. In the meantime, look over the suggested reading list. Reading is never a wasted effort!

We appreciate the enthusiastic response and numerous emails people have sent. Please understand we can’t respond to all your questions, since…well, we haven’t worked it all out yet. You can submit your email address through the AVZMT email address listed on this site. We’ll send periodic updates and notify you when new information is posted to the website.

Thank you for your interest,

The Veterinary Technician Specialty VTS (Zoo) Organizing Committee

Co-Chairs: Joan Maurer {President} & Bonnie Soule {Vice President}; Members: Jeanette Fuller, Jenny Gordon {Secretary}, Dianna Lydick {Treasurer}, Margot Monti, Jeff Turnage, and Kim Williams.

Join the electronic mailing list. Send your email address to: avzmt.email@gmail.com

*Examination requirements are subject to change/updating as appropriate.

“VTS (Zoo) PRE-EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS” Revision:

Five years (a minimum of 10,000 hrs) work experience in the field of zoo medicine. All experience must be completed within seven years prior to the application.

VTS (Zoo) Pre-Examination Requirements*

Section 1. Credential Requirements

a. Credential Requirements dictate that each applicant, before he or she is declared eligible for examination, must:

i. Be a graduate of an AVMA approved Veterinary Technician program and/or credentialed to practice as a Veterinary Technician in some State or Province of the United States or Canada.

ii. It is strongly encouraged that the candidate be a member of the NAVTA.

b. After graduating from a recognized school of Veterinary Technology and/or becoming credentialed to practice as a Veterinary Technician (or its equivalent), candidates must meet education and experience requirements, as specified:

i. Five years (a minimum of 10,000 hrs) work experience in the field of zoo medicine. All experience must be completed within seven years prior to the application. Verification of experience must be in the form of pay stubs and/or other proof showing employment and hours worked for the required period of time and hours.

ii. A minimum of forty (40) continuing education (CE) hours in zoological medicine or appropriate related topic and are subject to approval.

1. The continuing education must be completed within the last five years immediately prior to submitting the application.

2. Proof of attendance, speaker names, topics and length of talks are required for organized conferences or seminars.

iii. Provide the documentary evidence of advanced competence in zoo medicine through clinical experience.

1. Completion of the Veterinary Zoological Medicine Skills Form. The Skills Form documents those skills that have been mastered by the candidate and are necessary to practice as zoo veterinary technicians at an advanced level. The completed form must be signed by a VTS (Zoo) coworker or supervising veterinarian. The form will be provided by the Credentials Approval Committee. It is subject to change based upon the current state of the art in zoo medicine.

2. A case record log is maintained for one (1) year within the three (3) years immediately preceding the submission of the application.

a. A minimum of forty (40) medical or surgical cases must be recorded. The cases shall reflect the management of the patient and mastery of advanced zoo veterinary technician skills. The log should include the following: Date, Patient identification (accession number), species/breed (including scientific name), age, sex, weight, veterinary diagnosis, length of care, final outcome, and summary of treatment techniques and procedures performed by the applicant on the patient.

3. Four (4) detailed case reports. At least one (1) in each of the following taxa: mammal, avian, herptile. Case reports must demonstrate expertise in the management and treatment of a variety of challenging medical or surgical cases. The case reports should be selected from the case record log. Case reports must be the original work of the applicant.

4. Curriculum Vitae, 75% time devoted to zoo medicine.

5. Two (2) letters of recommendations from the following three (3) categories: an AVZMT member, a supervising Veterinarian, or a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM).

Skills List*

Zoological collections vary from facility to facility. To overcome these variables, AVZMT will require 75% of the following skills list to be fulfilled by the VTS (Zoo) applicant. To ensure validity of the required skills, a VTS (Zoo) coworker or supervising veterinarian must authorize the completion.

Phlebotomy

· Blood collection from reptile tail vein

· Blood collection from subcarapacial, jugular, brachial, and crural veins in tortoise/turtle species

· Cardiac blood collection from serpents

· Blood collection in elephants

· Blood collection in rhino

· Blood collection from tail vein in large felids

· Blood collection on a manual and chemically restrained primate

· Blood collection on multiple avian species including but not limited to: raptors, psittacines, passerines, sphenisciformes, gruiformes, columbiformes, ciconiiformes, coraciformes, anseriformes, ratites.

· Safe blood collection volumes in avian, reptilian, and small mammal species

· Blood collection on exotic hoofstock and equine species using manual and chemical restraint

· Blood collection on various fish species

· Chiropterid blood collection

Laboratory

· Methods of calculating blood counts including estimate WBC counts from blood smears

· Avian and reptilian hematology

· Fish hematology

· Intracellular and extracellular blood parasite identification

· Fecal analysis via: direct smear, floatation, sedimentation, Baermann technique.

· Identification of endo and ecto parasites

· Perform an in-house test for FPT

· Aquarium and marine mammal (according to USDA guidelines) water quality testing

Husbandry/Quarantine

· Familiarity with husbandry, normal behavior, and special requirements of sea/aquatic, flightless, ground, and perching avian species

· Familiarity with husbandry, normal behavior, and special requirement of exotic hoofstock and equine species – focus on safety and potential injury hazards

· Familiarity with husbandry, normal behavior, and special requirements of reptile and amphibian species – particular focus on vitamin D/calcium needs

· Familiarity with husbandry and special requirements of exotic carnivores – focus on human safety

· Discern possible disease processes in quarantine animals: mammal, avian, herptile.

· Quarantine protocols: species specific testing, zoonotic hazards, disinfection, cross contamination

· Nutritional necessities for various species including marine mammal/avian species, herptiles, marsupials, felids, exotic hoofstock, coraciiformes, psittacines, prosimians, ovines, caprines, porcines, rodents

· Primate CDC quarantine protocols

Regulations/Shipping

· Know all pertinent USDA Animal Welfare Regulations

· Fluency in AZA Guidelines for Veterinary Medical Programs and Veterinary Hospitals

· Familiarity with DEA requirements including controlled drug storage and handling

· Knowledge of pertinent FDA regulations as they relate to medications prescribed

· Familiarity with shipping and permitting requirements on multiple species for intrastate, interstate, and international transfer

Anesthesia

· Super opioids: carfentanil and etorphine handling, dangers of human exposure, treatment protocols

· Darting equipment: use and care of Telinject, Daninject, Pneu-Dart, Cap-Chur

· Darting procedures: choice of dart and needle size, appropriate shot location for various species, safety protocols

· Demonstrate knowledge of remote chemical anesthesia protocols in multiple species

· Effectively deliver medication via pole syringe

· Successfully intubate a macropod marsupial

· Competently utilize a small and large animal mechanical ventilator

· Anesthetize a small amphibian

· Successfully intubate exotic swine

· Successfully intubate exotic hoofstock

· Anesthetize fish

· Successfully intubate various primate species (new world and old world)

· Knowledge of anesthetic protocols and anesthetic challenges of marine mammal and other diving species

· Successfully intubate a koala

· Anesthetize multiple reptilian species via injectable and gas anesthesia

· Competently utilize anesthetic monitoring equipment including capnography; adjust anesthetic accordingly

· Successfully intubate a lagomorpha species

· Intubate venomous reptiles

Restraint and Handling

· Familiarity with animal escape protocols, dangerous and minor-risk species

· Safe capture and restraint of a variety of species: macropods, hoofstock, small primates, avian (especially long-legged species), herptiles, small to medium sized mammals

· Safely handle venomous reptiles, familiarity with antivenin protocols

· Competently utilize multiple capture and restraint devices: nets, rope, towels, gauntlet gloves, hoods, jesses, snare pole, push boards, squeeze cage, hoofstock chutes, tongs, snake hooks and tubes

Clinical Skills

· Establish and maintain IV fluid delivery in large exotic hoofstock

· Proper positioning for radiographic series in tortoises and turtles

· Assessment and care of multiple neonate species, treatment of complications

· Correctly collect blood and harvest plasma for treatment of FPT

· Set-up and monitor a blood or blood product transfusion, assess for potential problems

· Successfully place an IV catheter in a tail vein of a large carnivore or macropod

· Proper radiographic positioning and exposure of pachyderm feet

· Ability to perform gastric washes and tracheal washes in primates

· Radiographic techniques for barium studies in multiple sized mammals, avian, herptile species

· Proper administration of TB tests in primates

· Wound management large mammal species: elephant, rhino, exotic hoofstock

· Supplemental feeding and/or medication administration via feeding tube in: mammals, avian, herptile species

· Dosage calculations and medication dilutions for very small mammals, avian, herptile species

· Placement of intraosseous (IO) catheters in avian and reptilian species

· Knowledge of endangered species and conservation related practices: contraception types and administration, Species Survival Plans (SSP), vaccine protocols

· Necropsy skills: sample collection, ability to detect abnormalities, organ harvest, SSP necropsy protocols

· Radiographic techniques on non-anesthetized penguins

· Knowledge of general disease processes and which laboratories provide testing