Pet Care
Did you know that over 63% of households in Australia own a pet. If you already have or are thinking of adopting a pet into your houshold then this Pet Care Course is the course for you. This petcare course will provide you with a sound introduction to caring for a wide variety of different pets including dogs, cats, fish, birds, rabbits, rodents, reptiles and amphibians. It will give you an understanding of the proper care needed for different types of pets and aid in choosing which pet would be best suited to you.
This course will be of benefit to anyone who already owns a pet or is wanting to commence a career in the pet care industry.
Some areas covered in our Pet Care Course are:
- Compare the requirements and restrictions for keeping different types of animals as pets in your locality.
- Develop a checklist of things which should be done regularly to ensure the good health for pets.
- Develop timetables for husbandry tasks to be undertaken over a typical week when caring for a specific breeds of animals.
- Determine to consider when trying to decide what type of pet to acquire.
- Determine common signs of a general disease condition in a dog.
- Discuss factors common to the care of all fish.
- Explain how many litters a year a female mouse could produce if not prevented from doing so.
- Identify abnormal animal behaviour and ways to reduce dependence on humans.
Career Prospects
- Animal Breeder.
- Pet Shop Assistant.
- Animal Carer.
- Employment at a cattery, kennel, pet shop or specialist pet service.
Course Delivery
This course is delivered 100% online. Upon enrolment students are issued with a login and password, providing access to OCA's e-learning centre. For a full demo of the OCA student experience from enrolment to graduation click here.
Recognition and Accreditation
Upon successful completion of this course you will receive an OCA Certificate of Achievement in Pet Care. There are no pre-requisites to this course.
Units of Study
This course has 8 units of study.
Click here for more details
1. Introduction to Animal Care
- Covers laws and licenses, animal charities and societies (e.g. Royal Society for the Provention of Cruelty to Animals, World Society for the Protection of Animals, Blue Cross), pet care needs (feeding, watering, shelter, containment, fencing, caging, protection), maintaining health and hygiene.
2. Cats
- Covers breeds (e.g. long haired, semi long haired, short haired, oriental), selection, allergies, containment, sexing, desexing, breeding, newborn kittens, exercise, behaviour, hygeine, feed and nutrition, amount of food, watering, grooming, travelling, care for a sick cat (signs of illness, temperature, common ailments, skin disorders, ticks), cats and wildlife.
3. Dogs
- Covers selection, breeds (pure and mixed), varying size and temperament, grooming, skin care, inherited traits (aggression, deafness), containment, breeding, desexing, exercise, behaviour, feeding, canine nutrition, bones, watering, training, travelling and identifying sickness.
4. Birds
- Covers selection, breeds (e.g. canaries, finches, budgerigars, small parrots), sexing, desexing, containment (aviaries, selection, design, size, management), feed, feeding, watering, grooming (wing trim, beak trim, nail trim), hygiene, catching and restraining, travelling, caring for sick birds, signs of illness, temperature, supportive therapy, common ailments (e.g. abscesses, alopecia, apoplexy, aspergillosis, breathlessness, constipation, parasites) and safety in the home.
5. Fish
- Covers selection, inside or outside, warm or cold water, number of fish, types of fish (tropical, marine, cold water), costs, size, equipment, tanks, ponds, pumps, aquariums, night lights, water quality, changing water, feed (pelleted, live feed - daphnia, brine and shrimp), illnesses (fungal, bacterial, parasites and environmental).
6. Rabbits
- Covers breeds (large, small and dwarf), selection, legality (rabbits are illegal in some areas), containment (hutch or cage), environment (temperature etc), feeding, nutrition, watering, feed quantities and routine, grooming, handling, moulting, transporting, sexing, breeding, identifying illness (coccidiosis, snuffles, myxomatosisis, sore hocks, pasteurellosis, ear canker, heat stroke, cannibalism, calcivirus disease) and care of sick rabbits.
7. Reptiles and Amphibians
- Covers types (e.g. salamander, frogs, venomous snakes, non-venomous snakes, shingle-backed lizard, tortoises, terrapins and axolotls), selection, legal issues, housing, environmental requirements (moisture, humidity and warmth), terrariums, problems (e.g. dehydration, stress, external and internal parasites, blisters, scale rot, mouth rot or canker, colds, pneumonia, constipation and diarrhea, cannibalism, incomplete sloughing of the skin - shedding of the skin), feed and feeding, and general care.
8. Rodents, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters and Mice
- Covers varieties, selection, containment, sexing, breeding, grooming, feeding, watering, illness (e.g. skin problems, abscesses, mites, ringworm, fleas, respiratory infection, vitamin C deficiency, otitis, salmonella and stripping).and if necessary, extra reading.
How Long Does The Course Take?
This short course should take approximately 100 hours.
Each unit should take approximately 10-12 hours. Maximum six months access to this online course.
Course Costs
Purchase this course online and complete it at your own pace in your own time.
Pay Now
To purchase this course, simply click on add to cart.
Save at least 15% if paid in full
Pay Now Cost$349
Payment Plan
You may pay for this course via a flexible payment plan. To do so simply select this option and click on add to cart.
$50 Deposit
$50/Week for 9 Weeks
Total Payment Plan Cost $500
