Each spring the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine offers a two week elective in Large Animal Neonatology and
Intensive Care Medicine at the New Bolton Center campus.  This clinical elective is open to veterinary students who have completed their preclinical
training and who have a special interest in equine neonatology/perinatology and/or intensive care medicine. Our case load includes intensive care neonates
(primarily equine) and high risk pregnancy cases (equine, caprine, bovine).  We also attend all dystocia births (equine, bovine, ovine, caprine, alpaca) and any other birth                                         that occurs in the hospital.

Students can elect 2 weeks of neonatology. The elective provides students experience managing these critically ill neonates and complicated pregnancies. Daily rounds emphasize normal
physiology and pathophysiology of perinatal diseases, the use of monitoring equipment (eg capnography, ECG, BP monitor), fetal and neonatal ultrasonography
and various treatment modalities (eg oxygen therapy, parenteral nutrition, positive pressure ventilation, fluid therapy, inotrope/pressor therapy)
required in the management of critical care neonates and late-term pregnancies.

Students will have the opportunity to master some of the following manual and theoretical skills; blood gas analysis, calculation of parenteral and enteral nutrition formulations, establishing and maintaining long term jugular catheters, principles of fluid therapy as applied to patients with septic shock and patients requiring maintenance fluids, interpretation of fetal and neonatal sonograms, familiarity with various types of respiratory support therapy and resuscitation protocols, and a working knowledge of a wide variety of pharmacological agents including antimicrobials, anticonvulsives, analgesics, pressors and inotropes. Consecutive two week rotations begin during the last week of February and continue through the first week of June.