Start Date
28th October 2025
About the Course
This QQI Level 6 minor award is designed to equip learners with the knowledge, skill and competence to safely handle, store and sell animal remedies, in compliance with legislation and best practice.
Course Schedule
- 28th October 2025 – Full day in person, Holycross, Tipperary
- 5th November 2025 – Online Session
- 7th November 2025 – Online Session
- 15th November 2025 – Online Session
- 22nd November 2025 – Online Session
- 25th November 2025 – Full day in person, Holycross, Tipperary
- 2nd December 2025 – Online Exam
Course Structure & Content
Session One – Tuesday, 28th October | 09:30–13:00 | JC (In Person)
- Introduction to course content, assessment processes, and procedures
- Agri and equine/companion animals & the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland
- Role of Regulatory Authorities & Support Services – DAFM, HPRA, PSI, AHI, etc.
- New legislation EU 2019/6 and SIs replacing the Animal Remedies Regulation (ARR) 2007, relating to wholesale and retail premises, legal routes of sale, and major drug classes
- Pharmacovigilance and reporting of adverse drug reactions/events
- Manufacturers’ promotional materials, leaflets, datasheets, and SPCs – understanding the differences
- Veterinary prescriptions & POM dispensing; introduction to labelling
Session Two – Tuesday, 28th October | 13:30–17:00 | KD (In Person)
- Practical on dispensing of animal remedies (with JC)
- Body systems of domesticated animal species – comparative physiology & anatomy
- Health and disease in relation to major organ systems
- Husbandry & nutrition – ruminants, omnivores, carnivores; deficiency & excess
- The immune system and vaccination as disease prevention
- Introduction to anti-microbial resistance (AMR)
Session Three – Wednesday, 5th November | 13:30–17:00 | FO’S (Online)
- The immune system and defence against disease, with focus on farm animals
- Biosecurity & hygiene/disinfection – controlling infectious disease spread
- Vaccines and vaccination programmes for domesticated animals, especially farm species
- Infectious (bacterial & viral) diseases of livestock: Clostridia, IBR, Leptospirosis, Salmonella, E. coli
- Disease control programmes e.g. BVD and Animal Health Ireland schemes
Session Four – Friday, 7th November | 13:30–17:00 | FMcC (Online)
- The dairy industry – milking, mastitis, intramammaries, teat sealants, and other treatments
- Management strategies and mastitis control programmes replacing Schedule 8 of the 2007 ARR
- Other diseases, medicines, and challenges in the dairy sector: lameness, parasitic conditions, milk residues
Session Five – Saturday, 15th November | 13:30–17:00 | KD (Online)
- Focus on pain relief – analgesics, anaesthetics, anti-inflammatories, controlled drugs
- Veterinary anti-microbials – antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, anticoccidials; AMR
- Parasitology – recognition, life cycles, and control strategies
- Antiparasitic agents and antiparasitic drug resistance
- Anti-parasitics in food-producing species subject to vet prescription 12/2025
Session Six – Saturday, 22nd November | 13:30–17:00 | NMcC (Online)
- Drug stock control and auditing – purchasing, sales, returns, and disposal (of expired/damaged product)
- Record keeping – e.g., fridge temperatures and drug expiry dates
- Drug storage, handling, and disposal
- Controlled drugs – responsibilities around storage and record keeping
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for supply, handling, storage, distribution, and dispensing of animal remedies, including ADR reporting
- Labelling of medicines, particularly POMs at point of retail
- Hygiene and vermin control in retail premises
Session Seven – Tuesday, 25th November | 09:30–13:00 | FO’S (In Person)
- Public health issues & the food chain – zoonotic diseases, drug residues, AMR, food poisoning
- Communication skills (with clients and colleagues) in the context of dispensing medicines and addressing contraindications, restrictions, and warnings
- Evaluating veterinary prescriptions
- Group and case discussion of animal diseases using drug data sheets and medicine samples (with JC)
Session Eight – Tuesday, 25th November | 13:30–17:00 | JC (In Person)
- Companion animals and horses – non-livestock animal remedy issues
- New EU Veterinary Medicines Regulation (6/2019) – implications and changes
- The Responsible Person – roles, duties, and requirements
- Continuing education/updates – reviewing resources: DAFM, HPRA, EMA, etc.
- Revision of topics based on attendee input
- Worksheets, practical exercises, and exam questions on animal health, disease, medicines, and management strategies for Responsible Persons
Session Nine – Tuesday, 2nd December | Assessments (3 + 2 hours) – Invigilated by Chevron College
- Worksheets and practical skills assessment – 50%
- MCQ & written exam – 50%
Tutor Team
Course Director: Joe Collins MVB PhD CSci CBiol FRSB MRCVS CertEP CertVR
Additional Tutors:
- Karen Dunne MVB MA PhD CertESM
- Naoimh McCann BSc (Hons) RVN
- Finola McCoy MVB MSc
- Frank O’Sullivan MVB MSc MRCVS
