Syllabus Information

5.1. Methodological overview

The methodology followed in this course is oriented towards achievement of the learning objectives.

1 – Participatory lectures: The professor will present theoretical contents. Students are expected to participate actively in the class.

2 – Practical sessions.

They will comprise the identification of animal species at the Toxicology Laboratory, resolution of practical deontological and expert cases, completion of official forms and documents. Students will also perform a legal necropsy with special emphasis on preparation of samples. Printed handouts containing the activity guide as well as the biosecurity measures to be followed, will be provided to students where necessary.

A repository of the lecture notes used in class, the course syllabus, practical sessions handouts, as well as other course-specific learning materials will be available via Moodle (Universidad de Zaragoza).

5.2. Learning tasks

The course includes 6 ECTS organized according to:

- Lectures (4.3 ECTS): 43 hours.

- Practical sessions (1.6 ECTS): 16 hours.

- Seminar (0.1 ECTS): 1 hour.

5.3. Syllabus

Lectures

       I.      Public administrations and organization of the profession

1. Introduction. General Concepts.
2. State and European Union Organization.
3. Legislative structure and official documentation.
4. Veterinary profession organization: Colleges, Associations, Unions.
5. Role of veterinarians in society.
6. Veterinary practice: Administrative requisites.
7. Veterinary practice: Special requisites.
8. Occupational diseases.

    II.      Deontology

1. Concepts in Deontology, Ethics, Bioethics.
2. Deontological codes, veterinary ethics, vices.
3. Euthanasia.
4. Professional responsibility: I. Penal responsibility.
5. Professional responsibility: II. Civil and administrative responsibility.

 III.      Legal and forensic Veterinary

1. Structure of Judiciary.
2. Judicial proceeding and its components.
3. Practice as an Expert: types and legislation.
4. Expert’s report, evidence sampling and chain of custody.
5. Forensic tanatology.
6. Forensic traumatology.
7. Forensic roles of the veterinarian.
8. Legal necropsy.

 IV.      Legal Commercial Veterinary

1. Animal trade, types of contracts and vices.
2. Livestock and agrarian insurances.
3. Animal identification.
4. Animal traceability.
5. Standardization, official organs and quality labels.
6. Veterinary role in animal shows.
7. Animal doping.

    V.      Veterinary legislation

1. Legislation of Animal Health.
2. Legislation of veterinary medicaments.
3. Legislation of genetically modified organisms.
4. Legislation of ecological products.
5. Legislation of animal wellbeing.
6. Legislation of pets’ possession.
7. Legislation of environmental contamination.

Practical sessions

Session 1: Identification of animal species from biological remains. Duration: 4 hours. Place: Laboratory of Toxicology.

Session 2: Deontological cases. Duration: 3 hours. Place: classroom.

Session 3: Expert’s report. Completion of legal documents. Duration: 3 hours. Place: classroom.

Session 4: Legal necropsy. Legal aspects of evidence sampling in Veterinary. Duration: 3 hours. Place: Laboratory of Toxicology.

Session 5: Search of Spanish and European Legislation. Duration: 3 hours. Place: Library of the Toxicology Unit.

5.4. Course planning and calendar

For further details concerning the timetable, classroom and further information regarding this course please refer to the "Facultad de Veterinaria" website (https://veterinaria.unizar.es/).

5.5. Bibliography and recommended resources

[BB: Bibliografía básica / BC: Bibliografía complementaria]

• [BB] Basile, Alejandro Antonio. Fundamentos de medicina legal: deontología y bioética / Alejandro A. Basile . 4ª ed. Buenos Aires : El Ateneo, cop. 2001
• [BB] Cooper, John E.. Introducción a la medicina forense veterinaria y comparada / John E. Cooper, Margaret E. Cooper ; traducción de : María Luisa Suárez Izquierdo . Zaragoza: Acribia, D. L. 2009
• [BB] López Guzmán, José. Deontología farmacéutica : concepto y fundamento / José López Guzmán, Ángela Aparisi Miralles . Barcelona : EUNSA, 2000
• [BB] Medicina legal y toxicología / editor, Enrique Villanueva Cañadas . 6ª ed., reimp. Barcelona : Masson, D.L. 2005
• [BB] Monterroso Casado, Esther. Aspectos legales y responsabilidades derivadas de la práctica veterinaria / Esther Monterroso Casado . [Zaragoza] : Servet, D.L. 2006
• [BC] Capo Marti, M.. Veterinaria legal con deontología. Ed. Universitarias y técnica, 1989
• [BC] Vargas Alvarado, Eduardo. Medicina forense y deontología médica. México : Trillas, 1992