Back to Find Units Page

Unit of Study VBIO1002 - Anatomy and Physiology 2 (2026)

Show me unit information for year

Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    1. To pass the unit, students must submit all assessment tasks 2. Attendance: It is important to recognise the relationship between attendance, participation, student success and retention. Please take advantage of all classes and engagement activities as it will increase your opportunity for learning, progression in the course, and success as a veterinarian. For units with practicals and other learning activities that directly relate to developing AVBC day one competencies that are required for veterinary accreditation, attendance is required. These will be identified within each unit and attendance requirements clearly communicated to students.

Unit description

This unit provides veterinary students with a foundational understanding of digestive, hepatic, and renal anatomy, physiology, and metabolism across key species, including ruminants, monogastrics, hindgut fermenters, and obligate carnivores. Through self-learning, tutorials,  and practical sessions, students will explore the structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and urinary system, examining their roles in digestion, nutrient absorption, detoxification, and waste elimination. Students will engage in comparative dissections, microscopy, and laboratory investigations to analyse species-specific adaptations in digestion, metabolism, hepatic function, and renal physiology. By the end of this unit, students will be able to describe and compare digestive, hepatic, and renal anatomy and physiology across species, apply their knowledge to veterinary practice, and critically assess how animals should be fed and managed to respect their gastro-intestinal, hepatic and renal anatomy and physiological needs.

Unit content

  1. Ruminant digestive anatomy & physiology
  2. Hepatic & renal function in ruminants
  3. Monogastric digestion – pigs & poultry
  4. Hindgut fermentation in equines
  5. Companion animal digestive, hepatic & renal physiology
  6. Metabolism & energy utilisation across species

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore
Term4
N/A

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

describe and compare the anatomical structures and physiological functions of the digestive, hepatic, and renal systems across different animal species, identifying key adaptations

explain and analyse the processes of microbial fermentation, enzymatic digestion, nutrient absorption, liver metabolism, and renal filtration, relating these to dietary requirements and species-specific health considerations

identify and interpret the clinical significance of digestive, hepatic, and renal variations by assessing anatomical specimens, conducting laboratory investigations, and monitor and evaluate metabolic functions

formulate evidence-based strategies to monitor, maintain, or restore physiological balance in the gastrointestinal, hepatic, and urinary systems of common veterinary species, with the goal of enhancing animal health and production outcomes.

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • Prescribed text information is not currently available.
Prescribed Resources/Equipment
  • Prescribed resources/equipment information is not currently available.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.