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Small Animal Program
Tacoma, WA
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September 22–24
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140+ CE Hours
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common form of heart disease in cats, but other forms of cardiomyopathy are well described. Unfortunately, cardiomyopathy in cats often goes undetected, until a crisis such as CHF or arterial embolism develops. We will discuss the options for diagnostic testing for HCM and other feline cardiomyopathy, and review the management of CHF in cats.
This session will illustrate various techniques to differentiate between respiratory and cardiac causes of dyspnea in cats. We will also use case examples to explore the management of cats with common and less typical forms of heart disease.
Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MMVD), also known as Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease, is the most common form of heart disease in the dog. Recent advances in diagnosis and management will be discussed, including drugs that might be indicated before the onset of heart failure. Proper management of dogs with MMVD can prolong both the asymptomatic phase and the survival time after the onset of heart failure.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), the second most common form of canine heart disease, is very common in Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, and some other large-breed dogs. Diagnosis is usually established via echocardiography, although the early stages of DCM (occult DCM) can be suspected or identified in some breeds via other tests, such as cardiac biomarkers or ambulatory electrocardiography. These diagnostic tests and treatment of DCM will be reviewed.
This session will review diagnostic testing and illustrate the management of several dogs with heart disease. We will present cases that are encountered in clinical practice where a dilemma or challenge was encountered, such as a life-threatening arrhythmia, advanced CHF, or a concurrent disease that complicates the situation.
This session will focus on complications other than congestive heart failure that can result from feline cardiomyopathy, such as arterial thromboembolism and arrhythmia. Additionally, primary arrhythmias and arrhythmias resulting from systemic disease will be discussed.
This session will illustrate various techniques to differentiate between respiratory and cardiac causes of dyspnea in cats. We will also use case examples to explore the management of cats with common and less typical forms of heart disease.
This lecture will provide a summary of new management strategies for dogs with mitral valve disease. Medications that will be covered include those that are utilized in dogs less commonly, such as torsemide and sildenafil, along with new medications, such as Entresto and SGLT2 inhibitors. In addition, transapical edge-to-edge repair and other surgical options for mitral valve disease will be discussed.
This session will review diagnostic testing and illustrate the management of several dogs with heart disease. We will present cases that are encountered in clinical practice where a dilemma or challenge was encountered, such as a life-threatening arrhythmia, advanced CHF, or a concurrent disease that complicates the situation.
Dr. Bennett will talk about the effects of bringing a veterinary clinic inside the humane organization, the importance of setting expectations for shelter and veterinary staff, and the role of medical authority in decision making. Included is an overview of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) and legal definitions of veterinary medical authority within humane societies and how to navigate this topic in other states.
Most shelter staff services will involve customer interactions with the community, whether they want to adopt, foster, volunteer, or need pet care support. Here we discuss two very different approaches to community interaction: gatekeeping and facilitating. Examples of how these two approaches can turn the same interaction into two very different outcomes for person and pet will be discussed, as we look at progressive best practices in shelter services.
New to shelter medicine or new to having shelter animals as clients in your practice? Or perhaps you are frustrated at the lack of communication that happens between shelter and private clinic colleagues? We will unpack common shelter intake and preventative measures, typical shelter medical and surgical care, and expectations for continuing care, to enable a smoother transition from shelter client to clinic client and prevent misunderstandings.
Telemedicine has found a robust foothold in private veterinary practices across the country with significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Humane organizations with foster parent and public surgery or community care programs can also benefit from bringing telemedicine into their repertoire as a means of providing after-hours and emergency care and streamlining protocol-based medicine for shelter animals. A discussion of the shelter VCPR will be included.
Dr. Mantovani’s session will tackle a few of the toughest areas shelter DVMs are faced with daily: Recommendations for processing a suspected abuse/neglect case, exploring common behavior myths in shelter animals, and addressing decision fatigue when making pathway and euthanasia decisions. Dr. Mantovani will speak on different techniques she uses to help get to the most appropriate outcomes for the patients in her care.
Dr. Elam’s presentation will cover the use of cannabinoids in veterinary medicine and including: a review of CBD/CBDA fundamentals, a refresher on the diagnosis and medical management of common mobility impairments, and finally, a discussion of the pain and non-pain applications of CBD/CBDA.
This two-day set of lectures presented by Dr. Lauren Powers reviews the most common and important diseases seen in chickens kept in small poultry flocks that are presented for veterinary care. Included in this set of lectures are diseases of regulatory importance and those with zoonotic potential, as well as tips, challenges, and regulations regarding treating and medicating backyard chickens.
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia is a challenging disease process with a number of important considerations when designing a diagnostic approach. It is important to develop a strong suspicion for an immune-mediated process so that one can feel confident in the decision to suppress the immune system as a therapeutic target. This lecture will give an overview of the traditional diagnostic approach with modern development.
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia is a disease process which poses a therapeutic challenge. The approach to treatment involves critical care and long-term management. This lecture will review these therapeutic approaches with a discussion of novel treatment methods.
Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia can range in severity based on the presence of, and locations, of clinical bleeding. This lecture will detail the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to this immune-mediated disease, and discuss ways to deal with critical bleeding.
The old adage “cats are NOT small dogs” certainly applies to immune-mediated disease as well. The diagnostic considerations and therapeutic approaches to immune-mediated anemia and thrombocytopenia are different for cats, and this lecture will detail the alternative approaches to these diseases in cats.
Non-regenerative anemias of immune-mediated etiology have had several names, but currently it is believed to be a disease targeting the red blood cell precursors in dogs. This disease has different diagnostic and therapeutic considerations when compared to the more common, peripherally destructive IMHA. This lecture will detail the diagnostic approach to PIMA, and treatment options.
The dog with a fever and shifting-leg lameness, in many parts of the country, has Lyme disease until proven otherwise. But what about the “otherwise?” Immune-mediated polyarthritis can strongly resemble its infectious counterpart, but has a different therapeutic approach and prognostic considerations. This lecture will describe the typical case presentation of this immune-mediated musculoskeletal disease.
Oxidative balance is tightly regulated by physiological processes which can be imbalanced in disease states. In dogs and cats, oxidative stress has been identified in a number of clinical scenarios such as critical illness, hepatobiliary diseases, immune-mediated diseases, diabetes mellitus, and others. Evidence would suggest that antioxidants may be of benefit as adjunctive therapy in some of these disease process, and this lecture will describe the use of these supplements in small animals, and future directions.
Are you curious to learn about alternative ways to use your veterinary degree? Come join a panel of veterinarians who have pursued careers outside of clinical practice as they discuss the diverse roles that veterinarians play in public health, biomedical research, and regulatory compliance.
Are you curious to learn about alternative ways to use your veterinary degree? Come join a panel of veterinarians who have pursued careers outside of clinical practice as they discuss the diverse roles that veterinarians play in public health, biomedical research, and regulatory compliance.
Are you curious to learn about alternative ways to use your veterinary degree? Come join a panel of veterinarians who have pursued careers outside of clinical practice as they discuss the diverse roles that veterinarians play in public health, biomedical research, and regulatory compliance.
Dr. Fuhrmeister and Dr. Burbick will present an overview of antimicrobial stewardship efforts in WA State. Participants will break into focus groups to discuss clinical scenarios and resource availability and development.
Dr. Fuhrmeister and Dr. Burbick will present an overview of antimicrobial stewardship efforts in WA State. Participants will break into focus groups to discuss clinical scenarios and resource availability and development.
Transnational wildlife crimes have grown precipitously in the last 15 years. I describe scientific methods that support law enforcement by determining where seized wildlife products were poached, how they get to places of export, how many transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are involved, and connectedness between TCOs operating in different countries.
Dr. Thompson’s presentations cover common medications used in veterinary medicine to modify behavior in pet dogs and cats. Topics include differential diagnoses and therapy plans that support practitioners and their teams, particularly when initiating medications are a necessary component of successful behavior modification. Interactive case examples will be used throughout the afternoon sessions including metabolic screening of patients before and during therapy.
This two-day set of lectures presented by Dr. Lauren Powers reviews the most common and important diseases seen in chickens kept in small poultry flocks that are presented for veterinary care. Included in this set of lectures are diseases of regulatory importance and those with zoonotic potential, as well as tips, challenges, and regulations regarding treating and medicating backyard chickens.
Wildlife Biologist Jen Mannas and Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Katie Haman will give an overview of wildlife rehabilitation in Washington, a veterinarian’s role in wildlife rehabilitation, and how veterinarians can help.
In walks a member of the public carrying a hawk in their arms… or a box full of baby raccoons… as a veterinary hospital, what do you do? Today, we are going to go over the role of the veterinarian in wildlife rehabilitation. From admission to euthanasia, there are many different tips, tricks and legalities to be in the know of when making decisions on how to care for and euthanize wildlife. Many veterinary staff believe it is illegal to do anything with a wild animal that comes into their clinic, that is simply so far from the truth, veterinary staff are vital in their stabilization prior to rehabilitation!
Dr. O’Marra will review initial assessment and stabilization of the trauma patient, using case examples to illustrate clinical decision making.
Indications for fluid resuscitation and available resuscitation fluids will be explored in this session. Endpoints of initial resuscitation and crafting a fluid therapy prescription will also be discussed.
CPR is less complicated than you think! Drawing from the RECOVER guidelines, this session will explore the basics of CPR and how to prepare your team to be ready if an arrest occurs.
Post-resuscitation care can be much more involved than the CPR that brought your patient back. This session will use clinical examples of survivors of CPR to illustrate common complications and clinical courses of post-arrest care.
Washington has experienced a surge in small niche farms resulting in small animal practitioners being asked to expand their services beyond cats and dogs to include small ruminants, poultry and pot-bellied pigs. Come to this session to gain an understanding of your role as a practitioner in managing reportable and zoonotic disease cases in companion animals and common backyard farm animals. This interactive two-hour session will present an overview of the State Vets office, review companion animal disease trends in the state and address illegal importation through a case study format. Biosecurity and preventative measures for small animal practitioners will also be addressed.
A brief overview of select foreign animal diseases in category 1 animals (companion animal species), the potential impacts of foreign animal disease, and how veterinarians can help prevent foreign animal disease introduction and spread.
Dr. Buswell’s presentation covers an overview of Brucellosis in dogs, data trends on reported cases in WA, and regulatory and public health responsibilities of the private veterinarian.