The temperatures might be sizzling this summer, but the hottest event for shelter veterinarians is happening this fall. It’s the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners’ Annual Symposium, scheduled for Oct. 11-14, ,2018, in Tampa, Fla. Because ABVP is the umbrella organization for the Shelter Medicine Specialty as well as the location of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ annual meeting, it’s the must-see conference of the year for anyone who wants to boost lifesaving and improve operations in animal shelters.
The ABVP Symposium is open to veterinarians, veterinary residents, veterinary technicians, and students, and offers 23 hours of attainable CE per person.
Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program at UF team members have been involved with planning the shelter medicine track, and our own Dr. Sheilah Robertson, Dr. Julie Levy, and Dr. Cynda Crawford will be presenting, along with alum Dr. Staci Cannon, UF consultant Dr. Sarah Pizano, and Dr. Elizabeth Berliner, the Janet L. Swanson Director of Shelter Medicine at Cornell University.
The event is being held at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina. Early bird registration rate for the symposium expires at 11:59 PM Central Time on August 5, 2018. Here’s a complete breakdown of the fees:
Check out the shelter medicine track, which also includes two sessions still to be announced:
How Do We Know They Hurt? – Assessing Acute Pain in Cats
How Do We Know They Hurt? – Assessing Acute Pain in Dogs
Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, UF Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Certificate
Pain is a complex multidimensional experience with both sensory and emotional components. Lord Kelvin said “if you cannot measure it you cannot improve it”; this applies to pain assessment. Animals cannot self-report so we depend on observing behavioral changes. Videos based on validated pain tools will be discussed.
Anesthesia for Pediatric Patients
Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, UF Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Certificate
Risks faced by pediatric patients undergoing anesthesia include hypothermia, hypoglycemia, stress and pain. Because of their size monitoring of vital signs can be challenging. However, choosing the correct combinations of anesthetics and analgesics, adapting monitoring equipment and being proactive with thermal strategies they can sail through the process.
Euthanasia: Humane and Human Considerations
Sheilah Robertson, BVMS, PhD, UF Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Certificate
The welfare of both the animals whose life is to end and the people performing the task must be considered. The process must be humane and meet legal standards but we must understand the complex feelings of the person performing the act which can occur before during and after euthanasia.
Introduction to Community and Shelter Assessments
Sara Pizano, DVM, MA; Team Shelter USA, LLC
Learn why assessments to ensure Best Practices are so crucial with community programs and at the shelter level, and which decision makers are most important in the process. A review of some historical and available consulting companies will be presented, along with a discussion of MOUs, payment structure and fees.
Preparing for a Community and Shelter Assessment
Sara Pizano, DVM, MA; Team Shelter USA, LLC
Preparing appropriately for a community and shelter assessment prior to the onsite visit will result in the most comprehensive recommendations. Information gathered prior to the visit will help build a framework and foundation for recommendations which often includes ordinance revisions.
Keys to a Successful Shelter Assessment and Follow Up
Sara Pizano, DVM, MA; Team Shelter USA, LLC
From the first point of contact, communication with stakeholders must be positive to encourage a sense of trust with the assessment team. This session will outline several ways to maximize the onsite visit, ensure accurate information sharing, how to engage staff/leaders/elected officials and the importance of asking the right questions.
Shelter Assessment Case Studies and Conclusions
Sara Pizano, DVM, MA; Team Shelter USA, LLC
In the final session, successful case studies will be reviewed highlighting the benefits of strategic programming that results in sustainable resolution.
Interactive Practitioner Workshop 1, 2, and 3: Cases, Protocols, Solutions
Elizabeth Berliner, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice), Janet L. Swanson Director of Shelter Medicine at Cornell University
Staci Cannon, DVM Metro Animal Care and Control in Nashville, Tennessee; 2015 UF Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Resident
Attendees will be challenged with shelter cases that impact individual and population health in an animal shelter, and work through methods by which to preserve health and welfare of shelter animals from a veterinary perspective. Cases will illustrate key concepts in the provision of medical and behavioral care in shelters.
Not Another Blue Dot: Advances in FeLV and FIV Testing
Julie K. Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice); Fran Marino Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine Education at UF
Is it “one and done” or does diagnosis of retroviral infections in cats require a more nuanced approach? This session will share the latest discoveries about retroviral diagnosis, selecting the most reliable test, sorting out test result discrepancies. Bring your own testing horror stories and we’ll work through them together.
FeLV/FIV Testing in Animal Shelters . . . or Not
Julie K. Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice); Fran Marino Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine Education at UF
Should all cats be tested, or are there times when a greater good comes from spending those resources on something else? This session will navigate the sometimes controversial topic of FeLV and FIV testing in animal shelters and what to do when that dreaded blue dot appears.
H3N2 Canine Influenza Virus: Management and Vaccination Strategies for Shelters
Cynda Crawford, DVM, PhD; Maddie’s® Clinical Assistant Professor of Shelter Medicine
The H3N2 canine influenza virus is an emerging novel pathogen that caused nationwide epidemics in the U.S. in 2015 and 2017, including animal shelters. This presentation provides new information about management of influenza virus in shelters and implementation of vaccine strategies to mitigate risk of viral transmission.
Click here to view the complete schedule, and we hope we’ll see you in October!