The American Association of Feline Practitioners Releases New Educational Webinar on Feline Hypertension

Webinar is designed to help veterinary professionals diagnose and treat feline hypertension

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ (June 13, 2019) – The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has released a new educational webinar for veterinary professionals entitled Feline Hypertension: Essentials in Diagnosis and Management – catvets.com/webinars. The webinar and supplementary resources provide valuable continuing education (CE) to veterinary professionals on the causes and consequences of feline hypertension, as well as easy-to-access and apply best practices and protocols. During this webinar, which is RACE approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), Kelly A. St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline), and AAFP’s President-elect, reviews key topics in feline hypertension. Included in the presentation are the cause and effect of secondary hypertension, candidates for monitoring and screening, scientific equipment needed, best practices in measuring blood pressure, and standards of care. Additionally, the webinar discusses diagnosis, evaluation, case studies, therapeutic goals and treatment, as well as the benefits of a Cat Friendly Practice®.

Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, the feline hypertension webinar is unique with its accompanying digital resources, including a downloadable one-page tip sheet, The 10 Ps: Feline Blood Pressure Management and Treatment, which is designed to help veterinary teams understand the basics of treating hypertension in cats. Also included is social media post content that can be used by veterinary practices and an educational client website page. Blood pressure assessment is an integral part of a senior cat’s healthcare; however, many veterinary teams struggle with this procedure. The time required to take blood pressure in a cat may not be practical in the appointment setting, the cat may not be cooperative, and the team may not be comfortable with the equipment. Once obtained, understanding collected readings can be challenging. The information and tools offered in this webinar aid veterinary professionals’ understanding by providing invaluable education on the treatment and management of hypertension in cats.

The feline hypertension webinar can be found in the AAFP’s new eLearning Center, a webinar portal that includes a variety of feline-focused CE throughout the year. As an added value to membership, webinars are complimentary for AAFP members.

The education obtained through the webinar portal can be applied toward the CE requirements for the Cat Friendly Practice® Program – a program that reduces stress during the veterinary visit and equips veterinary teams with the support and resources needed to deliver elevated and quality care that incorporates the cat's perspective throughout the entire experience.

Veterinary professionals can learn more about the webinar and accompanying supplemental materials athttps://catvets.com/education/online/webinars/feline-hypertension.

Cat caregivers can learn more about hypertension at catfriendly.com/hypertension.

To learn more about the AAFP and membership benefits, visit catvets.com/join.

 
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Acknowledgments
The AAFP thanks Boehringer Ingelheim for their sponsorship of this webinar, and for their commitment to help the veterinary community improve the lives of cats.

Speaker Bio
Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline)

Dr. St. Denis is currently a full-time clinician at the Charing Cross Cat Clinic in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics, and a Master of Science in Immunology. In 1999, she completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Ontario Veterinary College.

In 2013, Dr. St. Denis became certified with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in the specialty of feline practice. She is an online consultant for the feline medicine boards on the Veterinary Information Network and the 2019 President-elect for the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Dr. St. Denis is proudly one of the 6 Canadian feline specialist members of Cat Healthy Canada.

We've All Been There...

"When it’s 11:30 PM the night before finals and you still have 19 powerpoints and 31 pages of notes left to read"

This meme was submitted by Tessa Brown from the University of Illinois. Thanks, Tessa!

Snow Day

Allison Deluca from Michigan State University submitted this adorable photo of her rabbit playing in the snow!

The American Association of Feline Practitioners Releases Diabetes Educational Toolkit to the Veterinary Community

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ (May 22, 2019) – The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has released a Diabetes Educational Toolkit for veterinary professionals: catvets.com/diabetes. There are additional resources to help cat caregivers understand and manage their cat’s diabetes at catfriendly.com/diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus has become an increasingly common endocrine condition in cats. Management and treatment of feline diabetes is often perceived as a very complicated process as each cat requires an individualized plan, which includes frequent reassessment and adjustments to treatment as needed. Additionally, diabetic cats are often challenging to diagnose, treat, and monitor. Diabetes mellitus is not always a straightforward diagnosis.

This user-friendly Toolkit is a digital resource that puts the most relevant diagnostic and treatment information in the hands of veterinary professionals who are working with clients to make the best decisions for their cat. The Educational Toolkit is intended to be an implementation tool for veterinary professionals to access and gather information quickly. There is also a printable PDF version of each page to make the content easy-to-access in the practice. The entire Toolkit can also be downloaded and printed. Navigation on the website is simple and contains tabs to move directly to information focusing on diagnosis, treatment, remission strategy, troubleshooting, frequently asked questions, and client resources.

There are many misconceptions about treatments and responses when dealing with feline diabetes mellitus. Effective treatment is based on a combination of patient goals, finances, implementation of the treatment plan, and the patient’s response. A strong partnership between the veterinarian and the cat caregiver is key to achieving optimal results. It is very important to establish goals at the initiation of treatment and to maintain a frequent, open dialogue.

“We are excited to release this digital resource to the veterinary community in the hopes that we can help veterinary professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of their diabetic feline patients through providing easy-to-access information that can be implemented for each cat. The purpose is to create more informed veterinary teams as well as cat caregivers,” said Dr. Apryl Steele, President, AAFP Board of Directors. "This Diabetes Educational Toolkit is intended to be an on-the-ground tool for veterinary professionals to access and gather the most relevant information quickly."

Acknowledgments
The AAFP thanks Boehringer Ingelheim for their educational grant to develop this Toolkit, and for their commitment to help the veterinary community improve the lives of cats. The AAFP also thanks the independent panel for their hard work in developing this Educational Toolkit content – Audrey Cook, BVM&S, Msc VetEd, DACVIM-SAIM, DECVIM-CA, DABVP (Feline); Kelly St. Denis, DVM, DABVP (Feline); Sonnya Dennis, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline); and Elaine Wexler-Mitchell, DVM, DABVP (Feline), Chair.

67th IVSA Symposium South Korea Reflection

Laci Taylor ǀ Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine ‘22

This past January I had the privilege of attending the 67^th IVSA Symposium in South Korea. I participated in a variety of lectures, wet labs and day trips along with 149 other delegates representing over 30 countries. As a first-year veterinary student, and first time Symposium attendee, I was both thrilled about the opportunity to connect with veterinary students and professionals around the world and the opportunity to learn more about the impacts of IVSA on a global scale.

Shortly after arriving at Chonbuk National University in Jeonju, South Korea, I attended the Welcome Dinner where I met my roommate, a veterinary student from Austria. By the end of the first day I met students from all over the world and even managed to run into a few familiar faces of veterinary students I had met elsewhere on trips abroad.

The following day began the business portion of Symposium where I participated in my first of six General Assemblies. During assemblies we discussed past business regarding the 67^th IVSA Congress in Kraków, chose the location of the 69^th IVSA Symposium (Greece), made bylaw amendments and elected a new President. I also assisted IVSA SAVMA in voting in favor for the addition of new member organizations to IVSA Global. General Assembly is where I learned about the structure of IVSA Global including its Standing Committees and Working Groups.

One of the Standing Committees that really caught my attention was SCOH, the Standing Committee on One Health. I was amazed at the topics that they were tackling within the fields of both veterinary and human medicine. Of note was their collaboration with Mission Rabies, on their “Zero by 30” Campaign which aims to eliminate human incidences of rabies by the year 2030. The interdisciplinary approach that SCOH utilizes is paramount to finding solutions to many of the pertinent issues facing veterinary public health today. The Working Group on Alumni was another group that caught my attention. I was able to attend IVSA Symposium with both students and current veterinary professionals that were previously student members of IVSA. This gave me the opportunity to understand the present state of the veterinary field internationally. It also sparked my desire to contribute to a functional alumni database to facilitate collaboration between students and current veterinary professionals.

Between General Assemblies, IVSA Symposium functions to immerse and educate its members on the veterinary medical history, culture and traditions of its host country. The organizing committee did an excellent job organizing activities that allowed us to explore South Korea. The first few activities that I participated in were in Seoul. We traveled to the Korea Horse Racing Authority and the War Memorial of Korea. At the Korea Horse Racing Authority, our knowledge of horses was tested with trivia before we explored the horse racing park and learned about treatment of diseases common in racehorses. At the War Memorial of Korea, we were greeted by the General before exploring the six indoor exhibition halls that housed a diverse array of artifacts ranging from military vessels and weaponry to sculptures and relief works.

Next on the agenda were lectures and activities. Lecture topics covered oncology, career exploration, emergency medicine and oriental medicine. I really enjoyed the oriental medicine lecture which focused on acupuncture point. Following the lecture, I got the chance to test out my acupuncture technique in a practical skills lab. After the conclusion of lectures, I participated in Temple Stay, a cultural program that allowed me to experience the life of Buddhist practitioners, mediate and have conversation over tea. We also traveled to Gyeongbokgung Palace where we witnessed the changing over of the guards, a colorful and lively ceremony. While each activity provided a unique opportunity for cultural immersion, my favorite activity was exploring Hanok Village. There, a big group of us got dressed up in traditional Korean wear, called a Hanbok, and tasted different Korean street food and purchased handmade souvenirs from the shops.

In addition to the day trips we took, there was a loaded schedule of social events in the evening so that the delegates could unwind and get to know each other better. Of these events were both a silent and live auction with items donated by attending delegates that helped raise funds for IVSA. There was also Cultural Night where delegates set up booths with food, drinks and traditional wear representing their respective countries. One of my favorite experiences was participating in a cooking event where I made Duk Boki which is a spicy Korean rice cake dish.

The 67^th IVSA Symposium created an environment where a diverse range of perspectives and ideas were encouraged, exchanged, and celebrated. As the veterinary profession becomes more and more diverse, the environment created by IVSA Symposium is integral to the health and well-being of humans, animals and the environment. As I reflect upon my time in South Korea and the many international friends I have made, I feel a strong sense of gratitude. My experience abroad with IVSA in Korea is one that I will not soon forget.