Western Veterinary Conference 2003

The 2003 WVC Conference Notes are Online! Full text of over 650 speaker notes. The presentations are organized and browseable by category of presentation within Species, Specialty, Practice Management, and Public Health/Community. (Note: check the Library for links to other online Proceedings.)

WVC 2004 Online Registration Avalable Now!
We hope to see you in Vegas in February.

Botanicals, Vitamins, and Minerals and the Liver: Therapeutic Applications and Potential Toxicities
Lack of apparent side effects makes use of most of these substances relatively benign, but efficacy studies are needed to determine optimal treatment protocols.

Columnaris Disease in Freshwater Fish
Common lesions associated with columnaris disease include: skin discoloration ("saddle back"); cutaneous ulceration and necrosis; loss of fin area; presence of a white cottony material on the skin and fins; gill necrosis.

Toe SCC In A Cat: Check Lungs For Primary Tumor Or Metastasis
The prognosis of metastases of a pulmonary carcinoma in the digits is poor, with an average survival time of 4.9 weeks, in contrast to 29.5 weeks in cats with a squamous cell carcinoma. These data stress the importance of taking thoracic radiographs of cats with digital tumours before surgical intervention.

Elevated Body Temperatures - Hyperthermia Versus Fever / Methods of Cooling
Heat Stroke...More aggressive cooling techniques such as cold water (or saline) enemas, or gastric (or peritoneal) lavage with cool fluids have not been shown to be any more effective than cool water baths and provision of air movement. Application of isopropyl alcohol has been recommended, but cutaneous vasodilatation may lead to absorption and intoxication. It is no longer recommended.>>>I think it is very important to realize that providing air movement to enhance evaporation is critical to rapid cooling. Application of wetted blankets/towels, etc. does help, but applying a fan will enhance this many fold....

Intermediate Reptile Medicine

• How much renal anatomy/physiology do you really understand?
• How confident are you about anesthetizing turtles and tortoises?
• And just how good are you at endoscopy?

Sign up for Intermediate Reptile Medicine!

Instructors: Drs. Stephen Hernandez-Divers, B.Sc.(Hons), B.Vet.Med., D.Zoo.Med.(Reptilian), C.Biol. , M.I.Biol., M.R.C.V.S.; Diplomate RCVS Zoological Medicine, RCVS Consultant in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (Reptiles); Sonia Hernandez-Divers, DVM, Dip. ACZM (Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine)

Dates: November 10 – December 15, 2003
Realtime Sessions: Mondays; 9:30pm - 11:30pm ET

Course Description: Intermediate Reptile Medicine is geared for those practitioners who are familiar with the basics of reptile husbandry and medical care (including basic anatomy), but who would like to sharpen their skills and delve into more advanced techniques. This course will also provide some of the more in-depth anatomy and physiology fine points of the Class Reptilia and how it relates to clinical medicine. If you completed the Basic Reptile Medicine course, or if you feel like you have outgrown the basic reptile medicine references out there, this course is for you.

To Register: Visit the course information page for more details and click on the Enroll Now link to register for this course.

Sunday Rounds
Sunday, October 19, 10 pm ET -
Join Katrina Mealey, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVCP, for Drug Toxicities and MDR1 Mutation.
Rounds Room

Virtual Coffeehouse
Tuesday, October 21, 9:30 pm ET -
What really strange clients have you dealt with lately? Stop by, and share!
Rounds Room

Sunday Rounds
Sunday, October 26, 10 pm ET -
Join Mark Rishniw, BVSc, MS, DACVIM (Cardiology), for Cardiology Updates from the 2003 ECVIM Meeting.
Reminder: Check your clocks. Some regions went off Daylight Saving Time.
Rounds Room

Abstract Of The Week:
Incidence Of Adverse Events In Ferrets Vaccinated With Distemper Or Rabies Vaccine

Website Of The Week:
Pet Travel, and more...

eVetSite Tip Of The Week:
New Client Education Articles

Survey of The Week Results:
* Veterinary Support Staff
* Client Sympathy Response
* Grape/Raisin
* Consumer Reports
* ACE Inhibitor Use in Dogs
* Imaging & Telemedicine
* Nasal Mites
* Euthanasia Procedures
* FATE
* Veterinary Career Survey, Part 1

Recent Rounds:
* Technician and Staff Utilization
* The Reality Of Team-Based Healthcare Delivery
* Veterinary Hemodialysis
* How To Conduct An Effective Staff Meeting
* Alternatives To Corticosteroids
* FIV: Afraid of a Positive

From the Boards:
* DEA License Fee
* Diet For Lion Cub
* Zinc Toxicity
* Bat Castration

Still Time to Recognize your Technicians for NVTW

What are you doing to make your technicians feel valued this week?

Remember, veterinary technicians are important members of your veterinary health care team. Maintaining their certification, registration, or licensure through the completion of continuing education (CE) impacts the success of your team.

Why not honor your technicians this National Veterinary Technician Week with opportunities for CE? The Veterinary Support Personnel Network, in a cooperative effort with VIN, offers a variety of courses for your support staff that they can participate in without the inconvenience and expense of travel!

Some upcoming VSPN online CE courses include:

• Small Animal Anesthesia Part II
• Intermediate Receptionist/Front Office Skills
• The Complete Urinalysis
• Personnel Issues Facing The Veterinary Practice Managers
• Art of Arteries - Arterial Catheterization, Sampling, and More

Learn more about VSPN CE here.