Course Open: October 16-December 14, 2019
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Wednesdays, October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 20, and December 4, 2019; 9:00-11:00 pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter To prepare for your online experience, please review the VIN/VSPN CE informational video prior to the course open date. Level and Prerequisites: This intermediate course will be open to veterinarians actively interested in feline neurology.
VIN CE Course: Open to veterinarians. This course has been submitted for RACE approval for veterinarians. Course Information:
This course is designed to give the veterinarian a practical and comprehensive understanding of the diagnosis, treatment and management of cats with neurological diseases. Topics will include the use of the neurological examination in the cat to localize lesions and a logical way of prioritizing differential diagnoses using signalment, clinical signs, prognosis and frequency of disease. In addition, specific and symptomatic therapeutic approaches to feline neurological diseases will be covered. Seizure management will be included with emphasis placed on specific recommendations for the feline species. Extensive use of patient videos will be used to demonstrate and test knowledge. Week 1 (Real Time Session October 23, 2019): Behavior and Gait Analysis in the Cat
Presenter: Anne Elizabeth Katherman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- recognize abnormal neurological behavior in the cat.
- differentiate proprioceptive ataxia, vestibular ataxia and cerebellar ataxia.
- differentiate paresis from weakness.
- recognize the neurological signs associated with cerebral cortical disease and determine the side of the lesion where appropriate.
- recognize the neurological signs of peripheral vestibular disease.
- recognize neurological signs of central vestibular disease.
- recognize the neurological signs of cerebellar disease.
- differentiate UMN lesion clinical signs from LMN clinical signs.
Presenter: Anne Elizabeth Katherman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- utilize techniques for performing the neurological examination specific to the feline species.
- localize lesions within the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves based on abnormalities identified in the neurological examination.
- order the differential diagnosis list based on signalment, history, clinical signs and frequency of disease.
- prioritize the diagnostic workup based on likelihood of disease, prognosis, and cost/benefit.
- make therapeutic decisions taking into considerations adverse side effects, drug interactions, ease of administration and drug costs.
Presenter: Anne Elizabeth Katherman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- form an ordered differential diagnosis list for feline patients with cerebral cortical disease.
- form a logical, ordered diagnostic plan for ruling in/out the most likely diseases affecting the cat with cerebral cortical disease.
- utilize specific treatment options and prognosis for each disease affecting the cerebral cortex in the cat.
Presenter: Anne Elizabeth Katherman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- differentiate likely peripheral vestibular disease from central vestibular disease in the feline patient.
- form an ordered differential diagnosis list for feline patients with vestibular disease.
- form a logical, ordered diagnostic plan for ruling in/out the most likely diseases affecting the cat with vestibular disease.
- utilize specific treatment options and prognosis for each disease affecting the vestibular system in the cat.
- form an ordered differential diagnosis list for feline patients with cerebellar disease.
- form a logical, ordered diagnostic plan for ruling in/out the most likely diseases affecting the cat with cerebellar disease.
- utilize specific treatment options and prognosis for the more common diseases affecting the cerebellum in the cat.
Presenter: Anne Elizabeth Katherman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- form an ordered differential diagnosis list for cats with spinal cord diseases.
- recognize diseases specific to certain segments of the spinal cord of the cat versus those that are common to all segments.
- form a logical, ordered diagnostic plan for ruling in/out the most likely diseases affecting the feline spinal cord.
- utilize specific treatment options and prognosis for the most common diseases affecting the feline spinal cord.
- form an ordered differential diagnosis list for cats with peripheral neuropathies.
- utilize specific treatment options and prognosis for feline peripheral neuropathies.
**** Break - November 27, 2019 ****
Week 6 (Real Time Session December 4, 2019): Episodic and Autonomic Neurologic Diseases of the CatPresenter: Anne Elizabeth Katherman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
- select an appropriate anticonvulsant for a seizing cat.
- understand how to monitor for anticonvulsant efficacy.
- understand how to monitor for anticonvulsant efficacy.
- select appropriate measures for the management of status epilepticus in the cat.
- recognize the signs of dysautonomia in the cat.
- recognize the signs of myasthenia gravis in the cat.
Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course. About the Presenter:
Anne Elizabeth Katherman serves as a Veterinary Information Network neurology consultant. In addition she develops continuing education courses on neurology topics for VIN, does research for the VIN Drug Formulary and is the associate editor for the neurology chapters in the VIN online textbook Associate. Dr. Katherman did her residency training at Purdue and Auburn Universities. Dr. Katherman lives in Hampton, Virginia. She previously owned a Neurology and Neurosurgery specialty practice in Yorktown and Virginia Beach, Virginia, worked in both specialty and general practices in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia and was an assistant professor at the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She has served on various ACVIM committees and has been a reviewer for the JACVIM. Total CE Credit: 12
Tuition: Member $276 ($248 early bird special if enrolled by October 2, 2019)
Non-Member $413 ($372 early bird special if enrolled by October 2, 2019)
Prices are listed in US dollars. *To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on October 23, 2019 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached. *For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center. To Enroll:
- Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
- Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
- Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
- For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 797 or email CEonVIN. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
VIN Education Director VIN CE Services: CEonVIN
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 797
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357