Leading Off: CAPC heads west to spread its parasite control message

Well, it's that time again. Time for summer fun, for summer vacation, and for the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) Educational Road Show to hit the road again.

Dr. Michael Paul

Last summer, we focused on the eastern part of the country and had the opportunity to meet and interact with hundreds of veterinarians and staff members. In addition, we helped educate tens of thousands of pet owners about the importance of parasite control through our road show media activities: newspaper and magazine articles and radio and television interviews.

Our trip last year took us by motor home to 14 cities, and by all standards, the CAPC Educational Road Show was a great success—and fun!

So we are at it again! This year, we will be focusing on the western United States and will visit cities in Colorado, California, Oregon, and Washington. We have planned informative, RACE-approved CE presentations at several great restaurants and are scheduled to meet with pet owners in a variety of spots, from animal shelters and dog parks to metropolitan tourist attractions, a railroad museum, and a major league ballpark.

Like last year, we will travel in our specially detailed CAPC motor home and will be visiting with local pet health, entertainment, and news media along the way to help us spread the word.

Throughout the trip, we'll be educating veterinarians about parasite control and the zoonotic implications of parasites in dogs and cats. We'll be informing pet owners and consumers at large of the need for regular veterinary visits and the indication for year-round prevention and control of heartworms, internal parasites, fleas, and ticks.

Last year, one of the fun additions to our journey was a daily blog informing you of our travels and travails. We'll be blogging again this year, and we invite you check out our daily updates, which can be found at www.capcvet.org. Look for information and invitations if we come through your town, and be sure to tell your clients to come see the CAPC-mobile.

We hope to see many of you and your clients along the way as we travel across the Rocky Mountains and up the California coast and conclude with presentations at the AVMA meeting in Seattle.

Honk if you see us!

Dr. Michael Paul is the executive director of CAPC and a former president of the American Animal Hospital Association. He is retired from practice and lives in Anguilla, British West Indies.