Leading Off: Taking the parasite control message to the people

The political candidates aren't the only ones taking their messages to the people this summer. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) is also hitting the road immediately after the AVMA Annual Convention in New Orleans in an effort to spread the word about the importance of year-round parasite control in dogs and cats.

Mike Paul, DVM

From July 22 to Aug. 7, the CAPC Pets and Parasites Educational Road Show will be stopping in 13 cities in the eastern half of the United States. At each tour stop, we'll share guidelines for managing parasitic infections as well as the latest information on emerging zoonotic parasitic diseases with veterinarians and staff members. Drs. Byron Blagburn, Susan Little, and Dwight Bowman will discuss how to control emerging vector-borne diseases and how to manage heartworms and helminths, for which professional attendees can receive two hours CE credit.

Starting out in New Orleans, the CAPC Pets and Parasites Educational Road Show targets 13 cities in 17 days.

In addition, we are planning educational activities for pet owners at many tour stops, including Kansas City, Mo.; Chicago; New York; Baltimore; and Charleston, S.C., and meetings are planned with medical professionals at Tufts University in Boston. Information about all the tour stops, including the dates and locations of the veterinary meetings and pet owner events, is available on CAPC's Web site, www.capcvet.org, as well as on Veterinary Medicine's Web site, www.vetmedpub.com.

We encourage veterinarians and staff members to attend the meetings and events associated with the road show in the cities nearest them. Registration in advance is recommended at www.capcvet.org/rsvp. Look for the uniquely wrapped 33-ft CAPC recreational vehicle on the road and in your area in July and August, and we'll look forward to meeting you along the way.

Dr. 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.