Prophylactic resistance, feline disease top heartworm symposium agenda

The American Heartworm Society has announced the topics to be presented at its 14th Triennial Heartworm Symposium this year. The symposium, titled “Heartworms Today: The Search for Solutions,” will be held Sept. 8-10 in New Orleans and will provide attendees with more than 20 hours of continuing education credit. The symposium is designed for both general practitioners and specialists.

“I believe this to be the most important disease in small animal medicine and yearly we see case numbers increase and preventive compliance decrease,” says Clarke Atkins, DVM, DACVIM, a professor of medicine and cardiology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and co-chairman of the symposium. Some topics to be covered include:

> Lack of efficacy. In a half-day series of sessions, veterinarians will hear the latest on heartworm prophylaxis and lack of efficacy/resistance, followed by a cocktail-hour Q&A with a panel of experts.

> Feline heartworm. A range of presentations will cover diagnostics, treatment of feline heartworm disease and the impact of heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD) in cats.

> Diagnostics. In a practical tutorial, practitioners will learn the best strategies for obtaining and interpreting thoracic radiographs in dogs with heartworm; a separate session will address radiographs in cats.

> Disease management. A research-based session will cover the latest studies on treating and managing heartworm disease, including surgical removal, the role of Wolbachia and management of heartworm disease with doxycycline.

> Epidemiology. Presentations will cover biomarkers as well as factors influencing canine heartworm epidemiology in the United States.

> Clinical issues. The final symposium session will include presentations on heartworm disease in shelters, perioperative anesthetic complications in heartworm-positive patients, and caval syndrome.

“We have a great program this year and expect to have plenty of lively discussion,” says Wallace Graham, DVM, president of the American Heartworm Society. “While heartworm continues to be a very serious health issue for pets in the U.S., education is one of our best strategies for reducing its incidence.”

Registration information can be found online at heartwormsociety.org.