These seasoned experts are set to elevate your BSAVA Congress experience, creating a seamlessly connected and top-tier CPD journey. Curating thought-provoking sessions, they’ve meticulously handpicked the best speakers to ensure that the content is relevant to you, all while being integral members of the speaker lineup. Get ready for an unparalleled educational experience!

Rosanne Jepson - Urology

Why are you personally getting involved in Congress? What does it mean to you?

BSAVA congress is a leading event in the small animal CPD calendar. It brings together experts from their fields together to provide the highest level of education focussing on topics that are of clinical importance to the practitioner. The new ‘double act’ style of lectures and increased opportunity for Q&A means that not only can delegates gain insight into clinical problems from different individuals and approaches, but areas of controversy or uncertainty can be discussed in depth. What a great opportunity!

Why should delegates attend your module in a nutshell?

The urinary strand module is going to bring many different elements of feline lower urinary tract disease together ranging from the behavioural insights for unacceptable elimination, the diagnostic and medical approach to feline interstitial cystitis, the latest in the emergency management of obstructive disease as well as the medical and surgical approaches for chronic management. These elements will also all be combined in panel discussions to allow the audience to really get their questions answered around the very challenging and recurrent nature of feline interstitial cystitis and lower urinary tract disease. In addition, the afternoon sessions will focus on what finding bacteria in the urine really means from a medical, surgical, and microbiological perspective. When we should be thinking about using antibiotics and when we do use them, which drug, what dose and what duration of therapy. A hot topic in the current climate of antimicrobial stewardship!

What are the top 3 takeaways for delegates from your module?

• Understanding the importance of defining unacceptable elimination and recognising when a cat is likely to have feline interstitial cystitis.
• Latest evidence base for the use of medical therapy for the management of feline interstitial cystitis and how to manage the emergency cat with obstructive disease.
• How to get the most out of your microbiology when deciding on appropriate antimicrobial therapy for bacterial cystitis and urinary tract surgery.

Ian Ramsey - Drug Stewardship and Advanced Diabetes

Why should delegates attend your module in a nutshell?

The very recent release of an oral hypoglycaemic agent for feline diabetes mellitus is widely predicted to transform the management of this condition in primary care clinical practice. Delegates will be able to hear first-hand from the clinical researchers and specialists who have used these drugs. Delegates will also learn about advances in the monitoring of canine diabetes such as the use of Freestyle systems and haemoglobin A1c. Finally, a review of recent developments and management practices for the ‘complicated’ cases will be discussed by leading experts in these fields.

For the module on Drug Stewardship, in recent years the linked issues of antimicrobial resistance and environmental pollution with drug residues have received a huge increase in attention within and beyond the veterinary profession. This module brings together leading players from regulatory bodies, the pharmaceutical industry, as well as diagnostic laboratories and clinical practice to outline the current positions and how everyone can work together to reduce antimicrobial resistance and environmental pollution whilst encouraging the appropriate use of these important drugs.

What are the top takeaways for delegates from your module?

Drug Stewardship – Delegates should be able take back to their practices a better understanding and knowledge of the current position and the initiatives that are underway to reduce AMR and environmental contamination.

Advanced Diabetes – Delegates will be able to take back to their practice an increased knowledge of SGLT2 inhibitors in feline diabetes, the value and interpretation of haemoglobin A1c and an update on those ‘complicated’ cases with another endocrine disease such as Cushing’s or acromegaly.

Dana Varble - Thoracic Imaging

Why are you personally getting involved in Congress? What does it mean to you?

It has been my pleasure to serve as a liaison in the partnership of BSAVA and NAVC for 3 years now. Our organisations share a passion for helping veterinary professionals thrive in their careers. A key component is bringing them the latest information, innovation, and science in veterinary medicine. I have been taking part in international veterinary conferences for over 10 years now and have personally seen how sharing information across the world has benefited animal health. While it is common that the clinical challenges veterinarians face in North America are similar to those in the UK, sometimes the approaches are different. The more resources we have to approach a pet’s medical condition means more options for pet owners and pets, and the better our chances of success!

Why should delegates attend your module in a nutshell?

Unlike abdominal imaging, in which we often combine radiographs, palpation, and ultrasound to gather diagnostic information, in the thoracic cavity, we are often limited to only radiographs, making them very important to determine a diagnosis and a real pain point in practice. Plus, veterinarians have to interpret thoracic radiographs almost every day! Our team of speakers will help delegates be more confident in the approach to this challenging but important diagnostic test.

What are the top 3 takeaways for delegates from your module?

• A systemic step-by-step approach for interpreting thoracic radiographs.
• Increased confidence in thoracic radiograph diagnosis.
• A better understanding of cardiac vs. pulmonary pathology on radiographs.