Abstract
AAFP
PURRsuing FIP and WINNing
Winn Feline Foundation (Winn) has brought experts and researchers together from around the world for a symposium on feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Entitled ‘PURRsuing FIP and WINNing’, the symposium was hosted at the University of California-Davis on November 16 and 17, 2019. Winn, the world’s premiere non-profit hinder of cat health studies, has been supporting studies on FIP since the disease was first discovered decades ago.
‘FIP has always been an enigma, and Winn has, over the decades, chipped away at better understanding the disease. Over the years, Winn has hosted several symposia focused on FIP’, states Steve Dale, Winn board member and education committee co-chair. ‘This one was special, because the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine was our host and because of the wide array of knowledgeable participants from around the globe. The room was a who’s who of FIP researchers, clinicians and experts.’
The two-day symposium comprised a roundtable format, which encouraged discussion and consensus regarding diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Topics included new treatment protocols, where the drugs for FIP may come from in the future, what to do if a kitten is diagnosed with FIP, and misinformation regarding diagnosis and treatment. A notable speaker was Dr Niels Pedersen, who, arguably, has done more to unravel the mysteries surrounding FIP than any other single investigator.
FIP experts involved in the symposium included, from left to right, Drs Leslie Lyons, Brian Murphy, Al Legendre, Yunjeong Kim, Katrin Hartmann, Gary Whittaker and Niels Pedersen
Winn supports studies for a wide range of cat health issues, and its support has made it possible for cats to live longer and healthier lives today. Winn has been determined to find a solution to FIP for a very long time. This event provided the opportunity to bring experts together from around the globe, collate current understanding and provide updates to as many clinicians, cat fanciers and cat advocates as possible.
To help disseminate this important FIP information, Winn has created a webpage that contains articles, interviews and follow-up material, including an FIP symposium summary document (bit.ly/FIPsummary). Winn also held a webinar in April 2020 entitled ‘PURRsuing FIP and WINNing: What we know today’ which provided an overview of the symposium findings. The webinar is available to view on the Winn website at: bit.ly/FIPwebinar.
AAFP and Winn announce 2020 joint scholarship winners
The AAFP strongly believes in supporting young veterinarians who are passionate about feline medicine, whether it be a focus on clinical practice or research. One way the AAFP provides this support is through the joint AAFP and Winn scholarships.
The AAFP and Winn are proud to announce the two recipients of this year’s scholarships, both of whom demonstrate great passion and display exceptional promise in feline medicine. Emily King, a junior at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, was awarded the clinical research scientist scholarship; Jessica Tondo, a junior at Western University of Health Sciences, was awarded the clinical practice scholarship.
Ms King would like to pursue a residency in anatomic pathology with a concurrent PhD in virology/ immunology and hopes one day to apply this to feline-specific research (such as feline coronavirus or feline immunodeficiency virus).
Emily King, recipient of the 2020 clinical research scientist scholarship
Jessica Tondo, recipient of the 2020 clinical practice scholarship
Emily King, recipient of the 2020 clinical research scientist scholarship
Recipients of the $2500 scholarships are selected based on individual academic achievement, strong leadership and deep dedication to the study of feline medicine, health and welfare.
AAFP hosts its first virtual eConference
On April 6, 2020, the first AAFP live event virtual eConference took place, with distinguished speakers Drs Sarah Heath and Sheilah Robertson presenting a total of four RACE-approved CE hours on feline behavior and anesthesia topics.
The AAFP was thrilled to have 468 veterinary professionals in attendance, engaging with the presentations, conversing with each other via the chat feature and asking the presenters questions. Survey results demonstrated that the eConference provided top quality CE and was offered at a time when many other conferences were being cancelled.
Recordings of the eConference sessions can be purchased by visiting catvets.com/education/webinars.
ISFM
First ‘ISFM International Feline Congress’
‘Normal’ has been redefined by COVID-19, and every organisation is having to re-evaluate how they work. In the light of this, the ISFM has developed a free virtual feline congress for both vets and nurses from 8 to 10 August, and which will also be available on-demand until 11 September.
Supported by Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva, Hill’s, Purina and Royal Canin, the ISFM is able to offer over 30 hours of CPD for free to vets and vet nurses from all around the world through a series of lectures from international experts. Vets and vet nurses will each have a lecture stream providing state-of-the-art research along with practical information that can be put into practice.
Topics range from anaesthesia and critical care to feline communication and ethics, and lecturers include Paulo Steagall, Lisa Moses, Soren Boysen and Dan Chan, all of whom had been due to be speaking at the, now cancelled, ISFM 2020 European congress in Rhodes.
iCatCare – the new custodian for International Cat Day
The 8th of August sees not just the launch of the ISFM International Feline Congress, but also the first International Cat Day led by International Cat Care, the parent charity of ISFM.
International Cat Day was started by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in 2002. IFAW’s focus has since shifted from companion animals to disaster response for wild animals, and custodianship of this annual event to celebrate cats has been passed to iCatCare due to the charity’s international focus and commitment to improving the physical health and mental wellbeing of domestic cats.
International Cat Day will bring people together from all over the world to raise awareness of, and share knowledge about, cats. There will be a host of talks from experts and plenty of opportunities for interaction, as well as a range of planned activities.
For further information, visit the dedicated International Cat Day website: internationalcatday.org.
