Abstract
ISFM/iCatCare
Final ‘Feline Fine’ moves to London
Due to ongoing travel restrictions and quarantine requirements on entry into Hong Kong, ISFM is postponing this year’s Asia Pacific event to November 2023. The final ‘Feline Fine’ congress instalment for this year will now, therefore, be held in London, UK, on 26 November, and will focus on putting the Cat Friendly Principles, which have been developed by International Cat Care, the parent charity of ISFM, into action within the clinic.
The day will cover all aspects of a cat’s journey through a Cat Friendly Clinic visit, and will include discussions on managing cats in challenging situations, and the role of appropriate handling techniques, anxiolytics and sedation.
The format will be a combination of short lectures and panel discussions, and veterinarians, veterinary nurses and receptionists are all invited to attend.
Cat friendly decision-making documents
iCatCare has produced three decision-making documents, which are plain-speaking guides to help those working with cats to navigate complex issues and aid decisionmaking where nothing is black and white. Underpinned by iCatCare’s Cat Friendly Principles, they present respectful and carefully reasoned discussions bringing together:
✜ Available science
✜ Current practice
✜ Diversity of challenges faced by people working with cats
✜ Reflection of opinions, beliefs and practices to capture and acknowledge the ‘mood’ to help assess any approach required to improve cat welfare.
‘Cat friendly resources’ highlighted on International Cat Day
8 August 2022 marked the third year of iCatCare’s custodianship of International Cat Day. This year’s theme was ‘cat friendly resources’, and the charity teamed up with world-renowned animal artist and illustrator, Lili Chin, to design educational materials to help ensure cats are provided with the essential resources they need to stay physically and mentally healthy, and also introduce two new ambassador cats (see left).
The resources, translated materials and events from the day are now available on demand.
AAFP
2022 AAFP Annual Conference – hybrid event
Registration is now open for the 2022 AAFP Annual Conference, which this year has the theme of ‘Enriching feline care & the veterinary experience’ and will be held both in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and virtually. The conference will allow everyone to increase their feline knowledge, regardless of their role in the practice or level of experience, to continue to elevate the standard of care for cats.
The in-person conference will take place at the David L Lawrence Convention Center in the heart of Pittsburgh, PA. Attendees who register for the in-person portion will also have access to the virtual platform and CE credits. If attendees are unable, or prefer not, to travel, they can join the conference virtually. Virtual attendees can watch the sessions live-streamed from the convention center. The sessions will also be recorded and available to watch on demand afterward through June 30, 2023.
In-person attendees will be able to access up to 32.5 live CE hours and a total of 69.5 CE hours with both on-site sessions and on-demand access. Virtual attendees can access up to 27.5 live-streamed CE hours and a total of 52.5 CE hours with both live-streaming and on-demand access.
Additional sessions, including Technician/Nurse CE credits, will also be available on demand.
AAFP/AAHA Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines
In partnership with the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the 2022 AAFP/AAHA Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines have been released. Antimicrobial stewardship, as defined by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), refers to the actions veterinarians take individually and as a profession to preserve the effectiveness and availability of antimicrobial drugs through conscientious oversight and responsible medical decision-making while safeguarding animal, public and environmental health.
The Guidelines offer a practical approach for veterinary teams which emphasizes making decisions that optimize patient outcomes and ensure that antibiotics are used only when necessary to treat infections.
