Antech — ACVIM 2024

Scattergrams and Histograms: Understanding their Essential Role in the CBC — 10:45 - 11:45 AM

Speakers: Holly Brown, DVM, PhD, DACVP

Location: MCC Auditorium 1

Session Details: In this case-based session, I will discuss hematologic analysis of both sick and healthy patients, utilizing real cases in which appropriate interpretation of the CBC's histograms and scattergrams is key to understanding the data. Cytograms will be paired with blood film changes to better elucidate their combined value in augmenting the automated CBC numerical data.

How Cardiac CT Has Made Me A Better Sonographer — 1:30 - 2:30 PM

Speakers: Brian A. Scansen, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Location: MCC Auditorium 1

Session Details: The heart is a 3-dimensional organ, yet routine imaging relies on 2-dimensional techniques such as radiography and ultrasound. Cardiac CT allows full volume imaging of the heart and reconstruction of any plane from the full volume dataset. This ability to understand 3-dimensional spatial relationships is critical to an anatomical understanding of cardiac structure and function - particularly in complex diseases such as the congenitally malformed heart. However, cardiac CT even informs seemingly routine echocardiographic imaging such as the optimal planes to evaluate mitral valve anatomy, how to measure the pulmonary valve annulus for balloon sizing, etc. This lecture will demonstrate what has been learned from over 300 cardiac CTs of animals with heart disease, advanced software tools that are available to evaluate CT datasets, and how the presenter has utilized knowledge gained from cardiac CT to inform anatomic understanding and improve sonographic imaging of the heart.

Rapamycin Treatment in Preclinical Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Results and Insights of The REPAIR Study
— 2:40 - 3:40 PM

Speakers:
Ryan Fries, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Sonya G. Gordon, DVM, DVSc, DACVIM

Location: MCC Auditorium 1

Session Details: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a primary disease of the myocardium seen in several species, including dogs and humans. It is characterized by progressive ventricular dilation and loss of myocardial contractility. Once DCM progresses to the clinical stage, signs of congestive heart failure are typically seen, with or without cardiac arrhythmias. Rapamycin, also known as sirolimus, is a naturally occurring compound that is a specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) cellular pathway. Selective inhibition of mTOR has been shown to provide therapeutic benefit in models of various cardiac disorders, including DCM. Rapamycin treatment has also been shown to reverse age-related declines in cardiac function in both laboratory animals and in client-owned dogs, without significant adverse effects. The REPAIR Study was an open-label longitudinal pilot study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel rapamycin formulation in client-owned dogs with preclinical DCM. Enrolled dogs were monitored throughout a 180-day treatment period. Experimental units consisted of individual dogs, and treatment success was evaluated based on improvements in quality-of-life assessments and echocardiographic measurements. This presentation will discuss the results of The REPAIR Study, including background on the use of rapamycin in veterinary cardiology, specific echocardiographic, Holter, and quality of life results in our multi-center study, pitfalls, case enrollment, and finally future directions for evaluating the use of rapamycin in preclinical canine DCM.

Difficult Diagnosis Made Easier by CT - A Case-Based Perspective — 1:10 - 1:35 PM

Speakers: Kenneth R. Waller lll, DVM,MS,ACVR

Location: Knowledge Corner in the Exhibit Hall

Session Details: Learners will explore deepening their knowledge in the management of cases requiring complex diagnostic imaging skills. A case-based approach aims to simplify complex cases in which the added diagnostic value of CT uncovers relative to radiographs and/or ultrasound exams. Using a selection of cases, a discussion will be offered on the often-difficult decision of what to image, when and with which modality. Cases discussed but not limited to will be portosystemic shunt, nasal neoplasia, and ectopic ureter work ups.

GI Parasites & One Health: Potential party ‘poo-pers’ for the 2 & 4 footed — 10:25 - 10:50 AM

Speakers:
Jason W. Stull VMD, MPVM, PhD, DACVPM
Michelle Evason BSc, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), MRCVS

Location: Knowledge Corner in the Exhibit Hall

Session Details: This case-based session will summarize key aspects of emerging GI parasites of One Health importance in dogs and cats, like Echinococcus multilocularis, among others. Pet-owner communication, research findings, and clinical management will be discussed.

Spectrum of Care and Case Examples: Talking Options in the Trenches — 1:30 - 3:45 PM

Speakers:
Michelle Evason, DVM, BSc, DACVIM, MRCVS
Jason B. Coe, DVM, PhD
Jason W. Stull, VMD, MPVM, PhD, DACVPM

Location: MCC 200 H

Session Details: This session will discuss the background and impacts of the current ‘access to care’ crisis we face in veterinary medicine as well as one proposed solution to address this problem – spectrum of care. For this tag-team, dialogue style talk, the three speakers will quickly dive into the specifics of how to provide spectrum of care in clinical practice, highlighting key areas critical for success, such as evidence-based medicine and communication. Case examples, interactive polling and pair-share, will be used to showcase real world spectrum of care incorporation into clinical practice and engage participants.