Feline Forum

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Registration Fees

• $325 conference registration fee
  • $350 conference registration fee after January 31
• Add-on Opportunities
  • $100 additional fee for the Minimizing & Addressing Feeding Tube Complications Workshop
  • $150 additional fee for Feline Procedures Lab

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Sponsor

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Overview

A favorite offering from the Office of Veterinary Continuing Education (CE) at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS), join us on Feb. 8–9, 2025, for the Feline Forum at the Veterinary & Biomedical Education Complex (VBEC) in College Station, Texas.

With various presentations spanning diverse topics, whether you’re an intern, resident, private practitioner, or board-certified specialist, you’re sure to find worthwhile nuggets you can use right away.

Featuring nutritionist Dr. Katie Tolbert, along with other VMBS faculty members/Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) clinicians, including:

• emergency medicine specialists Dr. Christine Rutter and Dr. Justin Heinz,
• cardiologist Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm,
• neurologist Dr. Joseph Mankin, and
• internal medicine specialists Dr. Andrew Bugbee and Dr. Sue Lim.

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Agenda

Saturday, Feb. 8

7 – 8 a.m.	REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN
8 – 9 a.m.	Dr. Katie Tolbert Acid Suppression in Cats: Why They Cannot Be Treated Like Small Dogs
9 – 10 a.m.	Dr. Katie Tolbert How to Approach Dietary Fiber for Feline Enteropathies
10 – 11 a.m.	Dr. Christine Rutter Feline Aortic Thromboembolism
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm Feline Cardiology
12 – 1 p.m.	LUNCH
1 – 2 p.m.	Dr. Andrew Bugbee Feline Hyperthyroidism
2 – 3 p.m.	Dr. Andrew Bugbee Insulin Alternatives in Cats
3 – 5 p.m.	Workshop #1: Feeding Tube Complications (see details below) additional registration fees apply
3 – 5 p.m.	Workshop #2: Feline Procedures Lab (see details below) additional registration fees apply
	Evening Social sponsored by Purina

Workshop #1: Optimizing Tube Feedings & Managing Complications in Cats

Instructors

• Katie Tolbert, DVM, PhD, DACVIM-SAIM (Nutrition)
• Ashley Self, MS, LVT, VTS-Nutrition

Description

Esophageal feeding tubes are a great tool to use for improving quality of life and morbidity in cats with both acute (e.g., hepatic lipidosis) and chronic (e.g., chronic kidney disease) conditions. However, complications associated with esophageal feeding tubes are common and can include diet (e.g., inappropriate diet blend, high viscosity slurries), tube (e.g., tube obstruction, tube dislodgement), or patient-related complications (e.g., stoma infection, underfeeding). Many of these complications can be prevented by a few simple techniques. In this 2-hour interactive discussion, we will address how to create an e-tube diet blend as well as minimize and troubleshoot complications related to e-tube feeding. At the end of the course, participants will be able to: (1) list nutritional factors of concern based on a review of the cat’s dietary history and problem list; (2) be able to select the most appropriate diet blend based on the nutritional factors of concern; and, (3) understand how to troubleshoot feeding tube complications including tube and patient-related complications.

Workshop #2: Feline Procedures Lab

Instructor

• Justin Heinz, DVM, DACVECC

Description

Sometimes, we need to get a little more “hands-on” with our feline friends. This lab will prepare you for common procedures performed on cats, such as thoracocentesis, abdominocentesis, chest tubes, and e-tubes.

Sunday, Feb. 9

7 – 8 a.m.	REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN
8 – 9 a.m.	Dr. Katie Tolbert Biotics: When and How to Use Them for Feline GI Diseases
9 – 10 a.m.	Dr. Katie Tolbert Diet Selection for Chronic Enteropathies in the Cat: A Case-based Discussion
10 – 11 a.m.	Dr. Sue Lim Feline Pancreatitis
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Dr. Joseph Mankin Management of Feline Seizures
12 – 1 p.m.	LUNCH & DISMISSAL