Listed below are the courses being offered at this year's Fall Workshop. 

Communication, Stress and Compassion Fatigue

Course Description: This course is designed to help attendees better understand and
cope with the stress involved with working in a veterinary clinic setting. 

After completion of this course, the participant will understand various communication styles

• What leads up to stress
• how to recognize warning signs
• how to deal with that stress.

Nutrition: A Cornerstone of Pet Health

Course Description: A short introduction to the topic of nutrition as a vital
assessment. Presentation of AAHA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines. Techniques for
talking to clients, making nutritional recommendations. WSAVA recommendations on
selecting pet foods.

After completion of this course, the participant will learn:

·         How to interpret and use the AAHA and WSAVA nutritional assessment guidelines

·         How to recommend or reinforce the recommendation of specific pet foods.

·         How to effectively communicate to clients about nutrition

Speaker Bio: Cynthia Farrell, DVM is a professional Consulting Veterinarian, Hill’s Pet Nutrition since 2000. 1996 DVM graduate, Cornell University. Three years private practice experience prior to joining Hill’s.

The flu's plight to "get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!" An update on the emergence, epidemiology, and evolution of canine influenza viruses. 

Course Description: While canine influenza virus (CIV) subtype H3N8 first emerged in U.S. dogs in 2004, CIV subtype H3N2, an influenza virus circulating in dogs and cats in Southeast Asia since 2007, was not reported in U.S. dogs until Spring 2015. Direct contact is thought to be the route of transmission in dogs; however, CIV transmission dynamics are poorly understood. A recent study of over 5000 dogs residing in humane shelters across the U.S, including New York, suggests prevention strategies should focus on early viral detection and isolation of infected animals. Treatment options for influenza viruses, in general, are limited to antivirals and supportive care. This course will review the emergence of CIV in U.S. dog populations, diagnostic tests for viral infection, and prevention and treatment options.

Upon completion of the course, the participant will:

• Understand the basic biology and transmission of influenza viruses 
• Have knowledge of the diagnostic tests used to detect CIV 
• Be familiar with prevention and treatment strategies and challenges

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Heidi Pecoraro, originally from the beautiful shores of the Puget Sound in Washington State, attended Colorado State University where she received her DVM and PhD. The focus of her PhD studies was the epidemiology, ecology, and evolution of canine influenza virus (CIV) H3N8. With her mentor, Dr. Gabrielle Landolt, Dr. Pecoraro completed a Morris Animal Foundation sponsored study to better understand the transmission cycle of CIV for creating efficient prevention tactics for shelters. Since graduation in 2014, Dr. Pecoraro has been a resident in Anatomic Pathology at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. Before becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Pecoraro worked in human medicine, from hospice work to STD research, and in veterinary medicine for eight years as a veterinary assistant. Her main areas of interest are herd health and zoonotic diseases.

Ready, Set, Stop! Establishing and Implementing Checklists and Time Outs

Course Description: By establishing a set of standard questions that are to be ask prior to each
procedure, is an organized way to eliminate risks and errors.  Standardized questions can be
established for all and every service.  Whether it is a healthy pet visit for physical and vaccines
to surgical amputation to hourly treatments in nursing care ward.  These question identify the correct patient is having the correct procedure, medication, x-ray, etc. administered.  Questions
that help establish proper medical care just as if you yourself was in a doctor’s appointment or
emergency room.  These questions can be referred to as the "Time Out" period.  Establishing
and implementing a time out routine is the key to eliminating almost all errors and ensuring
patient safety.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will learn:

• The benefits one can achieve by having a standard operating procedure with the use of the checklist
• Making it uniform for everyone in the hospital to use
• How to keep them simply so they will work and the importance of a checklist/timeout period

Speaker Bio: Karen Basher, LVT

I have been a licensed veterinary technician since 1995 when I graduated State University of New York at Delhi.  During school and after I worked in general practice for 4 years before switching to a private referral specialty hospital in 1998.  I was a surgery/anesthesia technician for 2 years and enjoyed learning high risk anesthesia.  I transferred my career to academia at Cornell University Hospital for Animals Anesthesia Department in 2000.  Although my main focus is small animal anesthesia, I do enjoy being able to anesthetize equines and farm animals.  I applied and achieved for veterinary technician specialty exam in 2007.  I have maintained my certification for 8 years and counting.

The Changing Face of Shelter Medicine 

Course Description: The discipline of Shelter Medicine has rapidly emerged as an area of specialization within veterinary medicine. Shelter Medicine combines examination, diagnosis, and treatment of individual patients with the need to preserve health and welfare of the entire animal population. During this session, we will explore the responsibilities of a Veterinary Technician within an animal shelter as well as discuss various progressive concepts and practices related to Shelter Medicine.

Upon completion of the course, the participant will learn:

• How Shelter Medicine differs from the practice of veterinary medicine in a private animal hospital
• The vital role of Veterinary Technicians within an animal shelter
• How Shelter Medicine can help animal shelters increase the number of animals who are live released

Speaker Bio:

After graduating from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Dr. Kathleen Makolinski worked as an associate veterinarian caring for small companion animals for five years. She then served as Director of Veterinary Services for a limited admission, not for profit animal shelter. Since then, Kathleen co-founded Feral Cat FOCUS, a community advocacy group for free roaming cats in Western New York and co-founded Operation PETS, a Humane
Alliance model stationary spay/neuter clinic near Buffalo, NY.

Kathleen has worked for the ASPCA and is currently an Outreach Veterinarian in the University of Wisconsin’s Shelter Medicine Program. She is currently a board member of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians where she is on the Spay/Neuter Task Force and Co-Chairs the Continuing Education Committee.

TNVR: A Strategy to Humanely Manage Community Cats

Course Description: A ‘Community Cat’ is generally defined as a free-roaming feline who
may be feral (unsocialized) or friendly, may have been born in the wild, or may be
abandoned or lost. Oftentimes, this population of cats can be best served through
sterilization, vaccination, and being returned to their outdoor environment. This
presentation will discuss the many benefits of TNVR as well as the unique logistics of
spaying/neutering such cats.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will learn:

• The definition of "community cat"
• The many benefits of TNVR as a strategy to humanely manage community cats
• Unique procedures utilized to safely perform sterilization of community cats

Speaker Bio:

After graduating from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Dr. Kathleen Makolinski worked as an associate veterinarian caring for small companion animals for five years. She then served as Director of Veterinary Services for a limited admission, not for profit animal shelter. Since then, Kathleen co-founded Feral Cat FOCUS, a community advocacy group for free roaming cats in Western New York and co-founded Operation PETS, a Humane
Alliance model stationary spay/neuter clinic near Buffalo, NY.

Kathleen has worked for the ASPCA and is currently an Outreach Veterinarian in the University of Wisconsin’s Shelter Medicine Program. She is currently a board member of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians where she is on the Spay/Neuter Task Force and Co-Chairs the Continuing Education Committee.

An Introduction to Alternative and Complementary Therapies and Their Use in Veterinary Medicine

Course Description: The course will provide a brief explanation of acupuncture, chiropractic, herbs and laser therapies used in veterinary medicine.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will learn:

• The availability of therapies outside of conventional medicine and surgery that can be offered to veterinary clients and patients

Speaker Bio:

Richard Mathes DVM graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 1986.  Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree was completed in 1991.  He worked in a rural Minnesota Dairy practice for 1.5 years before returning to NY in 1992.  He worked at Ridge Animal Hospital for 3.5 years and during this time began to study acupuncture.  Requirements for the title certified veterinary acupuncturist were completed with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 1993.  Training in Chiropractic traditional Chinese herbs and low level laser therapy has been added over the years so that a multi modal approach using the best of all worlds can be offered to veterinary clients and patients.