Philadelphia, Pa. – AVMA Convention – (July 23, 2004)
The latest research on heartworm disease, treatment and prevention took center stage at the Triennial AMERICAN HEARTWORM SOCIETY State of the HEARTWORM SYMPOSIUM ’04. The three-day event began on July 23, 2004 at the West in Philadelphia Hotel, with 17 international experts presenting topics essential to the understanding and management of heartworm disease. The 2004 Symposium was held in conjunction with the 141st Annual AmericanVeterinary Medical Association Convention.
Dr. John McCall of the University of Georgia was a featured speaker and presented his findings on “The Clinical Prophylactic(Safety Net) Story: a Review, an Update and Recommendations.”McCall said, “This year’s presentation provided practicing veterinarians an updated review of the activity of some of the heartworm preventatives against immature and adult heartworms, and recommendations on how they can incorporate this information into prevention and treatment strategies.”
Another featured topic was “Lung Disease in Feline Heartworm Infection: Role of Pulmonary Intravascular Macrophages,” presented by Dr. Ray Dillon of Auburn University. Dr. Dillon’s presentation examined host responses, and emphasized why dogs and cats present with such different clinical signs in response to the same stages of the heartworm life cycle. Understanding thesecritical differences will allow the veterinarian to make adiagnosis and initiate therapy earlier in the disease process.
Fort Dodge Animal Health was a major sponsor of the 2004 Symposium. “We were pleased to partner with the American HeartwormSociety to reach out to as many practicing veterinarians aspossible at this year’s Symposium. Every practicing veterinarian will benefit from the information presented,” said Craig Wallace, Director of Companion Animal Business, Domestic Sales and Marketing, Fort Dodge Animal Health.
Additional symposium program sponsors included Heska, Idexx,Pfizer, Merial, Novartis and Bayer.
Other outstanding speakers presenting seminars at the 2004 AHS Symposium included:
- Dr. Robert Arther, Bayer Health Care, USA
- Dr. Clarke Atkins, North Carolina State University, USA
- Dr. Andrew Beardow, Idexx Laboratories, USA
- Dr. Claudio Genchi, University of Milan, Italy
- Dr. Victoria Hampshire, Food and Drug Administration, USA
- Dr. Kathleen Heaney, Fort Dodge Animal Health, USA
- Dr. Wieslaw Kozek, University of Puerto Rico
- Dr. Laura Kramer, University of Parma, Italy
- Dr. Norma Labarthe, UFF and FIOCRUZ, Brazil
- Dr. James Lok, University of Pennsylvania, USA
- Dr. Matthew Miller, Texas A&M University, USA
- Dr. Roger Prichard, McGill University, Canada
- Dr. Fernando Simon, University of Salamanca, Spain
- Dr. Jerold Theis, University of California Davis, USA
- Dr. Luigi Venco, Citta di Pavia, Italy
More information on the 2004 Symposium can also be downloaded from the American Heartworm Society website at www.heartwormsociety.org.The Westin Philadelphia Hotel is located at 99 S. 17thSt., Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Founded during the Heartworm Symposium of 1974, the American Heartworm Society was formed to facilitate and encourage the generation and dissemination of information about heartworm disease and encourages adoption of standardized procedures for its diagnosis, treatment and prevention. The American Heartworm Societystimulates and financially supports research, which furthersknowledge and understanding of the disease. Its headquarters arelocated in Batavia, IL.