Batavia, IL. | June 1, 2004
Veterinarians and Technicians: The deadline for the triennial AMERICAN HEARTWORM SOCIETY State of the HEARTWORM SYMPOSIUM ’04 is fast approaching, so submit your registration forms now. This year’s event scheduled for July 23, 24 and 26 at the Westin Philadelphia Hotel, features the latest research and findings on heartworm disease, treatment and prevention with 17 international experts presenting topics essential to the understanding and management of heartworm disease. The 2004 Symposium will be held in conjunction with the 141st Annual American Veterinary Medical Association Convention. The American Heartworm Society will distribute a special issue of Veterinary Parasitology devoted to the presentations, and continuing education credit is available for all veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
Dr. John McCall of the University of Georgia is one of this year’s featured speakers and will present his findings on “The Clinical Prophylactic (Safety Net) Story: a Review, an Update and Recommendations.” McCall says, “This year’s presentation provides 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 is “Lung Disease in Feline Heartworm Infection: Role of Pulmonary Intravascular Macrophages,” presented by Dr. Ray Dillon of Auburn University. Dr. Dillon says, “In this seminar, we’ll examine host responses, emphasizing why dogs and cats present with such different clinical signs in response to the same stages of the heartworm lifecycle. Understanding these critical differences will allow the veterinarian to make a diagnosis and initiate therapy earlier in the disease process.”
Fort Dodge Animal Health, a lead sponsor of the 2004 Symposium, is overseeing a special promotional campaign which includes the underwriting of veterinary journal ads, promotion at national veterinary trade conferences and distribution of information about the symposium to veterinarians.
“We are pleased to partner with the American Heartworm Society to reach out to as many practicing veterinarians as possible. 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 include Heska, Idexx, Pfizer, Merial, Novartis and Bayer.
Other outstanding speakers scheduled to present seminars at the 2004 AHS Symposium include:
- 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 registration deadline is July 1st, 2004. The Westin Philadelphia Hotel is located at 99 S. 17th St., 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 Society stimulates and financially supports research, which furthers knowledge and understanding of the disease. Its headquarters are located in Batavia, IL.
