TECH228-0713: Cardiomyopathy and Valvular Disease in the Canine and Feline

INSTRUCTOR(S): Katy Waddell, RVT, VTS (ECC, Anesthesia)
COURSE OPEN: July 1-August 8, 2013
REAL TIME SESSIONS (RTS): Mondays, July 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2013; 8:00pm-9:30pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Practice Sessions: In order to prepare you for a successful experience in your CE course, we request you attend a Practice Session prior to the first Real Time Session. Please arrive promptly at the start time; each Practice Session is up to 1 hour in length. For more information, please visit the CE Practice Area.

Level and Prerequisites: This This intermediate course will cover echocardiograms, murmurs, and the pathophysiology of various diseases and resulting heart pathology.
VSPN CE Course: This course has been approved by RACE for veterinary technicians only.

Course Description:
Heart disease can present with a variety of clinical signs and symptoms and at any age. The veterinary technician can be a key identifier in aiding the veterinarian's examination of a patient by identifying a murmur, a pathophysiologic sign, or indication that an underlying cardiovascular issue may be present. This course will take the participant thru the basics of when and how a cardiac evaluation begins and conclude with the more complex issues of myocardial dysfunction. The veterinary technician should be adept at being able to assess and differentiate the various cardiac diseases presented to a small animal facility. Increased ability to identify emergent, urgent, and chronic care situations not only expedites health care for the patient, but allows the veterinary team to discuss cardiac disease with the client and provide long term follow up care for each patient.

This course will consist of four (4) ninety (90) minute Real Time Session, supplemental library materials, interactive message board discussions, and a mandatory end-of-course test. Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to be considered for a course certificate of completion.

Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to

• analyze nose to toes cardiovascular examination techniques.
• differentiate between normal and abnormal cardiac anatomy.
• illustrate and point out the clinical signs and symptoms related to congenital cardiac diseases.
• illustrate and point out the clinical signs and symptoms related to acquired cardiac diseases.

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.

Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.
Recommended Textbook(s): Suggested references will be included within the course library.

About the Instructor: Katy W. Waddell has been in the veterinary field for 39 years in small animal, mixed animal, specialty referral practices, 24/7 facilities as well as in academia and as an author. Katy currently works with the Feline and Canine Internal Medicine Services at Texas A & M University and is responsible for providing nursing care and student instruction for these services. She also is the staff liaison/mentor for multiple student organizations providing wet labs. She lectures and promotes education to veterinary technicians to improve patient care and advocacy. She is the proud recipient of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association 2013 Veterinary Technician of the Year Award.

Course Outline:
Week 1: (Real Time Session July 8): The Cardiovascular Exam
Content: This session may be a review for some participants, but will identify and reinforce the importance of the 'why' and 'how' of incorporating observation, palpation, and auscultation for appraising each patients' cardiovascular status.

Week 2: (Real Time Session July 15): Cardiac Function
Content: As a building block to form a solid foundation for the understanding of cardiac diseases and dysfunctions, this Real Time Session will cover the normal cardiac form and function including coverage of cardiac anatomy and physiology.

Week 3: (Real Time Session July 22): Common Congenital Cardiac Defects
Content: This session will cover congenital cardiac defects seen in our canine and feline patients. Diagnostic methods presented will include audios of cardiac murmurs, echocardiograms, and radiographs.

Week 4: (Real Time Session July 29): Common Acquired Cardiac Diseases
Content: The final session will cover the commonly acquired cardiac diseases seen in our canine and feline patients. Diagnostic methods presented will include audios of cardiac murmurs, echocardiograms, and radiographs

CE CREDITS: 6

Tuition: $120 ($108 early bird special if enrolled by June 17, 2013).
* Students currently enrolled in and taking at least 2 classes or 5 units at an AVMA accredited or CAAHT approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status).
*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close when the maximum number of participants is reached or at 5pm ET the day of the first Real Time Session unless otherwise noted. If the first Real Time Session is on a weekend, course enrollment will close on the Friday before the first Real Time Session.

*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

TO ENROLL:
  » ENROLL NOW

1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
4. For further assistance call 1-800-700-INFO (4636) or email (VIN CE) CEonVIN@vin.com or (VSPN CE) VSPNCE@vspn.org. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.

*Note: "This course has been submitted for approval for 6 continuing education credits in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE approval; however participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education."Call VSPN/VIN CE at 1-800-700-4636 for further information. (Attendees are encouraged to check with their licensing jurisdiction(s) for information regarding recognition by their board).

Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN/VSPN office 1-800-700-INFO (4636) to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.
* Note: To ensure rapid handling of your request for withdrawal, we recommend that you call the VIN/VSPN office at 1-800-700-INFO (4636).

*For more information on VSPN's upcoming CE courses, check the VSPN Course Catalog.

Nanette R. Walker Smith, MEd, RVT, CVT, LVT
VSPN Content Director & CE Coordinator

VSPN CE Services: VSPNCE@vspn.org
1-800-846-0028 or 1-530-756-4881 or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01452226154
Charlotte Waack (Charlotte@vspn.org); ext 193 (Illinois)
Chris Upchurch (Chris@vspn.org); ext 197 (Florida)
Barb Burri (Barb@vspn.org); ext 764 (New Hampshire)
Lisa Kernaghan (Lisa@vspn.org); ext 159 (Arizona)
Nanette Walker Smith (Nanette@vspn.org); ext 187 (Colorado)

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