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Kahuvet Working Dog Symposium
Course
About
Join us on August 22-23th 2024 for the Working Dog Symposium sponsored by Kahuvet at The Rydges Lakeland Resort, Queenstown, New Zealand!
In the majestic setting of Queenstown during ski season, the Surgery of the Working Dog Symposium brings together a nexus of renowned veterinary experts for two days of inspiring lectures and discussion. The topics are highly relevant to experienced veterinarians working in rural practice across Australia and New Zealand and will be delivered with a reasonable level of assumed knowledge in mind. Recent graduates will still benefit from attending this seminal event but may be prompted to increase their foundational knowledge as a result.
Registration Fee: $3,100 NZD ex. GST per person (Now only $2,750 until 11 July 2024!)
Instructors
Course Description
Working dogs frequently present with different challenges and owner expectations than companion or sporting dogs. The symposium’s five speakers have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating working dogs and they are all well-known for their depth of knowledge and engaging communication.
The first day will focus on orthopaedic conditions, including lameness diagnosis, fracture repair and joint conditions. Day two will start off with external fixation and then concentrate on soft tissue conditions, including abdominal surgery and muscular injuries. Interspersed with essential breaks to foster networking and discussion, this event is a must-attend for rural veterinary professionals eager to hone their clinical skills and understanding of working dog surgeries.
Book early to ensure you don’t miss this unique event!
Topics Covered
Fracture Repair with Bone Plates – Dr Damian Chase
This session is designed to improve your understanding of fracture mechanics, bone healing, and the use of bone plates in fracture repair. The discussion will cover all modes of plate application including locking plate systems and will give you confidence in decision making when presented with a fracture.
Wound Management – Dr Damian Chase
Working dogs commonly present with complex skin wounds, these can often be challenging to manage. This session will concentrate on decision making in these tricky cases and will cover all aspects of wound management including wound healing, open wound management and reconstructive techniques.
Lameness examination (video assisted) – Dr Andrew Worth
This session will use video sequences to demonstrate orthopaedic examination in the dog, with emphasis on the carpus, elbow and shoulder, hock stifle and hip. Learn or revive the techniques that allow specific determination of instability/laxity and pain prior to diagnostic imaging. The key to any lameness diagnosis is to pinpoint the problem before we head to imaging (and avoid the wayward garden path).
Carpal injuries – Dr Andrew Worth
Working dogs commonly suffer injury to the collateral ligaments, the palmar fibrocartilage or both in the carpus following falls/bike injuries or being trampled/run-over. This session will look specifically at the levels/grades of injury and the way in which prognosis is determined. Surgical management will be discussed with an emphasis on carpal arthrodesis and the prognosis of PCA in working dogs.
Orthopaedic conditions of the foot/toes/pad – Dr Andrew Worth
A common area of injury, this session will be devoted to obtaining the best outcomes when metatarsal/carpal, digital and pad injuries occur in working dogs. Specifically the role of internal fixation for multiple fractures, tendon repair strategies, splinting and amputation of digits as options.
Hip and Lumbosacrum – Dr Steve Fearnside
Whilst hip dysplasia is not a common problem in true working dogs due to selection pressures, traumatic hip injuries are common. This discussion will focus on the management of traumatic injuries of the hip, particularly fracture and luxation.
Lumbosacral conditions are a relatively common cause of loss of performance, retirement from work and chronic pain in working breeds. This talk will review the pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of lumbosacral conditions.
Elbows – Dr Steve Fearnside
Elbow dysplasia is not commonly seen in true working dogs due to the breed and selection pressures. This discussion will focus on injuries that may be seen affecting the elbow joints of working dogs including coronoid fissure.
Muscle injuries and rehabilitation – Dr Steve Fearnside
Musculotendinous injuries in working dogs are common given the activities they are asked to perform. This discussion will focus on some common musculotendinous conditions, their diagnosis and management. Rehabilitation after such injuries will also be discussed.
Cruciate ligament injury and management – Dr Alastair Coomer
While cranial cruciate ligament disease/injury is one of the most common causes of pelvic limb lameness in dogs, it is not only the cranial cruciate ligament which can influence lameness. In this session we will review assessment and treatment of cranial cruciate ligament injury in dogs, but also dive into multi-ligament stifle injury in New Zealand working dogs including tips for diagnosis and treatment.
Abdominal Surgery (GDV, splenectomy, foreign body) – Dr Alastair Coomer
Most working dog abdominal surgery is performed on an urgent basis. This review will cover most organ systems in the abdomen, their common presenting signs, and options for diagnosis and treatment, even when it’s the middle of the night and you have minimal assistance.
Grass Seed Foreign Bodies – Dr Alastair Coomer
Working dogs in New Zealand are surrounded by grass seeds, which burrow themselves into paws, ears and skin. This session will explore the common presentations for inhaled grass seed foreign bodies, and the most efficient ways to diagnose the problem and get the dogs back to work.
Hock and Achilles tendon injuries – Dr Lance Wilson
Orthopaedic issues affecting the tarsal region are frequently encountered in working dogs. This lecture will cover the more common traumatic and degenerative conditions seen in these dogs, including the diagnosis, surgical correction and anticipated prognosis.
External skeletal fixation – Dr Lance Wilson
When used appropriately, ESF is an excellent modality for osteosynthesis, trans-articular stabilisation and deformity correction. While worthy of an entire course in itself, this lecture will focus on select presentations commonly seen in working dogs where ESF may be the first-line, and sometimes only option available.
Location
Address
38-54 Lake Esplanade
Queenstown
9300,
New Zealand
