Neurological highlights

This three day neurological extravaganza will feature the RVC’s neuro team and Rick LeCouteur as the key note speaker. As many will remember from the London Vet Show in 2010, Rick is an outstanding speaker who brings to every lecture wisdom, wit and often a whiff of controversy to keep us on our toes. All three days will be relevant to the general practitioner and be highly interactive, including the opportunity to practice your neurological examination technique under the guidance of experts.

Participants can register for one, two or three days – whatever suits their learning needs and budget.

Day 1: Thinking like a neurologist – clinical problem solving in veterinary neurology

This one day course is the perfect introduction to the fundamentals of neurology for the busy clinician in general practice. It will consist of lectures in the morning and a practical session and interactive case discussions in the afternoon, focusing on developing a logical problem-based approach to neurological problems. Any veterinarian interested in improving their skill in diagnosing neurological disorders will benefit from the course. It will also be useful CPD for veterinarians preparing for RCVS CertAVP C modules.

Programme

08:30 - 09:00 Registration and refreshments
09:00 - 10:00 How the nervous system works (R LeCouteur)
10:00 - 11:00 The neurological examination (R LeCouteur)
11:00 - 11:30 Tea/Coffee break
11:30 - 12:00 Problem Solving in clinical neurology - formulating a logical diagnostic plan (R LeCouteur)
12:00 - 12:30 Diagnostic tests in clinical neurology - what’s useful and when (P Kenny)
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:30 Neurological examination practical (R LeCouteur, P Kenny & H Volk)
14:30 - 15:00 Tea/Coffee break
15:00 - 17:00 Interactive case discussions (R LeCouteur, P Kenny & H Volk)

Day 2: Movers and shakers – seizures/tremors and movement disorders

If you’ve ever found evaluating patients having “funny episodes” frustrating, this is the course for you. Animals with neurological and non-neurological diseases often present with apparently involuntary movements that can be distressing to owners and confusing for vets. Seizures are common in small animal medicine and have varied manifestations, from the obvious to the very subtle. Other clinical signs and syndromes such as tremors, syncope, narcolepsy, cataplexy, cramp, myoclonus and myokymia may be confused with seizures (or each other) though having very different causes, and therefore very different treatments. This one day course will consist of a series of lectures and case discussions emphasising a logical approach to investigation and therapy.

Programme

08:30 - 09:00 Registration and refreshments
09:00 - 10:00 Seizures - what are they and what can they look like? (H Volk)
10:00 - 11:00 Epilepsy - principles of diagnosis and treatment (R LeCouteur)
11:00 - 11:30 Tea/Coffee break
11:30 - 12:00 Treatment of acute seizures and status epilepticus (P Kenny)
12:00 - 12:30 Movers and shakers - tremor syndromes & movement disorders I (P Kenny)
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:30 Movers and shakers - tremor syndromes & movement disorders II (P Kenny)
14:30 - 15:00 Tea/Coffee break
15:00 - 16:00 Tilters and rollers - vestibular syndrome (R LeCouteur)
16:00 - 17:00 Interactive case discussions (R LeCouteur, P Kenny & H Volk) 

Day 3: Therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases in dogs and cats

Veterinary neurology is a rapidly and continuously developing field; every year we can offer more and more to owners and their pets. This one day course will highlight recent advances, focusing on common neurological diseases seen in practice. Various therapeutic modalities (medical therapy, surgical therapy, physiotherapy) will be covered and areas of clinical controversy such as the use of corticosteroids in neurological patients will be addressed.

Programme

08:30 - 09:00 Registration and refreshments
09:00 - 10:00 Novel anticonvulsant therapies (H Volk)
10:00 - 11:00 Corticosteroids - their use and misuse (R LeCouteur)
11:00 - 11:30 Tea/Coffee break
11:30 - 12:30 Therapeutic update - neuromuscular disease (R LeCouteur)
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:30 Surgical treatment of neurological disease - when is it indicated? (P Kenny)
14:30 - 15:00 Tea/Coffee break
15:00 - 16:00 Physiotherapy in practice - a vet’s perspective (P Kenny)
16:00 - 17:00 Physiotherapy in practice - a nurse’s perspective (H Smith)