• Join Kit Sturgess MA VetMB PhD CertVR DSAM CertVC FRCVS RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Medicine for three 2-hour online sessions
• Comprehensive notes to download
• Self-assessment quizzes to ‘release’ your 8 hours CPD certification (don’t worry, you can take them more than once if you don’t quite hit the mark first time)
• A whole year’s access to recorded sessions for reviewing key points
• Superb value for money – learn without travelling
• Watch the recordings on your iPad!
• By the end of the series delegates will be comfortable in assessing the involvement of the endocrine system in their emergency patients, feeling confident to make at least a provisional diagnosis and provide appropriate emergency therapy.

Programme

Adrenal gland disease in dogs

Learning objectives:

• Addisonian crisis – Probably the second most common endocrine emergency seen in small animal practice. Requiring aggressive early intervention to manage the hypovolaemia, hyperkalaemia and hyponatraemia. Such crises will mimic severe renal insufficiency and it is essential that these two conditions are differentiated as the former carries a good long term prognosis whilst the latter a poor prognosis
• Relative cortisol insufficiency – Cortisol is an essential stress response to many disease challenges, some patients fail to produce an adequate cortisol response leading to an unexpectedly poor response to appropriate treatment of their underlying disease.
• When hyperadrenocorticism presents as a crisis – Hyperadrenocorticism generally presents as a chronic condition but some patients can present acutely unwell associated with neurologic signs, pulmonary thromboembolism, severe muscle weakness, wound breakdown or haemoabdomen. Realising that adrenal gland disease may be the underlying cause is important for assessing treatment options and long term prognosis.
• Phaeochromocytoma – Although relatively commonly found at post mortem, previously functional phaeochromocytomas were considered rare diagnoses but with increased expertise in ultrasound and advanced imaging they are increasingly commonly encountered. Presentation is usually associated with generalised weakness or episodic collapse secondary to tachycardia and hypertension.

Insulin trouble and hypothyroidism in dogs

Learning objectives:

• Diabetic ketoacidotic crisis (DKA)
  -Probably the most common endocrine emergency in dogs and cats; these patients present with severe metabolic disturbances with a significant percentage not being known diabetics. A good approach to the collapsed patient should rapidly establish the diagnosis; the challenge is usually in managing the patient
• Hypoglycaemic crisis in insulinoma
  -Insulinomas are the most common tumours of the pancreas. Presentation is often confused with epileptiform seizuring and the diagnosis of severe hypoglycaemia is missed with potentially serious consequences for the patient
• Myxoedema
  -Like hyperadrenocorticism, hypothyroidism is usually a slowly progressive disease. Rarely however, dogs can present with myxoedema coma showing profound weakness, hypothermia and bradycardia.

Endocrine emergencies in cats

Apart from DKA, endocrine emergencies are relatively uncommon in cats meaning that it is perhaps more important for the clinician to be aware of how they present so when they do an opportunity for successful treatment is not lost. Like dogs, weakness and collapse will be the most common presenting signs. Careful history taking and physical examination is essential to achieving a diagnosis.

Learning objectives:

• Diabetic crises
  -DKA
  -Non-ketotic hyperosmolar diabetes
  -Neurologic and pain syndromes associated with diabetes
• Hyperthyroid collapse
  -Thyroid storm
  -Cardiomyopathy
• Hyperaldosteronism
  -Hypokalaemic muscle weakness
  -Hypertension

The price includes all 3 sessions, notes and quiz – 8 hours of CPD

*No traffic jams, accommodation hassles, pet or childcare, rota clashes, locum fees ……….. just great CPD and a valuable ongoing resource.