HRS 2014 Educators Conference in St. Louis Taking Rabbit Knowledge to a Higher Level
The House Rabbit Society held their first Educators Conference hosted by the St. Louis chapter in 2014. Below are videos from the conference. NOTE: Videos & text are from the HRS Educator Conference pages. Please visit the HRS pages for more info. This index page is done independent of HRS and is only for ease of use.
Saturday - Day 1
Palliative Care - Carolyn Harvey, DVM
Practical Nutrition: Adapting Dietary Recommendations for Specific Rabbit Needs - Susan Smith, PhD
Emergency Care - Dana Krempels, PhD
Marinell Harriman - An informal chat and interview
HRS Conference 2014 Friends compilation video of photos from the event By Bill Velasquez from photos by Emil Volcheck.
A video to celebrate all the volunteers, vets, and supporters that will be in St. Louis on 9/26 - 9/28 for our Educators Conference!
Day 1 - Saturday September 27, 2014
Palliative Care Carolyn Harvey, DVM: [Health Director, HRS Rabbit Center & Associate, Chabot Veterinary Center Hayward, CA] This talk will cover the kinds of care that can be provided by veterinarians and caretakers alike when our rabbits are in pain or severely compromised. It will cover how to support quality of life when the underlying disease can’t be cured, and will include topics like massage, acupressure, herbs, as well as pain management, nutrition, benefits of routine monitoring (like blood tests or urine cultures), and end of life issues. By Dr. Carolynn Harvey. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical - Sponsored by Bunny Bytes (10:35AM – 11:35AM)
Practical Nutrition: Adapting Dietary Recommendations for Specific Rabbit Needs Susan Smith, PhD: [Licensed Educator & Wisconsin HRS] We all know the basics of rabbit nutrition. But how can we determine that a particular food is appropriate? How do these basic recommendations change when the rabbit has a particular disease, health history, or genetic condition? We’ll talk about how to adapt the core diet recommendations to the unique needs of special rabbits. Taught by nutritionist and HRS educator Sue Smith, PhD. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical (1:50PM – 2:50PM)
Emergency Care Dana Krempels, PhD: [Chapter Manager Miami HRS] You Can Save Your Rabbit’s Life! Miami HRS President Dana Krempels will cover all of the basics, as well as the advanced information, on how to administer life saving care in an emergency, including what to have in your emergency kit. By Dana Krempels, PhD. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Non-Scientific/Non-Clinical (3:05PM – 4:05PM)
Meet Marinell Harriman Marinell Harriman: [Founder & President Emeritus House Rabbit Society] An informal chat and interview with the founder of House Rabbit Society, Marinell Harriman done by Mary Cotter, EdD, LVT. (4:15PM – 4:45PM)
Day 2 - Sunday September 28, 2014
Solving “Problem Rabbits:” Strategies for Managing Behavior Problems in Companion Rabbits.
Mary Cotter, EdD, LVT [Chapter Manager NYC HRS] and Susan Brown, DVM [HRS Medical Director Emeritus & Founder, The Behavior Connection]: Since HRS chapters take in rabbits regardless of behavior problems, many of us end up with long-term fosters because potential adopters (and often our own volunteers) do not realize that such problems can be very satisfactorily resolved using contemporary behavioral science techniques. This workshop will focus on how to use insights from the discipline of Applied Behavior Analysis to understand and resolve behavior issues in companion rabbits, to help these rabbits become more adoptable. We will cover alternative ways to analyze interactions, and to approach, handle, and work with rabbits who exhibit fear or “aggression.” Rabbit models, as well as a limited number of live rabbits, will be used for hand-on practice. By Mary Cotter, EdD/LVT and Susan Brown, DVM. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical - Sponsored by Supreme Petfoods (8:15AM – 9:45AM)
It’s a Gut Thing: Rabbit Gastrointestinal Anatomy, Physiology and Nutrition.
Micah Kohles, DVM [Oxbow Animal Health]: This talk will cover the details of rabbit digestion and the what’s and how’s of the rabbit diet. By Micah Kohles, DVM, of Oxbow. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical - Sponsored by Oxbow Animal Health (10:00AM – 11:00AM)
Rabbit Pharmacology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
George Flentke, Ph.D. [Chapter Manager Emeritus Wisconsin HRS]: This class will cover the changing world of drugs for rabbits. Some drugs used with humans, dogs, and cats work fine, but not in rabbits. Other drugs are great –Why is that? We will go over basic pharmacology of a couple of drugs to show how this makes a difference and to give people an idea about some of the issues involved and how the changing drug landscape can be suddenly altered – good or bad – with a new drug. We will talk about anesthetics, antibiotics, and steroids, to name a few. We will discuss a little about poisoning – the real lesson is that most rabbits are quite a bit smarter than dogs. By George Flentke, PhD. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical (11:15AM – 12:15PM)
Surgery: Then and Now.
R. Avery Bennett, DVM, MS, DACVS
[Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists, Fort Lauderdale, FL]: There have been many advances in surgery in the past few decades. Using magnification and microsurgical instrumentation and techniques allows surgeon to accomplish difficult procedures in small patients with positive outcomes. Magnification also helps control blood loss because a smaller amount of bleeding appears worse when it is magnified and that catches the surgeon’s attention. Magnification also allows the surgeon to be able to find a small blood vessel that might be causing significant hemorrhage. We have seen the advent of minimally invasive surgery such as laparoscopy and thoracoscopy. This technology has been applied to rabbits, minimizing pain, and allowing for a faster recovery. With the development of better monitoring equipment for blood pressure, heart function, and respiratory function, as well as attention to pain management, thoracic surgery such as for removal of thymomas, has become possible. Advances in fracture management have made it so amputation is not necessarily the best way to manage a broken leg in a rabbit. And advanced imaging such as CT scans has allowed us to better manage dental abscesses to effect a cure. We have come a long way and continue to develop better techniques as technology advances. By Dr. Avery Bennett. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical - Sponsored by Petco Foundation (1:00PM – 2:15PM)
Rabbit Dentistry
Anthony Pilny, DVM, DABVP [The Center for Avian & Exoctic Medicine]: This talk will cover the most common dental problems along with contemporary treatments, and will cover the role diet plays in preventing and correcting dental disease. By Dr. Anthony Pilny. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical. (2:30PM – 3:30PM)
State of the Art Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Rabbit Diseases
Peter Fisher, DVM, ABVP (Exotic Companion Mammals)
[Pet Care Veterinary Hospital Virginia Beach, VA]: This talk will cover the newest and most up-to-date diagnostic and treatments modalities in rabbit medicine. Topics will include an in depth look at gastrointestinal, urogenital, and dermatologic disease as well as E.cuniculi. By Dr. Peter Fisher. CE – 1, Seminar/Lecture, Scientific/Clinical. (3:45PM – 4:45PM)
Compilation video from the event & a video to celebrate all the volunteers, vets, and supporters!