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Veterinarians to Convene in Baltimore at Nation's Largest Veterinary Internal Medicine Conference

Stem Cell Research, Pet Obesity and Pet Chemotherapy discussed at Annual ACVIM Forum

BALTIMORE – An estimated 3,500 veterinary professionals will convene at the Baltimore Convention Center June1-4 for the 23^rd annual American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine's (ACVIM) Forum to discuss cutting-edge veterinary medical treatments and trends. The ACVIM Forum is the nation's largest veterinary internal medicine conference, offering continuing education for specialists, general practitioners and technicians.

Specialists in cardiology, oncology, neurology, and small animal internal medicine will share and discuss genome research, heart disease in dogs, cancer treatments, and how to slim down obese pets. Curt Civin, M.D., professor of oncology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, will present the keynote address, "Stem Cell Research: Hope and Hype."

Specialty veterinary medicine has flourished in the past decade as more pet owners seek the best medical care available for their pets, triggering demand for more specialists. ACVIM membership has skyrocketed 45 percent over the past four years to 1,537 members. Members are Board-certified and have three-to-six additional years of veterinary medical training.

According to a survey by the Companion Animal and Family Health Council, 73 percent of veterinarians said their clients seek more referrals to veterinary specialists today than they did five years ago.

"Pet owners are becoming more aware of the specialty care options available and are demanding the same level of treatment for their pets as they would for other members of their families," said Dr. Marilyn Stiff, ACVIM President Elect. "More than ever, people are seeking referrals to veterinary specialists to evaluate and treat their pets' medical problems."

Nearly 275 sessions on small-animal health care will be presented during the ACVIM Forum, including:

• Genome profiling for canine heart disease
• Alternative therapies for managing pet cancer pain
• Diseases that pass from pets to humans
• Disease treatment though gene therapy
• Diagnosing and treating feline brain tumors
• Using DNA vaccines to treat cancer

ACVIM is the national certifying organization for veterinary specialists in large and small animal internal medicine, cardiology, neurology and oncology. Established in 1973, ACVIM's purpose is to advance the knowledge of animal health and diseases, and to foster the continued development of specialty veterinary care. A complete program of Forum sessions can be found on the ACVIM Web site at www.acvim.org. Animal owners wanting to locate a specialist in their area can access a national database of ACVIM specialists at the same Web site. An online pressroom is available at http://www.acvim.org/wwwfp/PR/PRhome.htm.

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