American Association of Feline Practitioners – October 12-15, 2023

Event

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) held a hybrid in-person and virtual annual conference from October 12-15, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Program

The theme of the conference was “The Ins and Outs of Feline Nutrition and Gastroenterology.” Continuing education sessions and presentations focused on a variety of topics, including nutritional management of the comorbid patient, harnessing the power of fiber to manage gastrointestinal diseases, how to select a diet, management of liver disease, megacolon, constipation, and approaches to vomiting and diarrhea. Ancillary sessions covered diabetes, osteoarthritis pain, and allergies. Also on offer were educational topics for veterinary technicians.

Dr. Elizabeth Colleran, a past president of the association who passed away in 2023, was honored during the conference. The 2023 relaunch of the Student Chapter of the AAFP (SCAAFP) program was celebrated with a networking opportunity for students and faculty advisers in attendance who were joined by members of the AAFP Student Engagement Committee. Attendees can register and gain access to content until May 31 via the AAFP conference platform and app.

Business

The AAFP’s fourth annual Spring into Feline Medicine e-conference will be held on April 21, May 1, and May 21. The 2024 annual conference will be held from September 26-29 in Minneapolis. The theme of the conference will be “Dermatology, Cardiology, & Diagnostic Methodology” and will include a celebration of the AAFP’s 50th anniversary. Further details on the e-conference and annual conference will be made available in the near future via the AAFP education platform.

Officials

Drs. Tammy Sadek, Grand Rapids, Michigan, president; Ashlie Saffire, Columbus, Ohio, president-elect; Colleen Currigan, Chicago, treasurer and AVMA delegate; Cathy Lund, Providence, Rhode Island, AVMA alternate delegate and director; Kira Ramdas, The Woodlands, Texas, immediate past president; and directors—Drs. Hazel Carney, Emmett, Idaho; Cynthia Cohen, Sterling, Massachusetts; Ken Lambrecht, Madison, Wisconsin; Michelle Meyer, Sterling Heights, Michigan; Dale Rubenstein, Germantown, Maryland; and Angie Smith, Austin, Texas

A version of this story appears in the April 2024 print issue of JAVMA