World Small Animal Veterinary Association

Event: 41st World Small Animal Veterinary Congress, Cartagena, Colombia, Sept. 27-30
Program: The congress attracted almost 3,000 attendees. More than 100 speakers presented lectures. Also on offer were master classes and workshops and a scientific program featuring several simultaneous streams. Keynote sessions included “One Mission” by Dr. Luke Gamble, New Forest, England. Dr. Filipe Danta-Torres, Felie Aggeu Magalhães Research Institute, Recife, Brazil, presented “Leishmaniasis: Animals, People, and the Environment.” Dr. Dominique Paepe, University of Ghent, Belgium, presented “Screening for Feline CKD—Why, When, and How,” and Dr. Doug DeBoer, University of Wisconsin-Madison, presented on dermatology.
Awards: WSAVA International Award for Scientific Achievement: Dr. Erik Teske, Utrecht, Netherlands, for his contributions to small animal medicine. Dr. Teske is a professor of medical oncology in the Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals and Horses at the University of Liége and an associate professor of medical oncology in the Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals at the University of Utrecht. His areas of expertise include clinical cytology, epidemiology, and oncology, and his work focuses on non-Hodgkins lymphoma and prostate carcinoma in dog. President of the Dutch Board of Veterinary Specialization, Dr. Teske was charter president of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and is a past president of the European Board of Veterinary Specialization. WSAVA Global One Health Award: Dr. Luke Gamble, New Forest, England, for his work in rabies control. Dr. Gamble owns Pilgrim Veterinary Practice in Fordingbridge, England. He is the founder of the charities Worldwide Veterinary Service and Mission Rabies. WVS provides veterinary aid around the world and MR helps fight canine rabies worldwide. WSAVA Global Meritorious Service Award: Dr. Jorge Guerrero, Pennington, New Jersey, for his work in parasitology. Dr. Guerrero is an adjunct professor of veterinary parasitology in the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. He spent almost 30 years working in industry, including time with MSD AgVet and as executive director of veterinary professional services for the North American operations of Merial. WSAVA Henry Schein Cares Award for International Community Service: Dr. Adriana Noacco, Buenos Aires, Argentina, for her work in education and welfare. Dr. Noacco is director of the Community Development Centre, Veterinary Faculty, at the University of Buenos Aires, where she helped establish programs for those experiencing difficult economic circumstances in Argentina. She has helped create training programs for veterinarians on agriculture and livestock management so they can assist communities struggling with poverty and hunger. WSAVA Hill’s Next Generation Award: Dr. Julie Stafford, Wasilla, Alaska, for her leadership and dedication to the veterinary profession. Dr. Stafford is an associate veterinarian at Wasilla Veterinary Clinic. While a veterinary student, she served as the Student AVMA representative to the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee from 2010-2011. In 2014, Dr. Stafford was chosen for the AVMA Future Leaders Program.
Business: The WSAVA announced that membership had increased to 101 associations, representing approximately 200,000 veterinarians. Several meetings were held during the congress, including a summit to discuss the issue of rabies in Colombia. The association highlighted its work on the production of standardization guidelines on various aspects of veterinary practice to help raise standards of care around the world. It was announced that WSAVA committees were working on new WSAVA Global Guidelines in the areas of veterinary dental care and animal welfare.
Officials: Drs. Walt Ingwersen, Dundas, Canada, president; Siraya Chunekamrai, Bangkok, president-elect; Shane Ryan, Singapore, vice president; Colin Burrows, Gainesville, Florida, immediate past president; Ellen Van Nierop, Quito, Ecuador, honorary treasurer; Renee Hoynck, Den Helder, Netherlands, honorary secretary; and Nicola Neumann, Bray, Ireland, new board member.