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President's Message
January/February 2025 Newsletter Volume 1
Dear Colleagues, As we embark on a new year, I want to reflect on our veterinary community's incredible achievements in 2024 and share my vision for the year ahead. This past year, we saw remarkable advancements in veterinary medicine, from cutting-edge research to new medications and resources becoming available. I am continually inspired by the dedication and resilience of our members, who have worked tirelessly to provide compassionate care to animals and their families. Your commitment does not go unnoticed, and serving such a passionate and driven community is a privilege. Looking ahead to 2025, I am excited about the opportunities to strengthen our profession and support each other in our shared mission. Key areas of focus will include: 1. Advocacy and Policy Development: We will continue advocating for legislation that supports animal welfare, advances public health, and addresses the challenges veterinary professionals face. 2. Well-Being and Mental Health: Our profession is demanding, and we must prioritize the well-being of our members. This year, we aim to expand access to mental health resources and foster a culture of mutual support. 3. Education and Innovation: Supporting continuing education and research remains a cornerstone of our association. We’ll offer more learning opportunities to ensure our members stay at the forefront of veterinary medicine. 4. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: We are committed to fostering a profession that values diversity and ensures that every member feels welcomed and supported in their journey. I encourage each of you to take pride in your work and find ways to connect with our vibrant community. Whether joining us at upcoming meetings, sponsoring new members, or mentoring the next generation of veterinarians, your involvement makes a difference. As we enter 2025, let us approach the year with optimism, determination, and a renewed sense of purpose. Together, we can achieve extraordinary things—for animals, their families, and the world we serve. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and successful New Year! Warm regards, Armando Villamil, DVM Medical Director, Pet Cancer Group President, Broward County Veterinary Medical Association
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President Armando Villamil, DVM drv@petcancergroup.com Immediate Past President Stephanie Jones, DVM drstefni@gmail.com Secretary Stefeny Pollack, DVM szpollack@gmail.com Treasurer Claudia Valderrama, DVM claudia67v@aol.com Education Chair Simon Kornberg, DVM drkornberg@sevneurology.com Social Chair Jason Horgan, DVM jason081977@aol.com Newsletter Chair Yolanda Ochoa, DVM dr.yolanda@vet2yourpet.com
BCVMA Executive Board 2025
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JOIN OR RENEW TODAY! Enjoy the camaraderie and top-notch continuing education offered by the BCVMA! We offer 10 great CE meetings per year, including Florida Pharmacy and Rules, a newsletter, and the best Holiday Party in South Florida! Membership is Only $130 yearly. Jjoin or Renew online by visiting BCVMA 2025 Membership OR Scan QR Code Are you a new graduate? Click here to find out about our one year complimentary membership.
2025 Continuing Education Series
Date: February 26, 2025 Time: Registration 6:30pm Presentation 7:00pm Title: Florida Laws And Rules & Dispensing Legenend Drugs Speaker: TBD Location: TBD
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2024 Holiday Party Pictures and Video
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FVMA LEGISLATIVE ACTION DAYS As the leading animal advocate in Florida, the Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA) does it's part to protect the veterinary profession by rallying support to bolster crucial lobbying efforts for legislative initiatives that affect veterinary professionals, their practices, and their patients. Now, we're asking you to join us in our cause by taking part in the FVMA's Legislative Action Days. WHAT ARE LEGISLATIVE ACTION DAYS Legislative Action Days bring FVMA members face-to-face with Florida’s decision-makers to discuss critical bills affecting: Veterinary practices Animal well-being Public health and safety When & Where are the Legislative Action Days? Tallahassee, FL March 11-12, 2025 Please note:Submissions are due on January 24, 2025. TheFVMA will cover travel and hotel expenses for participants. Why Should You Attend? Your voice strengthens our collective impact. By participating, you’ll gain an inside look at legislative advocacy while contributing to meaningful discussions with key legislators. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Recent Updates in Managing Gastrointestinal Diseases in Dogs and Cats
Medical Article Lucia Alvarez DVM,DACVIM, SA
I I recently presented a continuing education lecture at Coral Springs Animal Hospital highlighting updates in chronic gastrointestinal disorders of cats and dogs. And while it is too large of a subject to condense into a short article, I put together some key points to help navigate these frequently challenging conditions. Because the GI tract is a complex system, best compared to an ecosystem where interventions can have ripple effects, a systematic approach helps make informed diagnostic and treatment decisions while minimizing adverse outcomes. The initial diagnostic work-up is geared toward ruling out systemic and non-GI causes of GI symptoms. Key steps include starting with a minimum database of complete blood count (CBC), serum chemistry, and urinalysis, screening for parasites and empirical deworming, screening canines for low cortisol and imaging. Radiographs and abdominal ultrasound offer complementary insights. Radiographs provide a broader overview of the abdomen and are essential for identifying foreign bodies. Abdominal ultrasounds excel at detecting more detailed structural abnormalities like lymphadenopathy, smaller masses, and GI wall changes. Diet trials, often overlooked due to perceived complexity, are pivotal in managing chronic GI conditions. Recent updates suggest that trials can now be shortened to two weeks, allowing quicker evaluation. If no improvement is observed, switching to a different diet is recommended. Approximately 65-75% of chronic GI cases are food-responsive with patience and helping guide the owner through diet trials. Main considerations in diet trials are using novel or hydrolyzed protein sources, adjustments in protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber ratios, changing feeding frequency and amount and addressing malabsorption and/or fat intolerance. A helpful guide can be found online: The WSAVA nutritional checklist can guide veterinarians in prioritizing diet factors for each patient. When initial diagnostics are inconclusive or if the patient fails to improve, additional testing is warranted. This can include a fasting GI panel (serum levels of PLI, TLI, cobalamin and folate), and a fecal dysbiosis index (quantitative PCR-based test measuring key bacterial taxa). A high dysbiosis index suggests microbial imbalances and warrants addressing the underlying disease and restoring the microbiome through diet, fiber and fecal microbiota transplantation. PCR screening for fecal pathogens is less helpful because many do not cause disease in domestic animals and are normal commensal organisms.
Medical Article Continued
The GI microbiome plays a critical role in immune regulation and metabolic health. Dysbiosis, characterized by reduced microbial diversity and loss of key bacterial species, exacerbates GI conditions and may lead to chronic diarrhea or other systemic effects. Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying disorder, limiting antibiotics and using diet, pre-biotic fiber and other treatments to restore a healthier microbiome. Antibiotics like metronidazole can significantly disrupt beneficial bacteria (e.g., Clostridium hiranonis). These bacteria have specific functions which are needed to maintain a healthy colon environment such as converting primary bile acids to secondary bile acids and maintaining an anaerobic environment along the gut lining. There is increasing evidence that probiotics offer limited benefits. However, prebiotics—non-digestible fibers promoting beneficial bacteria growth— appear to be more useful: symbiotic products, combining prebiotics and probiotics may provide added benefits. Emerging therapies like fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) show promise for acute diarrhea, chronic enteropathies, and parvovirus enteritis. Multiple transplants may be necessary for sustained effects. Dietary fiber is gaining recognition for its stool-normalizing properties and impact on gut motility and overall health. Products like psyllium husk powder, a soluble and non-fermentable fiber, can soften hard stools or firm loose stools by regulating intestinal transit. New multi-functional fiber supplements, such as Proviable’s 5-in-1 formula, are also now available. Gastrointestinal biopsies are indicated for chronic, severe, or refractory cases, including protein-losing enteropathy and are helpful distinguishing between inflammation and neoplasia (e.g., small cell lymphoma in cats). Endoscopic biopsies are less invasive and often sufficient, while full-thickness biopsies are reserved for suspected motility disorders or extramural involvement. Within my practice, I provide upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies to obtain biopsies of the stomach, duodenum, ileum and colon in animals. Managing chronic GI diseases in dogs and cats involves integrating diagnostics, nutritional management, and microbiome restoration. Diet trials, while demanding, are indispensable and can now be expedited with two-week evaluations. Prebiotics along with fiber-enriched diets, plus using FMT when indicated, are increasingly central to managing dysbiosis and chronic GI conditions. When possible, reducing the use of immunosuppression and antibiotics generally leads to improved outcomes.
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