ACVIM set for 23rd-annual forum

BALTIMORE - 04/20/05 - The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) is poised to delve into burgeoning medical treatments and trends at its annual forum June 1-4.

Specialists in cardiology, oncology, neurology and small animal internal medicine will share and discuss genome research, heart disease in dogs, cancer treatments and pet obesity.

Curt Civin, MD, professor of oncology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, will present the keynote address, "Stem Cell Research: Hope and Hype."

About 3,500 veterinary professionals are expected at the Baltimore Convention Center to take in about 275 sessions on small animal healthcare, including genome profiling for canine heart disease, alternative therapies for managing pet cancer pain, diseases that pass from pets to humans, disease treatment through gene therapy, diagnosing and treating feline brain tumors and using DNA vaccines to treat cancer.

ACVIM membership has grown 45 percent during the past four years to 1,537 members. According to a survey by the Companion Animal and Family Health Council, 73 percent of veterinarians report that their clients seek more referrals to specialists today compared to five years ago.