EQUINE veterinary surgeons from all over the country will be attending the Irish Equine Veterinary Conference in the Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan from Thursday, November 23rd to Saturday, November 25th.

First staged in 2021, the conference is organised by the Irish Equine Veterinary Association [IEVA]. The Association’s mission is:

A comprehensive and far-reaching programme has been crafted for the conference. It includes a dedicated students’ day, and a best-case clinical case awards, as well as a very interesting Exhibitors’ Hall, featuring key industry stakeholders, service providers and product suppliers.

A considered selection of speakers, all of whom are experts in their respective fields, has been secured for this year’s programme. It will be of great benefit and interest to all in equine veterinary practice from the established to the student.

Future proof campaign

Following IEVA’s very successful and beneficial ‘Vet Retention Day’ event last month, IEVA has launched its Veterinary Future Proof Campaign to support student vets wishing to attend this year’s conference.

IEVA approached industry stakeholders to sponsor a student vet’s attendance. The feedback was extremely positive and the Association would like to thank all who willing came forward to support this initiative. This campaign is something IEVA would like to further develop over the next number of years.

Gala dinner

IEVA is hosting a gala dinner on Friday, November 24th. This promises to be the social highlight of the conference, beginning with a drinks reception, followed by a sumptuous three-course dinner, and ending with music and dancing into the wee hours.

Brent Pope has been engaged as guest speaker for the dinner. A retired international rugby player and a high-profile media personality in Ireland, Brent is regarded as one of Ireland’s leading mental health and wellness ambassadors.

Through his charity project ‘Elephant in the Room’ Brent works to trigger the conversation about mental health in Ireland at all levels and across all communities.

Aleen Cust

The Aleen Cust Exhibition is being hosted by IEVA at the Slieve Russell Hotel over the weekend.

The trailblazer and ground-breaking Aleen Cust was the first woman to become a veterinary surgeon in Ireland and Britain. The Royal College in London refused her permission to sit their final examinations because of her gender. Undeterred Aleen returned to Ireland and took a position assisting a well-known veterinary surgeon in Athleague, Co Roscommon, William Augustine Byrne.

She was finally given official recognition as a qualified veterinary surgeon 22 years after she completed her studies. During her career she travelled to the continent to care for horses in World War I. Ms Cust died in Jamaica in 1937.

IEVA Conference Schedule

Thursday, November 23rd

Friday, November 24th

Saturday, November 25th

THE Irish Equine Veterinary Association [IEVA] is a coming together of like-minded veterinary surgeons and the Association’s brief is to advocate for equine vets and to promote evidence-based professional development.

In the second part of 2021, and following the strange times preceding this, IEVA went about reintroducing a hybrid compulsory professional development [CPD] event for its members.

The Association wanted to encourage younger vets to find value in IEVA membership, to attend the conference and, ideally, to contribute. After some discussion the concept of a clinical case award was developed and IMV Imaging very generously came on board as title sponsors.

The competition is open to recent veterinary graduates, including practitioners, interns and residents. The aim of the award is to offer a stage to present interesting clinical cases (or series of cases) with relevance to equine practitioners.

An independent panel of four equine vets from a variety of career paths evaluate the submissions and score them on presentation and quality of writing, scientific merit and relevance to equine practitioners.

As the reports are to be presented to a large audience of practicing equine vets at the conference, case reports that are interesting and relevant to clinicians will be highly favoured.

The four highest ranking cases are selected to present a 15-minute equine case report at the annual IEVA Conference. All four finalists will receive a €250 award and will be granted free access to the IEVA Conference, IEVA23.

This year the winner will be selected on November 24th by a jury of the keynote speakers from the conference and there will also be an audience vote this year.

With thanks to IMV Imaging the winner will be awarded €1,000 during the gala dinner on Friday, November 24th. The person who mentored the winner will receive a bottle of champagne.

All cases of merit that are submitted are offered an opportunity to display a poster presentation on their case report in the exhibition area. The authors will be asked to be available for judging of the posters in the exhibition hall during Friday lunch break and there is a separate award for the best case display in the poster area.

While the presentation of these cases is of great interest to the veterinary delegates attending it is also of great value to those presenting the cases. The development of skills in writing and presentation of clinical cases to a peer audience is important in the practice of equine veterinary.

For young graduates developing their skills and enthusiastic about undertaking further training and residency positions, achievements in the clinical case award can help to build a CV and secure those positions. Recent graduates are encouraged to consider submitting a case in 2024.

At IEVA23 there will also be running a drop-in workshop with equine vets experienced in writing for scientific publications to help and to advise anyone of any age who would like to develop further skills in this area.

TICKETS are selling well for the conference and there is still time for you to register your intention to attend on the irisheva.ie website.

Places at the gala dinner can also be booked through the site.

Discount on accommodation at the four-star Slieve Russell Hotel has been secured for attendees and those interested should email either info@irisheva.ie or kerryryanevente@gmail.com to request the promo code. Next year’s conference has already been scheduled for November 7th-9th in The Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny.

Web: irisheva.ie

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE IRISH EQUINE VETERINARY ASSOCIATION WEBSITE

CONFERENCE TIMINGS

Thursday, November 23rd

WETLAB DAY AT CAVAN EQUESTRIAN CENTRE

Speakers: Claire Hawkes & Padraic Dixon

Topics: X-rays of teeth & sinus; Guttural pouch scoping and sampling; Scanning larynx region; Oral examination using mirrors and oroscopes; Trephination and exploration of sinus

Saturday, November 25th

NURSES

Time Topic Speaker

9am Registration

9.15am Physiotherapy for the long-stay hospital patient Emma Moran

9.50am Reporting adverse events – Vetsafe from VDS Carolyn Cummins

10.20am Bits and bitfitting Dr Stefanija Pankova

10.55am Break

11.30am Your name in print – how to get published Karen Dunne

12.00pm Radiation regulations in Ireland Faith Johnstone

12.15pm Interactive radiology workshop Anthony Hall

1.15pm Lunch

3.00pm Afternoon practical sessions

Physiotherapy therapeutic techniques for the active equine patient

Bandaging techniques – Hands On practical

STUDENTS

Time Topic Speaker

2pm Guide to surviving an internship Niamh Lewis

2.30pm What to put in the van David Turley

2.50pm Pitfalls in practice David McGuinness

3.10pm Euthanasia Sean Rooney

3.40pm EMS ‘Seeing Practice’ – the student’s view Catherine McAloon

Exhibitors & Sponsors

IEVA would like to extend its thanks to all those sponsoring and exhibiting at IEVA Conference 2023. Their commitment and support is very much appreciated, especially by the conference working group.

Sponsors

Celtic SMR

Glenbio/Plasma Life

IMV Imaging

Molloy’s Veterinary

Exhibitors

Acravet

Animal Health Laboratories Ireland

Boehringer Ingelheim

Botanica

DAFM

Gierth X Ray International

Glenbio/Plasma Life

Interchem Ireland

Irish Equine Centre

Irish Veterinary Nurse Association

Molloy’s Veterinary

Norbrook

Plasvacc/Veterinary Immunogenic

The Donkey Sanctuary

Vet Drive Technologies

Vet Save

Vetequip

Veterinary Defence Society

VSSCO

Whelehan Animal Health