Vet24 Conference Opens in Killarney

Vet24 Conference addresses critical challenges in animal health and welfare 

Ireland’s premier multidisciplinary veterinary education event, Vet24, takes place this weekend at The Gleneagle Hotel and INEC Arena, Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry. 

Veterinary Ireland’s Food Animal, Companion Animal and Equine Groups have joined forces to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and practical information by multiple veterinary disciplines. Over the course of Friday, October 11, Saturday, October 12, and Sunday, October 13, expert speakers from practice, as well as from industry, research and academia, will present on critical challenges in animal health and welfare. 

Hazell Mullins, President, Veterinary Ireland commented: “Following on the success of last year’s event, we are thrilled to continue the collaboration between our Companion Animal, Food Animal and Equine Groups, uniting our diverse and passionate veterinary community under one roof in the ‘Kingdom’. The collaboration between our interest groups has only grown stronger, and I’m incredibly proud of the effort and dedication shown by the various Vet24 organising committees who have worked tirelessly to put together this year's outstanding line-up of speakers. 

“This is a period of significant change in veterinary medicine and the entire Irish veterinary community has come together at Vet24 to provide Irish vets with the information and knowledge on how best to deal, at a practice level, with the issues that will arise due to these changes. Providing a forum for the exchange of information and ideas, our aim is to bring colleagues together from across the profession to talk through common issues and establish strong professional ties that will drive the development of the profession and advance veterinary medicine.” 

Experts will share the latest research and insights across a comprehensive range of the key issues facing the profession. Some of the topics covered will include:  

• advances in companion animal surgical oncology; 

• calf health; and, 

• treatment of equine lameness. 

Farms, Electricity Pylons, Wind Turbines etc, on Equine Welfare. 

Chairperson of the Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Committee, Jane Pigott, provides an overview of some of the highlights from the companion animal strand of presentations: “This years’ programme offers insightful sessions on soft tissue surgery, endocrinology and dermatology, in addition to our Friday morning practical CPR session. We are privileged to have these sessions provided by excellent speakers, whose expansive knowledge and practical experience should give us all quite a few tips to take back to our own practices.” 

Donal Lynch of the Food Animal Committee stated: “For the food animal strand of the conference, we have leaders in the field in Ireland and from other countries within Europe. Our international speakers include: Ben Barber from the UK, George Stilwell from Portugal, and Giovanni Gnemmi from Spain. In addition, TB will be featured in the food animal programme; the challenges facing the industry will be explored in a session on Saturday. ” 

Allen Dunne of the Equine Committee said: “For the equine programme, we have leaders in their disciplines from both Ireland and the UK. We aim to look at issues familiar to all equine practitioners, such as, lameness, vetting, respiratory medicine, foal medicine, and stud medicine. We also have an interesting presentation on infrastructural projects and their impact on equine welfare.” 

Three parallel wet labs – on companion animal work, food animal skills, and equine work – acted as a curtain raiser for the conference on Friday morning. Veterinary Ireland President Hazell Mullins noted: “These wet labs are the result of a highly effective collaboration between the Companion Animal, Food Animal and Equine Groups. I am confident that the these teaching sessions will make a vital contribution to the development of surgical and practical skills for all the veterinary professionals in attendance.” 

A major industry exhibition takes place in conjunction with the conference featuring leading-edge innovation from leaders in veterinary technologies, equipment, and medicines. 

Further details of the conference are available at www.vetcve.com 

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