During this webinar Dr. Niek Beijerink will discuss the application of normal cardiac anatomy and physiology. First, an overview of the circulatory system will be provided, information will be provided on normal heart sounds, as well as information on the normal electrocardiogram. Second, a few case examples will be discussed, applying the normal physiological principles.

Feline heartworm disease, caused by Dirofilaria immitis worms, is a good example of where a cat is definitely not a small dog. Infection in dogs tends to be better tolerated, the adult worms are more likely to reach patency and diagnosis and treatment are (relatively) easier than in cats. The reasons for these differences, what can be done to ensure cats avoid this infection and measures to take when cats have the infection will be explored in this webinar. The webinar will also provide an update on heartworm infection in the US, where resistance to heartworm preventives is evolving while researchers seek to understand the factors that led to the genesis of resistance and new solutions, whilst heartworm infection continues to spread. The implications that climate change may have on the epidemiology of heartworm disease will be explored.

ECG’s can be daunting, it is an area of veterinary nursing that is not taught in great detail and one that is sometimes avoided because it is poorly understood. This webinar will go back to basics; where better to start than at the beginning?