2026 VETERINARY EDUCATION TEAM (VET) CE CRUISE
CATS IN THE CARIBBEAN
Princess Southern Caribbean Cruise
Dates: Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 22, 2026
Itinerary: Ft. Lauderdale → Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands → Ocho Rios, Jamaica → Aruba → Ft. Lauderdale
8 nights – 3 ports
Stateroom Pricing: $2,218 (double occupancy) / $2,059 (single occupancy) *Pricing subject to change at any time **Rates published on the Princess Cruises website are for high/low & aft/stern staterooms and may include obstructed views
Deposit: $200 due at the time of booking
Princess Cruises Website: 8-Day Southern Caribbean with Aruba
For Additional Information and to Reserve Your Stateroom Contact:
Sue Roth, Archer Travel Services
Phone: 702.340.3854
Email: Sueroth2004@cox.net
CATS IN THE CARIBBEAN
Presented by ASHLIE SAFFIRE, DVM, DABVP (feline practice)
12 RACE ACCREDITED CE HOURS
Registration Fee: $575 (Limited Availability)
Over the past decade, significant advancements have been made in feline medicine through the development of new diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and other therapies. Additionally, we are seeing an increase in cats as pets in households. This CE program will get the practitioner up to speed on everything feline medicine related to elevate feline care using clinically applicable information that helps cat care from the minute a patient comes through the door, including treatment of even the most serious emergencies (detailed CE program agenda listed below).
RESERVE YOUR CE SEAT NOW BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW
Agenda: Cats in the Caribbean – Ashlie Saffire, DVM, DABVP (Feline)
Over the past decade, significant advancements have been made in feline medicine through the development of new diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and other therapies. Additionally, we are seeing an increase in cats as pets in households. This CE program will get the practitioner up to speed on everything feline medicine related to elevate feline care using clinically applicable information that helps cat care from the minute a patient comes through the door, including treatment of even the most serious emergencies
Sun, 11/15, 8am-12 pm
- The Easier Feline Exam: Despite advances in feline medicine, cats remain one of the most underserved veterinary populations—often due to stress and anxiety associated with veterinary visits. This presentation provides a practical, evidence-based approach to improving both the feline physical exam experience and cat-caregiver satisfaction through principles of the Cat Friendly Practice®. Attendees will explore the emotional and physiological effects of stress in cats, the role environment plays in shaping behavior, and the impact of caregiver perception on veterinary compliance. Emphasis is placed on communication, environmental modification, and felinespecific handling techniques that reduce fear and enhance diagnostic accuracy. Ultimately, this session equips veterinary professionals with the tools and mindset to deliver a calmer, more compassionate feline healthcare experience: one that benefits cats, caregivers, and the veterinary team alike.
Learning Objectives:- Understand the barriers to feline veterinary visits and ways to improve these statistics
- Learn ways to easily create a feline friendly environment in any small animal hospital, without major renovations or spending any money
- Learn more efficient ways to handle cats and perform low stress, cat friendly diagnostic procedures such as blood draws, cystocentesis, and blood pressure readings
- Learn how to perform a thorough and safe physical exam in a cat with tips and tricks on especially challenging furry friends
- Paws, Claws, and Couch Laws: Helping Caregivers Manage Destructive Scratching:
Destructive scratching is one of the most common, and most frustrating, behavioral concerns reported by cat caregivers. Yet scratching is a normal, essential feline behavior, and managing it successfully requires a combination of environmental insight, behavioral understanding, and caregiver coaching. This session offers practical, evidence-based strategies to help the veterinary team confidently guide caregivers through the challenges of unwanted scratching. We’ll explore why cats scratch, how to redirect the behavior effectively, and how to create cat-friendly home environments that support natural behaviors while protecting household belongings. Attendees will learn how to communicate scratching solutions in a way that strengthens the human–cat bond, reduces behavioral relinquishment, and improves long-term welfare. Whether you’re advising a new kitten parent or working with a family at their wits’ end, you’ll leave this talk with the tools to help caregivers and their cats live together in harmony…couches included!
Learning Objectives- Explain the behavioral and physiological reasons cats scratch and why it is essential for normal feline wellbeing
- Identify common triggers and environmental deficiencies that contribute to inappropriate or destructive scratching
- Recommend effective environmental modifications such as appropriate scratching surfaces, placement strategies, and enrichment tools
- Coach caregivers in practical behavior-modification techniques, including positive reinforcement, redirection, and habit shaping
- Communicate realistic expectations and long-term management strategies to help prevent caregiver frustration and reduce surrender risk
- Address common misconceptions about scratching behavior, including outdated or counterproductive approaches
- Optimizing Care for the Hospitalized & Inappetent Cat: Nutritional support for the critically ill cat is an important part of nursing hospitalized\ patients and prompt intervention is crucial to recovery. In this presentation we will review the causes of inappetence in our feline patients and how to approach the inappetent cat in the hospital setting. We will also learn how to improve the hospital environment, reduce stress, and recognize signs of pain & nausea. Finally, we will introduce the indications for enteral (tube) feedings and discuss how to place them safely and execute a feeding plan.
Learning Objective:- Understand the causes of inappetence in cats
- Learn how to optimize the clinic environment for hospitalize cats, in a feline friendly way without renovations or huge investments
- Understand the indications for enteral nutrition and why it is a huge part of sucessful recovery from illness
- Learn indications for, and how to safely place enteral feeding tubes including nasoesophageal and esophagostomy in general practice
Mon, 11/16, 8am-12pm
- Breaking the Backup: Evidence-Based Management of Constipated Cats: Constipation in cats can be frustrating to treat and often leads to chronic pain for both the cat and caregiver! This presentation will review modern management strategies for feline constipation. Techniques including the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG 3350) administered as a constant rate infusion via nasoesophageal tube in the acutely obstipated patient will be discussed. Additionally, you will learn how the use of fiber and diet therapy can help with chronic management and prevention.
Learning Objectives:- Understand the common causes of constipation in cats
- Learn treatment plans for management of the obstipated cat including the use of PEG CRI.
- Understand the megacolon…it’s causes and treatment
- Learn the medical options for long term management of constipation
- Understand nutritional management of constipation in cats and the role of fiber
- Vomiting, Diarrhea and Weight loss: Oh My! Navigating the Chronic Enteropathy Cat: A presentation covering the most common causes of chronic enteropathies in cats will be provided. There will be a focus on how dietary intervention and feeding trials can be used as part of the diagnostic work-up prior to more invasive diagnostics such as biopsies and histopathology, ultimately acting as a potential therapeutic at the same time. We will discuss the difference between available diets (including hydrolyzed, novel protein, high fiber, and highly digestible) and when one should be selected over another.
Learning Objectives- Understand the new terminology when it comes to cats with GI disease and why we use it
- Learn the underlying causes of chronic enteropathies and what diagnostics can be done to shrink the differential diagnosis list
- Learn how to implement a feeding trial as a diagnostic test to help rule out a dietary cause for chronic enteropathies prior to more invasive diagnostics such as intestinal biopsies and histopathology.
- Tiny Tummies…Big Troubles: Managing Kitten Diarrhea: Diarrhea in kittens can be frustrating when nothing seems to help. In this presentation we will review common causes of diarrhea in kittens including infectious and dietary. We will focus on how dietary intervention can be very helpful and review the effects of fiber. We will work through an example case that can be used as a reference for tough cases in the future
Learning Objective:- Learn which infectious agents and underlying disease conditions should be routinely ruled out when presented with kittens experiencing chronic diarrhea
- Learn how to use an algorithm to work through challenging cases of kitten diarrhea
- Understand Tritrichomonas infections and the best methods for diagnosis and treatment
- Learn indications for, and how to safely place enteral feeding tubes including nasoesophageal and esophagostomy in general practice
- Learn dietary intervention techniques and the different options for diet trials including novel protein vs hydrolyzed vs high fiber vs highly digestible.
Fri, 11/20, 8am – 12pm
- Feline Hyperthyroidism: Pearls of Treatment & Strategies for Optimizing Long Term Management: Feline hyperthyroidism remains one of the most commonly diagnosed endocrine disorders in older cats, yet achieving stable, long-term control can be challenging, especially when patients develop adverse reactions, concurrent disease, or compliance barriers. This presentation provides a practical, case-informed approach to diagnosing and treating hyperthyroidism while navigating the real-world challenges veterinarians face in everyday practice. We will review the strengths and limitations of current diagnostic tools, including emerging updates on the use of TSH in the diagnosis and ongoing monitoring of hyperthyroid cats. Participants will leave with practical treatment pearls, updated guidance, and a structured approach for managing even the most challenging hyperthyroid cases. nd diet therapy can help with chronic management and prevention.
Learning Objectives:- Accurately diagnose feline hyperthyroidism and understand updated recommendations, including the role of TSH in diagnosis and monitoring
- Initiate and tailor treatment plans using methimazole, prescription diets, thyroidectomy, or RAIT based on patient needs and caregiver resources
- Recognize, manage, and prevent adverse reactions to methimazole, including strategies for switching formulations and improving tolerance
- Apply compounding options effectively to enhance medication compliance and achieve better long-term control
- Develop management plans for hyperthyroid cats with comorbidities, such as CKD or diabetes mellitus, while minimizing risk and ensuring balanced therapy
- Implement long-term monitoring and follow-up protocols to optimize treatment success and improve patient outcomes when definitive therapy is not feasible
- I Can’t Breathe! A Practical Approach to the Cat in Respiratory Distress: A feline patient in respiratory distress can be one of the most stressful and time sensitive presentations in veterinary medicine. This presentation provides a clear, confidence-building roadmap for triaging, stabilizing, and diagnosing the dyspneic cat: quickly, safely, and effectively. We will review the essential steps of initial triage and stabilization, followed by a structured approach to localizing the source of dyspnea. Attendees will learn when and how to apply focused diagnostics during stabilization, including a practical walk-through of TFAST techniques and their role in narrowing the differential diagnosis. We will also cover the appropriate use of inhaled medications for acute feline asthma and discuss evidence-based treatment options. The presentation will also take participants through a case-based approach, describing two common and often high-stress clinical scenarios: upper airway obstruction and restrictive lower airway disease. Together, we will examine the nuances of real-world decision making—how to stabilize, when to intervene, what diagnostics are most helpful, and how to tailor treatment plans for each disease process. Participants will be presented a structured framework and given practical tools to approach respiratory emergencies calmly, efficiently, and with improved outcomes for feline patients.
Learning Objectives- Implement an efficient triage assessment for cats presenting with respiratory distress using safe, low-stress techniques
- Learn a systematic approach to localizing dyspnea to the upper airway, lower airway, pleural space, or pulmonary parenchyma.
- Implement appropriate stabilization strategies, including oxygen supplementation, positioning, and stress minimization.
- Utilize TFAST imaging effectively to guide diagnostic decision-making in respiratory emergencies.
- Recognize when and how to administer inhaled medications for acute feline asthma and understand their clinical impact.
- Work through upper airway obstructive and restrictive lower airway cases, identifying key diagnostic and therapeutic steps.
- Develop confident, repeatable protocols for managing feline respiratory emergencies in general practice.
- Tiny Tummies…Big Troubles: Managing Kitten Diarrhea: Diarrhea in kittens can be frustrating when nothing seems to help. In this presentation we will review common causes of diarrhea in kittens including infectious and dietary. We will focus on how dietary intervention can be very helpful and review the effects of fiber. We will work through an example case that can be used as a reference for tough cases in the future
Learning Objective:- Learn the most common lower urinary tract diseases in cats and their cause.
- Understand the importance of incorporating point of care ultrasound in the diagnostic work-up of cats with lower urinary tract disease with a review of basic scanning skills and how to implement in practice.
DR. ASHLIE SAFFIRE, DVM, DABVP (Feline Practice)
Dr. Saffire graduated from The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine and is board certified in feline practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. She is a published author, an international speaker on feline medicine, and a tutor for the University of Sydney’s Feline Distance Education Program. She currently serves as the immediate past president of the Feline Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Saffire is the founder and co-owner of Faithful Friends Veterinary Clinic and Cat Specialty Center, an AAHA-accredited and Gold Level Cat Friendly Practice in Dublin, Ohio. As an invited speaker, Dr. Saffire hopes to share her clinical experience and expertise in feline medicine with the veterinary profession.