The Animal Medical Center of New York (AMC) recently hosted its third biannual Advanced Renal Therapies Symposium on March 8-11, 2008. The four-day conference provided a comprehensive overview of the latest research developments and medical breakthroughs in veterinary nephrology presented by some of the world's acclaimed veterinary experts. The 2008 Advanced Renal Therapies Symposium - the only veterinary conference devoted entirely to disease of the kidney, attracted 125 national and international attendees.

"Renal failure in companion animals can be caused by many factors, including chronic kidney disease, acute injury, infection, and accidental poisoning, said Cathy Langston, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), Head of Nephrology, Urology and Hemodialysis at AMC. "Today, there are cutting-edge techniques and technologies which can reduce mortality and improve the quality of life for animals with renal failure.

Accidental poisoning is one of the most common causes of acute renal failure in dogs. Pets, like children, have been known to ingest medications, household products, illicit drugs, houseplants and common chemicals. A companion animal may ingest ethylene glycol (antifreeze), lilies, aspirin, lithium, ethanol, alcohol and caffeine and land in the emergency room. "Removing toxins with extracorporeal renal replacement therapies - such as hemodialysis and hemofiltration, may save the pet's life, especially where there is no specific antidote for the poison, said Larry Cowgill, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine at University of California and co-chairman of the program committee for the Advanced Renal Therapies Symposium. Stabilization before surgery for obstructing kidney stones has become one of the most common reasons for dialysis in cats.

AMC is one of the few facilities worldwide that can perform dialysis on animals, which involves the removal of toxins from the blood when the kidneys are in renal failure using machines outside the body.

The Advanced Renal Therapies Symposium offered a balance of lecture and lab, which included three days of presentations covering major clinical aspects of renal failure and medical management of the disorder, plus a full day of hands-on experience in various dialysis techniques.

Featured speakers at the Advanced Renal Therapies Symposium included:

• Dr. Carsten Bandt, , DVM, DACVECC - University of Florida
• Dr. Cathy Brown, DVM, DACVP – University of Georgia
• Dr. Larry Cowgill, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM) – University of California
• Dr. Roel Goldschmeding, MD, PhD – UMC Utrecht, NETHERLANDS
• Dr. Reid Groman, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) – University of Pennsylvania
• Dr. Marie Kerl, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVECC – University of Missouri
• Dr. Cathy Langston, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) – Animal Medical Center
• Dr. George Lees, DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM) – Texas A&M
• Karen Poeppel, LVT – Animal Medical Center
• Dr. Gilad Segev, DVM, DECVIM-CA – Koret School of Veterinary Medcine, ISRAEL
• Dr. Hattie Syme, BSc, BvetMed, PhD, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA – Royal Veterinary College, LONDON

If you would like more information about the Advanced Renal Therapies Symposium 2008, please contact Dr. Cathy Langston at cathy.langston@amcny.org