This year, ContinuEd heads into our 22nd year of providing focused, practical continuing education for the veterinary profession. Since our founding, we have produced more meetings in Hawaii for veterinarians than any other private provider of continuing education. So we're happy that in 2012, we're once again returning to Maui and the stunning Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa for our popular ContinuEd Veterinary Hawaii Veterinary Symposium. We know the islands, as do the readers of popular travel magazines. They've voted the Island of Maui as one of the top island destinations in the world. There's so much to do, and there's also a good chance that the weather in Maui in March will be a whole lot better than it is at home!

But we know you don't just come for fun in the sun. You also come for the great continuing education. So we're focusing sixteen hours of our time in Hawaii on common problems in your small animal patients. Our speakers' primary goal is to offer you valuable, take home information that you'll put to use the very next day you're back at your practice, while our schedule is set up to allow you to take maximum advantage of your time on Maui.

So follow the links below, or scroll down the page for more information, and plan to join us on the Island of Maui in March, 2012.

If you ever have questions, please call ContinuEd at 1-800-539-7395, or e-mail us at info@continu-ed.com.

Topics:

Updates on Infectious Diseases in Dogs and Cats
Infections and infectious diseases... those problems caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi... represent some of the most commonly-encountered problems in our small animal patients. Most busy practitioners encounter some type of infectious problem in their patients every day. If these problems never changed, it would be much easier for all of us to manage. But they do change. Infectious diseases are continually evolving. Emerging diseases, along with the continued development of resistance of organisms to traditional methods of therapy represent significant challenges. MRSA infections already represent a huge problem in human medicine, and are rapidly becoming a problem in small animals, as well. So to help you meet the challenge, we're going to look at the pathology and treatment of a wide range of infectious disorders in dogs and cats, and we've asked a leader in the field to help us sort it all out.

Gastrointestinal Disease in Small Animals
Gastrointestinal diseases are one of the most common reasons pets are presented to veterinary hospitals, and encompass a dizzying range of etiologies and approaches to management. Vomiting... diarrhea... bloat... inflammatory intestinal disorders... the list goes on. You see them every day, but also know that disorders of similar clinical appearance can have significantly different etiologies. To help you continue to refine your approach to these common cases, we've invited another leader in the field to help guide us through the gastrointestinal forest.

For a detailed topic listing, click here.

Speakers:

Infectious Diseases:
Jane Sykes, BVSc, PhD, DACVIM
Associate Professor of Small Animal Medicine
University of California at Davis • School of Veterinary Medicine
Davis, California

Dr. Sykes obtained her veterinary degree at the University of Melbourne in Australia and a PhD in veterinary microbiology, which focused on upper respiratory tract infections of cats. She completed a residency at the University of Minnesota and is Board Certified in Small Animal Internal Medicine, with a special interest in infectious disease, immune-mediated disease and hematologic disease. She is the founder of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases, a group dedicated to enhancing control of infectious diseases in animals and thus reducing spread of disease.

Her research interests are primarily in the field of canine and feline infectious diseases, including canine and feline hemoplasmosis, leptospirosis, cryptococcosis, infections of immunosuppressed dogs and cats, and tick-borne diseases, and she has contributed several textbook chapters on canine and feline infectious diseases. She also has 3 children, an energetic Lab and 2 cats.

Gastrointestinal Diseases:
Robert Sherding, DVM, DACVIM
Emeritus Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
The Ohio State University • College of Veterinary Medicine
Columbus, Ohio

Dr. Sherding is an internationally-recognized authority on small animal gastrointestinal disorders and feline medicine. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He served as Department Chair from 1993 to 2006.

Dr. Sherding received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from The Ohio State University in 1973, followed by Internship at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, and Residency in Internal Medicine at the Ohio State University. He was subsequently board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, with a Specialty of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Sherding is a recipient of the 2009 Faculty Achievement Award presented by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians “for outstanding record of service and contributions to the veterinary profession, both nationally and internationally”; the 1998 Bourgelat Award presented by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association "for outstanding contributions to the field of small animal practice"; and the 1995 Friskies Award "for outstanding achievement in feline medicine".Dr. Sherding has been an invited lecturer at over 200 veterinary conferences, including international veterinary meetings in 13 countries.

Dr. Sherding has authored or co-authored over 55 journal articles and 84 book chapters; and he has edited or co-edited 4 textbooks, including the 3 editions of Saunders Manual of Small Animal Practice and 2 editions of The Cat: Diseases and Clinical Management.

Dr. Sherding’s clinical interest areas include gastroenterology, respiratory disease, and feline medicine.

More about Maui…
Maui is repeatedly voted by the readers of popular travel magazines as one of the top island resort destinations in the world. Locals like to say that "Maui No Ka Oi"... Maui is the best. Few places on Earth offer so many different climate zones in such a small area. You're going to want a rental car so you can explore this amazing place. If you've been to Maui before, you likely already have a list of favorite places. Never been? Here's a quick tour of what may become your favorite destination.

Napili Coast Head north from our meeting location in Kaanapali, and you'll find Kapalua, home to one of the best beaches on Maui.	"The Valley Isle" Kahului is the biggest city on the Island of Maui, and the location of Maui's international airport. Most people coming to visit Maui arrive here. The I'o Needle, a popular attraction, and important landmark in Hawaiian historic culture, is located near the town of Wailuku, the county seat of Maui County. Another of our favorite restaurants (very popular with locals) is located here. Ask us when you come to Maui.	North Shore Maui's rugged North Shore attracts the world's top surfers and windsurfers to tackle the towering waves at beaches near Pa'ia. Our favorite restaurant on Maui (Mama's Fish House) is also here. It's great for either lunch or dinner.
West Maui Lahaina and Kaanapali Beach, the location of our meeting, are located in West Maui. Lahaina is full of great restaurants and art galleries. There are lots of souvenir shops, but it's also one of the largest art markets in the world. You can see a real Picasso or Matisse up close... maybe even buy it if you just won the Lotto. You look west from here to the islands of Lanai and Molokai.		Hana Legendary pilot Charles Lindburgh is buried near this beautiful town on the east coast of Maui. This side of the island gets as much as 10 times the annual rainfall of the opposite side. Huge tropical bamboo forests flank the eastern slopes of Haleakala. Maui's famous Seven Sacred Pools can be found here. Most of the land upcountry from Hana and beyond on Highway 31 is part of Haleakala National Park.
South Maui Here you'll find the beaches of Kihei, Wailea, and Makena (Big Beach and Little Beach) and look across to Molokini Crater (great snorkeling) and the Island Preserve of Kaho'olawe Many parts of South Maui have annual rainfalls of desert proportions ... just a matter of inches annually	Haleakala This dormant volcano forms the bulk of the Island of Maui. It's one of our favorite places. You can drive to the summit, and hike into its amazing crater, where you'll find bird and plant species unique to Haleakala. The pastoral upcountry you drive through is lovely, offering sweeping views out to West Maui and beyond. It's easy to spend an entire day on Haleakala, seeing the sunrise on top, then hiking the crater. Bring a warm jacket, and lots of water. Even though it's 80 degrees at the beach, it can be freezing on top of Haleakala. And there's no water in the crater.	Island of Hawaii Across the broad ocean channel you'll see the mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Lani, forming the massive Big Island of Hawaii. We do meetings there, too.

Getting to Maui and Kaanapali Beach

Air Travel to Maui
It pays to shop around when you're searching for airfare to Hawaii. When you travel to Maui, you'll be flying into Maui's main airport at Kahului. The airport code for Kahului is OGG. Service to the Kapalua/West Maui airport (code JHM), which is closer to the meeting hotel, is also available via Honolulu. Several major airlines provide service to Maui, including Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and others.

		Hawaiian Airlines is offering discounts for travel to the Hawaiian Islands when you book through the link on this website (below). If you're flying from the West Coast, Hawaiian Airlines offers great service out of numerous cities, including Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and more.
		To get 5% off of Hawaiian Airlines lowest available internet fares, click here.

		United Airlines is offering discounted fares to Hawaii for our meeting. Discounted fares (5-10% off, depending class of service and how far in advance you book your ticket) are available on United Airlines for travel to Hawaii. Valid travel dates are 3/17/2012 through 3/31/2012.
		To make reservations on United, click here to go to the United website. Enter your travel location and dates of travel, and in the promotion code box, enter our meeting code (case-sensitive): 589MK. Reservations can also be made by calling the United Airlines meetings reservation desk. Call 1-800-521-4041, and reference the meeting code: 589MK. There are no fees or surcharges for using the live-operator meeting desk for making your reservations.

To shop for fares on other airlines, we recommend using www.kayak.com, www.bing.com, or www.hipmunk.com. Our meeting is at a popular time of year. If you plan to use frequent flyer miles, make your reservations now.

Air Travel Tips - We highly recommend using the fare alert options on popular travel sites to make you aware when fares drop, so you get the best deal on travel. Some sites also incorporate a "fare predictor" that gives you their statistical best guess of whether you should wait to buy your tickets, or buy them now. Our meeting is at a popular time of year, it's impossible to predict when and if a "dip" in prices will occur, but using fare alerts gives you an added edge.

Also, if you're a little flexible with your travel day, you'll save a lot on your airfare, and end up staying MORE days in Hawaii for less. Fares to Hawaii can vary DRAMATICALLY depending on the day of the week you travel. Weekend travel days tend to have the highest fares, with the lowest midweek. For this meeting, it is likely you can save the cost of an additional night's lodging at the Hyatt just by traveling to Hawaii on Friday, March 23 (vs. Saturday, March 24), and returning on a weekday.

Car Rental on Maui
Once you're on Maui, to get from the airport to the Hyatt Regency Maui, you either have the option of paid shuttle service, or car rental. We strongly recommend renting a car when you're on Maui. It dramatically increases your access to all of the great things there are to do there, and increases your dining options, which can significantly lower the overall cost of your trip.

		AVIS is the official car rental agency for our meetings.
		To get significant savings on car rentals on Maui, click here to go to the AVIS web page for our meeting.

Agenda

• Saturday, March 24, 2012 - Travel/arrival day
  This is our official arrival day, although you're welcome to come early and enjoy even more that Maui has to offer. Our room rates at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa are good three days before and three days after the official dates of March 24-29, 2012. The symposium registration sign-in desk will be open from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Saturday so you can pick up your symposium packets, printed proceedings (if you ordered them) and additional information about the Island of Maui.
  
  
• Sunday, March 25, 2012 - First day of seminar sessions - morning and early afternoon free
  The symposium registration desk will open at Noon, and seminar sessions will be held from 2:00 to 6:00 PM. Immediately following this afternoon session, there will be a welcome reception "cocktail hour", featuring light hors d'oevres (pupus) and beverages. The reception is open to registrants, spouse, partner, or significant others and their immediate family.
  
  
• Monday, March 26, 2012 - Second day of seminar sessions - afternoon free for optional activities
  Sessions will be held from 7:30 to 11:30 AM, with remainder of the day free for optional activities. Continental breakfast is provided for seminar registrants prior to the morning session.
  
  
• Tuesday, March 27, 2012 - Third day of seminar sessions - morning and early afternoon free
  The morning and early afternoon are free for optional activities, with seminar sessions beginning at 2:00 PM and concluding at 6:00 PM. The evening is also free for optional activities.
  
  
• Wednesday, March 28, 2012 - Last day of seminar sessions - afternoon free for optional activities
  Sessions are held from 7:30 to 11:30 AM, with remainder of the day free for optional activities. Continental breakfast is provided for seminar registrants prior to the morning session.
  
  
• Thursday, March 29, 2012 - Departure/travel day
  Although this is our official departure day, we know many will wish to extend their stay and take in even more of the beautiful island of Hawaii. You've traveled all this way. Make is last a little longer. Our group room rates at the Hyatt Regency Maui are good for three days after the official end date of the symposium.

For an agenda in table format, showing times, click here.

Accommodations
The symposium will be held at the stunning Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa, situated on the south end of Kaanapali Beach, just north of the vibrant town of Lahaina, in "West Maui". This AAA Four-Diamond property is repeatedly voted as one of the top hotel destinations for families in all of Hawaii. An ocean-front location, huge pools with waterslides, numerous great restaurants on property, a nightly luau, tennis courts, Spa Moana... the Hyatt has plenty to keep you occupied when you're not in seminar sessions. For more about the Hyatt Regency Maui, click here to go to the hotel's web site.

Better yet. We have arranged for outstanding discounted rates at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa. Rates are based on the category of room, and are:

These outstanding rates are good from March 21 to April 1, 2012, based on availability. Take a real break from your practice back home. Come early... stay later. You've come all that way, so make the most of it. The total number of rooms in our block is limited, so reserve early to guarantee you accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Maui. Not included in the rate is a resort fee of $10 per day (typically $25 but discounted for our group). It's far less than if you paid for these items separately, and includes:

• Admission for 2 persons daily to the oceanfront Moana Athletic Club
• Wireless internet access in your guestroom
• Maui News daily, including Saturdays and Sundays
• Access calls to 800/888 phone numbers, and local telephone calls
• In room coffee and tea
• One hour daily of tennis court time

Deadline: All room reservations must be made by February 24, 2012, to qualify for the group rate. However, the total number of rooms available in our block is limited, and may sell out well in advance of this cut-off date. Make your reservations early to guarantee your accommodations.

Cancellation policy: Rooms can be cancelled up to seven days prior to arrival without penalty. For cancellation inside of seven days, a one-night room penalty will be assessed.

Optional Activities on the Island of Maui

Our symposium agenda is designed with lots of free time to allow you to relax, or get out and explore. We've set up the agenda with the consideration that there are "morning things" to do in Hawaii (best early in the day when the winds are calm, or before the heat of the day), and there are "afternoon things", best when the trade winds kick up. Because of that, we've designed the symposium with some morning sessions (so you can do afternoon things), and some afternoon sessions (so you can do morning things).
You're going to have a ball. Figuring out what to do when you come to Maui can be hard, since the range of activities is practically limitless.
We're lucky. Since we produce meetings in Hawaii, we get to come to Maui a lot. So we have a pretty good idea of some of the more popular and "fun" things to do. So don't hesitate to ask. The other thing we've discovered is that there are people who have written some excellent guidebooks to help you plan your play time.
	There are two guidebooks that are indispensable for your trip to Maui. One is a "must have", and the other is a great companion to the other book if you're the type of person who likes to get out and be active and hike and explore. If your tastes lean towards a bit more sedentary approach, the first book alone is a great help. The first is Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook. This is our "must have" book. The other book is titled Maui Trailblazer. If you like to hike, paddle, or just generally get out and about doing active things, this guide is indispensable. Both books can be found easily on www.amazon.com.
Here's just a teaser list of things you should consider doing when you head to Maui…
	Eat lunch or dinner at Mama's Fish House, on Maui's North Shore Drive up Haleakala for sunrise, or any time of the day Hike the crater Snorkel Dive Surf Scuba Windsurf Parasail Take a helicopter tour Chill out at Makena (Big Beach if you like boogie boarding, Little Beach if you like losing your suit) Drive the winding and beautiful road to Hana Visit the Maui Ocean Center Ride a Sugar Mill Train with your young kids. There's not much sugar cane on Maui anymore, so the sugar cane train is a bit of a throw back. OK, so it's touristy... but my kids did it, and they thought it was a HOOT!! Flake out by the pool Flake out on the beach Flake out on your lanai Drink a Mai Tai while you watch the sunset Go whale watching (the humpbacks use the waters of Maui as their birthing grounds) Take a snorkel trip to Molokini Take a day trip to Lanai Take a day trip to Molokai Visit a working winery in upcountry Maui Go sailing on a catamaran Go deep sea fishing Rent a bike in Lahaina Go horseback riding on the beach at sunset Eat fish with eight vowels and two consonants in their names. If you like seafood, you're going to LOVE Maui.

Symposium Registration
Registration is open for the ContinuEd Hawaii Veterinary Symposium, March 24-29, 2012.

Symposium early bird registration is by January 31, 2012, and is $695 per registrant.
For registration from February 1-29, 2012, the fee increases to $725 per person.
After February 29, 2012, the fee increases to $755 per person.
Technicians are welcome to attend. The fee is reduced by $100.
The final registration deadline is March 15, 2012.

Registration includes:

• Sixteen hours of continuing education over four days, with tons of free time to for optional activities
• Continental breakfast for registrants on each with morning sessions (Monday and Wednesday)
• Afternoon refreshments on days with afternoon sessions (Sunday and Tuesday)
• Welcome reception at the conclusion of the first day of seminar session on Sunday
• In an effort to decrease deforestation, seminar notes will be provided prior to the symposium and mailed to you on a thumb (flash) drive. You can print out the notes at home and bring them with you, if you wish, or just use them on your laptop, iPad, Kindle, or wherever. Printed notes are optional but available for purchase at $40 per set. Purchase of symposium proceedings is only open to symposium registrants. If you do purchase printed notes, they will be distributed at the time of registration sign in for the symposium sessions on Maui.
• Certificate of completion for reporting your CE hours to state or provincial authorities
• Certificate (suitable for framing) showing your additional training

Registration does not include accommodations, travel, hotel transfers, or optional activities. One-day or partial registrations are not available. Symposium proceedings are available only to registrants, and are not available for purchase outside of registration.

Registration is available online, my mail, by fax or by phone.

To register online, click the button to the right
To register by mail or fax		Click here to download the form
To register by phone		Call 1-800-539-7395 (M-F, 9am to 4pm, Pacific Time)
		Toll-free in the U.S. and Canada. For calls outside of the U.S. and Canada, call 206-230-8363.

Cancellation policy: We have the most liberal cancellation policy of any continuing education provider. You may cancel your registration right up to the final registration deadline of March 15, 2012, and receive a refund, less a 10% administrative fee. In lieu of a refund, you can choose to transfer 100% of your fees paid to a future program within two calendar years. There are no refunds for cancellation after March 15, although fees paid can be transferred to a future program, minus the 10% administrative fee. There are no refunds for no shows, including winter weather-related issues. However, if you notify us in advance that you are not able to make it due to the weather, we will transfer that registration forward, minus the 10% administrative fee. Remember to cancel your hotel reservations if you need to cancel your symposium registration.

Continuing Education Credit
The symposium has been submitted for sixteen hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions that accept the AAVSB RACE credit. The symposium has similarly been submitted to the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board for continuing education credit. Participants should know that some jurisdictions limit the number of continuing education credit hours that can be claimed from certain types of programs, or methods of delivery. (Those restrictions do not typically apply to a program such as this). If you have questions, contact ContinuEd at 1-800-539-7395 (M-F, 9am to 4pm, Pacific Time) or info@continu-ed.com (24/7).