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CE Courses On Demand
Myos Animal Health provides free online veterinary CE courses for vet techs, nurses, veterinarians and animal health industry professionals. With over 2,300 CE Certificates issued, myos vet CE On-Demand is where veterinary professionals go to earn RACE-approved credits programs from our On-Demand and Live CE Courses approved by AAVSB.
Our On-Demand CE Courses
- New Advances in Understanding the Biology of Osteoarthritis
- Small Animal Sarcopenia: A Neglected Syndrome of Importance to Cats and Dogs
- The Multimodal Management of Canine Osteoarthritis
- The Veterinarian's Guide to Antioxidants for Dogs
- The Nutritional Management of Canine Osteoarthritis
Veterinary CE Courses by Myos Animal Health
New Advances in Understanding the Biology of Osteoarthritis
CE Course:
The course, Recent Advances in Understanding the Biology of Osteoarthritis: Applications in Canine and Equine Medicine is accredited by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) for inclusion in their Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) programs (RACE Program Number # 20-913835).
Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians will receive credit for 1.00 hours of CE upon successful completion of this course.
Instructor
Professor Mandy Peffers,
University of Liverpool, UK
Course Outline:
There will be a detailed discussion in this CE Course on the role that ribosome aberrations play in osteoarthritis. Specifically, the instructor will highlight ribosome aberrations that have been found from early-stage ribosome biogenesis, through ribosome build-up and maturation, up to preferential translation. The molecular mechanisms that account for cartilage degeneration and regeneration will be discussed with an emphasis on new findings from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq).
After a brief review of major non-coding classes of RNA, the role of microRNAs and small non-coding RNAs will be discussed as molecular signatures for osteoarthritis. The role of microRNAs as therapeutics will be discussed with a detailed example of microRNA29a treatment for tendon injury in horses. New findings that highlight the role that cartilage ribosomal RNA (rRNA) post-translational modifications (PTMs) play in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis will be explained. Recent findings elucidating the role that the gut microbiome, a regulator of inflammation, plays in osteoarthritis, a disease with a major inflammatory component will be covered.
The last third of the CE Course will highlight the potential of novel therapies to address osteoarthritis in dogs and horses such as stem cells, microRNAs, and myostatin inhibitors. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) offer promise due to their multipotency for differentiation into chondrocytes and their ability to modulate the immune system. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) may be able to heal and prevent tissue damage in osteoarthritis. A study that evaluated purified MSC-derived EVs in horses with osteoarthritis will be covered. Muscle wasting plays an important role in joint destabilization in canine and equine osteoarthritis. Exercise, microRNAs, gene therapy, and myostatin inhibitors can address muscle wasting in osteoarthritis.
Small Animal Sarcopenia: A Neglected Syndrome of Importance to Cats and Dogs
CE Course:
The course, Small Animal Sarcopenia: A Neglected Syndrome of Importance to Cats and Dogs is accredited by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) for inclusion in their Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) programs (RACE Program Number # 1589-42207).
Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians will receive credit for 1.00 hours of CE upon successful completion of this course.
Instructor
Course Outline:
Sarcopenia is commonly defined in "as the progressive and generalized loss of skeletal lean muscle mass and function with aging in the absence of disease." Managing sarcopenia in cats and dogs is of importance to veterinarians as sarcopenia leads to increased mortality risk, reduced mobility, reduced bone health, and elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The first half of this CE Course will focus on diagnosing sarcopenia in cats and dogs.
Students will learn about clinical metrology instruments for frailty screening in veterinary patients, muscle condition scoring, the 6-minute walk test in dogs, canine manual muscle testing, and CT imaging to assess muscle atrophy. A series of studies will be discussed in the first half of the CE Course that illustrate the importance of screening for sarcopenia in cats and dogs. Some of these study topics include the impact of body composition changes from 8 to 10 years on mortality risk in dogs, the impact of the canine frailty related phenotype [FRP] on canine mortality risk, and the impact of body condition on chronic heart failure [CHF] survival in dogs.
The second half of the CE Course will discuss clinical trials involving both pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements to address canine and feline sarcopenia. There will be a detailed discussion on myostatin signaling. This will be followed by a discussion of current clinical trials underway related to the inhibition of myostatin, covering both pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements.Some of the other research studies that will be highlighted in terms of addressing sarcopenia will relate to bimagrumab, capromorelin, omega-3 fatty acids, krill, epicatechins, sulforaphane, and Fortetropin.
The Multimodal Management of Canine Osteoarthritis
CE Course:
The course, The Multimodal Management of Canine Osteoarthritis is accredited by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) for inclusion in their Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) programs (RACE Program Number #20-912483).
Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians will receive credit for 1.00 hours of CE upon successful completion of this course.
Instructor
Professor Michael H. Jaffe
Mississippi State University
Course Outline:
Canine osteoarthritis is one of the most common disorders diagnosed in dogs. The most common historical signs described by owners of arthritic dogs include stiffness after rest, difficulty rising, partial to non-weight bearing intermittent lameness, decreased overall activity, decreased ability to go up or down stairs or into and out of a vehicle, and exercise intolerance. Physical exam findings frequently include decreased range of motion in one or more joints, pain on flexion and extension of joints, crepitus on manipulation of joints, muscle atrophy, lameness, joint effusion, and often obesity.
Multimodal management of canine osteoarthritis is the foundation for medically treating arthritic dogs. The tenets of multimodal management include:
Anti-inflammatory medications
Weight management
Controlled exercise
Essential fatty acids
Adjunctive therapies
Chondroprotective drugs such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and others are nutraceuticals that are supplements favoring healthy joint function. Glucosamine is a precursor for the formation of glycosaminoglycan which is an important molecule present in the cartilage matrix. Glucosamine binds water which gives cartilage its soft, compliant structure during weight-bearing. Their value in treating osteoarthritis is derived from the belief that these supplements provide the building blocks of healthy cartilage matrix production.
Essential fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, are Omega-3 fatty acids. Their inclusion in the diet adds value as they competitively inhibit Omega-6 fatty acids present in the cell membrane of synovial cells. Breakdown of Omega-6 fatty acids is the trigger that begins the inflammatory cascade. By diminishing the amount of Omega-6 FAs present, it thus should help reduce the amount of inflammation. Green-lipped mussels are valuable sources of Omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA as well as glycosaminoglycans.
Controlled exercise is a very important aspect of weight management and thus joint mobility. However, our arthritic patients may be unable to exercise for extended periods of time due to their condition.Controlled exercise in the form of short, slow, controlled leash walks as well as swimming are excellent ways to ensure that our patients are getting the exercise they need. Obtaining the assistance of a canine rehabilitation specialist will also help in terms of developing an exercise plan that improves mobility while maintaining and re-building muscle mass in these patients. Muscle atrophy due to disuse, or decreased use, is a common sequela of patients with osteoarthritis. During extended periods of decreased use, there is a breakdown in muscle proteins as well as a decrease in muscle protein synthesis which is linked to an increased myostatin mRNA expression.Fortetropin may be used as part of a multimodal approach to canines with osteoarthritis, specifically for its ability to reduce muscle mass due to reduced use. This course will discuss the clinical picture associated with canine osteoarthritis. Multimodal management of osteoarthritis will be discussed.
The Veterinarian's Guide to Antioxidants for Dogs
CE Course:
The course, The Veterinarian's Guide to Antioxidants for Dogs is accredited by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) for inclusion in their Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) programs. (RACE Program Number #20-828196).
Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians will receive credit for 1.00 hours of CE upon successful completion of this course.
Instructor
Course Outline:
The first 15% of the course will discuss the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) (i.e. Superoxide Anion, Hydrogen Peroxide), sources of oxidants (i.e. heavy metals, UV), the molecular impact of ROS (i.e. protein misfolding, DNA damage, lipid peroxidation), enzymatic scavengers of ROS and an overview of the clinical impact of oxidative stress with two detailed examples that cover cancer and type 2 diabetes.
The remaining 85% of the course will discuss examples of veterinary clinical trials involving antioxidants. Some of the antioxidants that will be discussed will include (1) Anthocyanins (2) Astaxanthin (3) Lutein (4) Zeaxanthin (5) Melatonin (6) Resveratrol (7) Vitamin E (8) Alpa-Lipoic Acid and (9) Beta-Carotene.
The specific clinical studies discussed will relate to the application of antioxidants on (1) canine innate immunity (polymorphonuclear leucocyte phagocytosis) (2) reactive oxygen metabolites (3) DNA damage (4) canine cognition (5) obesity-related oxidative stress (6) mitochondrial dysfunction (7) tooth removal oxidative stress (8) canine vision (retinal function and refractive error) and (9) muscle atrophy following TPLO surgery.
The Nutritional Management of Canine Osteoarthritis
CE Course:
The course, The Nutritional Management of Canine Osteoarthritis is accredited by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) for inclusion in their Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) programs (RACE Program Number #20-895453).
Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians will receive credit for 1.00 hours of CE upon successful completion of this course.
Instructor
Course Outline:
The first 15% of the CE Course will discuss the diagnosis of obesity in cats and dogs based on the Body Condition Score (BCS), canine and feline disease associated with obesity (i.e. type 2 diabetes, inflammatory diseases, feline hepatic lipidosis), the impact of obesity on lifespan in dogs and published studies that provide insight into the most important causes of obesity in these animals.
The remaining 85% of the CE Course will discuss key studies from the peer reviewed literature that relate to the nutritional management of obesity in both cats and dogs. Feline studies discussed will include:
1) a study on choline supplementation in obese cats undergoing weight loss to guard against fatty liver disease and
2) a study on the impact of reduced energy content maintenance diets on cats undergoing weight loss. Canine studies discussed will include peer reviewed studies on: high fiber/high protein diets, high protein/medium carbohydrate diets on insulin recovery in dogs undergoing weight loss, leucine/pyridoxine supplementation in dogs undergoing weight loss, ketogenic diet with medium chain triglycerides,
3) high protein/high fiber vs. high protein/medium fiber diets to prevent weight regain in dogs, risk of nutritional deficiencies associated with 31 commercial weight management diets and impact of Fortetropin on reducing muscle atrophy during weight loss