Ophthalmology – Practical Ophthalmic Examination in Dogs and Cats

Ophthalmology – Practical Ophthalmic Examination in Dogs and Cats

Feb 4, 2026

Practical Tips for Performing an Ophthalmic Examination in Small Animals

Day 1: Foundations of the Ophthalmic examination

From history taking to ocular surface and anterior segment examination
Saturday 24th October 2026
09:00 – 18:00

Learning Objectives:

  • Perform a structured ophthalmic examination of the dog and cat
  • Take a focused ophthalmic history and perform a hands-off ocular exam
  • Confidently perform a neuro-ophthalmic examination and localise lesions
  • Perform and interpret STT and IOP measurements
  • Use the direct ophthalmoscope for distant and close examination of the ocular surface and anterior segment
  • Perform slit lamp biomicroscopy of the ocular surface, anterior segment and lens

Day 2 – Posterior Segment Assessment and Further Diagnostics

From fundoscopy to photography and additional diagnostic tests
Sunday 25th October 2026
09:00 – 18:00

Learning Objectives:

  • Perform a complete posterior segment examination
  • Compare and select appropriate fundoscopy techniques
  • Perform
    • Distant direct ophthalmoscopy
    • Indirect ophthalmoscopy
    • Close direct ophthalmoscopy
  • Recognise common fundus findings in dogs and cats
  • Perform ocular surface sampling for cytology and bacteriology
  • Perform nasolacrimal cannulation and flushing
  • Use pharmacological diagnostic agents appropriately
  • Capture diagnostic ocular photographs of the anterior segment and fundus
Josie Parker

Josie Parker

BVMS PgCertSAOphthal MSc DipECVO AIS ARPS MRCVS

Josie graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2013 before beginning her veterinary career in mixed practice in North Yorkshire. Initially aspiring to be an equine specialist, she completed a rotating internship at the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital, University of Liverpool in 2014, where she discovered the wonders of ophthalmology!

After returning to small animal first opinion practice for a few years, she undertook an ophthalmology internship at the University of Bristol and attained a BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Ophthalmology in 2020. She pursued a European College of Veterinary Ophthalmology (ECVO) residency, alongside a Master of Science degree, which she completed in 2022. She then moved to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, as an ophthalmology clinician and achieved her ECVO Diploma, RCVS and EBVS specialist status in 2024.

Currently, her role is divided between clinical work at the R(D)SVS teaching hospitals and research at the Roslin Institute. She will begin a Wellcome Trust funded PhD in August 2025 as part of the Edinburgh Clinical Academic Track (ECAT) programme. Josie’s clinical interests include surgical cases, particularly the correction of eyelid conformational abnormalities and corneal surgery, while her research explores the development of an embryonic chick model for studying human congenital cataracts.

DAY 1

Time Title
08:30 Arrival, registration and coffee
09:00 Welcome and course overview
09:10

Lecture 1: The Structured Ophthalmic Examination

  • Clinical examination sheets and workflow
  • Equipment and consult room set up
  • Ophthalmic history taking
  • Patient handling and restraint
  • Neuro – ophthalmic assessment
  • Schirmer tear test (STT)
  • Intraocular pressure (IOP)
10:30 Coffee break
11:00

Lecture 2: Ocular Surface and Anterior Segment Examination

  • The direct ophthalmoscope: set up and controls, distant and close direct ophthalmoscopy
  • The slit lamp: set up and controls, ocular surface, anterior segment and lens assessment
  • Fluorescein staining for ocular surface disease
12:00

Practical Session 1

Small group rotating stations

Instructor introduction – station specific learning objectives provided

  • Station 1: Neuro-ophthalmic exam
  • Station 2: STT, IOP and fluorescein staining
  • Station 3: Direct ophthalmoscopy – distant and close
  • Station 4: Slit lamp biomicroscopy
13:30 Lunch
14:30

Practical Session 2

Continuation of rotating stations

  • Station 1: Neuro-ophthalmic exam
  • Station 2: STT, IOP and fluorescein staining
  • Station 3: Direct ophthalmoscopy – distant and close
  • Station 4: Slit lamp biomicroscopy
16:30 Coffee break
17:30 Case based discussion and summary
18:00 End

DAY 2

Time Title
08:30 Arrival, registration and coffee
09:00 Welcome and course overview
09:10

Lecture 3: Fundus Examination

  • Distant direct ophthalmoscopy
  • Indirect ophthalmoscopy
  • Close direct ophthalmoscopy
  • Normal and abnormal fundus findings in dogs and cats
10:30 Coffee break
11:00

Lecture 4: Further Diagnostics and Ocular Photography

  • Topical local anaesthetics
  • Ocular surface sample collection – cytology, bacteriology
  • Nasolacrimal cannulation and flushing
  • Pharmacological diagnostics – tropicamide/cyclopentolate/atropine/phenylephrine/pilocarpine
  • Ocular photography – ocular surface and fundus
12:00

Practical Session 1

Small group rotating stations

Instructor introduction – station specific learning objectives provided

  • Station 1: Fundoscopy – Indirect
  • Station 2: Fundoscopy – Close direct
  • Station 3: Sample collection and nasolacrimal cannulation
  • Station 4: Ocular photography – phone anterior segment and fundus
13:30 Lunch
14:30

Practical Session 2

Continuation of rotating stations

  • Station 1: Fundoscopy – Indirect
  • Station 2: Fundoscopy – Close direct
  • Station 3: Ocular photography – phone anterior segment and fundus
  • Station 4: Sample collection and nasolacrimal cannulation
16:30 Coffee break
17:00 Ophthalmology Pharmacy
17:30 Case review and summary
18:00 End

Veterinary Practice Management

Veterinary Practice Management

Feb 1, 2026

Nearly 90% of veterinary practices never reach their full potential because of weaknesses on the business side.
When the business struggles, it creates tremendous stress and friction—both professionally and privately.
The cost is real—but avoidable: declining quality of medical care, lost money, peace of mind, relationships, families, and personal health.

This course teaches you how to install a Growth and Stability Management System—so your practice runs smoothly while you focus on your patients.

After this 2-day, practical management course, you will be able to:

  1. Make better, faster practice decisions relevant to your clinic
  2. Understand practice finances well enough to protect cash flow, margins, and long-term viability
  3. Stabilize your clinic and remove chronic financial and operational stress
  4. Improve performance and growth without losing control or clinical standards
  5. Build a team and routines that reduce dependency on you and prevent constant firefighting
  6. Understand what truly drives the value of your practice, whether you plan to sell or not

Course Materials & Preparation

  • Pre-reading:
    Selected chapters from the course book (provided upon registration).
    The course assumes familiarity with the core concepts introduced in the pre-reading.
  • In-course materials:
    Instructor-led presentations and working materials.
  • Take-home output:
    A personalized 90-Day Operational Plan, developed during the course.
Goran Cvetković

Goran Cvetković

Veterinary Doctor and Businessperson

Goran Cvetković is a veterinary doctor and businessperson with extensive experience working with owner-managed practices and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He worked clinically in veterinary practices in Serbia and Switzerland before transitioning into research and business management.

His work focuses on practical decision-making, financial stability, organizational routines, and the long-term viability of professional practices. He is known for translating complex financial and organizational topics into clear, clinically relevant frameworks that practitioners can apply directly in daily practice.

He is a researcher, entrepreneur, and author, and is the owner or co-owner of six companies.

DAY 1 – Assess & Stabilize

  1. Decision-Making in Veterinary Practice (40 min)
    Individual exercise (15 min)
    Group exercise and presentation (35 min)
  2. Understanding Practice Finances as Clinical Vital Signs (40 min)
    Individual exercise (15 min)
    Group exercise and presentation (35 min)
  3. Stabilizing the Clinic Before Improving It (40 min)
    Individual exercise (15 min)
    Group exercise and presentation (35 min)
  4. Case Discussion: Diagnosing Practice Stress and Instability (90 min)
    Facilitated case analysis and group discussion

DAY 2 – Improve & Sustain

  1. Improving Practice Performance Without Compromising Care (40 min)
    Individual exercise (15 min)
    Group exercise and presentation (35 min)
  2. Building Team Routines and Reducing Owner Overload (40 min)
    Individual exercise (15 min)
    Group exercise and presentation (35 min)
  3. Long-Term Strength and Value of a Veterinary Practice (40 min)
    Individual exercise (15 min)
    Group exercise and presentation (35 min)
  4. Integration and 90-Day Practice Action Plan (40 min)
    Individual exercise (20 min)
    Presentations (30 min)

The most practical veterinary management course—by design.

Practical Flexible Endoscopy in Small Animal Practice

Practical Flexible Endoscopy in Small Animal Practice

Jan 24, 2026

Course Overview

Master the essentials of flexible endoscopy in small animal practice in this hands-on, two-day intensive course. Combining focused theory with extensive practical training, the course covers upper airway endosco-py and complete gastrointestinal endoscopy in dogs and cats.

From nasopharyngoscopy and laryngoscopy to gastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy, participants will gain the skills, confidence, and clinical insight needed to safely perform endoscopic procedures and immediately apply them in everyday practice. Small-group practical sessions ensure maximum hands-on time under expert guidance.

What You Will Learn

  • Core principles of flexible endoscopy and equipment handling
  • Step-by-step techniques for nasopharyngoscopy, laryngoscopy, and esophagoscopy
  • Practical approach to gastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy
  • Patient preparation, positioning, and procedural safety
  • Recognition of normal anatomy and common pathological findings
  • How to confidently integrate endoscopy into routine clinical workflows
In collaboration with
Yi Cui

Yi Cui

DVM, ECVIM-CA, MRCVS, European Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine

Yi’s love and passion for animals has led her to pursue the art of veterinary science at the university of Ghent (Belgium). To get a taste of all the different specialisations in companion animals, she finished a rotating internship the following year and visited many different universities in the UK, Germany, France and Switzerland, exploring the different worlds of internal medicine. This gave her the insight in how the same problem can be approached from many different angles with each their own advantages and disadvantages. After her travels, she started a residency Internal Medicine at the university of Giessen (Germany) and became an European Internal Medicine specialist in 2019.

To explore different academic environments, she worked at the Universities of Ghent, Utrecht and Bern, to practice Internal Medicine and learn from esteemed colleagues in their own respectable fields. After her academic career she tried private practice in Hong Kong, to experience a completely new environment, which has taught her many lessons.

Exploring new places, learning different ways of medicine and experiencing new cultures has been an important part of her personal growth. That is why, in 2023, she decided to explore the world, one country at the time and work online, educating and supporting primary vets. Combining that with working in different clinics around the world, learning from other colleagues and volunteering at local shelters.

DAY 1

Time Title Format
09:00-10:30 Introduction to flexible endoscopy Theory
10:30-11:00 Breakfast / Coffee Break Break
11:00-13:00 Nasopharyngoscopy – Laryngoscopy- Esophagoscopy Theory
13:00-14:00 Lunch break Break
14:00-15:30 Nasopharyngoscopy Practice
15:30-16:00 Coffee Break Break
16:00-17:00 Laryngoscopy – Esophagoscopy Practice

DAY 2

Time Title Format
09:00-10:30 Gastroduodenoscopy Theory
10:30-11:00 Breakfast / Coffee Break Break
11:00-13:30 Gastroduodenoscopy Practice
13:30-14:30 Lunch Break Break
14:30-16:30 Colonoscopy Theory
16:30-17:00 Coffee Break Break
17:00-18:00 Colonoscopy Practice
Anaesthesia and analgesia – intensive practical course

Anaesthesia and analgesia – intensive practical course

Jan 18, 2026

Course Description

Join Professor Paulo Steagall—an internationally recognised leader in veterinary anaesthesia and pain management —for an intensive two-day course including a bit of everything. Five years later, Paulo will be back at OKEAN with a course designed for practitioners seeking to elevate their clinical skills. He will blend didactic lectures with practical learning, a masterclass, an interactive workshop, case discussions and more, covering core topics such as analgesic drugs, fluid therapy, anaesthetic machines, local anaesthetic techniques, and species-specific challenges, including feline emergencies and brachycephalic anaesthesia.
Participants will certainly gain confidence in managing both routine and complex anaesthesia and acute pain scenarios. Professor Steagall’s evidence-based, clinically relevant teaching style ensures that every attendee leaves with applicable strategies to improve patient safety and outcomes in daily practice.

Course Objectives

  • Compare and select appropriate anaesthetic and analgesic protocols for varying clinical situations.
  • Apply advanced fluid therapy strategies in perioperative case management.
  • Safely operate and troubleshoot common anaesthetic delivery systems, including inhalant equipment.
  • Perform local anaesthetic blocks on anatomical specimens to enhance multimodal pain management.
  • Recognise and respond to common feline anaesthetic emergencies.
  • Design tailored anaesthesia plans for high-risk patients, such as brachycephalic breeds, while implementing pain assessment tools in clinical practice.
Paulo Steagall

Paulo Steagall

MV, MS, PhD, DACVAA

Dr. Paulo Steagall is a Professor of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the City University of Hong Kong and a board-certified specialist by the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. His work is focused on feline welfare and pain management including the upcoming AI-based and automated Feline Grimace Scale (www.felinegrimacescale.com), a tool that uses changes in facial expressions to detect acute pain in cats. His group works to better understand and treat pain in animals and to make the world a better place for animals. He is the Scientific Academic Advisor for the FECAVA Certification in Small Animal Anaesthesia and Perioperative Analgesia, the current co-chair of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Pain committee and has worked in collaboration with several organizations including the International Cat Care Society, IVAPM and WVA. Dr. Steagall is a Top 2% most highly cited scientists according to the Stanford University’s list. He has published over 170 scientific articles and the book “Feline Anesthesia and Pain Management” while lecturing around the world.

DAY 1

Time Title Format
09:00-10:30 What are these drugs? Anaesthetics and Analgesics Theory
10:30-11:00 Breakfast / Coffee Break Break
11:00-13:00 Master Class on applied fluid therapy including case discussions Masterclass
13:00-14:00 Lunch break Break
14:00-15:30 Workshop on the anaesthetic machine and inhalant anaesthesia Workshop
15:30-16:00 Coffee Break Break
16:00-17:00 Common feline anaesthetic emergencies Theory
17:00-18:00 Q&A- Ask anything Group discussion
DAY 2

Time Title Format
09:00-10:30 Acute and chronic pain assessment Theory
10:30-11:00 Breakfast / Coffee Break Break
11:00-13:00 Acute and chronic pain treatment Theory
13:00-14:00 Lunch Break Break
14:00-15:30 Cadaver lab: Local blocks for the practitioner Practical
15:30-16:00 Coffee Break Break
16:00-17:00 Anaesthesia for brachycephalic patients Group discussion
Kardiologija u svakodnevnoj praksi

Kardiologija u svakodnevnoj praksi

Dec 29, 2025

O KURSU
Ovaj dvodnevni kurs je osmišljen kao intenzivan, klinički orijentisan edukativni program iz oblasti veterinarske kardiologije, namenjen praktičarima koji žele da unaprede svoje znanje i sigurnost u svakodnevnom radu sa kardiološkim pacijentima. Kroz kombinaciju teorijskih predavanja i praktičnih sesija, učesnici će steći strukturisan pristup prepoznavanju, dijagnostici i inicijalnom zbrinjavanju najčešćih kardioloških oboljenja kod pasa i mačaka.
Poseban akcenat stavljen je na kliničko razmišljanje bez oslanjanja isključivo na naprednu opremu, pravilno tumačenje EKG zapisa, racionalnu upotrebu dijagnostičkih metoda, kao i razumevanje uloge radiologije i ul-trazvuka srca u svakodnevnoj praksi. Kurs povezuje teoriju sa realnim kliničkim primerima, omogućavajući učesnicima da odmah primene stečeno znanje u svojoj praksi.

CILJEVI UČENJA
Po završetku kursa, učesnici će biti u stanju da:

  • prepoznaju kardiološkog pacijenta na osnovu anamneze, kliničkog pregleda i auskultacije
  • razlikuju hitna kardiološka stanja od stabilnih pacijenata i postave prioritete u zbrinjavanju
  • interpretiraju osnovne i najčešće EKG nalaze u svakodnevnoj kliničkoj praksi
  • razumeju indikacije, ograničenja i kliničku vrednost EKG-a, RTG-a i ultrazvuka srca
  • identifikuju i razumeju patofiziologiju najčešćih srčanih oboljenja kod pasa (DCM, MMVD, cor pul-monale)
  • prepoznaju i razumeju kardiološke specifičnosti mačaka, uključujući kardiomiopatije i arterijski tromboembolizam
  • primene osnovne ultrazvučne tehnike srca u kliničkoj praksi
  • integrišu kliničke nalaze i dijagnostičke podatke u donošenju racionalnih terapijskih odluka
Nikoleta Novak

Nikoleta Novak

Nikoleta Kostić – Novak upisala je Fakultet veterinarske medicine Univerziteta u Beogradu 1990. godine, a diplomirala je 1995. godine.

Od 1995 do danas zaposlena je u vetrinarskoj klinici “Novak” (www.vetnovak.com) u Beogradu.

Stekla je zvanje specijaliste iz hirurgije malih životinja sa oftalmologijom i ortopedijom 1997. godine.

Od 2000-2002 boravila je na stručnom usavršavanju u Velikoj Britaniji, pretežno na Fakultetu veterinarske medicine u Kembridžu, ali takođe i u nekoliko veterinarskih klinika. Postala je punopravni član Britanskog kraljevskog koledža veterinara (MRCVS) položivši ispit Britanskog kraljevskog koledža veterinara 2002 godine.

Završila je sertifikovane edukacije Evropskog koledža veterinara (ESAVS)
iz oblasti kardiologije malih životinja čiji je glavni moderator bio Dr Gerhard Wess. Završila je tri sertifikovana kursa June Boon iz oblasti veterinarske ehokardiografije.

Od 2004-2013 godine bila je član naučno-stručnog odbora Udruženja veterinara male prakse Srbije, kao i član uređivačkog odbora Biltena ovoga Udruženja.

Učestovala je kao predavač na brojnim seminarima i edukacijama za veterinare u zemlji i inostranstvu.

Nenad Milojković

Nenad Milojković

Diplomirao 1991. god, zatim kraće vreme zaposlen kao asistent na Fakultetu veterinarske medicine. Od 1995. god. radi isključivo u praksi, a 1999. osniva ordinaciju „Vet Centar“.

Aktivan član Udruženja veterinara male prakse Srbije od 2004. do 2022. god. (član Naučno stručnog odbora, urednik Biltena, član Upravnog odbora).

Član Upravnog odbora i Stručnog odbora Veterinarske komore Srbije (2006-2012).

Od 2014. do 2020. kao predstavnik u FECAVA (Evropsko udruženje veterinara male prakse) osnovao i predsedavao radnom grupom za vektorski prenosive bolesti pasa.

Aktivan član ESDA (Evropskog udruženja za dirofilariozu i angiostrongilozu).
Brojna akreditovana predavanja u zemlji i regionu iz kardiologije i o bolesti srčanog crva pasa i mačaka.

Oblasti stručne posvećenosti: kardiologija (konsultant za brojne ordinacije iz Srbije), hirurgija mekih tkiva i klinička patologija.

DAN 1

09:00 – 10:30
Kako videti srce bez mašina
Prepoznavanje kardiološkog pacijenta auskultacijom i osnovnim kliničkim pregledom
Kašalj i dispneja – prvo život, zatim dijagnoza
Teorija

10:30 – 11:00
Doručak / pauza za kafu

11:00 – 13:00
Tumačenje EKG-a u svakodnevnoj kliničkoj praksi
Teorija

13:00 – 14:00
Pauza za ručak

14:00 – 15:30
Demonstracija kliničkog pregleda i EKG-a u praksi
Dobijanje kvalitetnog EKG zapisa i tumačenje EKG zapisa kroz praktične primere
Praktični deo

15:30 – 16:00
Pauza za kafu

16:00 – 17:30
Ultrazvuk – moćno oružje za orijentaciju kod kritičnih pacijenata – T-fast i A-fast
Praktični deo

DAN 2

09:00 – 10:30
Radiologija u službi kardiologije
Srce na dlanu – osnovi ultrazvučnog pregleda srca
Teorija

10:30 – 11:00
Doručak / pauza za kafu

11:00 – 13:30
Najčešće bolesti srca kod pasa
DCM, MMVD, cor pulmonale
Teorija

13:30 – 14:30
Pauza za ručak

14:30 – 16:30
Mačka kao kardiološki pacijent
– Kardiomiopatije
– ATE (arterijski tromboembolizam)
Teorija

16:30 – 17:00
Pauza za kafu

17:00 – 18:30
Ultrazvuk srca
Praktični deo