2-Day Small Animal Internal Medicine Course (Dogs & Cats)
Target audience: Practicing veterinarians
Format: Lectures, interactive case discussions, wetlabs, small-group workshops
Focus: Practical diagnostic skills, problem-oriented approach, and hands-on procedures
Course Introduction
Welcome to this comprehensive 2-day Small Animal Internal Medicine Course designed for practicing veterinarians seeking to enhance their clinical skills and decision-making abilities. This course uniquely combines cutting-edge theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on sessions, ensuring that participants can immediately apply what they learn in their daily practice. From diagnostic strategies to problem-oriented clinical reasoning, renal and urinary disorders, polyarthritis, and PU/PD management, this programme offers an unparalleled learning experience.
Participants will benefit from interactive case discussions, practical wetlabs—including nasogastric and oesophageal feeding tube placement, joint taps, and bone marrow biopsies—and small-group workshops, allowing for intensive skill development and personalised guidance from experienced instructors.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Apply systematic diagnostic strategies in small animal internal medicine.
- Utilise a problem-oriented approach for effective differential diagnosis and clinical reasoning.
- Recognise, diagnose, and manage renal and urinary tract disorders, including FLUTD.
- Understand and implement treatment strategies for polyarthritis and PU/PD cases.
- Perform key practical procedures confidently, including feeding tube placement, joint taps, and bone marrow biopsy.
- Integrate practical knowledge from wetlabs and case-based workshops into clinical practice for better patient outcomes.
Jana Milenkovic
DVM, Dr. med.vet, DACVIM (SAIM)
Jana Milenkovic graduated with honors in 2015 from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. After graduation, she worked for two years at the Veterinary Clinic “Novak” in Belgrade, Serbia. In 2017, she enrolled in a Rotating Internship program at the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen, Germany. Following the successful completion of the Rotating internship, she began a Specialty Internship in Internal Medicine in 2018 at the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Switzerland. In 2020, at the same university, she completed her doctoral thesis on canine thyroid tumors and tumor-derived organoids. Later that year, she started a Residency program of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM – SAIM). In 2024, Jana achieved Diplomate status, becoming Board Certified in Small Animal Internal Medicine. Jana is currently working as a senior clinician in internal medicine at the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Day 1 – Diagnostic and Problem-Oriented Approach in Internal Medicine and Urinary Disorders
08:30–09:00 Registration and Welcome Coffee
09:00–09:15 Introduction and Course Overview
09:15–10:00 Diagnostic Strategies in Small Animal Internal Medicine
10:00–10:45 Problem-Oriented Clinical Reasoning: Differential Diagnosis in Practice
10:45–11:15 Coffee Break
11:15–12:00 Acute Kidney Disorders: Recognition and Initial Management
12:00–12:45 Chronic Kidney Disease: Long-Term Management Strategies
12:45–13:30 Glomerular Disorders: Diagnosis and Clinical Approach
13:30–14:30 Lunch Break
14:30–15:15 Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD): Practical Approach
15:15–16:00 Interactive Case Discussion: Renal and Urinary Tract Conditions
16:00–16:30 Coffee Break
16:30–18:00 Small Group Case-Based Workshop: Applying Diagnostics and Clinical Decision-Making
18:00–18:30 Welcome Cocktail
Day 2 – Advanced Clinical Skills, Polyarthritis, and PU/PD Approach
09:00–09:15 Welcome and Brief Recap of Day 1
09:15–10:00 Polyarthritis: Recognition, Diagnosis, and Clinical Importance
10:00–10:45 PU/PD in Dogs and Cats: Systematic Assessment and Differential Diagnosis
10:45–11:15 Coffee Break
11:15–12:00 Treatment Strategies in Internal Medicine: Focus on PU/PD and Polyarthritis
12:00–12:45 Practical Wetlab: Nasogastric and Oesophageal Feeding Tube Placement
12:45–13:30 Practical Wetlab: Joint Tap (Arthrocentesis)
13:30–14:30 Lunch Break
14:30–15:15 Practical Wetlab: Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy Techniques
15:15–16:00 Case Discussion: Polyarthritis, PU/PD, and Complex Internal Medicine Scenarios
16:00–16:30 Coffee Break
16:30–18:00 Small Group Case-Based Workshop: Applying Diagnostics, Clinical Reasoning, and Treatment Planning
18:00–18:30 Closing Remarks and Farewell