Who’s Who of Farriers and Veterinarians to Gather to Discuss Laminitis and Endocrine Disorders

The 32nd Annual Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture will take place February 3, 2018 at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). This year’s event features Farrier Daisy Bicking, founder of Daisy Haven Farm: School of Integrative Hoofcare, and Dr. Nicholas Frank, professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Farriers and equine veterinarians are invited to attend the event, which takes place from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Morning lectures will be in Schalm Hall on the SVM campus, and the afternoon shoeing demonstration will be in the Large Animal Clinic’s covered arena. Registration and a complete schedule for the event can be found on the UC Davis website.

Over the years, the Heumphreus Lecture has served as an opportunity for farriers and veterinarians to share insights and collaborate on industry best practices. A veritable “who’s who” of farriers and veterinarians have served as past guest lecturers. This year’s program will focus on laminitis and endocrine disorders.

The annual lecture—the first endowed lecture series established at the SVM—honors the memory of Charles Heumphreus, the school’s farrier from 1967 to 1985. The program was initiated to foster the veterinarian-farrier relationship in order to develop a better understanding of equine foot disorders. Faculty member Dr. Mary Beth Whitcomb is the chair of the 2018 event, assisted by UC Davis farrier Shane Westman, along with Drs. Eric Davis, Larry Galuppo and Claudia Sonder.

“We are excited about this year’s lineup for the 32nd Annual Heumphreus Lecture,” said Dr. Whitcomb. “Daisy Bicking represents the first female farrier lecturer in Heumphreus history, and Dr. Frank’s afternoon lectures at the Winter Conference add a bonus for veterinarians this year.”

The morning lecture session will include Ms. Bicking presenting “Hoof Mapping – Relating External Landmarks to Internal Anatomy in the Laminitic Foot” (which will highlight foundational principles to evaluate the laminitic foot with a focus on hoof mapping) and “Rehabilitating the Chronically Laminitic Foot Using Composite Materials” (which will highlight the use of synthetics in the treatment of laminitic horses). Dr. Frank will present “The Role of Endocrine Disorders in Laminitis.” This lecture will present background information for farriers and veterinarians to better understand the association between laminitis and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS).

The afternoon hands-on session will include a demonstration by Ms. Bicking that will focus on evaluating the laminitic foot, including hoof mapping and trimming, followed by selection and application of composite materials. She will then be joined by Mr. Westman for a hands-on opportunity for farriers and veterinarians to apply the techniques described during the demonstration using models and/or equine limbs. The afternoon session has a limited capacity (40), so early registration is strongly encouraged.

New this year are 3 additional CE credits for equine veterinarians as part of the CE Office’s sister event, the Winter Conference, which will be held in Valley Hall. Following the Heumphreus Lecture, Dr. Frank will present “Navigating the Minefield of PPID and EMS Diagnostic Testing” and “Management of the Challenging Endocrine Case.” Also presenting at the Winter Conference are UC Davis’ own Drs. Julie Dechant and Nicola Pusterla, who will present colic surgery outcomes and dental disease in the geriatric patient, respectively. The equine Winter Conference lectures are offered at a special registration price of $100 for Heumphreus attendees. Registration for these lectures is only available through the Heumphreus registration link.

Daisy Bicking, APF-I, CFGP, CE/CI, is the founder of Daisy Haven Farm: School of Integrative Hoofcare in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania. She has presented at Cornell University, International Hoof-Care Summit, Laminitis Conference and International Lameness Prevention Conference. Ms. Bicking is a member of the Equine Advisory Board for Post University.

Equine specialist Dr. Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, is a professor of large animal internal medicine, the chair of the Clinical Sciences Department, and associate dean of Academic Affairs at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. He is considered one of the world’s leading authorities in equine endocrine disorders.

Thanks to the generous support of individuals and organizations over the years, admission to the Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture remains free of charge. However, to help sustain the level of excellence for which the Heumphreus Lecture has been known for more than 30 years, the school asks that participants consider making a contribution of $50 or more. Donations will help continue to bring exceptional speakers to benefit farriers and veterinarians alike.

Donations can be made online or by check. Please make checks payable to: UC Regents for the Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture Fund. Donations can be brought to the lecture or mailed to: School of Veterinary Medicine, Office of the Dean – Development, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616.