How to become a CSAG screening cardiologist. 

Cardiac Screening of dogs and cats can provide invaluable information to breeders to help them select healthy breeding animals.  The importance of standardising echocardiography measurements is emphasised in the screening process as both dogs and cats may be screened multiple times by different screeners.  This has been the main driving force behind the development of a new accreditation examination for heart screeners.

Much work has been done by David Dickson, Hannah Stephenson and others to develop the accreditation.  All new screeners will need to pass the accreditation examination & the aim is to gradually include existing screeners in the accreditation system and offer re accreditation, perhaps every 5 years.

The hope of CSAG is that this will provide an excellent development opportunity for small animal veterinary cardiologists in the UK, providing a framework to improve echocardiography skills, a chance to be fully assessed in these skills & then become part of a screening group using standardised echocardiography techniques.

Prospective Screeners need to have at least a cert AVP level of cardiology qualification and be active VCS members.

Those accredited will be added to this list of canine screeners on the VCS website and can be supplied with the official VCS heart screen certificates (currently paper with carbon copies but we are aiming  to change to online certificates via the Kennel Club).

For feline screening there will be some kind of extra assessment which may or may not involve echocardiography of cats with an examiner.  This should be available later this year.

Format of the Examination.

• Each candidate will be supplied with a detailed document explaining the echocardiography views and measurements that they will be assessed on. This will be supplied at least 6 weeks before the exam.
• The first examination is due to be run on June 9^th and 10^th at The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh.
• The candidate will be asked to attend for half a day.
• There will be 4 stations. 3 will require an echocardiography examination of live dogs (2 small breed and 1 large breed).  There will be 1 measurement only station where 2 data sets will be provided for the candidate to perform measurements on.
• Each station will last 45 minutes and there will be a short break between.
• 3 experienced cardiologists will be examining, 4 veterinary nurses will be assisting and there will be a maximum of 4 candidates at each half day session.
• The cost of the examination is currently set at £530. This was based on a trial day last November and an estimate of the costs involved in running the day.  We aim only to cover these costs.

Those interested in taking the accreditation examination should contact Vicky Ironside vickyironside2@gmail.com