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Echocardiography in Small Animals - A 2-Day Practical Course

Fri, 09 October, 2026 - Sat, 10 October, 2026

Species

Small Animal

Contact Hours

14 Hours

Early Booking Deadline

Sun, 23 August, 2026

Registration Deadline

Fri, 11 September, 2026

Language

English (German & French Moderation)

Discipline

Cardiology

Diagnostic Imaging

Growth Partners

Europe

Veterinary Partners

Global
Europe

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Echocardiography has become an essential diagnostic tool in modern small animal practice, enabling clinicians to accurately assess cardiac health and support confident clinical decision-making. With increasing access to high-quality ultrasound equipment, veterinarians are expected to have a solid practical understanding of cardiac imaging and interpretation.

This intensive 2-day practical workshop has been designed for small animal practitioners who wish to develop or refine their echocardiography skills in a supportive, hands-on learning environment. Through a carefully balanced combination of expert-led lectures, interactive case discussions, and supervised practical sessions on live dogs, participants will gain the confidence and competence to apply echocardiography effectively in everyday clinical practice. 

Open and constructive discussions are encouraged throughout the course, and the speakers will share their extensive clinical experience, including practical tips, common challenges, and real-world problem-solving approaches.

In the mornings, the following topics will be covered through highly illustrated lectures and interactive case presentations:

  • Optimising your echocardiography machine and settings
  • Principles of cardiac imaging and examination protocols
  • Right-sided views and Doppler echocardiography
  • Accurate measurement techniques
  • Left-sided views and advanced imaging
  • Interpretation of echocardiographic findings
  • Application of echocardiography in clinical decision-making
  • Interactive review of real-world cardiology cases 

Across both afternoons, extensive practical sessions will provide participants with ample opportunity to develop hands-on skills in small groups under close supervision by the instructors. 

Participants will work on live dogs in small groups, allowing for individual guidance and feedback. Each attendee will rotate through structured practical stations covering:

  • Machine optimisation and image acquisition
  • Right-sided cardiac imaging
  • Doppler echocardiography techniques
  • Left-sided cardiac imaging
  • Measurement protocols
  • Complete echocardiographic examinations
  • Case-based image interpretation 

These sessions are designed to reinforce lecture content and to build confidence in performing systematic, high-quality echocardiographic studies in daily practice. The course fee includes lunches, coffee/tea breaks, extensive electronic course notes and a certificate of attendance. Early course registration is recommended as there are only a limited number of places available.

Chris is both an RCVS Specialist and a European Specialist in Small Animal Cardiology and sees both medical and surgical cardiology cases.

Chris graduated with Honours from the University of Liverpool in 2007 and following 2 years in small animal practice in Lincolnshire, returned there to complete further specialist cardiology training. This included an internship and three-year residency in Cardiology before being promoted to the position of Lecturer in Cardiology. Chris has also undertaken further training in human interventional cardiology and is the first veterinary cardiology specialist to hold a Master of Science in the subject.

Having already developed the busiest interventional cardiology service (key-hole surgery) in the UK during his 5 years at Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service in the Midlands, Chris moved to Yorkshire and joined the Paragon team in 2021 where he is the clinical lead and Head of the Cardiology team.

Chris loves developing patient-vet and owner-vet bonds and believes it is the key to successfully caring for his cardiology patients. He has a keen interest in congenital heart disease and performing cardiac catheterisation procedures for correction of heart defects. Due to the excellent reputation of the cardiology service amongst fellow cardiologists and primary practice vets, Chris is one of the most experienced minimally invasive cardiologists in the UK and Europe.

He has close links with the charity Animals Asia in Chengdu, China and is involved with investigating heart disease in rescued moon bears from the bile-farming trade and helping to improve their health and general well-being. Chris is also an avid instructor in cardiology to both undergraduate students and vets in practice, he has presented and lectured around the globe and loves to share his passion for cardiology with others.

More Info

Fabio graduated from the University of Bologna (Italy) in 2012. After graduation, he completed an externship in small animal cardiology at the University of Liverpool. 

Subsequently, Fabio completed a 12-month rotating internship for small animals at Rutland House referral, St Helens (UK). Following this experience, he spent two years in general practice in the UK, further deepening his interest in cardiology. 

In 2016 he started a Residency programme in small animal cardiology at the Small Animal Teaching Hospital of the University of Liverpool, later obtaining the Diploma of the European College of Internal Medicine ECVIM- CA (Cardiology) in 2021. Fabio then went on to work as a cardiology specialist in a large multidisciplinary referral hospital with a busy interventional cardiology service, where he also served as Head of the Cardiology Service. In 2025, Fabio joined the team at Sarah Smith Cardiology in Derby, UK. 

Fabio enjoys all aspects of cardiology, but his main interests lie in interventional cardiology as well as congenital heart disease and mitral valve disease.

More Info

Please download the Program PDF to view it: Download PDF

Venue

near Basel, Northern Switzerland (Basel or Zurich Airport)

CONTACT DETAILS FOR CLINIC

Tierklinik Leimental
Gewerbestrasse 4
CH-4105
Biel-Benken
Phone: 0041 61 722 10 10
Fax: 0041 61 722 10 11
Mail:info@tierklinik-leimental.ch

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Please visit the clinic website to calculate your route: www.tierklinik-leimental.ch/kontakt

 

NEARBY AIRPORTS

Distance from Basel Airport: approx. 13.8 km
Distance from Zurich Airport: approx. 96.7 km

 

NEARBY HOTELS

Hotel Rynach
Brunngasse 3, 4153 Reinach. 
Tel: +41 61 712 11 22. 
Email: info@hotelrynach.ch

 

Distance to clinic 
5.4km
     Rooms from CHF118

Hotel Sonne
Untere Kirchgasse 1, 
4147 Aesch. 
Tel: +41 61 751 17 72. 
Email: achermann@sonneaesch.ch

Distance to clinic 
7.9 km
     Rooms from CHF120

Hotel Gempenblick
Bodenmattstrasse 1 - 5, 4153 Reinach. 
Tel: +41 61 715 90 20. 
Email: info@gempenblick.ch

 

Distance to clinic 
5.9 km
     Rooms from CHF120

Hotel Eremitage

Gartenweg 2, 4144 Arlesheim. 
Tel: +41 61 701 54 02. 
Email: info@eremitage.ch

 

Distance to clinic 
9 km
     Rooms from CHF135

Hotel Ochsen

Ermitagestrasse 16, 4144 Arlesheim. 
Tel: +41 61 706 52 00. 
Email: hotel@ochsen.ch

 

Distance to clinic 
9 km
     Rooms from CHF175
 

Heidy SCHOCH-VON ARX - Bed & Breakfast 
Chez Heidy, Passwangstrasse
28, 4153
Reinach (BL). 
Tel: +41 61 711 21 53.
Website: www.chezheidy.com

Distance to clinic 
9 km
     Rooms from CHF90

For more options use the following (or similar) website: www.booking.com 

Qualified Vet

Lectures & Practical Sessions

USD 1667.53

USD 1538.26

2nd vet, same clinic

Lectures & Practical Sessions

USD 1583.51

USD 1460.70

Intern/Resident/PhD (Requires proof of status)

Lectures & Practical Sessions

USD 833.76

USD 833.76

If the options you are looking for are unavailable, please contact us.

No tax will be added unless you are a UK taxpayer

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