Instructor
Dr. Canaan Shores graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011 and has spent the past 15 years practicing in a variety of clinical settings, including standalone emergency hospitals, large multispecialty referral centers, and primary care. This diverse experience has shaped a pragmatic, efficiency-driven approach to managing acute and urgent presentations.
His time as a primary care clinician has provided a valuable perspective on how urgent care and emergency medicine fit into the broader continuum of patient care, and the critical role primary care veterinarians play in long-term management and continuity of care.
Dr. Shores currently leads the urgent and convenient care service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where he works closely with students and colleagues to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care. His clinical interests include antimicrobial stewardship, comprehensive pain management, effective client communication, and reducing over-treatment by focusing on accurate diagnosis and addressing underlying disease processes. Dr. Shores has a particular interest in common urgent presentations, including conditions such as feline lower urinary tract disease, where thoughtful, evidence-based decision-making is critical.
Pee Is Not the Problem: Rethinking Feline Idiopathic Cystitis
Feline lower urinary tract disease is one of the most common, and frustrating, conditions encountered in small animal practice. This lecture will provide a practical, evidence-based approach to diagnosing and managing cats presenting with lower urinary tract signs, with a primary focus on feline idiopathic cystitis.We’ll navigate the alphabet soup of feline urinary diseases (FLUTD, FIC, UTI, etc.) and, through a concise review of current literature, critically evaluate the wide range of therapeutic approaches used over time. The goal is to translate emerging evidence into practical clinical decision-making, improving case management, enhancing client communication, and reducing over-treatment. Traditional therapies will be assessed alongside newer and emerging options, with an emphasis on addressing underlying disease mechanisms rather than simply managing clinical signs.