Séverine Tasker gives NC State’s 2026 feline health keynote

Professor Séverine Tasker delivered the Sarah F. Hawes Memorial Feline Health Keynote Lecture at the 2026 Feline Health Symposium, held April 11-12 in Raleigh and presented by EveryCat Health Foundation and NC State College of Veterinary Medicine’s Feline Health Center. The two-day meeting focused on feline healthy aging and offered up to 11 hours of AAVSB RACE-approved continuing education for veterinary professionals. Tasker, listed by symposium organizers as an honorary professor of feline medicine at Bristol Veterinary School, gave a Saturday keynote on feline infectious anaemias and also presented a session previewing guidance on diagnosing infectious diseases in cats, with an emphasis on cat-friendly clinical approaches. (everycat.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, Tasker’s appearance put infectious disease diagnostics into a broader conversation about senior-cat care, where anemia workups, test selection, and low-stress handling often intersect in everyday practice. Her focus is especially relevant because feline infectious disease testing can be complicated by fluctuating organism loads, variable predictive value by population, and the need to balance diagnostic rigor with patient stress and caregiver communication. Existing feline guidance tied to Tasker’s work, including haemoplasmosis recommendations and broader testing resources, underscores how easily interpretation can go wrong if testing is used without clinical context. (journals.sagepub.com)

What to watch: Watch for any post-symposium release of slides, recordings, or formal guidance updates that could turn these lecture themes into practice-ready recommendations for clinicians. (felinesymposium.squarespace.com)