Category: HVMA Updates

2024 HVMA Conference Registration Now Open

This year we are moving our annual conference to the Hawaii Convention Center! Labs will be offered on Nov 6-7, 2024, and a full slate of lectures will fill Nov 8-10, 2024. Lecture topics include behavior, cardiology, anesthesia, soft tissue surgery, exotics, and more! 

Registration is now open for attendees and exhibitors. Remember to log in to your HVMA online account to receive the discounted registration rates for active members. Accommodations will be across the street from the convention center at the Ala Moana Hotel.

Check out our conference page where you can find lab details and our conference schedule. Please join us for great RACE-approved CE, our lively exhibit hall, food, and fellowship, and get to know your local vet community! 

In Remembrance: Lester Naito

Dr. Naito with Tomi, a chihuahua-terrier.
Photo by Craig T. Kojima

Lester Naito graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1959 and opened his 1st clinic in 1963, Animal Clinic Waimalu, followed by Animal Clinic Mililani, Moanalua, Waipahu, and Kapolei. These clinics are now VCA Animal Hospitals.

Dr. Naito studied for two years as a pre-med major at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He chose to further his education at OSU because the pre-veterinary requirements closely matched his pre-med course work.

He and his wife Grace have 4 kids, Steven, Joanne, Scott and Leslie.

I will always be grateful to Doctor Lester Naito for giving me the opportunity to gain experience and grow in the profession as a beginning veterinarian.  By example, he kept his optimism even during difficult circumstance.  His foresight and support were instrumental in developing my own professional vision .   Through the years his life touched many of us as employees, pet owners and friends.  Les will be missed.
– Dr. Isaac Maeda

2024 Annual Business Meeting Notice

Our HVMA Hui annual business meeting will be held on Saturday Nov 9, 2024 at 12pm at the Hawaii Convention Center Room 325. Conference registration is not required to attend the meeting. 

We will be voting on several bylaws changes, detailed below:

1. ARTICLE III, Section 2a.

Current:
Location – Each county shall be entitled to a Representative on the Executive Board in accordance with the number of Active Members within that County using the following formula:
1-25 Active Members-One Representative
26-50 Active Members-Two Representatives
51-75 Active Members-Three Representatives
Up to a maximum of four Representatives per County.

Proposed Amendment:
Location – Each county shall be entitled to representation on the Executive Board in accordance with the number of Active Members within that County using the following formula:
1-50 Active Members – Up to two representatives
51-75 Active Members – Up to three representatives
Over 75 Active Members – Up to four representatives
No more than four Representatives will be allowed per County.

2. Section 2(f): Change “serving in Hawaii by the U.S. Army” to “serving in Hawaii by the U.S. Armed forces”

3. Article II, Section 2(c) Reword/reformat for clarity.

Current:
Section 2.  Election
a. All elections shall be conducted by written ballot unless there is only one nominee for an office in which case the Active Members registered and voting may instruct the Secretary to cast a unanimous ballot for the nominee.  
b. To be elected, a nominee must receive a majority of the votes cast.
c. Shall be appointed by the Executive Board.

Proposed:
Section 2. Election
All elections shall be conducted by written or electronic ballot unless there is only one nominee for an office in which case the Active Members registered and voting may instruct the Secretary to cast a unanimous ballot for the nominee. To be elected, a nominee must receive a majority of the votes cast.

4. Article III, Section 3. Reformat for clarity and consistency with remainder of document

Current:
The Executive Board shall hold six regular meetings during the period between the Annual Meetings of the Association.  These meetings shall be as follows:
1st – immediately following the Annual Meeting
Meetings 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, to be held every other month after the Annual Meeting, i.e. January, March, May, July, and September.
6th – immediately preceding the Annual Meeting

Proposed:
The Executive Board shall hold six regular meetings during the period between the Annual Meetings of the Association.  These meetings shall be as follows:
a. 1st – within 45 days following the Annual Meeting
b. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th – to be held every other month after the Annual Meeting, e.g. January, March, May, July, and September.
c. 6th – within 45 days preceding the Annual Meeting

5. Article V, Section 4. Notice; Reword for consistency with electronic communication allowed in rest of bylaws.

Current:
A written or printed notice stating the place, day, and hour of the annual meeting shall be mailed not less than thirty days before the meeting to each member of the Association.

Proposed:
At least thirty days prior to the meeting, uniform written notice, including electronic communication, shall be transmitted to all current members stating the place, day, and time of the annual meeting.

Additionally, this year we will be holding board position elections for the following positions (current nominees below):

President Elect – Alfred Mina
Vice President – Malia Lyons
Secretary – Jamie Furutani
Treasurer – Caren Tamura-Taira
Executive Vice President – Jill Yoshicedo
Kauai Delegate – Melissa Shaw
Oahu Delegate – Gabrielle Asay, Heidi Choy, Erika Sox

Nominations may also be made from the floor during the business meeting.
If you are interested in serving on the HVMA board or nominating a colleague, please email nominating_committee@hawaiivetmed.org.

In Remembrance- Patrick Ahana

Patrick Ahana, born on January 21, 1946, dedicated his life to the welfare of animals and the happiness of his family. He passed away peacefully on April 27, 2024. As a renowned veterinarian, he touched the lives of countless creatures and their human companions with his gentle demeanor and unwavering commitment to their well-being. His clinic, Kapaa Animal Clinic, was not just a place of healing but also a sanctuary where pets and their families found solace and support. Patrick’s love for animals was matched only by his love for his family. He leaves behind his beloved wife Joanne, sons Alek (Nanett) and Bryce (Mistye), grandchildren Kaci, Ayden, Lexie, and Bryn, and siblings Robert Ahana, Phyllis Tokita, and Valerie (Yoshito) Narikiyo. His legacy of kindness, compassion, and devotion to both animals and family will be remembered and cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Letter from the President – April 2024

Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP
HVMA President

Aloha everyone! I hope you are all content and well this Spring! The 2023 Honesty and Ethics Gallup Poll was recently published, and I was pleased to see that veterinarians hold the 2nd highest approval rating amongst professionals. This is in part due to the perception the public has that veterinarians are compassionate and dedicated to helping animals and their owners. The Pet Expo is a perfect example of this, so please volunteer a few hours of your time to support this free public event! 

HVMA has been closely watching the Non-Veterinary Surgical Bills (SB 2562 and HB 1527). The current House and Senate versions are slightly different and will go back to committee for final revisions prior to approval. We are lucky to have Senator Tim Richards, DVM in the State Legislature, and he will advocate for the best language to close the current loophole allowing owners to perform surgery on their animals, whilst allowing livestock producers to continue to perform customary husbandry procedures. 

Dairy cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Idaho, North Carolina, and South Dakota have been found to be infected with avian influenza virus Type A H5N1. This is the same virus that causes Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in birds; however, the disease in cattle is not characterized by high morbidity and mortality.  It is important to note that pasteurization of milk kills pathogens in milk, including the influenza virus, so there is no threat to human health from milk and dairy products. This virus has not been detected in Hawaii, but farms containing multiple species such as poultry, swine, or cattle should continue to strengthen their biosecurity programs to prevent the introduction or spread of disease. The Center for Food Security and Public Health has excellent resources for developing a biosecurity program for various species.

See you at the Pet Expo! 

Jenee Odani, DVM, DACVP
HVMA President

Pet Expo 2024

HVMA’s Pet Expo 2024 will be held on May 4-5, 2024 from 10am-4pm each day at the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Join us for a wide range of informative booths and pet merchandise, keiki crafts, contests, and more! Please bring a few canned goods for donation to the Hawaii Food Bank in lieu of an admission fee.

To register as a vendor for the event, please call 808-845-1762 or send an email.

Notice of 70th Annual Business Meeting

The Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association’s Annual Business Meeting (HVMA Hui) will be held on Saturday November 11, 2023 from 12-1pm at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel Prince Jonah Room. All veterinarians are welcome to attend, though only active members are permitted to vote. You do not need to be a conference attendee to come to the Hui.


The Bylaws Committee has proposed a change to Article 3, Section 3, regarding Special Meetings. This section currently reads:

“Special meetings may be called by the Chairman or by any three Members of the Board by submission of written notice to each Member of the Board at least fifteen days prior to each meeting.  A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a Quorum for the transaction of business.”

To allow for more timely response to emergency situations and acknowledge technological advances in modes of communication, the proposal is to change Article 3, Section 3 to read:

“Special meetings may be called by the Chairman or by any three Members of the Board by submission of uniform written notice, including electronic communication, to each Member of the Board at least 24 hours prior to each meeting.  A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a Quorum for the transaction of business.”

Canine Influenza Detected in Hawaii

We wanted to alert our membership that canine influenza (H3N2) was detected on Oahu in four dogs from three families at two separate clinics. All affected dogs had been recently boarded at a single facility. Canine influenza virus can cause respiratory disease in dogs that can resemble kennel cough. Less commonly, more severe illness can be observed, especially in dogs that have an underlying health condition. 

At this time, there does not seem to be any known spread to other dogs in the local community. Transmission of H3N2 canine influenza virus from dogs to cats has been reported in other outbreaks. To date, there is no evidence that transmission to humans can occur. 

Veterinary clinics should take precautions to avoid transmission of the virus between dogs. The AVMA recommends that dogs with clinical signs suggestive of respiratory disease be separated from other dogs. This includes the waiting area, facility entrance/exit, examination/treatment area, and hospitalization ward. Personnel should wear personal protective equipment and disinfect the facility and potential fomites with an appropriate disinfectant. Many commonly used disinfectants are effective against influenza viruses. The EPA maintains a list of products that are registered for use against influenza viruses. 

The best test to diagnose acute clinical infections is the PCR test on deep nasal (preferred) or pharyngeal swabs. Viral shedding peaks early in the infection, so the test is of highest value within the first 1-2 days of the onset of clinical signs. Avoid using cotton-tipped wood shaft swabs for sample collection because those materials may inhibit the PCR reaction. Please check with the laboratory ahead of time for their preferred storage tubes; in general, avoid using tubes with additives or gel media.

If you know of any confirmed cases, please contact Hawaii Department of Agriculture at hdoa.vls@hawaii.gov. HVMA leadership is monitoring the situation and can be reached at: public_relations@hawaiivetmed.org. There is also a private Facebook page for HVMA members (veterinarians only) and a specific chat thread to discuss this topic. The Center for Food Security and Public Health has an excellent review of canine influenza. The AVMA and the CDC also have good information available on their websites. 

70th Annual Conference – Registration Open!

This year the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association’s 70th annual conference will be held in-person from November 9-12th, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel.

We are welcoming back our colleagues from Japan for the first time since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic shut down international travel. In addition to Japanese-translated sessions, we will have hands-on laboratories on orthopedic surgery, point of care ultrasound, and successful CPR techniques.

Lecture topics include ophthalmology, neurology, dentistry, emergency and critical care, swine and ruminant medicine and surgery, business, and wellbeing.

HVMA will also hold our 70th Annual Business meeting on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 12pm. This meeting is open to active HVMA members as well as any interested veterinarians in Hawaii.

Please check here for conference schedule, lab information, and accommodation information. Registration is now open; we hope you will join us this fall!