AAEP Honors Dr. Kent Fowler with Distinguished Service Award

The American Association of Equine Practitioners recognized a California regulatory veterinarian for his leadership and advocacy in protecting the horse from infectious diseases when presenting its 2018 Distinguished Service Award to Kent Fowler, DVM.

The Distinguished Service Award honors exemplary service to the AAEP or a similar organization to the benefit of the horse, horse industry or profession of equine veterinary medicine. Dr. Fowler was honored Dec. 4 during the President’s Luncheon at the AAEP’s 64th Annual Convention in San Francisco, Calif.

Dr. Fowler is the Animal Health Branch chief for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in Sacramento. He was an early advocate for creation of the Equine Disease Communication Center and the National Equine Health Plan, participating in initial planning meetings in 2010 and playing an instrumental role in advancing the concepts and obtaining acceptance and use of the EDCC by state veterinarians.

As host of the monthly National Equine Conference Call, Dr. Fowler facilitates ongoing communication about pertinent veterinary topics between the American Horse Council, AAEP, National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials, United States Department of Agriculture and industry. In addition, he worked with state animal health officials and the USDA to develop acceptable protocols for treatment and subsequent testing of equine piroplasmosis-positive horses. Since the initial discussions of this treatment option, multiple horses have been treated successfully and cleared of the organism.

Dr. Fowler received his veterinary degree in 1977 from the University of California, Davis. Before joining the CDFA in 2004, he practiced large animal medicine on the central coast of California.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, the AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.