Lecture Descriptions

 

Holly Brown, DVM, PhD, DACVP (Clinical Pathology)

  

Is it IMHA? Key laboratory findings and tips to make the correct diagnosis

Diagnostic blood work, and its proper interpretation, is vital in identifying IMHA. In this session, tips will be shared for evaluation of anemic patients, including CBC and microscopic review of the blood film as well as ancillary diagnostic tests to help support or refute the diagnosis of IMHA. As well, the ACVIM consensus guidelines for the diagnosis of IMHA will be reviewed.

Platelet problems and coagulation conundrums: Interpreting thrombocytopenias and coagulation testing

Diagnostic blood work (and its appropriate review) is vital in successfully managing the bleeding patient. In this interactive session, multiple cases will be presented that emphasize the importance of understanding blood work results, in particular evaluation of reported thrombocytopenia and tips for coagulation testing.  

Small ticks, big problems: Laboratory diagnosis of tick-borne disease

In this case-based session, I will describe key bloodwork and blood film changes observed with common tick-borne infections. As well, rapid in-clinic immunoassays and ancillary reference lab diagnostics for anaplasmosis and Lyme disease will be discussed, as well as important tips to avoid common pitfalls in making these diagnoses. 

Hypercalcemia headache help

Hypercalcemia is an uncommonly encountered but clinically concerning biochemical abnormality in small animal practice. The infrequency of occurrence and nonspecific clinical signs can prove challenging for the veterinary team. In this case-based session, we will discuss a highly unusual week in practice where multiple dogs (and one cat!) all presented with hypercalcemia and the diagnostic testing that ensued to provide proper case management.

Pleural effusion confusion: A tale of three kitties

Too often, the fluids from tapped effusions are tossed in practice after therapeutic thoracocentesis. In this session, I will equip attendees with the knowledge of proper fluid analysis, allowing for accurate and timely results for proper patient management. In particular, we will discuss three cases of pleural effusion in young dyspneic cats and the necessary diagnostics to distinguish among the varied etiologies.

Diagnostics with a twist in the tail: Clinical cases with surprising results

Many of our patients present with non-specific clinical signs, and behavioral changes in our pets may or may not reflect underlying disease. Even with a thorough history and skilled physical exam, clinicians may be misled as to the underlying pathologic condition(s). Running lab work and obtaining objective data from our patients allows for more accurate clinical diagnoses and more focused and appropriate treatments. In this session, interesting cases will be shared that highlight the importance of performing laboratory diagnostics in both sick and (apparently) healthy patients, as things are not always as they seem. 

 

Kirstin Bubeck, MedVet, DACVS (LA), DACVSMR

 

Orthobiologics used to treat the Equine Athlete. What, when, and why.

This talk will discuss different products derived from blood that are on the market to treat equine joints and soft tissue injuries. Current knowledge and literature for each product will be discussed.

Upper Airway Diseases in your Equine Patient. What can be done on the farm and in which situations is referral a better option.

This talk will discuss different upper airway problems in the equine patient. Clinical signs, how to make the diagnosis, and what are the best treatment options. Tips for treatment on the farm, and further diagnostics including dynamic endoscopy and surgical treatments option will be discussed.

Conditions of the horse neck including the nuchal bursa

In this talk we will review conditions of the equine neck and nuchal bursa, including diagnostic imaging options (radiographs, ultrasound, myelogram and computertomography). We will discuss clinical signs, the different steps during the examination process, as well as treatment options.

 

Robert Dwyer, BVMS CertAVP (ESM), MRCVS

 

Retained Fetal Membranes in Mares: Field Management and Referral Indications

Retained fetal membranes (RFM) is a relatively common condition in mares, occurring in 2-10% of the general horse population and as high as 50% in Friesian horses. Without timely intervention, RFM can quickly lead to severe complications, including metritis, fever, endotoxemia, and laminitis. This presentation will focus on practical field management strategies for ambulatory veterinarians to address RFM effectively and outline critical indications for referral to specialized care.

Equine Abortion: Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention

An estimated 10% of mares experience pregnancy loss between day 60 and term. While certain causes of abortion, such as umbilical cord torsion, may be sporadic and unavoidable, other etiologies can precipitate disease outbreaks, with long-term effects on mare health and fertility. This session will provide an overview of common abortion causes, diagnostic techniques, and treatment protocols, with an emphasis on proactive prevention strategies for veterinarians and horse owners to support broodmare reproductive health.

Equine Placentitis: Diagnosis, Monitoring, and Field Treatment

Placentitis is a leading cause of pregnancy loss in mares, often resulting in abortion, stillbirth, or neonatal mortality. Early detection of placentitis, coupled with timely and effective therapeutic intervention, can mitigate placental changes and support a healthy pregnancy to full term. This presentation will discuss routine late-term pregnancy monitoring to aid in early detection and provide guidance on the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing monitoring of placentitis in field settings.

Managing Mare Reproductive Behavioral Issues and Estrus Suppression

Behavioral signs associated with estrus can significantly impact training and performance in some mares. However, research shows that the relationship between estrus and behavioral changes may be inconsistent, complicating the diagnosis of true estrus-related behaviors. This session aims to clarify the identification of estrus behaviors versus other undesirable behaviors, explore effective management strategies, and outline options for estrus suppression where appropriate.

 

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP (Behavior)

 

Behavior is Medicine:  Integrating Behavioral Guidance in Wellness Appointments

Canine and feline behavioral concerns, particularly related to fear, anxiety, and stress, are significant factors in pet relinquishment. As veterinary professionals, it is crucial to proactively address behavior issues during wellness appointments to prevent potential problems and better support our clients and their pets. In this enlightening session, we will explore effective strategies for initiating conversations about behavior, responding to client concerns, and providing practical guidance to manage and prevent behavioral issues. By embracing behavior as an essential aspect of pet health, we can enhance our role as advocates for our patients and strengthen the human-animal bond.

Do You Speak Cat:  Feline Communication for the Veterinary Team

Veterinary team members often express doubt about handling cats. The best way to know a cat’s emotional state and whether they are relaxed enough to cope with the stress of veterinary procedures is to watch their body language. This session will help you understand how cats communicate with us and determine how to tell when they are fearful, stressed, anxious, or happy. This is the first step to Fear- Free and Feline Friendly handling.

Do You Speak Dog:  Canine Communication for the Veterinary Team

This lecture is designed to equip veterinary professionals with essential knowledge about canine communication. Understanding how dogs express themselves is crucial for providing effective and empathetic care. By decoding the subtle cues conveyed through body postures, facial expressions, and tail movements, participants will gain valuable insights into a dog's emotional state and stress levels.

Perfecting Medication - Techniques and Tips for Medicating Cats with Ease

Medicating cats can be a daunting task for both veterinary professionals and caregivers alike. The challenge of administering medications to our feline companions isa persistent issue in the world of veterinary care, often leading to missed doses and compromised treatment outcomes. In this lecture, I aim to shed light on this critical issue and present practical solutions to help veterinarians and caregivers overcome the obstacles associated with medicating cats. By fostering a positive and cooperative environment, both at the clinic, shelter, and in the home, we can transform the medicating process into a stress-free and even enjoyable experience for our feline patients.

Kitten Socialization: More Than Meets the Eye

This session highlights the critical importance of kitten socialization and caregiver education to ensure successful outcomes for both. We will debunk common myths and present effective strategies to promote healthy kitten development. Learn how to implement kitten kindergarten and socialization techniques in various settings, empowering caregivers to create enriching environments. Enhance your expertise and contribute to the long-term well-being of kittens.

Changing Perspective, Fear Free: A Kind Approach

Many cats and dogs experience fear, anxiety, and stress during their visits to the vet, and we believe in changing that narrative. Fear Free techniques create a calmer and more comfortable environment, benefiting both the animals and their human companions. In this session, we'll dive into the concept of Fear Free, understanding the emotions of fear, anxiety, and stress in our beloved cat and dog patients. Discover practical tools and approaches, including a considerate approach, gentle control, and a touch gradient, that significantly reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in our patients.

 

Lauren Marini, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology)

 

Shaken, Not Stirred: when weird things are seizures and when they aren't

This lecture will focus on a number of videos of abnormal episodes in dogs and cats. Some are seizures and many are not! We will discuss the cause of the episodes and very basic treatment ideas. 

Real world degenerative diseases in veterinary medicine

This lecture will focus on degenerative diseases that are commonly encountered in dogs and cats. Specifically we will focus on degenerative myelopathy, degenerative polyneuropathy & cerebellar conditions; they are not always what you think they are!    

 

Robert O'Brien, DVM, MS, DACVR

 

Basic Clinical Ultrasound of Dogs and Cats

This lecture will discuss the techniques and uses of ultrasound in a clinical practice.

Abdominal Ultrasound for Elevated Liver Enzymes in Dogs

This lecture will discuss the techniques, normally anatomy and appearance of disease for dogs (and cats) with elevated liver enzymes.

Abdominal Ultrasound for the Vomiting Cat

This lecture will discuss the techniques, normal anatomy and appearance of disease for vomiting cats (and dogs).

Basic Abdominal Ultrasound Laboratory of Dogs and Cats

This lab will teach you how to find and optimize your images of the liver, gall bladder, spleen, kidneys and urinary bladder in dogs and cats.

Small Parts Abdominal Ultrasound Laboratory of Dogs and Cats

This lab will teach you how to find and optimize your images of the normal and abnormal ultrasound findings of the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, adrenal glands and lymph nodes in dogs and cats.

 

Darci Palmer, BS, LVT, VTS (Anesthesia, Analgesia)

 

Intricacies of Anesthesia Machine Operation

To perfect anesthesia with inhalants, it is imperative that the anesthetist have a good working knowledge of the parts and function of the anesthesia machine. Unfortunately, there are numerous myths and misconceptions about the proper function and operation of anesthesia machines. This lecture will uncover the ‘why’ behind intricate details such as breathing circuit selection, inhalant equilibrium and time constants, oxygen flowrates and mechanical dead space.

To Err is Human: Preventable Anesthetic Mistakes

Human error is inevitable. Mistakes are going to happen. What’s important is that all team members learn from the mistake and protocols are put into place to prevent that error from happening again. Theis presentation will discuss common anesthesia related human errors and what you can do as a team to help prevent or minimize those errors from resulting in harm to the patient.

Waking Up is Hard To Do- Managing Rough Recoveries from Anesthesia                    

The majority of anesthetized patients that are provided a balanced anesthesia drug protocol will wake up smoothly from general anesthesia. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there will be times when a patient wakes up and displays a rough recovery. This lecture will discuss the three main causes of a rough recovery, how to distinguish between each cause and treatment options available.

Integrating a Balanced Anesthesia Drug Protocol in Clinical Practice 

Every veterinary practice should be able to formulate an anesthetic drug protocol that meets the individual needs of the patient. This presentation will provide a systemic way to develop a balanced anesthesia drug protocol and will outline the common anesthetic drugs used for premedication, induction and maintenance.

Management of Respiratory Complications During Anesthesia

Because a veterinary patient’s response to anesthetic agents is not always predictable, it is vital to monitor each patient closely. To make appropriate management decisions during anesthesia the veterinary anesthetist must be able to interpret what the monitored parameters are indicating. This presentation will discuss the monitoring equipment used to assess ventilation and oxygenation with an in-depth look at hypoventilation and hypoxemia.

Management of Cardiovascular Complications During Anesthesia

Cardiovascular complications can be a common occurrence during anesthesia because most anesthetic drugs have an adverse effect on cardiovascular function. This presentation will define cause of bradycardia, tachycardia, hypotension and hypovolemia along with discussing treatment options to consider for intra-operative management.

 

Elizabeth Parsley, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology)

 

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction
In this hour, we will be discussing canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), including pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment options. By the end, practitioners will have a better understanding of the changes occurring with the brain, how a diagnosis of CCD can be achieved both at a referral and primary care hospital and review potential treatment options for patients with this disease.
 
The Down Dog- neurolocalization, differentials, and update on current recommendations for IVDD 

With magnetic resonance imaging becoming more accessible in veterinary medicine and particularly in the last 15 years, new terminology has been developed for varying types of conditions related to intervertebral discs and spinal cord injury. Additionally, a recent consensus statement was published regarding diagnosis and treatment of acute intervertebral disc disease in dogs. In this hour, we will review spinal cord neurolocalization, discuss the various types of intervertebral disc herniations seen in dogs, and current recommendations for management of patients suffering from these conditions.  

Neurologic conditions of French Bulldogs

We all know French Bulldogs are becoming more and more prevalent in our veterinary practices. In this hour, we will discuss the common neurologic conditions facing this ever-popular breed, including vertebral malformations, meningoencephalitis, IVDD, otitis media/interna, and brain tumors. Practitioners will become familiar with recognizing these conditions, how they present in French bulldogs specifically, and the best course of action regarding diagnosis and treatment in this breed to aid in owner education and management .  

Frequently asked questions: Top ten things a neurologist wants you to know

In this hour, a variety of different topics will be presented to benefit the primary care practitioner in management of neurologic diseases as well as best practices when referring patients to a neurologist. Helpful tips will be discussed including seizure management, when and when not to use prednisone, and what to do when you cannot refer.

 

Carlos Pinto, MedVet, PhD, DACT

Pharmacological control of reproduction in the broodmare

Hormone administration to mares during breeding management is an essential tool for equine practitioners. Specific hormones may be administered to broodmares in a timely and appropriate manner for the following purposes: 1) to maximize reproductive efficiency, such as causing estrus or ovulation to occur; 2) to treat reproductive disorders or hormonal imbalances, and 3) to suppress signs of behavioral estrus. The most common applications of exogenous hormone administration include controlling the duration and onset of the different stages of the estrous cycle (specifically by affecting duration of luteal function or hastening ovulation; preventing estrus) and stimulating myometrial activity in mares susceptible to or showing delayed uterine clearance.

In this discussion, we will address the effects and potential indications for the different hormones available to the equine practitioner working with broodmare reproduction, including extralabel dosage. A note on pharmacological control of stallion reproduction will be also briefly discussed.