(3.5 CE credits per session)
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Nose Knows: Clinical Approach to Nasal Disease, Take a Deep Breath: Clinical Approach to Respiratory Distress, Bronchoalveolar Lavage: When, Why, How and What, Interpreting Respiratory Sounds and Patterns: A Case-Based Discussion
Tekla Lee Fowler, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Dr. Fowler’s opening presentation will cover clinical presentation of nasal disease, diagnostic approach to nasal disease, and treatment of common nasal conditions in dogs and cats. The following presentation will address clinical presentation, assessment, and initial stabilization of patients in respiratory distress. This presentation will focus on the indications (when and why) for bronchoalveolar lavage, how the procedure is performed (how), and interpretation of results (what). Dr. Fowler will close with a presentation that covers common history, clinical signs, and physical exam features of respiratory conditions and how to utilize those findings to quickly localize the source of respiratory disease. This information will then be applied in an interactive fashion to work through several case examples.
1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Everyone Benefits from Reducing Fear, Anxiety, Aggression and Stress in Perioperative Care, A Revolution in Anesthetic Techniques: More Reliance on Locals and Less on Opioids and Inhalants, Partnering in Perioperative Care: Education and Empowerment Bring Success, Senior Pet Anesthesia and Peri-Operative Management: Not Too Old!
Ralph Harvey, DVM, MS, DACVAA
Practical strategies move our practices and profession toward a more fear-free and stress-free experience. The benefits go far beyond the individual patient, bringing value and quality to our lives. This session will help you recognize approaches that add safety and efficiency as well as reduce stress. Learn how to encourage all members of our practices to play a role in changing the environment through better medicine and common-sense behaviors
The opioid shortages and other contemporary factors have increased our emphasis on dramatically revised anesthetic care. They have led us to less suffering. Newly available medications, novel methods and better use of local anesthetics have significantly expanded our options. This can change your practice, adding substantial economy and building value. We’ll summarize essential details that influence the best techniques like how balanced or multi-modal analgesia adds safety, success, convenience and economy. Learn how easily local anesthetics can be incorporated and how they will become valuable in every surgery.
None of us can succeed if we attempt to face significant challenges alone. Veterinarians and veterinary staff members partner with clients as engaged team members in recognizing, assessing and managing animal pain. Compassionate education plays a vital role in partnering with our clients. We have many new resources to apply and share to help us build client engagement and optimize pain management. We also partner closely with our colleagues and organizations in veterinary medicine, helping all achieve shared success. Learn how clients play an essential role in recognizing and quantifying pain and response to therapy. We can share validated evaluation tools and metrics with clients to achieve these goals. This client partnership improves patient outcomes and bonds the clients to our practice
Although age is not a disease, we see increased co-morbidities and limited resilience in our older patients. Best practices for these animals include using readily available agents and techniques. Increased attention to detail and respect for fragile homeostasis bring clinical success and client appreciation. This session will provide valuable information on how outpatient anesthesia and robust adaptability in our approach are essential. Develop goals for these patients to include avoiding stress and maintenance of the patient’s daily routine.
1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Vector-Borne Infections and IMHA: What Is the Evidence? The Latest on Ehrlichia
Adam Birkenheuer, DVM, DACVIM
This session will review the current evidence linking vector-borne infections to immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in dogs, including the 2019 ACVIM consensus statement. Appropriate diagnostics and treatments for vector-borne infections also will be explored. Dr. Birkenheuer will recall which vector-borne infections are associated with IMHA as well as how to select and interpret appropriate diagnostics for vector-borne infections
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne infectious disease of dogs, usually carried by the brown dog tick. It first gained attention as a significant disease when military dogs returning from Vietnam during the 1970s were found to be infected. The disease seems to be particularly severe in German Shepherds and Doberman Pinschers. Dr. Birkenheuer’s presentation will cover the latest research findings and will review the signs, diagnosis and treatment of this particular disease.
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(3.5 CE credits per session)
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Triage and Management of Exotic Pet Emergencies; Zoonotic Diseases in Exotic Pets - Keeping Your Team and Your Clients Safe; Palliative Care for the Exotic Pet - Tips for Managing Special Needs Patients
Sue Chen, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian)
Triage and Management of Exotic Pet Emergencies: Common Emergencies of Birds, Small Exotic Mammals, and Reptiles - Dr. Chen will cover pain medication, antibiotic, euthanasia methods and other therapeutic dos and don’ts along with venipuncture and catheter placement in various species.
Zoonotic Diseases in Exotic Pets - How to keep your team and your clients safe by learning what zoonotic diseases can be caught from exotic pets. Learn to recognize the symptoms of these diseases in your patients as well as preventative measures for your team and your clients.
Palliative Care for the Exotic Pet: Tips for Managing Special Needs Patients - This session will cover rabbits with mobility issues, birds with trouble perching, and pets with cancer. Learn to discuss different measures to help pet parent's determine goals for their pet. Dr. Chen will also provide information on how to discuss measures of improving the patient's quality of life as well as how to set up quality of life parameters for the pet and caretaker.
(3.5 CE credits per session)
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Potpourri for 200: Case Studies in Beef Cattle Medicine and Surgery, Examination and Diagnosis of Neurologic Disease in Cattle
Dusty Nagy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
This session will focus on the art and science of veterinary practice in the context of clinical cases. Case history, exam findings and relevant lab work will be presented, and the cases will be worked up throughout the discussion.
In the second session, Dr. Nagy will cover a farm-friendly neurologic examination and approach to evaluating cattle with neurologic disease. Videos will be heavily utilized to illustrate clinical signs and interpretation.
1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Equine Ophthalmology: On Farm and Referral Management Strategies
Kelli Beavers, DVM, DABVP, DACT and Renee Carter, DVM, DACVO
Dr. Beavers and Dr. Carter will provide a review of the basic field ophthalmology examination as well as discuss best practices for obtaining smart phone images for records and specialist consultation. They will also cover setting the equine patient up for specialist consultation/referral and the management of complicated ophthalmology cases. This session will end with the best practices for on farm management of complicated ophthalmology cases and the partnership between specialist and general practitioners.
(3.5 CE credits per session)
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Essential Skills for the Patient Nutritional Advocate (Part 1 & 2), Approaches to Feeding the Finicky Patient, Managing CKD in Cats, Nutrition Is the Key
Ed Carlson, CVT, VTS (Nutrition)
Attendees will learn a variety of important skills that are necessary to educate clients, answer client questions about pet food and make nutritional recommendations. The session begins by explaining the agencies and organizations that regulate pet food, pet food label requirements and terminology. Next, we will discuss how to read and understand pet food labels to determine the daily caloric requirement of a variety of patient life stages, how to calculate the dry matter basis of pet foods in order to compare a canned food to a dry food and how to determine the amount of carbohydrates in a pet food. Multiple sample calculations will be solved in an interactive forum, allowing attendees to practice the skills learned. How to take a nutritional history, making a nutritional recommendation and educating clients on nutrition also will be covered.
The last presentation will help answer the following questions: Do your clients complain that their pets are finicky eaters? Do you have poor compliance rates when you recommend a diet change or prescribe a veterinary therapeutic diet? Do you have trouble getting hospitalized patients to eat, or do clients complain their pet is not eating well after discharge? This session will cover these questions, food aversions, behavioral issues and more. Pharmaceutical intervention, nutritional history-taking and client education techniques also will be discussed.
1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Changing Perspective: Fear-Free, A Kind Approach, It Doesn’t Have to Hurt: Recognizing Chronic Pain in Cats, No More Cat Wrangling: No More Cat Wrangling! Techniques For Feline-Friendly Handling
Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP (Certified Cat Consultant/Behavior)
Changing Perspective: Fear-Free, A Kind Approach
Many animals feel fear, anxiety and stress at their veterinary visits. Fear-Free techniques help to limit that fear, anxiety and stress. With patients less fearful and stressed, they are easier to handle, we can obtain more accurate readings of vital signs, they recover more quickly, and clients, animals and you are happier. Fear-Free techniques such as considerate approach, gentle control and a touch gradient can be used to reduce fear, anxiety and stress in our patients. In this session, I will discuss what is Fear-Free. This will include understanding fear, anxiety and stress in our cat and dog patients and tools to reduce fear, anxiety and stress.
It Doesn’t Have to Hurt: Recognizing Chronic Pain in Cats
As a certified cat behavior consultant and veterinary technician, I am lucky to bring a clinical eye to the home environment. Many behavior concerns have medical roots that would otherwise go unnoticed. Cats are unique in that they are both predator and prey animals. Due to this, assessing their pain is challenging not only for pet owners but also for veterinary professionals. As veterinary technicians, it is crucial that we can identify pain in cats and communicate its significance to our clients. Through lecture and video demonstration, this session will hone your pain assessment skills and provide you with the resources you need to administer effective client and in-clinic questionnaires.
No More Cat Wrangling: No More Cat Wrangling! Techniques for Feline-Friendly Handling
Many cats feel fear, anxiety and stress when being handled and/or approached. The effects of feeling this way can lead to reduced quality of life for the patient and animal care teams and an increase in injury to staff and make owners less likely to bring their cats in for veterinary visits.
Fear, anxiety and stress also can make veterinary visits more difficult and lead to lower quality care, fewer diagnostics and ultimately poorer medical outcomes. Lastly, it can lead to cats being surrendered due to broken bonds between pets and their owners. Therefore, it is vital for us to do what we can to limit fear, anxiety and stress in the cats we are working with and provide consistent, positive human-to-cat social interactions.
In this session, we will discuss the effects and how to identify the signs of fear, anxiety and stress in our cats. We also will discuss tools and handling techniques that can help reduce fear, anxiety and stress in cats, thus making the shelter, veterinary clinic and home an overall less stressful and happier place for cats, visitors, employees and volunteers. When a cat’s fear and anxiety is reduced, animals will be more adoptable and more likely to stay in long-term, loving homes.
1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
What Is Nasopharyngeal Cicatrix and Why Should You Care? Equine Asthma in Texas, Pleuropneumonia: In for the Long Haul, Trans-Tracheal Wash, Bronchoalveolar Lavage, or Both?
Stephanie Wertman, LVT, VTS (Equine Nursing)
What Is Nasopharyngeal Cicatrix and Why Should You Care: This session will look at nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome and what it means to our clients and patients along with an overview of diagnosis and treatment options.
Equine Asthma in Texas: Stephanie will provide a better understanding of equine asthma in Texas as compared to other geographical areas. She will also review proper diagnosis, treatment and long-term management at home.
Understanding Pleuropneumonia: In for the Long Haul shows how this condition can be managed with thorough history, physical examination, diagnosis and treatment. Stephanie will cover various aspects of this life-threatening disease.
The last topic Stephanie will cover is the difference between a trans-tracheal wash (TTW) and a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) as well as why to use one over the other or why to use both diagnostic procedures. This lecture will include techniques for both procedures.
(3.5 CE credits per session)
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
De-Escalating the Dangerous Situation; Conscious Conversations-Understanding What You Say Matters; Leading with Safety in Mind-Being Proactive, Integrative and Transparent
Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton, JD
De-Escalating the Dangerous Situation - This program provides attendees the opportunity to review and recognize how they respond to an emergency or dangerous interaction. Once we identify and become familiar with participants reactivity, defensiveness, fears, responses and vulnerability, the program will explore best practices in response to difficult/emergency situations. Participants will then be provided a practice situation to help them implement these new skills. Debra will help attendees identify what they may need to shift to become comfortable with a new way to respond so they can identify their immediate reaction in emergencies. We will teach better next steps to take, which may not be intuitive. She supplies easy to implement tools to navigate these difficult/emergency conversations.
Conscious Conversations: Understanding What You Say Matters - This program wraps up the discussions on reactions in an emergency. Always remember, what you say matters. Attendees will continue to work to identify how they respond as a team member or leader, to an emergency or dangerous interaction. Recognizing their reactions can mean the difference between safe de-escalation or danger. We identify each participants unique qualification to assist in an emergency. This information is used to create ‘best practice’ protocols and positions for everyone to take, recognizing their strengths and weaknesses, in an emergency. We will continue to use practice situations to help implement these new skills. Debra works with attendees until they become comfortable a new way to respond as well as what they need to shift when they react. Teaching attendee’s fluid next steps to take is not intuitive. Easy to implement tools are provided to navigate these difficult/emergency conversations.
Leading with Safety in Mind-Being Proactive, Integrative and Transparent - This program works with practice leaders, helping them create and provide direction for their staff in an emergency. Leaders, (Owners/Vets/Management) do not always react appropriately in an emergency. This is human nature. Leaders’ setup the appropriate protocols and procedures. Debra teaches best next steps to take, which may not be intuitive or resolved by standard protocols or procedures. Evolving a team’s reaction in an emergency needs a strong leader. This program asks for current feedback on how leaders are acting in an emergency, explores protocols they currently have in place to respond to emergencies and asks how flexible these protocols are for those implementing reaction.
1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Solving The Staffing Puzzle: How to Be Attract and Retain the Team Members That Will Help You Win! Finding and Reaching Today’s Most Beneficial Audience: How Modern Technologies Can Easily Be Leveraged to Connect Your Practice with the Right Clients! Effective Client Engagement: How to Create and Manage a System that Excites Clients to Be Loyal and Compliant
Bill Shroeder
Veterinary medicine is a people business. The challenges of today’s market require that practices understand and leverage the techniques and systems that reach the right people (pet owners and employees) and clearly communicate the practice’s culture, offerings and goals. This series of sessions will explore how your practice can build systems around these concepts and develop an environment that supports your goals. Join Bill Schroeder as he taps into real-world experiences, shares the techniques that his agency uses to further its client practices and delivers a series of sessions in an interactive, entertaining manner!
(3.5 CE credits per session)
1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion: Expectations on Contracts, Mentorship, How a Veterinarian's Pay Is Calculated, Expectations by Hiree on Work-Life Balance, Benefits and Workload Expectations
Brought to you by the TVMA Recent Grad/Veterinary Student Committee. Panel Participants TBA