11:00 am departure
12:00 pm shotgun start
Format: Scramble with prizes
Cost: $135 per person, includes green fee, cart, box lunch and transportation
Attire: Proper golf attire, collared shirts with sleeves, no denim, must be worn at all times
Designed byy nationally recognized golf course designer, Keith Foster, The Quarry is recognized around the country for it's unique setting and design. The front nine plays in links style format and features rolling hills, native grasses, and immaculate greens. The back nine lays out in a 100-year old quarry pit. With elevated tee boxes and shots that will fly over large expanses you will definitely love this challenging course. PRIZES INCLUDED: First, Second & Third Place Teams, Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive.
This presentation will focus on understanding the critical tasks you must manage as an owner/developer to achieve successful project results. The criteria for identifying and assembling your team, as well as defining the size, budget and schedule for your project will be discussed. Guidelines will be presented for developing a business plan to map goals achievement, a financial plan to determine/confirm revenues and assess tolerable debt, and a construction plan for successfully designing, engineering, financing and building your facility. Major pitfalls, when to expect them and how to overcome them, will also be discussed.
When you are financing the purchase of real estate, a piece of equipment, or needing a line of credit, determine the ins and outs of dealing with bankers and leasing companies. Learn what types of financing are available and how to make a winning presentation that will assure your financing. Also learn about bankers lending attitudes in our current economic times.
When you leave this one-day workshop, you will:
Spend the day with Mark Middleton and Elisa Thompson as they take you ‘out of the exam room’ and into business practices that will improve client satisfaction and your practice’s bottom line.
1:00-1:30 p.m. Registration
1:30 p.m Welcome by Dana Rhoden CMP, CMM
1:35 – 3:15 p.m. Causing Thought about Your Business - Mark Middleton
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Break
3:30– 4:45 p.m.. Marketing Strategies for your Practice– Elisa Thompson, MBA
4:45 - -5:30 p.m. Panel Discussion with Q&A
Program:
Causing Thought about Your Business
Mark Middleton
This is a provocative new approach in how you think about your business, your mission for the business and how you get there. We will share insights and key business strategies that could your improve your
profitability. We will discuss the value of creating a vision and understanding a business approach vs. the medical approach. We will discuss the capital investments, why I should lease, purchase or a variety of other options and understand how tax code 179 impacts your practice. What the “Time Value of
Money is and how it works to your benefit”. You will never approach your practice the same again!
Takeaways:
ELISA THOMPSON. MBA
Have your marketing strategies successfully branded your practices and set your practice apart from the competitions? Do you have a customer program tailored for booking follow-up appointments? Do you have a seasonal promotion tied to both your distribution and manufacturer partners? If not, you will leave this session with the tools to dramatically improve the results of your marketing efforts.
Board Meeting
It’s hard to overemphasize the importance of choosing the best site for buildinga new animal hospital. Having a new state-of-the-art facility cannot ensure success if the location is wrong. Common sense decisions and good information will help you choose a great site. Then, careful design of your building, sign, drives, parking lot and landscape will result in the image you want your facility to project. Slides of completed projects will present the do’s and don’ts of site and landscape design.
Not all veterinarians need to build a new facility. Renovating or adding to your existing building can be an option with careful thought to the overall floor plan. While new construction does not typically interrupt your practice, careful consideration must be given to renovations and additions to keep your doors open during construction. If a renovation is not in your immediate future, a few simple remodeling projects can go a long way. Participants will learn the keys to a successful project and how to keep your doors open during construction.
Featuring the Purina Incredible Dog Team
Friday, Sept 27 | 5:20 – 7:00 pm
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
COST: Complimentary to registered SWVS attendees and registered guests
ATTIRE: Business Casual
Connect with the Exhibitors and enjoy this evening of fun and education on the exhibit floor while being entertained throughout the evening. Entertainment begins with The Purina Incredible Dog Team presented from 5:45 – 6:15 pm. Come celebrate the end of a great day with the exhibitors! Do your shopping while you enjoy a refreshing drink at the same time as the SWVS Best of Show Reception! This is a great opportunity to visit with the exhibitors to help you in your practice. There’s more! A complimentary drink ticket is included in the professional registration fee. You may purchase additional drink tickets at the cash bars located in the Exhibit Hall. Also, enjoy delicious appetizers that will be served throughout the evening.
This session provides a description of local anesthesia techniques for different areas of the canine and feline bodies along with their application to surgical and traumatic pain control. NOTE: Lectures recommended as a prerequisite for DVM02 Pain Management Lab on Friday morning.
This lecture will address common oral pathology that the practitioner sees daily. Identification and treatment at an early age will help puppies and kittens avoid tremendous oral pain and discomfort throughout life.
This session will review the concepts of clinical problem solving and the use of problem localization to help you diagnose even the most complex of cases in a systematic, efficient and accurate manner.
Disorders of the reproductive tract in pet rabbits are seen less often in spayed females but are commonly encountered in intact females. The more common reproductive diseases include septic and cystic mastitis, venereal spirochetosis, uterine adenocarcinoma, endometrial hyperplasia and venous aneurysms, and hydrometra. The urinary system is also a common area of disease, including urolithiasis/hypercalcemia and urinary incontinence. This review aims to help practitioners successfully diagnose and treat frequently seen pathologic conditions affecting these systems.
Most know how to generate financial statements but many don’t know what to do with them. Learn how to make them productive in your management decisions. What’s the importance of the hospital balance sheet? What’s the difference between cash flow and profits? How can an understanding of these important documents make you more successful.
Mobility issues are common in geriatric patients. This lecture discusses various methods to keep older patients mobile.
This interactive, case-based discussion of thoracic radiography uses images taken from general practices and emergency clinics to reinforce practical interpretation principles for a variety of radiographic diagnoses. Emphasis is placed on cases that require accurate radiographic assessment before formulation of a treatment plan. The goal is to reinforce the knowledge base necessary for accurate thoracic interpretation and provide participants with new strategies to deal with complex cases.
Course Fee: $75
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs
Limited to 30 participants
As with any other pain control tool, local anesthesia comes with the risk of possible adverse effects and complications. This presentation deals with drug doses, drug combinations, local anesthesia-related toxicity and recommendations on how to avoid problems. NOTE: Lectures recommended as a prerequisite for DVM02 Pain Management Lab on Friday morning.
Identification of oral radiographic anatomy is addressed, followed by a practical look at all the oral pathology that occurs beyond the gumline. It’s time to get on the dental radiography bandwagon!
This session will discuss clinically relevant concepts about testing methods commonly used to detect infection with vector-borne disease.
Neurologic and musculoskeletal diseases, such as otitis interna, pasteurellosis and other bacterial infections, encephalitozoonosis, cerebral larva migrans, cranial or vertebral trauma, spondylosis, heat stress, and toxemia, are relatively common in companion rabbits and are being identified more often. This presentation reviews some of the more commonly encountered neurologic and musculoskeletal diseases in rabbits and includes diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
We will look at what’s hot in driving practices to the new normal. What are practices doing to stay ahead of the curve with a very challenging market place? Find out what others have done to be financially successful in these times of change.
Muscle loss from aging and pathology is another common issue in geriatric patients. Methods to slow this progressive problem will be presented.
Local anesthesia is a surgical pain control option with many advantages. Its incorporation into the overall perioperative pain control strategy, as well as the impact of local anesthesia on general anesthesia delivery will be explored within the context of the sometimes confusing array of pain control options in small animal medicine. NOTE: Lectures recommended as a prerequisite for DVM02 Pain Management Lab on Friday morning.
Identification of oral radiographic anatomy is addressed, followed by a practical look at all the oral pathology that occurs beyond the gumline. It’s time to get on the dental radiography bandwagon!
Sugar gliders are small nocturnal marsupials that can be challenging as pets but acceptable with appropriate care and if given sufficient socialization and space. This presentation will discuss clinical, diagnostic and treatment techniques and will review specific medical conditions, including malnutrition/nutritional osteodystrophy, dental disease, self-mutilation of the penis and scrotum and other stress-related disorders, trauma, obesity and neoplasms. Anesthesia, castration and scrotal ablation will also be discussed.
Understanding how veterinary practices make money is something that we have studied for years. We will share ‘the secrets of others success’ with you. Where is the low hanging fruit? This session takes a look at where practices are currently finding it.
Quality of life is a “buzzword.” How do we measure it and how do we maintain it?
This session will discuss how to decide which organisms to include and which diagnostic testing modality (PCR, serology or both) is most appropriate in a given clinical scenario.
Everyone can practice yoga - all bodies benefit, regardless of age, experience or flexibility. This class is Hatha based, with a concentration in breathing, listening to the body and connecting with movement. We’ll do breathwork, finding peace and serenity in the moment. Core strength, flexibility, balance and coordination will be addressed. Calm the body and reduce stress. This class is the perfect way to keep you awake, focused and open to new experiences!
Course Fee: $15
Location: Marriott Riverwalk Hotel
Audience: All registered SWVS attendees
Limited to 35 participants
(Transportation provided; shuttle depart from the Convention Center, Convention Way at 7:45 am; tour is approximately 3 hours; shuttle will return to the Convention Center at approximately 12:45 pm; photo ID and ticket required to attend). Back by popular demand! This is a unique opportunity to visit all major exhibits at SeaWorld San Antonio. We’ll go behind the scenes to visit the zoological support areas of the park and attend a presentation by SeaWorld veterinary staff.
Course Fee: $75
Location: SeaWorld San Antonio
Audience: All registered professional attendees (DVMs, Technicians, Office Staff, Practice Managers, Vet/Tech Students)
Limited to 55 participants
This lecture series provides a practical approach for clinicians in the evaluation and diagnosis of itchy dogs.
The first goal of the approach to the patient in the emergency situation should be to correct life-threatening situations first. After ensuring that the airway is patent and the patient is alive, the clinician should treat shock. This lecture will cover treatment strategies to correct all kinds of shock in emergency situations and in a practical and organized way.
Wellness care improves the well-being of the cat as well as the financial soundness of a practice. What tests and preventive programs should be included? The 2013 American Association of Feline Practitioners vaccination recommendations will be discussed.
This lecture is a review of the fundamentals of the neurologic examination that are essential in lesion localization and formulation of the diagnostic plan. The neurologic exam is the cornerstone of neurology, and this session allows practitioners to hone their skills in mentation, the cranial nerve examination and myotatic reflex assessment.
This presentation will review the cause, therapy, and management of Pigeon Fever and Strangles.
This session will review the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia and discuss practical methods for in-clinic and on-farm euthanasia of livestock.
This session will focus on what veterinarians and veterinary technicians need to address before joining a veterinary emergency team. Topics to be covered include personal and practice emergency preparedness plans, building a “go bag,” and a discussion on conditions to expect during an emergency deployment. Participants will receive access to personal and practice emergency preparedness plan templates and instructions developed by the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (TAMU VET).
Knowledge of the biology, husbandry, chemical restraint, diagnostic techniques and common diseases is essential in the medical management of the African hedgehog. The practitioner needs to understand the diagnosis and treatment of neoplasia, acariasis and demyelinating paralysis, which are especially common in this species. An overview of the captive management, anesthesia and clinical techniques, and common diseases will be presented, with a discussion of the suitability of hedgehogs as pets.
Is it hard to get up in the morning, put on those scrubs and walk back into the practice day after day? Are you concerned because your career doesn’t seem to be living up to your expectations? Have you considered that you may be burned out, or do you know you’re going up in flames? Learn about burnout and how reaching this point could be a defining moment in your professional life. There are ways to prevent, minimize and cope with burnout.
For many practices, revenue growth in the past few years has been limited, and for some, nonexistent. Join this lively discussion of the latest tips from the Benchmarks Well-Managed Practice Study and discover new opportunities to keep your practice moving forward.
Step 1: Get in the Game – making the decision to get started may be the hardest part of getting healthy. This step covers how to find the courage to make healthy changes. Step 2: Fuel for Success – it’s all about balancing calories and nutrients to keep you fueled and energized throughout the day. Learn how to find the discipline to choose your foods wisely.
This lecture is designed to help the veterinary clinic that does not routinely deal with transfusion emergencies and therefore finds it cost-prohibitive to keep blood available. In-house donor selection, donor screening, donor compensation, collection, processing and storage will be discussed in detail. This will allow the practice to create a transfusion protocol before an emergency arises.
Senior patients are no longer the young whippersnappers they once were. However, the nutrition we provide can help them live longer, healthier years. Metabolism and nutrient requirements change, arthritis may set in, and a variety of medical conditions may add a twist to your recommendations. Learn what your senior patients require, and learn how you can make a difference in their lives!
Technicians are often involved in drawing blood and submitting tests involving the thyroid and adrenal glands, but often they may not understand what the results mean. This session will cover the interpretation of adrenal and thyroid testing. The intent is for technicians to be more involved with the diagnostic process and know how to counsel clients who have questions about their pets’ adrenal disease.
This session begins with a review of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets seen on a differential blood smear. The life cycle of the cell will be covered from its beginning until its release into the tissues. The common characteristics of the seven types of cells will be reviewed, along with how to identify them on a smear.
Note: The Soft Tissue Surgery in 3D Lectures (ticket required) are offered/repeated four times on Friday. You are invited to attend one lecture. There is no charge; however, you must RSVP on the registration form to obtain a ticket. Tickets are forfeited after the first 10 minutes of each lecture. 3D glasses will be provided for the session.
SWVS is proud to offer CE in a first of its kind presentation of clinical cases in 3D! Dr. John Mauterer will present clinical case studies from the private practice setting filmed in 3D. If you like high-definition movies and love to see them in 3D, come get your CE that way too! Case studies will include urinary, gastrointestinal and respiratory cases. 3D glasses will be provided. The session will be 1 hour and repeat throughout the day. This is a ticketed event with limited availability, so sign up ASAP and be the first to see this groundbreaking innovation in continuing education.
Construction of an animal hospital is unique in that some potential errors are not seen but instead are heard, smelled and felt. Noise and odors are two of the biggest concerns because they are the first two impressions clients receive, and they must be addressed when considering the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Temperature control is also a critical concern in dealing with different zones of the clinic. The engineers involved with your project should be aware of these issues in order to design the most efficient and comfortable system for your building.
This interactive lab will help the clinician master complicated and multiple tooth extractions in cats. Many cats have gingivostomatitis or tooth resorptions and need complete removal of the affected teeth to allow adequate healing. Tooth roots left in the mouth can lead to incomplete oral healing and constant pain. Attention will be given to flap development, buccal bone removal, complete tooth extraction, alveoplasty and surgical closure. Dental radiology will be available to confirm complete tooth extraction and evaluate alveoplasty technique.
Course Fee: $350
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs
Limited to 24 participants
This hands-on lab will offer a unique opportunity to advance your knowledge and clinical skills in local/regional analgesia and pain management, with personalized instruction in technique, anatomic landmark identification and drug selection. Topics will include drug dosages and combinations, equipment, techniques, and how to safely combine local and general anesthesia. Hands-on practice of local anesthesia techniques using canine and feline cadavers will be offered. Gain experience and confidence in anesthesia for the most effective surgical pain control. Note - Thursday night Pain Management lectures recommended as a prerequisite for this lab.
Course Fee: $400
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs
Limited to 24 participants
This class will offer a computer-based interactive discussion of multiparameter anesthesia monitoring, including pulse oximetry, capnography, ECG interpretation and blood pressure. Normal values and recognition of anesthesia complications (hypotension, arrhythmias, hypoxia, hypercapnia, etc) will be discussed and complications addressed. There will be a strong focus on electrical and mechanical cardiac performance and their impact on perfusion. The interactive component will use polling, multiple choice questions and selected audience questions to facilitate the discussion.
Course Fee: $75
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: Technicians
Limited to 15 participants
This lecture series provides a practical approach for clinicians in the evaluation and diagnosis of itchy dogs.
This session is a real-world discussion of techniques and tools of nontraditional vascular access. The techniques discussed will include intraosseous catheterization (powered and manual), venous cutdowns and the Seldinger technique (with and without ultrasound).
This session will look at how to optimize nutrition, minimize vomiting, identify the underlying cause of lipidosis and counsel clients for a successful outcome in the majority of cases. Ten rules will help you remember therapeutic tips.
This session covers the essentials of neurolocalization of forebrain, brainstem and cerebellar lesions that affect the dog and cat. Videos will be included to emphasize the ways that patients present, and valuable tips will be provided about lesion localization and correlation with the neurologic exam.
This session will review new information that any practitioner can immediately apply to the work-up of the acute abdomen.
This session will present current research on captive bolt euthanasia and other recently published studies of livestock euthanasia.
This session will provide a brief overview of the TAMU VET and then move to a discussion on the safety aspects of being involved in a veterinary emergency response effort. Topics to be covered include situational awareness, examples of safety issues likely to be encountered and psychological first aid.
Gastrointestinal stasis syndrome is common in rabbits and is characterized by anorexia, oligodipsia, decreased or absent fecal production, and a large stomach with dough-like contents. Multiple factors lead to hairball formation, gastric stasis, and ileus, but the major cause is a diet low in fiber. Most rabbits with gastric stasis/ileus respond to aggressive medical management. This session will review rabbit nutrition and GI physiology, with emphasis on prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal stasis syndrome. Nutrition and GI hypomotility/stasis disease in guinea pigs and chinchillas will also be covered.
We all know that in theory, stress causes bad things to our bodies. We may also know some of the things it can cause: headaches, backaches, insomnia and more. But what does this mean to our daily lives, and how does our position in society and in our practice influence our stress load? We’ll learn from a number of scientists, and a group of baboons, just what stress and a cultural change can mean to our personal health and professional satisfaction.
For many practices, revenue growth in the past few years has been limited, and for some, nonexistent. Join this lively discussion of the latest tips from the Benchmarks Well-Managed Practice Study and discover new opportunities to keep your practice moving forward.
Step 3: Fitness – life is busy. Carving out time for exercise can be a big challenge. This step provides hands-on tools and techniques to help you move more as part of your busy life. Step 4: Persevere Through Challenges – did you ever notice how the curveballs of life can either knock us down or serve as building blocks to make us stronger? This session provides encouragement for putting joy in your journey.
This session covers the sick kidney, from acute to chronic renal failure, pathophysiology, treatment, nursing interventions and long-term care. Renal disease is highly prevalent among dogs and cats. This session provides a foundation for the veterinary technician in understanding and managing these cases.
Nutrition is the fifth vital assessment: our patients require it daily, and more than 50% of the patients we see are overweight. Veterinary professionals often fail to talk about nutrition, leading to this growing epidemic of obesity.. Learn about the causes of obesity, the management of obesity, how to have difficult conversations with clients and how to implement a successful program in your hospital. Play an integral role in decreasing these numbers across our nation, and increase the life span and comfort level of your patients!
This lecture will focus on the most common transfusion-related cases that present to general practices. There are key clinical and diagnostic factors that help determine when transfusions may be beneficial or even harmful.
This session begins with a review of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets seen on a differential blood smear. The life cycle of the cell will be covered from its beginning until its release into the tissues. The common characteristics of the seven types of cells will be reviewed, along with how to identify them on a smear.
Nothing influences a client like that first impression. The reception, waiting and exam rooms are the first and often the only areas in your facility that clients see, influencing their perception of your facility and your practice. These are also the areas where the majority of clinic revenue is generated. This presentation will focus on effective layout and organization of these spaces, using actual installations as examples. Colors, lighting, accessories and finishes will also be covered.
The SWVS Cyber Café is located inside the Exhibit Hall at SWVS Communication Center, booth 289, and designed for you to stop, relax, meet your friends, check your email and enjoy the Wi-Fi lounge. Also available this year is a kiosk to recharge your cell phone.
The “Private” side of the hospital has different concerns from those of the public areas. Issues of moisture, clinical procedures or animal housing require special design considerations to ensure the efficiency of your practice and the longevity of your building. Proper grouping of departments in your building is key to a successful practice. Participants will learn what is unique to designing the work zone areas of the hospital.
This lecture will discuss the growing concern about drug resistance in staphylococcal infections.
Fluid therapy is the cornerstone of veterinary medicine. This lecture will focus on the large array of therapies that are available and can be used affordably and simply, including natural and artificial colloid fluids.
This presentation reviews how the feline gastrointestinal (GI) tract works and why what works in dogs doesn’t work in cats. Clinical applications for daily practice are the focus of this session.
This session will focus on neurolocalization of lesions that affect the spinal cord and neuromuscular systems. Videos and discussion will detail how patients will present with lesions below the foramen magnum, and tips will be provided to make localization easier and less mysterious.
This presentation discusses the different presentations, causes, and therapies for the chronic musculoskeletal conditions of QH: PSSM, HYPP, Suspensory Desmitis, Rhabdomyolitis and more.
This session will discuss the options and legal implications of disposal of livestock carcasses for veterinarians and livestock producers.
This two-part session will cover what is required to set up and operate a veterinary medical operation in a disaster environment, field triage and veterinary medical triage. The TAMU VET will be used as an example of an emergency response veterinary medical operation. In addition, the field triage and veterinary medical system used by TAMU VET will be explained and contrasted with systems used by other teams.
Pharmacokinetic studies in exotic small mammals are lacking, and therefore most dosages used in small mammals are based on empirical data, observations and experience. Drug uptake depends on many factors, so it’s important for veterinarians to know some of the pharmacobiologic, physiologic and anatomic characteristics of these species. Most drugs used in exotic small mammals are extralabel. Drug administration sites, compounding and issues in choosing antibiotic, analgesic, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are reviewed.
Compassion fatigue has been called the “cost of caring,” and many of us are experiencing the price for a career in veterinary medicine. Learn the basics of compassion fatigue, with data from our own profession, as well as insight from outside our world. See why it’s so vital to focus on job satisfiers, and learn tips for putting the focus back on you, the caregiver. Only by caring for ourselves will we have the compassion to care for others.
A well-thought plan sets the stage for a smooth practice transition for all parties. This program outlines the items to consider in succession planning, a step-by-step plan, and the latest on who’s buying, who’s selling, and the surprising reasons veterinarians are delaying or accelerating sales.
Step 5: Find Your Passion – everyone needs a reason to rise and shine! Passion gives life meaning and purpose. This session will take you through a series of steps to help you identify and nurture your passion. Step 6: Age Gracefully – the aging process can leave us feeling tired and in poor health. This session provides motivational tools to take charge of your life and your health.
This lecture will benefit veterinary technicians at every level. This information will aid in the ability to customize transfusion treatment based on the diagnosis and resources available to your practice. Individual components of blood and their specific uses in treatment will be discussed, along with typing, crossmatching, dosage and administration protocols.
Details coming soon.
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, or IMHA, can be a devastating critical care disease. This lecture will cover the disease basics and focus on treatment and nursing interventions to further educate veterinary technicians. Topics include clinical pathology, immunosuppressive drugs, transfusion medicine and nursing.
Various animal cases will be discussed, highlighting the effects on laboratory results. The information covered in the first 2 hours will be applied to the finding of the cases to demonstrate the roles of blood cells and their changes under abnormal conditions.
Note: The Soft Tissue Surgery in 3D Lectures (ticket required) are offered/repeated four times on Friday. You are invited to attend one lecture. There is no charge; however, you must RSVP on the registration form to obtain a ticket. Tickets are forfeited after the first 10 minutes of each lecture. 3D glasses will be provided for the session.
SWVS is proud to offer CE in a first of its kind presentation of clinical cases in 3D! Dr. John Mauterer will present clinical case studies from the private practice setting filmed in 3D. If you like high-definition movies and love to see them in 3D, come get your CE that way too! Case studies will include urinary, gastrointestinal and respiratory cases. 3D glasses will be provided. The session will be 1 hour and repeat throughout the day. This is a ticketed event with limited availability, so sign up ASAP and be the first to see this groundbreaking innovation in continuing education.
It’s always interesting to know what our colleagues are building. This slide presentation of newly constructed animal facilities will highlight current trends and design features that have resulted in successful building projects. After attending this presentation, practitioners considering a building project should be better able to establish goals and quality standards for their projects.
This session is a case-based clinical discussion of the various clinical presentations of demodicosis in dogs and cats.
Traumatized emergency patients often have abnormalities that need to be corrected surgically. But these patients are not the best candidates for anesthesia. If the clinician focuses on the “big ticket items” that adversely affect the anesthetic period, then the anesthetic period will be much safer.
It can be frustrating to try to treat the chronic feline snuffler. The longer the course, the more severe the consequences to affected tissues and the more debilitated the patient. A logical diagnostic plan to differentiate probable etiologies and rule out nonviral causes results in appropriate therapeutic choices.
This lecture highlights the pathogenesis, diagnostic workup and management of seizures and status epilepticus. Emphasis will be placed on drugs used for management of seizures as well as a paradigm for control of the patient with status epilepticus. New drugs in the forefront for seizure control will be discussed, as will case studies.
Diagnosis, management and therapy for lower airway conditions that impact performance will be discussed.
Historical events related to carcass disposal will be reviewed, with a discussion of current and future options for disposal of carcasses during an outbreak of disease.
This two-part session will cover what is required to set up and operate a veterinary medical operation in a disaster environment, field triage and veterinary medical triage. The TAMU VET will be used as an example of an emergency response veterinary medical operation. In addition, the field triage and veterinary medical system used by TAMU VET will be explained and contrasted with systems used by other teams.
In wildlife medicine, it is often necessary to chemically restrain animals to perform basic procedures. This is especially true when working with the order Carnivora, a large and diverse group of mammals. It is important to be familiar with the variety of immobilizing agents and equipment used in this field and when to use each. This session will outline strategies, commonly used drugs, and delivery systems.
Compassion fatigue is nothing new, especially not to human health care. A nurse coined the term “compassion fatigue” when others described it as vicarious trauma and secondary post-traumatic stress. See what we can learn from nurses who have explored this concept and how a program called A.R.T. can enhance our professional quality of life. We must Acknowledge, Recognize and Turn toward ourselves to heal from the inside out.
A well-thought plan sets the stage for a smooth practice transition for all parties. This program outlines the items to consider in succession planning, a step-by-step plan, and the latest on who’s buying, who’s selling, and the surprising reasons veterinarians are delaying or accelerating sales.
Step 7: Finish Strong - the difference between mediocrity and success is how determined you are to finish strong. This session will include an inspiring journey of determination and courage to finish strong. You don’t want to miss this! Time is allowed for Q&A, so come prepared to “Ask the Expert” your burning nutrition and fitness questions.
Feline patients with lower urinary tract disease can present as severely compromised with a urethral obstruction. The role of the veterinary technician is crucial in recognizing and assisting with treatment of this critical patient. This lecture covers the disease process, critical care nursing, outcome and management of these patients after they’ve been unblocked.
This lecture will help you protect transfusion recipients by reducing the risk of transfusion reactions. Multiple risk factors are associated with administering blood components. Understanding these risks and the ability to identify potential problems will greatly increase the effectiveness of the transfusion and the survival of the patient.
This session provides an overview of the severity of a common disease, including clinical signs, abnormalities in the physical exam, biochemical or metabolic abnormalities, treatment options, pain management, and how and when to feed.
Various animal cases will be discussed, highlighting the effects on laboratory results. The information covered in the first 2 hours will be applied to the finding of the cases to demonstrate the roles of blood cells and their changes under abnormal conditions.
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
This is meant to be a one-on-one discussion of some cases of hepatic disease in dogs, including asymptomatic dogs with abnormal clin path and/or imaging findings.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
This is a Q&A luncheon that addresses export requirements for non-traditional and exotics species listed on the APHIS International Animal Export Regulations. We will cover how to find the export information you need and how to fill out forms. Dr. Amend can advise on yow to obtain export information on non-traditional/exotic species not listed on the USDA APHIS website. He will discuss how the USDA APHIS VS responds to animals that get held up in export. Feel free to bring your mobile device with wireless access (phone/tablet) to search the website during the discussion! (note: export of dats/dogs/horses/wildlife are not addressed in this session).
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
1 hour CE credit. Limited quantity of boxed lunches provided. Attendees will exchange lunch bucks ticket for satellite session lunch.
It has long been recognized that the enteric bacterial ecosystem of dogs and cats plays an important role in health. This session will discuss the physiologic gastrointestinal microbiota and the effects of derangements of the normal microbiota. The session will also discuss the various options for manipulation of the gastrointestinal microbiota through prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, and antibiotics. Emphasis will be placed on advantages and disadvantages for each one of these approaches. In particular, probiotics have been shown to promote digestive health, improve skin and coat barrier function, and enhance immune function. These beneficial effects can vary by species and strain. While probiotics have been used in humans for many years, new findings indicate that they offer some promise for companion animals as well.
Limited quantity of boxed lunches provided. Attendees will exchange lunch bucks ticket for satellite session lunch.
This session will review the important properties of needles, suture and surgical sponges and selection criteria for various surgical procedures. The features and benefits of the most commonly used and recently introduced Ethicon sutures and Vetspon surgical sponges will be discussed.
1 hour of CE credit is provided by SWVS
Limited quantity of boxed lunches provided. Attendees will exchange lunch bucks ticket for satellite session lunch.
This luncheon session will review of pain as experienced by companion animal patients with a discussion of analgesic products to relieve the pain and techniques for using them.
Limited quantity of boxed lunches provided. Attendees will exchange lunch bucks ticket for satellite session lunch.
Class IV laser therapy has emerged as one of the fastest growing technologies in veterinary medicine. This intimate and collegial symposium conducted by the American Institute of Medical Laser Applications (AIMLA) includes a practical review of everyday conditions that benefit from laser therapy in practice. The science of therapeutic lasers and laser-tissue interactions will be emphasized, as well as the financial implications of offering laser therapy. Laser therapy provides a non-invasive, drug-free, and safe treatment for a wide variety of common conditions by reducing pain and inflammation, and speeding healing. Clinical applications and procedures useful in practice will be demonstrated with a presentation of clinical cases in slide and video format.
(Transportation provided; shuttle will depart from the Convention Center, Convention Center at 1:00 pm; tour is approximately 3 hours; bus returns to Convention Center at approximately 5:30 pm; photo ID, security clearance and ticket required to attend). This exciting tour begins with a presentation by the 341st Training Squadron, the Air Force unit that manages the Department of Defense Dog School. A short mission outline will be presented and basic assessment and performance behaviors demonstrated. Time will be allowed for questions from the audience. After an Army Veterinary Corps welcome, attendees will tour the 38,000-square foot, state-of-the-art hospital. Participants will visit the training area to learn how the dogs are trained and the resources required. Note: All attendees must meet security requirements to participate. The registration fee charged for this event is to cover the cost of transportation. Lackland AFB receives no proceeds from the event.
Course Fee: $75
Location: Lackland AFB
Audience: All registered professional attendees (DVMs, Technicians, Office Staff, Practice Managers, Vet/Tech Students)
Limited to 55 participants
This interactive, case-based master class will help improve your feline medical and PURRSONAL skills. Handling difficult, defensive cats for examination and sample collection is key. Videos, images and interactive discussion will present indications for and show how to perform esophagostomy tube placement, medial saphenous vein and intraosseous catheterization, urinary catheterization, bone marrow aspiration, intubation without a laryngoscope and (transoral) tracheal wash, percutaneous keyhole renal biopsy, rectal cytology and Tritrichomonas foetus identification. Fluid therapy and caloric needs for health, illness and weight loss will be covered.
This laboratory will feature computer simulations of field triage, veterinary medical triage and safety aspects of deploying with a veterinary emergency team. Participants will make decisions based on simulated situations and then experience the consequences and rewards of those decisions. This exciting and fast-paced laboratory is appropriate for a broad range of experience levels.
Course Fee: $100
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs, Technicians
Limited to 15 participants
The lab will begin by discussing the proper techniques used before making a blood smear; for example, choice of anticoagulant, proper blood collection, storage, handling and slide preparation. Making a good blood smear will be discussed; demonstrations and hands-on training using blood will be provided. Staining tips will be given, and participants will learn where to start their count to get the best representation of blood. Participants will learn cell identification to complete a differential count of 100 cells. The instructor will use a teaching microscope with images projected on screen. The lab will end with a “name that cell and species” review. Note - Friday morning lectures recommended as a prerequisite for this lab.
Course Fee: $150
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: Technicians
Limited to 12 participants
This session will address how these three factors influence the design of veterinary facilities. It’s easy to overplay our response to any one of these to the detriment of the building and practice. Can a practice do more with less? Can a smaller facility work and still generate revenue? Is sustainable design affordable? Does it really help the environment? How can we give both clients and staff what they’ve come to expect? These issues will be discussed to help you be better informed to decide what’s right for your practice and situation.
This lecture series provides a practical approach for clinicians in the evaluation and diagnosis of itchy cats.
This two hour session provides an overview and the results from the first year of the study. Learn how you can participate in this groundbreaking study the Morris Animal Foundation is undertaking.
This case-based lecture will highlight the challenging cases that practitioners face on a weekly basis. Discussion will revolve around history, diagnostics, pathophysiology and case management that will provide useful tips for identifying those cases that don’t always play by the rules.
Control of tick infestations and tick-transmitted diseases can be difficult and frustrating. Reports of product failures are common, and resistance is often blamed. However, various biologic and ecologic factors are responsible for most perceived control failures. One area of importance is the documented range expansion and increased density of several important tick species and associated tick-borne diseases. This lecture will highlight the host, habitat and climatic factors that contribute to changes in tick distribution, density and seasonality. Current data on tick control product performance and implementing effective tick control strategies will also be discussed.
This session offers a look at diagnosis and management of some of the most common problems of the reproductive system seen in small animal practice.
This session will discuss new important epidemiologic information, methods of diagnosis and treatment, and the zoonotic implications of infection with spotted fever group Rickettsia in dogs.
The many different causes of foal pneumonia, diagnostics, therapy, and new information regarding ultrasonographic screening for R equi will be discussed.
The need for information flow from the individual producer all the way to the consumer continues to become increasingly important. Field data collection remains a major stumbling block in the flow of this information. From tick marks on a piece of paper to computerized chute-side record systems, this session will discuss the evolution of field data collection with the use of laptops, tablets and mobile devices.
A brief review will be given of current research as well as new diagnostics and therapeutic modalities for infections with this virus, causative agent of proventricular dilatation disease.
Have you ever heard yourself say, “that’s not in my job description”? The reality is that many of us lack a job description that is current and accurately reflects the work we do. Learn how you to write your own job description and in turn generate a performance evaluation system that actually evaluates the work you’re supposed to be doing. Lay out the expectations the practice has for you, and learn how to use the evaluation to further your career.
Top-notch medical care doesn’t always ensure repeat client visits, and the economy continues to impact clients’ willingness and ability to say yes to necessary medical care. What can you do to keep clients coming back? Join a lively discussion of how to offer reasonable options and payment plans, how breed-specific wellness plans build loyalty and drive visits, and the critical need for client and staff education.
Creating a successful, generationally diverse team requires attention to which strategies build bridges between people (engage) and which strategies widen the generation gap (villainize or tolerate). Choosing a strategy that fosters engagement among all team members allows generational strengths and abilities to shine.
A strategy for effective communication will be presented, combining work done by several social scientists in the corporate world with Daniel Goleman’s theories on emotional and social intelligence. Step 1 - recognize your own generational bias (self-awareness). Step 2 - suspend your generational bias (self-management).
This lecture will cover recognition of the “hypos” seen with general anesthesia and current anesthesia techniques used to minimize and address these issues. Partial intravenous anesthesia (PIVA) and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) will be discussed.
To standardize and improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts in veterinary medicine, the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care has developed guidelines for training and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) is an initiative to create and provide an evidence-based consensus of guidelines to manage cardiac arrest in small animals. During this lecture, recommendations for basic CPR will be presented and discussed.
Veterinary technicians give all sorts of medications that affect the GI tract. But what do they do? How do they work? This session will discuss emetics, antiemetics, antacids and antibiotics used to manipulate or treat diseases in the GI system.
What is canine physical rehabilitation? Are you interested in becoming certified in canine physical rehabilitation? Wondering what you would do in this position? Have any rehabilitation-related questions? This lecture will discuss the basics of canine physical rehabilitation, cover how to become certified, and answer any questions you may have about the subject.
Note: The Soft Tissue Surgery in 3D Lectures (ticket required) are offered/repeated four times on Friday. You are invited to attend one lecture. There is no charge; however, you must RSVP on the registration form to obtain a ticket. Tickets are forfeited after the first 10 minutes of each lecture. 3D glasses will be provided for the session.
SWVS is proud to offer CE in a first of its kind presentation of clinical cases in 3D! Dr. John Mauterer will present clinical case studies from the private practice setting filmed in 3D. If you like high-definition movies and love to see them in 3D, come get your CE that way too! Case studies will include urinary, gastrointestinal and respiratory cases. 3D glasses will be provided. The session will be 1 hour and repeat throughout the day. This is a ticketed event with limited availability, so sign up ASAP and be the first to see this groundbreaking innovation in continuing education.
OVMA Board Meeting
This lecture series provides a practical approach for clinicians in the evaluation and diagnosis of itchy cats.
This two hour session provides an overview and the results from the first year of the study. Learn how you can participate in this groundbreaking study the Morris Animal Foundation is undertaking.
This session provides useful information about what neurologic cases need referral and what constitutes a referral. Discussion will center around spinal cord injury, brain trauma and the steps necessary to stabilize the critical patient, and what the practitioner can do to smooth the transition to a nearby referral center.
Although flea control technology has made great advances over the past decade, problem cases still arise. Most of these cases and reported failures can be traced directly to a lack of understanding of flea biology and product performance attributes. Issues such as do we have effective flea repellents, do products kill fleas before they bite and feed, how rapidly do they work, how long do they last and reality versus client expectations frustrate private practitioners. This seminar will use a case-based format to try to bring clarity to these issues.
This presentation focuses on maximizing fertility with accurate breeding management based on hormonal changes that occur during the estrus cycle.
This session will review important diagnostic, treatment and potential zoonotic implications of ehrlichial infections.
This presentation will review recent information regarding laboratory and physical exam values to help guide practitioner assessment of prognosis and when a referral is warranted.
Collecting data is only the first step in the process of developing useful information. Once collected, the data must be validated, analyzed and interpreted. This session will discuss determining what data must be collected, validation methods and pitfalls in data interpretation.
New tips and tricks (and some old favorites) will be presented for making the avian practice stress free during administration of anesthesia.
Top-notch medical care doesn’t always ensure repeat client visits, and the economy continues to impact clients’ willingness and ability to say yes to necessary medical care. What can you do to keep clients coming back? Join a lively discussion of how to offer reasonable options and payment plans, how breed-specific wellness plans build loyalty and drive visits, and the critical need for client and staff education.
If your first answer is, “not in my paycheck,” then that’s only half the answer! Learn more about practice finances and why it matters to you - and it matters to you if you’ve ever pondered any of these questions: who decides how much to charge for products on the shelf? How are prices for services determined? Why can’t I get that raise? When is the practice going to invest more in the team? We see clients paying their bills, so where does the money go?
Creating a successful, generationally diverse team requires attention to which strategies build bridges between people (engage) and which strategies widen the generation gap (villainize or tolerate). Choosing a strategy that fosters engagement among all team members allows generational strengths and abilities to shine.
Step 3 - learn how to speak other generational languages (social awareness). Step 4 - build relationships (social management).
This session will discuss current techniques in small animal anesthesia pain management, including systemic and regional techniques.
To standardize and improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts in veterinary medicine, the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care has developed guidelines for training and performing CPR. RECOVER is the initiative to create and provide an evidence-based consensus of guidelines to manage cardiac arrest in small animals. During this lecture, the recommendations for advanced CPR will be presented and discussed.
Critically ill patients are stressed patients, and stressed patients can develop hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia is a known factor that influences how a critical patient does in the hospital. This session focuses on dealing with glucose and glucose control in the ICU and discusses the factors that influence development of this critical care syndrome.
There is a lot you can do without all the fancy equipment, so come find out what that might be and how to use what you have! Feel free to bring specific cases if you could use some advice about rehabilitation needs.
The selection of materials and finishes is a balancing act and one of the most important aspects of the design of animal care facilities. A material’s color and appearance must be balanced against installed cost, life-cycle cost and durability. Mistakes in selection of finishes can result in a facility that is unattractive and hard to maintain. This presentation will discuss the do’s, don’ts and pitfalls of finishes and colors. The use of renewable, environmentally friendly materials in hospital design will also be highlighted.
Ringworm is one of the most overdiagnosed (and yet underdiagnosed) dermatopathies. This session offers a case-based discussion of diagnosis, management and treatments.
The theory of acupuncture in both the traditional Chinese medicine and conventional medicine acumen will be presented. Ancient and conventional theories behind acupuncture will be discussed, as will application of acupuncture to the modern treatment of multiple ailments of all types in veterinary medicine.
Infection with Dirofilaria immitis is extremely common and often life-threatening, with more than 250,000 cases reported annually in the United States. Although the condition is common, there are still many misperceptions about the life cycle and transmission of this mosquito-vectored disease. Additionally, numerous questions still arise about the performance of preventive agents, efficacy of the adulticide and accuracy of the antigen tests pre- and posttreatment. This presentation will try to clear up misconceptions and provide insights into the changing aspects of heartworm infections in dogs.
The various techniques for canine artificial insemination will be reviewed, along with indications for use with fresh, chilled or frozen semen.
This session will review important diagnostic, treatment and potential zoonotic implications of infection with Anaplasma species.
The different antibiotic choices available to practitioners is the focus of this session; along with dosing strategies and basic rule of thumb when to choose one over another.
Offering record analysis as a service to clients can be an important means of expanding services in a veterinary practice but is often difficult to implement. This session will look at ways to become proficient and efficient in the process and ways to recognize value from these services.
New to avian medicine and want to add this aspect to your regular or emergency practice? Come learn basic tips to make clients happy, give an adequate standard of care and avoid malpractice when seeing avian patients and their owners.
Where’s our P&L? What’s the difference between a debit and a credit? Why don’t assets equal liabilities - should they? What are the key financial reports to review each month? If you’ve ever been asked (or asked yourself) these questions and weren’t sure of the answers, join this discussion designed to provide basic financial and accounting principles to elevate your financial savvy and clear up any misconceptions or confusion about the business side of a veterinary practice.
Are you a technician and wondering what’s next? Is the routine getting to be a grind - do you want to explore your options? Are you worn out from wrestling Rottweilers and removing tabby cats from the ceiling? Have you considered management but don’t know if it’s for you? If so, come learn why you might want to choose management, and why your practice might want to choose you for the promotion.
Creating a successful, generationally diverse team requires attention to which strategies build bridges between people (engage) and which strategies widen the generation gap (villainize or tolerate). Choosing a strategy that fosters engagement among all team members allows generational strengths and abilities to shine.
During this lively and interactive session, participants will apply the strategy presented in the preceding sessions to specific scenarios and share that information in a facilitated discussion.
This case-based interactive discussion will review basic and advanced CPR protocols and how these techniques are integrated in actual scenarios of CPR. The emphasis will be on team building, advance directives for patients and record keeping during and after CPR.
Veterinary technicians in every sort of practice often see emergent and critically injured patients. This talk focuses on the nursing involved with taking care of a sick patient. Basic nursing skills, physiology and pathophysiology are discussed and everyday techniques and tricks explained. Nursing can influence a patient’s outcome. This talk will enhance your ability to nurse the sick patient.
This lecture will cover recognition of the “hypos” seen with general anesthesia and current anesthesia techniques utilized to minimize and address these issues. PIVA and TIVA will be discussed.
This session will discuss the unique needs of senior pets who require rehabilitation. Specific case studies will be reviewed, and a separate Q&A session on senior pet rehabilitation will be provided.
Note: The Soft Tissue Surgery in 3D Lectures (ticket required) are offered/repeated four times on Friday. You are invited to attend one lecture. There is no charge; however, you must RSVP on the registration form to obtain a ticket. Tickets are forfeited after the first 10 minutes of each lecture. 3D glasses will be provided for the session.
SWVS is proud to offer CE in a first of its kind presentation of clinical cases in 3D! Dr. John Mauterer will present clinical case studies from the private practice setting filmed in 3D. If you like high-definition movies and love to see them in 3D, come get your CE that way too! Case studies will include urinary, gastrointestinal and respiratory cases. 3D glasses will be provided. The session will be 1 hour and repeat throughout the day. This is a ticketed event with limited availability, so sign up ASAP and be the first to see this groundbreaking innovation in continuing education.
Strengthen the entire body with an emphasis on core conditioning. This nonaerobic, muscle-toning class combines Pilates and body sculpting to focus on your core. Body sculpting is designed to shape and tone the body without building muscular size or bulk, helping you retain lean muscle tissue, boost metabolism and tone large muscle groups. The Pilates exercises focus on core strength, torso stability and mobility of the limbs, improving posture, body awareness, strength, flexibility and balance.
Course Fee: $15
Location: Marriott Riverwalk Hotel
Audience: All registered SWVS attendees
Limited to 35 participants
This discussion will focus on the common indications, pitfalls and barriers for transfusion medicine in small animal practice. Indications and collection and administration techniques will be covered, with emphasis on applicability for those in general practice.
This three-part discussion highlights the pertinent issues necessary to understand, recognize and treat the most common endocrine disorder seen in the dog. The key purpose of the discussion leads to nice bedside diagnostic and therapy algorithm templates. Parts II and III were presented at the 2012 Dechra Cushing’s Symposium.
This lecture will review applied anatomy of the canine and feline stifle. Normal meniscus and importance in identifying meniscal injuries will be addressed. Clinical signalment and the history of dogs and cats with acute complete cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injury and ongoing partial CCL injury will be discussed. Knowledge of physical and imaging findings essential for the diagnosis of early CCL injury in small and large breeds of dogs will also be addressed. Note, lectures recommended as prerequisite for DVM04 Orthopedic lab.
This lecture will focus on a real-world approach to using ultrasound imaging equipment within small animal general and emergency practices. Technology, purchasing decisions, training, and case selection will be discussed. Note-lectures recommended as prerequisite for DVM03 Abdominal Ultrasound lab.
This lecture will look at instruments you may need in practice, references and tips for starting a reptile practice or expanding an existing practice to include reptile patients.
Hill's invites you to Get Your Cowboy On!
featuring Country Western Entertainment by Cactus Country
Friday, September 27 | 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Lonesome Dove, River Level
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
COST: Complimentary to all registered professional attendees & registered guest
ATTIRE: Business Casual
Back again this year! SWVS Connect 2013 has combined the DVM Alumni and Veterinary Students with the Technicians, Students and Hospital Personnel for an incredible evening! This event starts off with a reception designed to bring together former and current classmates for an evening of fellowship, friendship, and fun. The veterinary schools at Auburn University, Colorado State University, Kansas State University, Louisiana State University, Oklahoma State University, Mississippi State University, Texas A&M University, Tuskegee University, the University of Missouri and the University of Tennessee have representatives on-site to update alumni on the latest happenings at their respective schools. There will also be a chance for other schools to gather and enjoy the evening entertainment featuring Cactus Country. Cactus Country has become the most requested Country and Western Band for conventions, events, and conference groups within the San Antonio area! Cactus Country’s Texas style music, which includes a playlist of well-known C&W top hits, will insure everyone will enjoy their reception and the Southwest Experience the entire evening. Complimentary appetizers will be served along with a cash bar.
Attend this interactive, informal discussion session with refreshments to learn what top Texas and Oklahoma Producers want and expect from their beef cattle veterinarians. As rural and, particularly, food animal practice changes, providing the services that your producers need and want can be the difference between practice success and failure. This practice-changing discussion may open your eyes and give the insight you need to bring your practice through these challenging times.
Respiratory emergencies create great angst among patients, owners, veterinarians and their staff. Decisive action can make the difference between life and death. This case-based approach will review numerous emergency procedures that alleviate clinical signs of respiratory emergencies.
This three-part discussion highlights the pertinent issues necessary to understand, recognize and treat the most common endocrine disorder seen in the dog. The key purpose of the discussion leads to nice bedside diagnostic and therapy algorithm templates. Parts II and III were presented at the 2012 Dechra Cushing’s Symposium.
This lecture will build on the initial discussion of normal anatomy and diagnosis. Applied anatomy of a surgical approach to facilitate examination of intra-articular structures and placement of stabilization materials at the isometric points will be discussed. Techniques for examination of the cruciate ligaments and medial and lateral menisci will be described. Early lesions of the CCL and progression to complete rupture will be shown, as will techniques to identify types of meniscal injury. Technique for partial meniscectomy and meniscal release will be covered. Note-lectures recommended as prerequisite for DVM04 Orthopedic lab.
These paired lectures will cover a range of topics necessary for expanding the use of ultrasound imaging within general and emergency practices. Imaging techniques, basic ultrasound physics, normal anatomy and common abdominal diseases will all be discussed. Note-lectures recommended as prerequisite to DVM03 Abdominal Ultrasound lab.
Many reptile patients present as “crashed” and are often described as being “fine” yesterday or earlier today. The reality is that many are chronically ill. Initial diagnostic and immediate therapies will be discussed.
Often delays in emergency therapy have to do with unfamiliarity with the therapeutics at your fingertips. This lecture will review the top 10 drugs that you need to treat the emergency patient.
This three-part discussion highlights the pertinent issues necessary to understand, recognize and treat the most common endocrine disorder seen in the dog. The key purpose of the discussion leads to nice bedside diagnostic and therapy algorithm templates. Parts II and III were presented at the 2012 Dechra Cushing’s Symposium.
Stabilization with novel suture anchors (Arthrex SwiveLock/Corkscrew/Fastac) is the focus of this lecture. Each product and application technique will be described in detail. Identification of near isometric sites and insertion of anchors at these sites will be addressed. The lecture series will culminate in a discussion of complications and long-term outcomes. Note-lectures recommended as prerequisite for DVM04 Orthopedic lab.
These paired lectures will cover a range of topics necessary for expanding the use of ultrasound imaging within general and emergency practices. Imaging techniques, basic ultrasound physics, normal anatomy and common abdominal diseases will be discussed. Note-lectures recommended as prerequisite for DVM03 Abdominal Ultrasound lab.
A follow-up to Part I, this lecture will cover general principles of acute versus chronic illness supported with case examples. When is “crashed” really acute versus decompensation from a chronic problem?
Strengthen the entire body with an emphasis on core conditioning. This nonaerobic, muscle-toning class combines Pilates and body sculpting to focus on your core. Body sculpting is designed to shape and tone the body without building muscular size or bulk, helping you retain lean muscle tissue, boost metabolism and tone large muscle groups. The Pilates exercises focus on core strength, torso stability and mobility of the limbs, improving posture, body awareness, strength, flexibility and balance.
Course Fee: $15
Location: Marriott Riverwalk Hotel
Audience: All registered SWVS attendees
Limited to 35 participants
(Transportation provided; shuttle depart from the Convention Center, Convention Way at 7:45 am; tour is approximately 3 hours; shuttle will return to the Convention Center at approximately 12:30 pm; photo ID and ticket required to attend). This visit to the San Antonio Zoo Veterinary Hospital will start at the Zoo, with several lectures: Novel Wound Therapies in the Zoological Practice, Hand Rearing in Zoo Animals, Now for Something Completely Different, Any and Other Duties as Assigned. Attendees will walk to the Veterinary Hospital for the tour. The walk will take the group underneath the hippo pool and past the aviary, hunting dog, and elephant exhibits. At the Veterinary Hospital, the tour will include the treatment room, surgery room, lab, and hospital quarantine/diet prep area. Staff will be available to answer questions.
Course Fee: $75
Location: San Antonio Zoo
Audience: All registered professional attendees (DVMs, Technicians, Office Staff, Practice Managers, Vet/Tech Students)
Limited to 55 participants
In spring 2013, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis of Hyperadrenocorticism will be published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. A key to any effective diagnostic plan is the clinician’s ability to select the most appropriate patients for testing. It is especially important to recognize that due to routine screening of broad blood chemistry panels, patients are being tested for Cushing’s syndrome at a much earlier phase of the disease than 15 to 25 years ago. Caveat emptor.
This will be a case-based discussion of dogs with GI disease with hypoalbuminemia. Lymphangiectasia will be discussed in particular, as will other diseases causing hypoalbuminemia.
Parts I and II will provide a general review of the proper approach to fine needle aspiration and collection and handling of body fluids. The major focus of these sessions will be the principles of cytologic interpretation, with emphasis on recognizing the various kinds of inflammation and identifying important etiologic agents such as systemic mycotic agents and bacteria. An overview of recognition and classification of neoplasia will be presented. Actual case material will be used for illustration.
Session will describe normal examination, physiology and care of the healthy pup from birth to two weeks of age.
Presentation describing agents, the natural history of spread and vectors, the pathology and clinical signs of a number of emerging and re-emerging diseases that could have significant impact our immunologically naïve domestic livestock populations. Many, but not all of these agents are considered foreign animal or trans-boundary diseases by the USDA and OIE and would pose vexing eradication and control problems.
Toxemia of pregnancy will be described. Techniques for correcting vaginal-cervical prolapse will be explained and indications for lambing and kidding discussed. Last, newborn assessment will be reviewed.
The oversight of animal research in the United States consists of an interrelated, dynamic system of regulations, policies, guidelines and procedures to ensure the welfare of animals used in research testing and teaching. This presentation will provide an overview of this system.
This session is open to DVMs. The target audience includes veterinarians who are accredited and need Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-approved supplemental training for accreditation renewal. Attendees will sign in at each session/module. Accredited DVMs will receive a certificate of attendance after completing each module. Note: This session also counts for general CE credit by SWVS for all DVMs, accreditated and nonaccredited.
Module 7: Foreign Animal Disease Detection in Category I Animals/Greenlee
This module addresses the important role companion animal practitioner’s play as it relates
to detecting foreign animal diseases (FADs) in Category I animals (dogs, cats). In all,
information about ten FADs affecting Category I animals is included. Each disease also has a
one-page reference source (Disease Briefs) as a resource for practitioners. FAD incursions in
the U.S. that were detected by private sector veterinarians are described (screwworm and
rabbit hemorrhagic disease). Finally, a scenario culminates what was taught in this module
regarding how a veterinarian should appropriately handle a suspected FAD in a patient at their clinic.
This lecture reviews the results of a prospective health study in bearded dragons that helped determine reference ranges for protein electrophoresis, chemistry values and complete blood count (CBC) values. The adenovirus status of studied patients may also be discussed.
On average, we see our patients once or twice a year. We must maximize time with clients to ensure that they understand what services and products their pets need for optimal health and well-being. This session will guide attendees through a systematic approach to the physical examination. Topics include telephone etiquette, exam room communication, dealing with difficult clients, cost and treatment estimates, follow-up, and scheduling appointments.
This session provides an overview of traditional media and the effects of social media. There’s still a lot of value in traditional media for marketing and publicizing your practice, but traditional media needs your help as it adapts to the “new” media. Social media is powerful, but it doesn’t replace other types of marketing, nor will it “save” you if you don’t already have good client service.
Step 1: Get in the Game – making the decision to get started may be the hardest part of getting healthy. This step covers how to find the courage to make healthy changes. Step 2: Fuel for Success – it’s all about balancing calories and nutrients to keep you fueled and energized throughout the day. Learn how to find the discipline to choose your foods wisely.
Subtle differences in how you approach, walk and move around the dog will have a huge impact on whether he's unruly or aggressive versus relaxed and well behaved. In this presentation, attendees will learn how to recognize the signs of fear and anxiety, approach correctly and use correct body movement to safely remove dogs from cages and kennels, pick up small aggressive dogs, and safely move dogs from one location to another in the hospital setting.
A practical discussion of the common emergencies that veterinarians and technicians face in the very young patients. This will cover basic presentation, important physiology of the pediatric patient and treatment strategies.
The benefits of hay in rabbit dentition, GI tract and weight maintenance will be discussed.
Veterinary Technicians play a vital role in client compliance, especially when it comes to nutrition. Clients perceive renal insufficiency as a death sentence for their baby, and patients experiencing renal insufficiency feel horrible until the case is managed well. Learn about renal insufficiency and how you can help manage the case with adequate nutrition; provide your client with adequate education and watch your patient rebound. ‘Tips from the trenches’ will provide technicians with successful take home strategies to implement with current cases immediately.
Presentation will include how to triage foals expediently, including examination, over-the-wire catheter placement, fluid therapy, hematology, oxygen therapy, indwelling nasogastric feeding tube placement, and ultrasound for omphalophlebitis and rib fractures.
“Picture perfect” is not always the case! Improve your skill set of image editing, including resizing, rotating, cropping, altering brightness and contrast, using different brushes and erasers, sharpening and even using layers. You will also learn more advanced skills, including color management; use of selection tools, filters and effects; and image optimization techniques.
Course Fee: $50
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: All registered SWVS attendees
Limited to 15 participants
This lab will include a didactic component discussing different regional and local techniques, drugs used, patient selection, benefits and associated complications in both canines and felines. This lab is hands-on and interactive; participants will have ample time to practice all techniques. Note - This lab fulfills the requirements to obtain/maintain Veterinary Technician Specialist credentials in applicable categories.
Course Fee: $185
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: Credentialed Technicians (RVT, CVT, LVT)
Limited to 15 participants
This interactive lab session will provide a detailed introduction to small animal abdominal ultrasound. Technical, anatomic and interpretation principles will be covered, with emphasis on effective strategies for implementing the use of ultrasound in small animal general and emergency practice. This lab is designed for participants considering adding ultrasound to their practice or those wishing to better utilize their existing equipment. Note - Friday night lectures recommended as a prerequisite for this lab.
Course Fee: $400
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs
Limited to 24 participants
Now that you’ve diagnosed hyperadrenocorticism, what do you do? This session presents one clinician’s approach to deciding whether to start medical therapy, what drug might be most appropriate and when to call in the surgeon.
This session will finish the discussion of protein-losing enteropathies and then transition into small bowel diarrhea, specifically the dietary and antibacterial responsive forms. The relationship of these diseases to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) will be considered.
Parts I and II will provide a general review of the proper approach to fine needle aspiration and collection and handling of body fluids. The major focus of these sessions will be the principles of cytologic interpretation, with emphasis on recognizing the various kinds of inflammation and identifying important etiologic agents such as systemic mycotic agents and bacteria. An overview of recognition and classification of neoplasia will be presented. Actual case material will be used for illustration.
This presentation will review the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal disease in the dog and cat.
Presentation describing agents, the natural history of spread and vectors, the pathology and clinical signs of a number of emerging and re-emerging diseases that could have significant impact our immunologically naïve domestic livestock populations. Many, but not all of these agents are considered foreign animal or trans-boundary diseases by the USDA and OIE and would pose vexing eradication and control problems.
Indications and use of different obstetric manipulations will be clarified. Manual or instrumental manipulation will be explained. C-section in small ruminants will be described.
Laboratory animal veterinarians in the United States are in a unique position compared with many of their colleagues in other countries. They have great responsibility and authority for managing institutional animal care and use programs and overseeing the welfare of animals in these programs. This presentation offers an overview of this unique role and discusses how veterinary staff can facilitate research and contribute to advances in biomedical research by optimizing animal welfare.
This session is open to DVMs. The target audience includes veterinarians who are accredited and need Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-approved supplemental training for accreditation renewal. Attendees will sign in at each session/module. Accredited DVMs will receive a certificate of attendance after completing each module. Note: This session also counts for general CE credit by SWVS for all DVMs, accreditated and nonaccredited.
This module highlights the importance of health certificates for traveling pets and discusses the potential for disease spread associated with travel, emphasizing these points through a canine influenza scenario. Planning and regulation resources for completion of a companion animal health certificate are presented. Because errors can lead to travel delays or refusals of entry, common mistakes made in completing health certificates are highlighted to help minimize these problems in real-life situations.
The most common reptile patients include bearded dragons, leopard geckos, boa constrictors, ball pythons and box turtles. Common presentations of these (and potentially other species) will be discussed over 2 hours.
On average, we see our patients once or twice a year. We must maximize time with clients to ensure that they understand what services and products their pets need for optimal health and well-being. This session will guide attendees through a systematic approach to the physical examination. Topics include telephone etiquette, exam room communication, dealing with difficult clients, cost and treatment estimates, follow-up, and scheduling appointments.
This session looks at practical and personal marketing, face-to-face and through networking, affiliations, coupons, and neighborhood newspapers. Social media involves more than just setting up an account - it’s engaging with people and encouraging them to share your information with others. Blatant marketing through social media almost never works. People want a conversation; they don’t want to be “sold.” Part of your social media success will be to know where your audience is and focus your efforts on a few select networks.
Step 3: Fitness – life is busy. Carving out time for exercise can be a big challenge. This step provides hands-on tools and techniques to help you move more as part of your busy life. Step 4: Persevere Through Challenges – did you ever notice how the curveballs of life can either knock us down or serve as building blocks to make us stronger? This session provides encouragement for putting joy in your journey.
Dr. Yin uses the story of her dad's cattle dog puppy to illustrate how you can train a puppy to be perfect in a week by following a fun step-by-step plan for developing focus and impulse control in the puppy and leadership skills in humans. You'll see why it's best to start training immediately and how to fit socialization into the training process.
The patients that present with derangements in the endocrine system can be very intimidating. They are often very ill. If you stick to the basics, then you will ensure that the patients will have the best chance to recover. This session will cover the common presentations and the important technical considerations of how to treat patients with endocrine emergencies.
The benefits of hay in rabbit dentition, GI tract and weight maintenance will be discussed.
The top presenting complaint for patients on a daily basis is gastro-intestinal related. Garbage gut, diarrhea, vomiting, foreign body, IBD and unintended weight loss are just a few of the symptoms presented. Nutrition plays a vital role in each of these clinical symptoms, and can aid in disease resolution. Veterinary technicians will learn about the gastro-intestinal system, the most commonly diagnosed diseases, and how nutrition impacts each disease. ‘Tips from the trenches’ will provide technicians with successful take home strategies to implement with current cases immediately.
We invite you to participate in our second annual Partnership Meeting at the SWVS in San Antonio this year. The Annual Partnership Meeting will be held Saturday, September 28th from 9:00-11:00 a.m.
at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in Room 007CD. We ask that you invite any SWVS Past President’s from your VMA to attend as well as three additional representatives.
Rabies, Titers and Flu Vaccination Clinic
The SWVS, in collaboration with the Novartis, offers you the opportunity to have blood drawn for a titer determination. Blood will be drawn on Saturday, packaged, and shipped to a laboratory for titer determination. Results will be sent to the SWVS staff, who will forward your titer to you. Estimated turnaround time is three weeks. Cost of the titer will be $70. If it has been a relatively long time (5 or more years) since you had a rabies booster vaccination or a titer determination, you may want to elect to have booster vaccination instead of having a titer run. Cost of the vaccination will be $240. Sign up for either a titer or rabies booster and/or flu shot as you register.
The SWVS Cyber Café is located inside the Exhibit Hall at SWVS Communication Center, booth 289, and designed for you to stop, relax, meet your friends, check your email and enjoy the Wi-Fi lounge. Also available this year is a kiosk to recharge your cell phone.
This session will address types of wounds, assessing wounds near and involving synovial structures, diagnostic techniques of wounds. Topical treatment for wounds, local antimicrobial therapies and treatment for wounds involving synovial structures are reviewed.
This session begins with a brief review of the use of physical characteristics of effusions to categorize them as transudates, exudates and modified transudates. The rest of the session will illustrate the characteristic cytologic findings in the most important disease entities that cause effusions. These include septic peritonitis/pleuritis, actinomycosis/nocardiosis, histoplasmosis, feline infectious peritonitis, allergic peritonitis/pleuritis, chylous effusions, lymphoma and disseminated carcinomatosis.
With the great advances in diagnostic testing and imaging, veterinarians are discovering more and more patients with adrenal disease who are not “classic” for Cushing’s syndrome (hypercortisolemia hyperadrenocorticism). This talk will prepare the clinician for the challenging patient with adrenal disease but normal cortisol responses on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal testing (ACTH stimulation, dexamethasone suppression testing).
This talk will complete the discussion of the antibiotic/dietary responsive diseases of the preceding lecture and then consider IBD, lymphoma, and other infiltrative disorders (for example, fungal infections).
Techniques for diagnosis of canine pregnancy, management of pregnancy, and recognition of dystocia will be discussed.
Current and past treatment options for caseous lymphadenitis will be discussed, with highlights from studies we’ve performed. Pros and cons, as well as questions raised by this treatment method will be covered.
Review of several zoonotic diseases of particular importance in large animal veterinarians including presentation, work-up and treatment.
Animal welfare regulations require that research facilities have an attending veterinarian with the appropriate authority to ensure provision of adequate veterinary care. The institution must also provide adequate facilities, personnel, equipment and services to support the program of veterinary care. This session will provide an overview of a program of adequate veterinary care designed to optimize the welfare of the animals housed and used in a registered research facility.
This session is open to DVMs. The target audience includes veterinarians who are accredited and need Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-approved supplemental training for accreditation renewal. Attendees will sign in at each session/module. Accredited DVMs will receive a certificate of attendance after completing each module. Note: This session also counts for general CE credit by SWVS for all DVMs, accreditated and nonaccredited.
10:30 – 11:20 am Module 19: Animal Health Emergency Response/Garrett
This module describes the potential role of practicing veterinarians in an animal health emergency response. The similarities and differences among the various “teams” (for example, NAHERC, VMAT, NVRT, state response) are reviewed, as are the components related to NIMS, ICS, NRF and the ESF. Finally, the components of FAD PReP/NAHEMS Guidelines are described so veterinarians can comprehend the type of duties they might perform in a real event.
The most common reptile patients include bearded dragons, leopard geckos, boa constrictors, ball pythons and box turtles. Common presentations of these (and potentially other species) will be discussed over 2 hours.
Patient visits are down, revenue is down and many veterinarians are resorting to drastic measures to stay afloat. This session will share strategies used in a busy practice to continue to grow despite the current economic climate. The state of veterinary practice will be reviewed and simple tips presented for all team members. If you are concerned about the future of veterinary medicine, this is one session you’ll want to attend.
Not all of your posts/tweets/videos will be seen by all of your followers in your social network. Know what types of posts encourage engagement and increase your potential to go “viral.” A main goal of any social network is for your followers to share your content with their friends. Increased visibility offers you more chances to gain new clients. Connect with highly connected people! The rule is to keep them “coming home” to your website.
Step 5: Find Your Passion – everyone needs a reason to rise and shine! Passion gives life meaning and purpose. This session will take you through a series of steps to help you identify and nurture your passion. Step 6: Age Gracefully – the aging process can leave us feeling tired and in poor health. This session provides motivational tools to take charge of your life and your health.
As transfusion medicine moves away from whole blood transfusions, it’s important to understand in detail the components of blood that are often overlooked or misunderstood. Understanding all the properties that exist with these products will help in determining how best to use them for the benefit of patients.
This session will focus on the importance of end tidal CO2, the oxygen saturation measurement and will go over how to evaluate a blood gas analysis. This will talk about key circumstances in which to use these modalities and the important things that can make them inaccurate.
Ferret emergencies are common in clinics that see exotics. Being prepared to handle emergencies is crucial to the survival of a ferret in an emergency case.
An overview of clinical signs of nutritional insufficiency, bacterial translocation, how and when to feed a patient, specialty feeding tubes, placement techniques, food administration and troubleshooting tube mishaps.
This session is for those of you drowning in paper! Electronic health records may be all the rage, but what about the administrative side of things in the office? Can the office manager/practice administrator go electronic too? Learn how to tackle all of those receipts, invoices and other scraps of paper that seem to weigh you down. Learn about a filing system that is virtual and can even be accessed from the cloud.
Course Fee: $50
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: All registered SWVS attendees
Limited to 15 participants
Saturday, Sept 28
11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Booth 467, Exhibit Hall
Come join the Texas Veterinary Medical Association as we present Mardi Gras for our 2013 SWVS Tailgate booth! 2013 promises to be our biggest and best year yet with multi-packaged gifts, and of course our tradional Goodie Baskets and Mildred's Famous Jewelry, on Friday & Saturday.
And for a special new event, join us for a Mardi Gras Celebration on Saturday with unusual surprises and games to help raise funds for our Veterinary Scholarships. Purchase tokens to play our Mardi Gras games and win extra chances on our Tailgate Giveaway.
Hosted by the Auxiliary to the Texas Veterinary Medical Association
The principal cytologic features of the major causes of lymphadenopathy will be presented. The session begins with a review of normal lymph node cytology. In addition, lymphadenitis (neutrophilic/septic, allergic, granulomatous), lymph node hyperplasia, lymphoma and metastatic lymph node cytology (mast cell tumor, carcinoma) will be illustrated.
With electrolyte testing included in most routine blood chemistry profiles, detecting mineralocorticoid deficiency (classic Addison’s disease) has become commonplace (but not common). Selective glucocorticoid-deficient hypoadrenocorticism, however, remains a diagnostic challenge. Having the index of suspicion is the key for looking for and finding “the great imitator.”
Segmental esophageal weakness, esophageal foreign bodies, esophagitis, strictures and hiatal hernias are considered rare, but they are not as rare as many think. Rather, they are easy to miss unless you know how to look for them and what to do with them.
This session offers a look at the old wives’ tales, untruths, and misinformation commonly heard by dog breeders. Discussions will include a review of the scientific evidence for a proper understanding of each topic.
The definitions and classifications of stem cells as they pertain to clinical medicine will be addressed. Current clinical use, evidence and protocols for stem cell use in horses will be presented.
This session reviews findings of our most recent study in the use of our therapy, along with management practices and how the prevalence of disease in large herds and flocks is affected. Some hypotheses will be presented about why this disease is so difficult to treat with antimicrobials alone. The discussion will also cover individual animal screening with blood tests, the meaning of results and the value of this blood test.
Review of Q fever including risks, prevention, clinical presentation, challenges in diagnosis and treatment.
Laboratory animal veterinarians work with a variety of species used in research and testing protocols. In this changing dynamic environment, they face many challenges, affording them many opportunities to affect the welfare of the animals used and the quality of data produced. This presentation will explore challenges and opportunities that make the practice of laboratory animal medicine a never-ending learning experience.
This session is open to DVMs. The target audience includes veterinarians who are accredited and need Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-approved supplemental training for accreditation renewal. Attendees will sign in at each session/module. Accredited DVMs will receive a certificate of attendance after completing each module. Note: This session also counts for general CE credit by SWVS for all DVMs, accreditated and nonaccredited.
This module introduces veterinarians to important concepts and issues surrounding animal welfare, including the role of the veterinarian in animal welfare, definitions of animal welfare, how animal welfare can be measured and evaluated, and an overview of some contemporary animal welfare topics.
Diagnostic testing has advanced significantly in the past 10 years (3 years?). Understanding what tests actually test for (a positive viral test does not necessarily mean an active, disease-causing infection) and what the results actually mean is critical to educating clients about their pets.
iPads, Twitter, Facebook, and all manner of social media interactions have transformed our day-to-day lives. Are you maximizing the opportunities social media and new technologies offer? This session will give you a glimpse into the exciting world of emerging technologies and online services and teach your team how to use social media to improve your practice, patient care and client communication. Don’t miss it!
Online reputation management is vital for your practice. You can control and even limit the damage from negative reviews. It’s important to have a plan for listening in social media and then claiming ownership of your business on the various review sites. Regularly updating your website, blog and other social sites can help lessen the impact of a negative review.
Step 7: Finish Strong - the difference between mediocrity and success is how determined you are to finish strong. This session will include an inspiring journey of determination and courage to finish strong. You don’t want to miss this! Time is allowed for Q&A, so come prepared to “Ask the Expert” your burning nutrition and fitness questions.
Albumin has come a long way in the advancement of veterinary medicine. This lecture will review the purpose of albumin in veterinary patients and discuss the surrounding controversy in relation to human serum albumin and canine serum albumin.
Addressing the most important clinical problems of a patient as well as identifying which patients are the most important is critical in an emergency situation. This session will evaluate the key physical exam findings in the triage evaluation as well what are the “big ticket items” that need to be addressed first. Practicality and speed will be emphasized.
This session takes attendees on a visual walk through the world of microscopy as it relates to external and internal parasites of reptiles.
A review of enteral feeding tubes (nasal gastric, nasal esophageal, nasojejunal, esophagostomy, and PEG), placement techniques, nursing care requirements of each tube, diet selection and food administration, calculating Resting Energy Requirements (RER), and how to decide which tube is appropriate based on patient status. Case examples to follow.
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: DVMs
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Earn 1 hour of CE credit and enjoy lunch with a featured expert. These small discussion groups offer an informal setting to discuss your most challenging issues. Register early; space is limited.
Cost: $40 each luncheon
Audience: Technicians
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
1 hour of CE credit provided by SWVS.
Limited quantity of boxed lunches provided. Attendees will exchange lunch bucks ticket for satellite session lunch.
Join us for this luncheon that will discuss the pathophysiology of allergic skin disease.
1 hour of CE credit provided by SWVS
Limited quantity of boxed lunches provided. Attendees will exchange lunch bucks ticket for satellite session lunch.
This presentation will provide current information on flea control in dogs and cats. The characteristics of new flea and tick control products, including an overview of the products' ingredients along with data about efficacy, speed of kill, and duration of action will be discussed.
1 hour of CE credit provided by SWVS.
Limited quantity of boxed lunches provided. Attendees will exchange lunch bucks ticket for satellite session lunch.
This talk will have veterinarians questioning their current treatment protocols for canine pancreatitis. The focus will be on the clinically important features of canine pancreatitis. Predisposing factors and clinical signs will be reviewed. The diagnostic tests for this condition and strategies for case management will be presented. The importance of differentiating pancreatitis from gastroenteritis will also be discussed.
Discussion Topics:
• Understand the variety of presentation of canine pancreatitis
• Be able to make a diagnosis of canine pancreatitis
• Know how to manage acute pancreatitis in dogs
• Recognize the importance of differentiating pancreatitis from gastroenteritis in dogs
This interactive, fun lab will focus on identification of the acupuncture points most commonly used for therapeutic purposes in small animal veterinary acupuncture. These include master points and trigger points, as well as identification of the meridians found on the canine and feline bodies. Emphasis will be placed on anatomic identification of acupoints (models will be used), correct placement of needles, and patient safety and comfort. Acupressure points will be discussed. Case examples and live dogs will be used.
Course Fee: $230
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs
Limited to 20 participants
This interactive, hands-on lab will combine lecture and laboratory experience with the objective of providing in-depth exposure to stabilization of the cranial cruciate deficient stifle in large breeds of dogs and small and medium breeds of dogs. Topics include diagnosis of cranial cruciate ligament injury, meniscal injury, application of novel stabilization systems at the isometric sites and rehabilitation. Note - Friday night Orthopedic lectures recommended as a prerequisite for this lab.
Course Fee: $400
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs
Limited to 24 participants
This interactive lab will offer an anatomy and physiology review with Caniken clay model. A demonstration of each station and equipment will be provided. Participants will rotate through the stations, spending 15 to 30 minutes with each item and experiencing how laser, ice therapy, balance balls, etc. work. After a short break, a demonstration of each station will again be provided, this time with a dog. Participants will rotate through the stations, spending 30 to 40 minutes performing activities with the pet. Activities will include therapeutic massage and therapeutic stretching. Q&A times will follow the rotations.
Course Fee: $150
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: Technicians
Limited to 15 participants
Advance preparation is the key to safety and survival in any emergency, yet few educational opportunities exist to help pet owners learn valuable pet first aid skills or create a personal disaster plan. In filling this important niche, Pets America has surveyed more than 400 veterinarians from the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society and the Texas Veterinary Medical Association to create a comprehensive, cutting edge pet first aid curriculum and guide.
Pets America partners with the Emergency Care and Safety Institute to deliver workshops nationwide. Enthusiastic, experienced instructors are needed to teach classes for pet owners and in their communities at large. Earn extra income while teaching the latest skills and procedures veterinarians and disaster preparedness professionals recommend!
Who Should Attend: Pets America is especially interested in working with RVTs, CVAs and other veterinary and pet professionals with experience in animal care and handling, disaster response training or both.
PARTICIPANTS MUST PRE-REGISTER and prepay for this course. You may register online at www.swvs.org. Attendees may register for the Workshop only or for SWVS and the Workshop. Registrations may be canceled if written notice is provided to SWVS no later than August 9. A refund will be given, minus a $10 administrative fee. No refunds are available after August 9. At least eight participants are required for the Instructor Development Workshop to “make.” A full refund will be issued to registered participants in the event the course is canceled.
FAQs
1. What credentials are required to become a Pet First Aid Instructor?
Instructors must complete the Pets America Pet First Aid Instructor Development Workshop, and it is recommended that instructors also take the emergency preparedness training, which is available free online through http://training.fema.gov. Course numbers IS100 and 200 are required. Veterinarians are eligible for a self-study instructor-training course. After completing the Instructor Development Workshop, participants will complete a brief online orientation with the Emergency Care and Safety Institute (ECSI) and will be issued instructor credentials and given details about how to affiliate with an ECSI Education Center.
2. Can I receive CE credit for the training?
Yes, the Instructor Development Workshop is a 4-hour class, and the SWVS Continuing Education Committee has approved 4 hours of CE credit.
3. How much can I make as a Pets America Pet First Aid Instructor?
Instructors who teach 10 classes per year can earn between $3,000 and $5,000 per year, depending on the Education Center.
4. How much does the Pets America Instructor Development Workshop at SWVS cost?
The course fee is $240 and includes 4 hours of instruction, a Pet First Aid Guide, a CD with PowerPoint presentations for use in the classroom, instructor resource materials and detailed lesson plans.
5. Do I need any other supplies to teach the class?
Instructors will need at least one CPR manikin to allow students to practice CPR. Additional less-expensive manikins are also recommended for practicing animal restraint, muzzling and bandaging. These may sometimes be available through an ECSI Education Center. A computer and projector may be helpful; this equipment is often available from the location hosting the course.
6. How large are the Pet First Aid Workshops and Instructor Development Workshops?
To allow ample time for personalized instruction, practice and evaluation, a maximum of 16 participants may enroll in any Pet First Aid Workshop or Instructor Development Workshop.
Questions? Contact Pets America info@petsamerica.org
Course Fee: $240
Location: Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center
Audience: RVTs, CVAs and other veterinary and pet professionals
Limited to 16 participants
This interactive master class will be conducted by videomicroscopy of case material. Blood film evaluation will stress a systematic approach. Active, chronic and overwhelming inflammatory leukograms will be shown. Specific white cell abnormalities and red cell abnormalities will be reviewed, including left shifts, neutrophil toxicity, immune mediated hemolytic anemia, and feline infectious anemia. The relation between red cell morphologic abnormalities and disease diagnosis will be emphasized. The remainder of the class will cover cytologic evaluation, with a review of both common and less common conditions and emphasis on diagnostic features. Both neoplastic and inflammatory conditions will be discussed. Samples will be from solid tissues and effusions. Infectious diseases such as histoplasmosis and actinomycosis and neoplasms such as lymphoma, plasma cell tumor, osteosarcoma and mammary carcinoma will be demonstrated.
Course Fee: $75
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
Audience: DVMs
Limited to 30 participants
After more than 20 years of performing abdominal ultrasounds, I am still learning every day. My experiences in imaging the adrenal gland (and some extra-adrenal sites) will be presented in a series of case reports on a variety of adrenal disorders.
Congenital portosystemic shunts are very common and yet present in a myriad of ways. Many of these patients are missed. The controversy of surgery versus medical management will be considered in this session.
Mobility issues are common in geriatric patients. This lecture discusses various methods to keep older patients mobile.
This session presents a clinical approach to the equine acute abdomen including, diagnostic workup, treatment strategies, surgical success rates, short-term complications and long-term prognosis.
This discussion will cover three broad areas and seven techniques that move producers towards positive financial return, improving reproductive efficiency, improving production and reducing cost.
This session will address vitamin, mineral and water quality issues for grazing beef cattle, with emphasis on unique challenges presented during droughts.
The 3 R’s - Refinement, Reduction and Replacement - are the cornerstone of the alternative methodology used in biomedical research to minimize the potential for pain and distress experienced by laboratory animals. This presentation will provide an overview of the 3 R’s and the role of the laboratory animal veterinarian in developing and implementing methodologies that incorporate them.
This presentation will cover positioning, basic assessment and diagnosis, with interpretation of avian radiographs. Multiple avian cases with evidence of radiographic abnormalities will be discussed.
Too often practice advice is based on observation and theory instead of the actual down-and-dirty work of everyday practice. Practical and actionable, these sessions will provide you with ideas that will benefit your practice immediately. Part I will focus on training strategies to boost your staff’s ability to effectively communicate with clients. Part II will review a thorough and methodical approach to the veterinary physical examination. Dr. Ward will discuss specifically the actions and communications the attending veterinarian should be doing as well as how to do it in efficient orchestration with support staff. These sessions are aimed at both the veterinarian and healthcare team.
The Mayo Clinic has three campuses and more than 60,000 employees, sees more than a million patients a year and grosses more than $8 billion annually. Mayo also enjoys the best reputation in the world for human health care. In this informative 3-hour session, we’ll review the Mayo Clinic model, compare the Mayo paradigm with the current state of veterinary medicine, and consider training ideas, promotion of growth with the Business Wheel concept, and “the triangles” approach to team management.
Do you want media coverage that reflects what you really said? Would you like to promote your hospital using the power of the press? Media training can do this for you. Learn how media people think, how to approach TV/radio stations with a solid news story, how to avoid your words being taken out of context, and how to get your message across no matter what you’re asked! Media training is an excellent foundation for all communication skills. Client communications become more focused and clear when these same techniques are applied in the exam room.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to develop a relationship with members of the media and turn that into valuable publicity for your practice or association, how to react when the media calls you, what questions to ask before deciding to do an interview, how to anticipate questions and craft answers, how to develop message points from answers and how to bridge to positive points, how to use social media tools for client communications and practice marketing, and how to manage your professional reputation in the social media. Coaching and practicing in an interview setting are also covered in this workshop.
Creating a successful, generationally diverse team requires attention to which strategies build bridges between people (engage) and which strategies widen the generation gap (villainize or tolerate). Choosing a strategy that fosters engagement among all team members allows generational strengths and abilities to shine.
A strategy for effective communication will be presented, combining work done by several social scientists in the corporate world with Daniel Goleman’s theories on emotional and social intelligence. Step 1 - recognize your own generational bias (self-awareness). Step 2 - suspend your generational bias (self-management).
Treatment protocols will be addressed, including aggressive fluid therapy to combat dehydration and ongoing losses, antibiotic therapy to combat secondary bacterial infections, and the reintroduction of enteral nutrition will be reviewed. Adjunctive treatments showing future promise against the devastation of canine parvovirus will be addressed with case examples.
Dermatologic conditions are common in small animal patients, and many diseases are not curable. Dealing with these cases can be frustrating for both the veterinary team and the owner. Part I will enable participants to recognize the importance of obtaining the patient’s history and learn proper techniques and helpful hints to perform dermatologic procedures accurately.
This session discusses everything related to the kitties. Lecture covers the range form making them comfortable in teh clinic; to caring for them during an emergency.
In many ways, hospice care is a paradigm shift in veterinary medicine, and there continue to be many myths and misconceptions about its premise. This lecture will dispel the myths and discuss why pet parents are looking for options for care at the end of their pet’s life and the obligation of veterinary medicine to provide it.
As a mobile internal medicine consultant and sonographer, perhaps the most common call I receive for an abdominal sonogram from referring vets is for a patient with elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), ALT, or both. A series of case presentations will review the sonographic findings of a variety of conditions associated with ALKP and ALT elevations, emphasizing the importance of signalment and clinical history.
This talk will consider chronic hepatitis in detail, as well as cirrhosis and other diseases that mimic chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. Hepatic biopsy will be considered from a cost-effective and practical standpoint.
Muscle loss from aging and pathology is another common issue in geriatric patients. Methods to slow this progressive problem will be presented.
This presentation will provide a clinical approach to the workup and management of wounds in close proximity and direct communication with joints in the equine.
This session will discuss the influence and heritability of the bull and the use of benchmarking on profitability.
Recent research will be reviewed demonstrating that the use of practical technology can dramatically improve forage utilization efficiency of beef cattle operations while maintaining cow condition and productivity.
US Government Principle II for the use and care of research animals requires that procedures that involve animals be designed and performed with due consideration of their relevance to human and animal health, the advancement of knowledge, or the good of society. This requires that a harm-benefit analysis be done for each study using animals. This presentation will provide an overview of this process and how it leads to improved animal welfare.
Get the latest update on infectious disease that can infect that bird and you. Diagnosis, treatment and appropriate quarantine measures will be reviewed.
Too often practice advice is based on observation and theory instead of the actual down-and-dirty work of everyday practice. Practical and actionable, these sessions will provide you with ideas that will benefit your practice immediately. Part I will focus on training strategies to boost your staff’s ability to effectively communicate with clients. Part II will review a thorough and methodical approach to the veterinary physical examination. Dr. Ward will discuss specifically the actions and communications the attending veterinarian should be doing as well as how to do it in efficient orchestration with support staff. These sessions are aimed at both the veterinarian and healthcare team.
The Mayo Clinic has three campuses and more than 60,000 employees, sees more than a million patients a year and grosses more than $8 billion annually. Mayo also enjoys the best reputation in the world for human health care. In this informative 3-hour session, we’ll review the Mayo Clinic model, compare the Mayo paradigm with the current state of veterinary medicine, and consider training ideas, promotion of growth with the Business Wheel concept, and “the triangles” approach to team management.
Do you want media coverage that reflects what you really said? Would you like to promote your hospital using the power of the press? Media training can do this for you. Learn how media people think, how to approach TV/radio stations with a solid news story, how to avoid your words being taken out of context, and how to get your message across no matter what you’re asked! Media training is an excellent foundation for all communication skills. Client communications become more focused and clear when these same techniques are applied in the exam room.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to develop a relationship with members of the media and turn that into valuable publicity for your practice or association, how to react when the media calls you, what questions to ask before deciding to do an interview, how to anticipate questions and craft answers, how to develop message points from answers and how to bridge to positive points, how to use social media tools for client communications and practice marketing, and how to manage your professional reputation in the social media. Coaching and practicing in an interview setting are also covered in this workshop.
Creating a successful, generationally diverse team requires attention to which strategies build bridges between people (engage) and which strategies widen the generation gap (villainize or tolerate). Choosing a strategy that fosters engagement among all team members allows generational strengths and abilities to shine.
Step 3 - learn how to speak other generational languages (social awareness). Step 4 - build relationships (social management).
Veterinary technicians play a vital role in client education, improving client compliance, which leads to more successful management of the patient. Part II will discuss important points and concepts to help hospital staff achieve better client involvement in managing their pets’ dermatologic conditions.
Veterinary professionals working in end-of-life care shift their focus from searching for ways to treat and fight disease to a total focus on palliative care and quality of life for the pet and support for the pet family. This new focus requires the veterinary team to be knowledgeable in many areas of the dying process in order to educate, support and guide pet families during this time. Who is the professional best suited to deliver this care? What type of education and preparation should this professional seek? How does this team compare with hospice teams in human medicine? Is veterinary medicine preparing professionals seeking this new specialty?
Review of the complications and care of the saddle thrombus patient. This presentation also will touch the emotions the nurse and owner experience.
Two-thirds of dogs with adrenal disorders are hypertensive. Hypertension is common with feline hyperthyroidism. Proteinuria is associated with both hypercortisolemia and hypertension. When should we look for hypertension in patients, and what should we do about it when we think we’ve found it?
This talk will complete the discussion of chronic hepatic diseases started in the preceding lecture and go on to biliary disorders such as mucoceles, stones and cholecystitis.
Quality of life is a “buzzword.” How do we measure it and how do we maintain it?
This session will focus on pathophysiology, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of PPID and EMS. Current research into the roles these diseases play in laminitis will also be discussed.
The focus of this session will be on proper bull management: nutrition, control of infectious disease, critical evaluation of a bull’s breeding soundness evaluation (BSE), and economics of BSE.
Participants will review the history and current trends in the beef cattle industry related to cattle type, nutritional requirements, cow/calf segment productivity and related nutritional management decisions.
The first step is to separate the issue of animal rights from animal rights activism. The concept of animal rights is a philosophical view and personal value, whereas animal rights activism is about changing humans’ use of and relationship with animals. This session will try to help attendees move past the semantics of the animal rights movement, encourage them to develop a personal philosophy about animal rights, and encourage the veterinary community to be more receptive to moderate approaches to animal rights.
Come chat about how the basic minimum database for the avian patient is interpreted. Bring your own cases to discuss. Multiple avian cases will be presented in a WYD style.
Perhaps the most important determinant of your professional success is the energy you bring into the exam room. How we sleep, what we eat and how we manage stress affect our productivity, thinking, stamina and energy. This session will discuss the secrets to living a healthy and balanced life. As an Ironman triathelete, personal trainer and coach, Dr. Ward will give you tips for making every day your best – for your loved ones, your team, your clients and your patients.
The Mayo Clinic has three campuses and more than 60,000 employees, sees more than a million patients a year and grosses more than $8 billion annually. Mayo also enjoys the best reputation in the world for human health care. In this informative 3-hour session, we’ll review the Mayo Clinic model, compare the Mayo paradigm with the current state of veterinary medicine, and consider training ideas, promotion of growth with the Business Wheel concept, and “the triangles” approach to team management.
Do you want media coverage that reflects what you really said? Would you like to promote your hospital using the power of the press? Media training can do this for you. Learn how media people think, how to approach TV/radio stations with a solid news story, how to avoid your words being taken out of context, and how to get your message across no matter what you’re asked! Media training is an excellent foundation for all communication skills. Client communications become more focused and clear when these same techniques are applied in the exam room.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to develop a relationship with members of the media and turn that into valuable publicity for your practice or association, how to react when the media calls you, what questions to ask before deciding to do an interview, how to anticipate questions and craft answers, how to develop message points from answers and how to bridge to positive points, how to use social media tools for client communications and practice marketing, and how to manage your professional reputation in the social media. Coaching and practicing in an interview setting are also covered in this workshop.
Creating a successful, generationally diverse team requires attention to which strategies build bridges between people (engage) and which strategies widen the generation gap (villainize or tolerate). Choosing a strategy that fosters engagement among all team members allows generational strengths and abilities to shine.
During this lively and interactive session, participants will apply the strategy presented in the preceding sessions to specific scenarios and share that information in a facilitated discussion.
Dermatophytosis is a difficult disease to manage. It is important that veterinary technicians have a good understanding of this disease to prevent the spread of this zoonotic infection to people and other pets. Basic principles, appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment options will be discussed.
Special considerations and concerns when treating felines in emergency situations.
Veterinary medicine in the 21st century has brought with it the advent of new ways to prevent disease and even newer ways to diagnose and treat it. However, this advanced health care can get caught up in the minutiae of medicine and can be a challenge for the pet parent trying to navigate through the decision-making process. Not all veterinary professionals have the time or skill to deliver this often fragile communication about end of life. In response to a growing need by pet families and veterinary professionals alike, veterinary medicine is finding the need for an emerging role – that of the Pet Care Liaison. Are we ready to explore this new and needed platform?
A review of treatment protocols, including antivenin administration, analgesia, fluid therapy, wound care, and the monitoring techniques necessary to monitor organ perfusion.
Everyone can practice yoga - all bodies benefit, regardless of age, experience or flexibility. This class is Hatha based, with a concentration in breathing, listening to the body and connecting with movement. We’ll do breathwork, finding peace and serenity in the moment. Core strength, flexibility, balance and coordination will be addressed. Calm the body and reduce stress. This class is the perfect way to keep you awake, focused and open to new experiences!
Course Fee: $15
Location: Marriott Riverwalk Hotel
Audience: All registered SWVS attendees
Limited to 35 participants
Thinking about using mobile devices in your practice? With so many choices, which one should you buy? How should you use it? Join us in this informal session to learn how veterinarians are using these devices in their practices. Compare and contrast devices in this hands-on format and talk with users about their experiences.
Three speakers covering topics on Veterinary Practice Transitions:
Questions to consider: Are you wondering if it's the right time to buy or sell a practice? Do you know how to avoid the pitfalls of buying and selling a practice in today’s market? Have you investigated tax issues and planning tied to buying and selling?
Patterson Veterinary, Idexx and Merial are planning a good old-fashioned tailgate party at SWVS. Keep your eyes open for more details on how you can "earn" your ticket to this EXCLUSIVE event.
This session will discuss traditional and novel methods used to manage urinary incontinence in dogs.
Keep clients coming in yearly! This session will review the current published guidelines and present ways to communicate these changes to clients while keeping them coming in yearly.
This is a discussion about how to select a pet health insurance company and product to recommend to your clients.
This session will review strategies to reduce the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with recurrent UTIs.
Want to improve client compliance? This lecture reviews current published guidelines on parasite control and discusses ways to communicate these changes to clients and improve compliance.
This presentation describes the various techniques which can be utilized to proactively recommend pet health insurance to pet owners.
This session will discuss feline lower urinary tract disease. The series will finish with case examples.
A discussion of the “Big 3” diseases of “healthy pets”. How can we communicate the need for prevention and increase compliance.
Understanding the importance of wellness and selecting a tool to assist in the management and administration of wellness plans.
Sunday, Sept 29
7:00 – 8:00 am
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
COST: No charge (ticket required)
SPEAKER: John Clader, DVM
TITLE: “An Elbow in the Ribs”
All SWVS attendees are welcome to begin the day at the Christian Veterinary Mission Ecumenical Worship Service, which is complimentary and open to all. Join us for coffee and pastries Sunday morning as Dr. John Clader shares how he was led to go on a CVM shuttle mission trip. He will share insights from his trips to Southeastern Columbia and Cuba. All are welcome to attend. This is a great way to bless your day!
Sponsored by the Christian Veterinary Mission
With the seemingly infinite number of problems and vast number of suggested training techniques, behavioral issues can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, many behavioral problems can be solved using a two-step approach. Through use of videos and case studies, attendees will learn how to apply this approach to many different situations and species.
This presentation will emphasize a logical approach to differentiating chronic valvular disease from primary respiratory disease. Diagnostic tests including thoracic radiography electrocardiography and echocardiography will be reviewed. Building on the basics above, emphasis will be placed on a logical approach to therapy of varying degrees or severity of valvular heart disease. Therapy of asymptomatic disease as well as advanced disease will be covered. Newer, but as of yet unproven, therapies will be discussed.
As with the TPR (temperature, pulse and respiration) of a physical examination, basic information should be obtained for an ocular examination. This lecture presents an organized approach to an ocular examination, where staff are used to obtain much of the important information.
Management of the patient with chronic kidney disease will be discussed.
This session discusses anatomy and physiology in relation to lameness.
The Beef Cow-Calf Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) program provides ranching operations with the opportunity to analyze their operation from both a production and a financial standpoint. The overall objectives of the SPA program are to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the operation, determine the ranch’s cost of production per pound of weaned calf and calculate the rate of return on assets invested in the ranch.
This presentation will discuss the principles of wildlife capture and provide practical techniques on how to handle a wide range of wildlife species under a variety of circumstances. Manual restraint, anesthetic protocols, drug delivery systems, human and animal safety and legal issues will be discussed.
Within this consumer-driven world, clients are seeking value for their purchase. The practice that makes significant efforts to incorporate these 25 items into its daily activities surely will stand out in the consumer’s mind. These steps include, but are not limited to, Answer the Phone!, Fresh Coffee, Please!, Enter the Room Prepared, SIT and Listen, No Hard Sell and No Guilt Trips, Give Them Options, Address Money Complaints, Give Them the N1!, and A Cookie Bouquet, Please.
Technicians play an essential role in educating owners about allergies and helping improve client compliance. Part I will help you to understand the process for food and environmental allergies in the dog and feel confident explaining this process to the owner. Recognize the clinical signs of the allergic dog and know the available options for diagnosing food and environmental allergies.
A basic to advanced look at the ECG. The technician will be able to understand how the ECG is obtained and read; gaining a better understanding of diseases that may change the ECG pattern.
Our society is not always supportive of those going through profound grief and subsequent bereavement from the loss of a pet. These losses can often be quite complex. Veterinary professionals, by virtue of the profession, are often in the position to bear witness to the fragility of clients during this time and are seen as the “safe” people to whom clients can bring their sorrow. What makes up this incredible bond with our pets? Although veterinary professionals aren’t trained in counseling, what are ways to support and “companion” clients during this grief process?
In this session, attendees will learn the canine body language of fear and anxiety, how seemingly innocuous behaviors can quickly progress to aggression, and what people handling and greeting these dogs inadvertently do that make the dog’s behavior worse. A more thoughtful and well-planned approach to these pets can help you quickly win their trust and breeze through situations that would otherwise lead to drama and stress for all involved.
This presentation will emphasize a logical approach to differentiating chronic valvular disease from primary respiratory disease. Diagnostic tests including thoracic radiography electrocardiography and echocardiography will be reviewed. Building on the basics above, emphasis will be placed on a logical approach to therapy of varying degrees or severity of valvular heart disease. Therapy of asymptomatic disease as well as advanced disease will be covered. Newer, but as of yet unproven, therapies will be discussed.
Not every ulcer in an eye can be or should be treated the same way. Depending on the etiology and location of a corneal ulcer, diagnostic needs and treatment may differ.
Management of the patient with chronic kidney disease will be discussed.
A peripheral objective of the Beef Cow-Calf SPA program has been the development of databases containing the results of ranches that have completed the analysis. The Southwest SPA database is the only database developed and maintained. The database currently contains results from 595 herds running 389,000 mother cows. These results have been analyzed to determine factors within a ranching operation that help determine profitability.
There is increasing concern about wildlife zoonoses in North America. Veterinarians must be able to give their clients and the general public appropriate advice about risks, how to recognize signs of wildlife zoonoses, and how to prevent or reduce exposure to pathogens. Topics to be covered include rabies, Hantavirus, tularemia, plague, psittacosis, Baylisascaris, alveolar echinococcosis, arthropod-borne encephalitis, tick-borne diseases and food safety related to game meat.
The mantra is this: If we cannot have fun at work, where CAN we have fun? If your staff turnover is less than 5 years, we’ll share sane and practical team building tips. Learn to hire the right people, train them, show them the Triangle Team system, cherish them, keep them and keep them happy!
Part II will discuss flea allergy dermatitis. Treatment options and client education for the allergic patient, including therapy for both immediate relief and long-term management of pruritic allergic conditions, will be reviewed.
A complete review of the anatomy of the cardiac system. The most common conditions that affect cats and dogs will be discussed.
Discover how the goals of end-of-life care apply to actual hospice cases and find out why the families who have experienced this service feel it is such a gift. This session will get up close and personal with real-life stories of love and redefining of the word hope.
The SWVS Cyber Café is located inside the Exhibit Hall at SWVS Communication Center, booth 289, and designed for you to stop, relax, meet your friends, check your email and enjoy the Wi-Fi lounge. Also available this year is a kiosk to recharge your cell phone.
Flooding, desensitization, classical counterconditioning and operant counterconditioning are the four methods of behavior modification. This session will discuss which ones are most appropriate and how to use them. Learn the importance of addressing the pet’s underlying emotional state, subtleties of technique that affect the speed of change, and common mistakes in behavior modification and how to avoid them.
This session will cover the diagnosis and management of this commonly overlooked but frequently treatable form of acquired cardiovascular disease. Emphasis will be placed on establishing a definitive diagnosis and implementing a logical therapeutic plan.
Not every ulcer in an eye can be or should be treated the same way. Depending on the etiology and location of a corneal ulcer, diagnostic needs and treatment may differ.
This session presents the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to proteinuria.
Reproduction is the greatest influence of profitability in commercial cow-calf operations. The role of the veterinarian in influencing the greatest reproduction rate in the operation will be explored. Other veterinarian roles will be discussed.
Duck plague, avian cholera, avian botulism, West Nile virus, Newcastle disease, avian influenza, lead poisoning¾it’s a wonder any birds are left in North America! This presentation will discuss current disease threats to North American wild birds and will include descriptions of field signs, epidemiology, management and implications for humans, domestic animals and wild bird populations.
Conflict is the major disruptive force within clinical practices. Learn to use the signals of impending conflict to minimize its effects. More importantly, corral the issues bubbling over into venting, anger and posturing to solve and turn the tide of conflict into positive actions. And, of course, learn the Godzilla lesson.
Generalized canine demodicosis is a severe dermatological condition that is frustrating to manage and requires a lot of commitment from owners. Understanding available treatment options and recommendations for the clinical management of this disease will improve the outcome of these cases. The role of vet techs in client education is crucial to improve compliance and reach a successful parasitological cure.
This lecture provides complete understanding of the diabetic patient. The team will gain insight on treatment and monitoring the patient. In addition they will be able to provide education and support to the owner.
This session provides an in-depth view of the lives of two different families and the complexities with their pets at end of life. Find out how it’s possible to retain professional ethics, meet clients “where they are” and still be able to make a difference during the profound time of transition from life to end of life.
Are you still routinely scruffing cats or stretching them out for jugular venipuncture? It doesn’t have to be that way! Learn how everything you do, from the way you set up the waiting room and treatment area, to how you greet the cat, to the restraint technique you choose, influences the cat’s behavior. Learn the seven general principles for managing difficult cats, as well as specific techniques that can be applied immediately in practice.
Arrhythmias can present a clinical challenge in numerous disease conditions. Despite this fact, a logical approach to rhythm evaluation will commonly allow an accurate characterization and management of most rhythm disturbances. Following a short review of a standardized approach to ECG evaluation, case examples will be used to promote discussion of clinically relevant topics.
This session will review the common familial renal diseases of dogs and cats.
This session provides a guide to common ocular disease in cats for the primary veterinary care provider.
The benefits, costs, and indications for advanced imaging in equine lameness and orthopedics will be introduced. Case material will be discussed.
The risks of running a cow-calf operation are as great as they have ever been. Rising input costs, including fuel, feed, and labor, unforgiving weather, and regulatory issues, combine to cause many operators to wonder whether or not the operation is worth it. Sound information for these decision makers is imperative. The veterinarian should be considered an important team member in addressing these issues.
White nose syndrome has led to the deaths of 6 million bats in North America and threatens the persistence of some bat populations. The cause of this disease, the Geomyces destructans fungus, was discovered through creative diagnostic detective work, and scientists continue efforts to fight the disease. White nose syndrome will be discussed within the context of emerging infectious diseases, environmental changes and how to address this urgent issue.
These 20 HOT ROCKS certainly stimulate any practice in any economy. This high-spirited session presents the WildCat Fund, Upgrade Something, The Wish Party, Keep FRED Cooking, The Education Station, An N! for All, ENERGY in the Practice, SMILES for All, The RED HOOK, Green Sheets.
Demodicosis is being recognized more often in feline patients and can be difficult to manage. Cheyletiellosis is another parasitic dermatosis seen more commonly in cats. These diseases and other selected feline dermatologic conditions will be reviewed.
Some of the most commonly treated and seen diseases in veterinary medicine, however not always understood by the technicians. This presentation covers the disease process and treatment in a manner that all levels of the staff will gain a better understanding.
Communicating bad news and supporting pet parents through this discovery is an essential skill for veterinary professionals. Families expect us to be skilled in delivering this information, but are we always effective? Learn how to be more proficient in the art of compassionate communication from the onset diagnosis of serious illness to the eventual end-of-life discussions. Explore how to use trust and honesty to de-mystify and de-stress the “bad news” with a six-step approach.
Whether or not you think punishment has a place in training, it’s important to be aware of why it works in some situations, as well as the many unintended negative effects. The potential adverse effects of punishment will be explored through videos and case studies, using a deep body of scientific research as evidence. Attendees will also learn factors to consider before using punishment and how to determine whether it’s working appropriately.
This presentation will use a case based approach to address the diagnosis and therapy of primary myocardial diseases of cats. Management of thromboembolic disease will be covered.
This session provides a guide to common ocular disease in cats for the primary veterinary care provider.
Long-term management of glaucoma requires great client education, careful examination by primary care veterinarians and good communication with ophthalmologists.
This session is open to DVMs. The target audience includes veterinarians who are accredited and need Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-approved supplemental training for accreditation renewal. Attendees will sign in at each session/module. Accredited DVMs will receive a certificate of attendance after completing each module. Note: This session also counts for general CE credit by SWVS for all DVMs, accreditated and nonaccredited.
The first part of this module addresses the importance of foot-and-mouth disease, vesicular stomatitis, swine vesicular disease, and vesicular exanthema of swine in the United States. Clinical signs associated with the four vesicular diseases and specific biosecurity measures are included. The second part takes the veterinarian through an interactive scenario investigating a possible vesicular disease outbreak on a swine farm. Veterinarians learn the process of reporting a possible vesicular disease case and the chain of events that occur in a foreign animal disease investigation.
A grim topic, yet essential information. The euthanasia of wildlife species presents some unique challenges. This presentation will provide the practitioner with practical methods for safely and humanely dispatching wildlife species. The legal and ethical responsibilities of the veterinary practitioner will also be discussed.
The devil IS in the details. Practices stop growing from within, so tighten up daily, monthly and annual operations to improve the quality of care, minimize patient distress and staff morbidity, and set up the practice to thrive. Operations are the part of the business plan that’s necessary to deliver the service product. The public views any weakness as a reflection of the medical care – if operations are poor, the medicine is poor. Come to this session to ensure that operations accurately reflect the medicine.
Aggression in dogs is one of the most common causes of euthanasia, and the most common cause of canine aggression toward people and other dogs is fear. This presentation will show how and why dogs develop aggression toward other dogs and how owners unintentionally make it worse. Attendees will see various techniques for addressing both the outward behavior and the underlying emotional state driving the behavior.
This presentation will use a case based approach to address the diagnosis and therapy of primary myocardial diseases of dogs. Special emphasis will be placed on management of the arrhythmias that commonly complicate this disease.
Long-term management of glaucoma requires great client education, careful examination by primary care veterinarians and good communication with ophthalmologists.
Case studies illustrating the use of regenerative therapy and imaging will be presented.
This session is open to DVMs. The target audience includes veterinarians who are accredited and need Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-approved supplemental training for accreditation renewal. Attendees will sign in at each session/module. Accredited DVMs will receive a certificate of attendance after completing each module. Note: This session also counts for general CE credit by SWVS for all DVMs, accreditated and nonaccredited.
This module reviews the terms and concepts necessary for veterinarians to make informed decisions for the proper selection and judicious use of antibiotics in animals. The various benefits and limitations of antibiotics susceptibility testing options and how to correctly interpret a drug label are presented. A review of the many agencies involved in antibiotic regulation and antibiotic resistance and residue monitoring is provided as well as a review of the key components of the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA) and extra-label use of drugs. Numerous resources to assist in making informed decisions of antibiotic use in animals are also included.
Sylvatic plague has become endemic in the western United States. A major impediment to the recovery of the black-footed ferret, North America’s most endangered mammal, it has a devastating impact on prairie dog colonies, which are a source of food and shelter for ferrets and other species. Current research is focusing on the ecology of plague and developing tools to manage it in the wild, including an oral vaccine for prairie dogs.
Is your marketing taking you where you want to be in 2015? Find out where you fit and what will be effective for your situation. Sort out the fads, games, tactics and gimmicks, and deliver your message. Word of mouth continues to be the most effective marketing strategy. Budget considerations, targeted consumers, an effective business plan and market research will be addressed.
