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Thursday Schedule
Minneapolis, MN
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Jan. 29 - Feb. 1, 2025
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150+ CE Hours
MVMA & MAVT Presidents welcome attendees to the Annual Conference. They will also share meeting highlights and recognize our sponsors.
This evidence-based session introduces the well-researched concept of psychological safety and explores why it so closely correlates with team and business outcomes. You will develop a keen understanding of psychological safety, the #1 predictor of effective workplace teams, and be enabled to foster it in your teams, businesses, and organizations.
In this case-based session, we will explore several neurologic presentations that on first impression may lead a clinician to assume that the patient has a severe disease with a poor prognosis, which could erroneously lead to premature patient euthanasia. In each of these cases, the underlying cause of the signs is actually a disease with a good prognosis. The purpose of this session is to provide clinicians with exposure to neurologic cases in which it is critical that the clinician considers relatively benign differential diagnoses in order to guide diagnostic, treatment, and prognosis conversations.
Red eye is one of the most common reasons for presentation to the ophthalmologists. In this session, we will approach the red eye systematically and discuss the most common diagnostics, diagnoses and treatments. At the end of this session you will be able to: 1) Explain the most common causes of red eye; 2) Develop a systematic approach to the red eye that prevents mistakes and 3) Describe common treatments for red eye.
This lecture will provide an in-depth exploration of pet food labels, focusing on the regulatory landscape that governs animal feed in the U.S. We will cover key aspects such as label requirements, ingredient lists, nutritional adequacy statements, and how to interpret feeding directions. Attendees will learn about the roles of federal and state agencies in ensuring pet food safety and consumer protection. By understanding these regulations and standards, veterinary professionals can better guide pet owners in making informed dietary choices for their pets.
Learning Objectives:
Comprehend Regulatory Frameworks: Understand the roles and responsibilities of various governmental agencies like AAFCO and FDA in regulating pet food ingredients and labeling practices.
Interpret Pet Food Labels: Learn how to accurately read and interpret different sections of a pet food label including product names, ingredient lists ordered by weight, guaranteed analysis, calorie content, feeding directions, and nutritional adequacy statements.
Apply Label Knowledge Practically: Apply knowledge of label information to assess product suitability for specific pets considering factors like species, life stage, health status (e.g., allergies), and intended use (e.g., complete meals vs. treats).
Adapt to New Changes in Pet Food Labeling: Stay informed about upcoming changes to pet food labeling requirements and understand how these modifications will impact ingredient disclosure, nutritional claims, and overall consumer transparency.
Many small animal practices may be unequipped or unprepared for eye emergencies. Through my presentation, I will discuss what every clinic should have on hand for potential emergency situations and go over some conditions/injuries they may be likely to see and how to treat them.
MVMA initiative to amend MN Statutes 347.31-347.40.
We will explore concepts surrounding hyperketonemia in dairy cows, shedding light on treatment strategies supported by evidence-based rationales. In addition, we will discuss the nuanced nature of hyperketonemia, challenging the prevailing notion that all cases are the same. Recently published research discussed herein underscores the need to reevaluate hyperketonemia, advocating for its classification as a disorder rather than a disease, thereby reshaping our understanding of its diverse manifestations and informing targeted therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, we will examine how automated health monitoring systems can be utilized to assist in the management of cows with hyperketonemia, offering innovative approaches to early detection and personalized care.
Coming Soon.
PRRSV-2 continues to be a challenge to the US swine industry, and classification of PRRSV-2 is changing. The presentation will review previous (RFLP), current (lineages and sub-lineages) and a recently proposed (variant) classification scheme for PRRSV-2, which has been adopted by the UMN VDL already. Advantages and limitations of the classification schemes will be discussed.
When a cat with a bald abdomen enters the clinic, a common differential many practitioners consider is psychogenic alopecia. Psychogenic alopecia is an extremely over diagnosed cause of alopecia in cats and must be considered a diagnosis of exclusion. Studies have shown upon further evaluation, close to 75% of misdiagnosed cats had one or more underlying medical etiologies. This lecture will focus on the dermatological workup of cats with excessive licking or grooming followed by an overview of multimodal treatment plans for behavioral causes of overgrooming.
In this case-based session we will explore the diagnosis of uveitis. We will look at a rational approach to the uveitis workup and explore strategies for explaining the disease to clients. Lastly we will develop a rational treatment approach for cases before and after appropriate workup. At the end of this session you will be able to: 1) Explain the diagnosis of uveitis, 2) Present a stepwise approach to the uveitis workup, 3) Explain the treatment for uveitis and 4) Work through several clinical cases of uveitis.
This lecture will delve into the growing trends of unconventional diets in pet nutrition, exploring the reasons behind their popularity and examining their potential benefits and risks. We will discuss grain-free diets, raw diets, and other alternative feeding strategies, considering both anecdotal claims and scientific evidence. By understanding the nutritional needs of pets and how these unconventional diets measure up, veterinary professionals can make informed recommendations to pet owners concerned about diet-related health issues.
Learning Objectives:
Understanding Pet Food Trends: Identify key factors driving the popularity of unconventional pet food diets such as health concerns, distrust in commercial products, personal beliefs/lifestyles, and ingredient avoidance.
Evaluating Grain-Free Diets: Analyze theoretical benefits of grain-free diets including mimicking ancestral diets and reducing food allergies while assessing genetic data that supports or refutes these claims.
Assessing Raw Diets: Critically evaluate the rationale behind raw diet popularity by discussing ancestral eating habits, potential benefits versus risks associated with heat-induced degradation in processing.
Investigating Dietary-Linked Health Issues: Discuss reported adverse food reactions in pets related to specific ingredients like gluten or legumes/pulses used in grain-free diets and examine ongoing research findings from regulatory bodies such as the FDA regarding diet-associated DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy).
Formulating Nutritional Recommendations: Develop evidence-based dietary recommendations that balance consumer preferences with scientific research to ensure optimal pet health without compromising safety.
In this session, we will review the three components of a comprehensive complete blood count ( CBC). We will review indications for performing CBC’s and methods for interpreting CBC’s using CBC data, dot plots and blood smears. We will share through-provoking case studies involving this diagnostic tool.
Coming Soon.
We will discuss how veterinarians can get involved in using technology to manage lameness on dairy farms. Technologies discussed will range from using automated lists and protocols for strategic trimming programs to using camera technology for lameness detection.
This session, is geared toward all veterinary professionals in any role within or outside the veterinary hospital, provides an introduction to the science of the brain bank and “stacked stressors”. You will explore and develop tested tools for calming the brain and preparing for connection including how to leverage your natural brain chemistry superpowers and connect with difficult people.
This session will provide an update and field experiences regarding the clinical and production impact of newly emerging PRRSv. We will highlight some of the key differences and opportunities for these newly described viruses. Additionally, this session will provide a brief update on the current epidemiologic picture of PEDv in the US swine industry.
Continuous glucose monitors and novel long-acting insulin types are available for the management of diabetes mellitus in dogs. In this seminar, participants will learn how to apply these monitoring and treatment tools to gain clinical control of difficult diabetes cases.
Non-healing ulcers are a huge challenge to general practitioners and ophthalmologists alike. In this session we’ll review how to recognize indolent corneal ulcers, how to treat them and how to avoid getting into trouble. At the end of this session you will be able to: 1) Provide a stepwise approach to assessing corneal ulcers, 2) Explain the effects of corneal infection on corneal ulcers, 3) Identify the characteristics of non-healing corneal ulcers, and 4) Describe the available treatments and relative success of such treatments for non-healing ulcers in dogs.
This lecture will provide a comprehensive understanding of food allergies by differentiating between immediate (IgE-mediated) and delayed/cell-mediated (non-IgE) reactions. The discussion will highlight their distinct symptoms, reaction timeframes, and testing strategies that need to be considered when determining next steps. Attendees will gain valuable insights into if, when, and how to utilize various food allergy testing methods. Participants will learn how to select appropriate elimination diets, monitor response to dietary oral challenges, and address nutritional needs during long-term management.
Learning Objectives:
Differentiate Between Allergy Types: Understand and distinguish between immediate (IgE-mediated) and delayed/cell-mediated (non-IgE) reactions in cats and dogs.
Evaluate Testing Strategies: Assess when and how to employ various food allergy testing methods, including commercially available diagnostics, elimination trials, and oral challenges.
Develop Effective Treatment Plans: Create tailored treatment plans that consider individual patient needs.
Monitor Dietary Responses: Monitor patient responses to dietary changes through oral challenges and adjust management strategies accordingly.
In this session, we will review the three components of a complete urinalysis and indications for performing a urinalysis. We will discuss methods for interpreting the physical, chemical and sediment components of a urinalysis and share thought- provoking case studies involving this diagnostic test.
During this session we will review the current veterinary applications and the current state of AI medical regulation. We will also discuss the future of AI medical regulation. Finally, you will be able to describe a Board’s perspective on AI and medical recordkeeping and veterinarian’s responsibilities.
We will describe methods, with examples, to incorporate dairy consulting services into day-to-day dairy practice. Practitioners may sometimes feel the need to choose between providing routine, technical services and acting as a consultant. However, valuable consulting services can be provided as part of regular dairy practice.
Coming Soon.
During this session you will be provided an overview of the Health Professionals Services Program and what monitoring is. In addition, we will discuss how HPSP and the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association can collaborate to support veterinarians suffering from substance, mental health, and/or medical conditions that may impact their professional practice.
Coming Soon.
No one needs a reminder that licensure of veterinary technicians starts in July 2026, but there is still confusion about the inclusion of veterinary technicians in the Minnesota Veterinary Practice Act. During this session panelists will provide a brief overview of LVT bill, discuss the current status of the rule-making process, and dispel myths that continue to circulate. There will also be time for audience Q & A.
This session will provide an overview of feline diabetes, focusing on the disease pathophysiology and available treatment options, including insulin therapy and the role of nutrition. SGLT2 inhibitors, the oral drugs recently approved by the FDA for treatment of feline diabetes, will also be covered with a focus on the pharmacology, appropriate case selection, and available evidence.
There are many surgeries of the eye that can and should be successfully performed in private practice. In this session, I present pearls for successful ophthalmic surgery as well as discussing what cases are best served by referral. Surgical procedures covered will include enucleation, basic entropion repair, eyelid mass removal and replacement of the gland of the third eyelid. At the end of this session you will be able to: 1) Describe the surgical procedures of the eyelid and third eyelid, 2) Explain an approach to deciding when to refer, and 3) List tips and hints to successful private practice surgery for the eye.
This lecture will explore the essential aspects of implementing a successful weight loss plan for cats and dogs, beyond the initial feeding calculations. Attendees will learn how to develop specific diet, environmental, and exercise modifications aimed at improving owner adherence to what are often significant lifestyle changes. Key topics include managing routine recheck appointments, monitoring weight loss rates, and adjusting feeding amounts as needed. The session will cover common barriers to success such as households with multiple pets, food-seeking behavior, and preventing unintended access to food. By attending this lecture, participants will gain valuable strategies to support their clients through every stage of their pet’s weight loss journey for long-term success and improved health.
Learning Objectives:
Understand the Calculations Needed to Setting Up a Weight Loss Program: Recall steps for estimating body fat percentage and explain the significance of calculating ideal weight, RER, and MER accurately.
Implement a Weight Loss Program: Design a weight loss plan that incorporates specific dietary recommendations and develop an environmental enrichment plan tailored to individual pet needs.
Maintain Routine Recheck Schedules: Determine recommended frequency of visits based on initial assessments, calculate the rate of weight loss using collected data to make necessary adjustments, emphasize early check-ins after starting the program and differentiate between achieving ideal versus target weights based on clinical outcomes.
Weight Maintenance After Completing a Weight Loss Program: Assess whether pets are maintaining their goal weights before making any dietary changes, evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic diets versus over-the-counter options in sustaining ideal weight, and formulate long-term maintenance plans that include both nutritional and behavioral components.
This lecture talks about how to prevent obesity in our pets. It highlights what obesity is defined as and how to best prevent it starting as early as puppyhood/kittenhood. Details on how obesity affects our pets and can shorten their lifespan is also included. A case study will be presented on how to create a balanced nutrition plan as well as feeding management tips to help prevent our pets from over eating.
This session, specifically geared toward hospital and organization leaders such as owners, managers, supervisors, HR directors, and leadership team members, introduces an evidence-based leadership framework for inspiring engaged, motivated, and loyal veterinary teams. You will develop a deep understanding of the four “buckets” leaders must seek to fill in their teams to cultivate a positive, high-performing hospital culture. You will explore immediately actionable, evidence-based tools for adding energy to each bucket and inspiring their teams to thrive in their work.
How much do we really know about rural veterinary practitioners? Several UMN faculty are exploring the current state of veterinary medical services in rural Minnesota. So far, they have mapped rural veterinary practices and launched an email survey to gather demographic data, where veterinarians practice, the species they treat, the services they provide, and their working hours. The faculty are also asking practitioners to identify the knowledge, skills and level of autonomy they expect from new graduates. A series of focus groups will provide more depth behind the data. This session will be a preview of the survey data collected so far.
Coming Soon.
In this session definitions, key characteristics, tendencies, and training preferences will be discussed for the main four generations present in the workplace today. Impact of these differences in the context of veterinary technician and team member training will be discussed, including tips and tricks on how to adapt your training program as needed to better address the gaps that may arise as a result of generational differences.
No one is excited about getting an injection… Animal patients in the laboratory setting are no exception. Biomedical research addresses significant health challenges for both humans and animals. In these studies, which involve modeling diseases and studying innovative treatments, animals undergo procedures that can be uncomfortable due to the physical sensations or psychological aspects. Recognizing animals as individuals with varying responses to medical interventions can significantly impact how we provide care and their overall experience. This presentation will discuss how cooperative training can improve daily experiences for laboratory animals, improving stress resilience and stronger human-animal relationships. Learn training concepts, methods, and applications to effectively implement cooperative care for the animals you work with.
Left atrial decompression is an emerging palliative treatment for left sided congestive heart failure, creating an iatrogenic atrial septal defect. The atrial septal defect acts as a pop off valve reducing left atrial pressures and pulmonary edema. This presentation will focus on procedural indications, complications and outcomes associated with this minimally invasive procedure.
Melting ulcers are a huge challenge to general practitioners and ophthalmologists alike. In this session we’ll review how to recognize melting corneal ulcers, how to treat them and how to avoid getting into trouble! At the end of this session you will be able to: 1) Provide a stepwise approach to assessing corneal ulcers, 2) Describe the effects of corneal infection on corneal ulcers, 3) Identify the characteristics of melting corneal ulcers, and 4) List the available treatments and relative success of such treatments for melting ulcers in dogs.
This lecture will address the management of urolithiasis in cats and dogs, emphasizing dietary prevention strategies for calcium oxalate, struvite, and urate uroliths. Attendees will gain practical insights into selecting appropriate diets to optimize their patient’s treatment plans. The lecture will also include discussions of clinical scenarios with appropriate diet selection and monitoring.
Learning Objectives:
Identify Risk Factors and Breed Predispositions: Describe the risk factors and breed predispositions associated with calcium oxalate, struvite, and urate stones.
Dietary Considerations: List nutrients of concern for diets aimed at preventing calcium oxalate, struvite, and urate stones.
Clinical Scenario Analysis: Apply knowledge to design the most effective diet plans for both prevention and dissolution of bladder stones when presented with clinical scenarios.
Recommendations for Monitoring and Follow-Up: Formulate appropriate recommendations regarding monitoring protocols and follow-up care for patients with a history of bladder stones.
Coming Soon.
In this session, we will delve into the latest research from the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center. We’ll explore a comparative study examining the growth, health, and behavior of dairy calves raised under different conditions: individual housing, pair housing, group housing, and dam-raised environments. Additionally, we’ll discuss recent advancements in alternative pain mitigation strategies for disbudded dairy calves, as well as new research on alternative treatments for mastitis. Finally, we’ll cover emerging precision technologies designed to optimize the health and well-being of dairy calves.
What’s Your Diagnosis: Case of the Limping Marmoset
This case presentation of 2.5-year-old male intact marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) that became acutely lame. This presentation will be interactive. We will review common marmoset illnesses as well as the history of this case, clinical diagnosis, and treatment regimen.
Serial Refinements to a Rat Surgical Protocol: A Multimodal Approach
It’s commonly accepted that rodents experience a much higher perianesthetic death rate than large animals, particularly with long or complex surgeries. Is there anything we can do to improve survival for research mice and rats? This presentation will provide an overview of a complex rat surgical protocol with high mortality, and the many successful refinements made by investigators and veterinarians to reduce animal loss and improve welfare.
Intravenous vs. Intramuscular Pharmacokinetics of Olaparib in a Swine Model of Hemorrhagic Shock
There’s currently a need for novel treatments for hemorrhagic shock that can be used in a pre-hospital setting, particularly when intravenous access is not feasible. However, there are few drugs whose intramuscular pharmacokinetics are known. Furthermore, there are virtually no drugs whose pharmacokinetics have been evaluated in a state of hemorrhagic shock, where circulation and organ perfusion are deranged. This session will discuss original research evaluating the IV and IM pharmacokinetics of Olaparib in both normovolemic and hypovolemic swine.
AAV-Mediated In-Vivo Gene Delivery to the Rotator Cuff
Tendon injuries present a considerable clinical challenge due to the limited regenerative capacity of tendons. The use of gene transfer to deliver growth factors to sites of tendon damage has been suggested as a promising strategy for tendon regeneration. AAV has several advantages as a vector for stimulating tendon regeneration by local, in-vivo, gene transfer.
The landscape of infectious diseases of dogs and cats is constantly changing. This talk will review the recent advances in technology and evolving landscape of infectious disease diagnostics methods for novel, emerging and common infectious diseases of dogs and cats. It will cover diagnostic techniques used in referral laboratories and diagnostic point-of-care (POC) tests.
Cats provide a unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for ocular disease. Many problems of the cat eye are linked to herpesvirus infection. In this session we will review the most common ocular problems in cats including herpesvirus and discuss the most current treatments available. At the end of this session you will be able to: 1) Describe the primary ocular diseases of cats, 2) Present a stepwise approach to the diagnosis of feline ophthalmic problems, 3) Explain the current literature on herpesvirus, and 4) Discuss current treatment modalities.
This lecture focuses on the nutritional management of critically ill veterinary patients. It covers various methods to assess and address the nutritional needs of these patients, from enteral to parenteral nutrition. Participants will learn about indications for different feeding tubes, managing refeeding syndrome, and considerations for initiating parenteral nutrition. Additionally, this session will provide practical guidelines on diet selection, feeding schedules, and monitoring protocols to optimize patient outcomes in a critical care setting.
Learning Objectives:
Assess Nutritional Needs: Understand how to evaluate a patient’s nutritional status based on factors such as length of hyporexia or anorexia and preexisting malnutrition.
Enteral vs Parenteral Nutrition: Differentiate between scenarios where enteral feeding is suitable versus when parenteral nutrition is necessary.
Managing Feeding Tubes: Gain proficiency in selecting appropriate feeding tubes (e.g., gastrostomy or jejunostomy), understanding their specific uses based on patient conditions.
Diet Selection & Preparation: Understand diet selection criteria including liquid products and slurry formulations; calculate appropriate mix ratios to meet caloric needs.
Preventing Refeeding Syndrome: Recognize signs of refeeding syndrome and implement strategies to prevent it by correcting electrolyte imbalances before initiating feeding and starting with reduced RER.
Monitoring & Adjustments: Develop skills in monitoring patients during nutritional support, adjusting feeding plans based on tolerance levels, GI signs, lab work results, and overall patient response.
Coming Soon.
Leveraging Rumination Data: Advancing Ketosis Treatment Efficacy
Dr. Davis will provide an update on her research of ketosis treatment efficacy, focusing on the use of rumination data to optimize treatment strategies and outcomes. The findings are based on a recent trial conducted on a single farm in Minnesota.
Coming Soon
Common Marmosets
Dr. Coda will discuss the natural history, research uses, and generalized care of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Dr. Coda will also present how their colony has been established, with husbandry considerations, preventive medicine, and common diseases that occur in the species in general as well as unexpected issues they have encountered.
Tree Shrews
Tree shrews are becoming increasingly popular models for a growing list of conditions including infectious disease, ophthalmology, drug addiction, and cancer. This session will introduce you to the species and touch on their use in research. Then we will share our journey of caring for a new (and wild!) species in our program – everything from husbandry to anesthesia and a nascent behavioral management program. This is sure to be fun and informative if you may be tasked with bringing tree shrews (or any new species) into your program, or if you just want to learn about something new and different. Join us to hear about the challenges we faced, some surprise wins, and oh so many lessons learned.
