Saturday Schedule

Understanding the difference between orthopedic and neurologic causes of difficulty walking is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Through case discussions and practical observations, we’ll refine your ability to assess normal and abnormal gaits, recognize key differences between ataxia and orthopedic gait abnormalities, and apply hands-on examination techniques to improve diagnostic accuracy.

This lecture reviews recent and clinically relevant literature in small animal musculoskeletal radiography that clarifies common sources of diagnostic confusion and defines emerging or under-recognized orthopedic conditions. Emphasis is placed on radiographic findings that are frequently misinterpreted, conditions that mimic more serious disease, and situations in which traditional assumptions may lead to misdiagnosis. The goal is to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide appropriate treatment, referral, and further imaging decisions.

An overview of relevant financial topics. We will provide actionable information allowing veterinarians to identify and understand financial issues as they arise in their life and work, including information concerning financial planning, investing strategies, and transition and exit planning, in part through the examination of a hypothetical financial planning and practice sale scenario.

Did you know honey bees are now considered livestock by the USDA? Beekeepers must now work with a veterinarian to obtain antibiotics needed to treat bacterial brood diseases. In this session we’ll explore some honey bee and beekeeping basics, get an overview of the commercial side of the honey and pollination industry, discuss honey bee diseases and treatments, and sort out how veterinarians (large animal and small) can help support the world’s littlest livestock species. We’ll also explore some great disease detection and treatment resources as well as an available business modelling tool to use when you’re ready to take the next step.

This learning event will cover the aberrant anatomy and physiology that makes flat-faced patients so difficult to manage in the peri-anesthetic period. A discussion of practical interventions and support measures plus emergency interventions will be included.

This is an intermediate lecture with information on cardiac physiology and common arrhythmias in anesthetized patients. There will be case based evaluation of ECG rhythms and discussion on the questions that anesthetists should ask themselves to help determine what type of arrhythmia is present. Precipitating factors, common manifestations, and treatment recommendations for perioperative arrhythmias will also be discussed.

During this session we will work through exactly what is canine atopic dermatitis including the pathogenesis, differentials and how to diagnose it. From there, we will discuss the options for treatment when managing the mild cases of canine atopic dermatitis.

Anesthetic-related complications is substantially higher in veterinary patients compared to human patients. The goal of this lecture is to present the commonly expected anesthetic complications, how they can be prevented and treated.

This course covers best practices for credit card processing for veterinarians’ settings, focusing on reducing merchant fees, leveraging technology for faster checkouts, and ensuring secure, convenient payment options for clients. Learn how to optimize your payment workflows and save thousands annually.

This is a basic to intermediate level lecture with information on basic blood pressure physiology and why it’s important under anesthesia. We will discuss the various ways blood pressure can be measured as well as ways to treat hypotension or hypertension in the anesthetized patient.

Sedation is often required for diagnostics, minor surgical procedures, or before general anesthesia in older cats. The goal of this lecture is to review and understand the risks related to sedation and how to best prepare to safely sedate geriatric cats.

Arterial blood pressure is standard part of anesthetic monitoring but interpreting the data may not be straight forward. This learning event will include case examples and a discussion of possible interventions and their appropriateness within case context.

Antimicrobial resistance is increasingly encountered in exotic pet practice. Treating disease caused by antimicrobial resistant organisms, ordinarily difficult, is complicated by the paucity of information on drug pharmacokinetics in non-traditional pet species. This lecture will review AMR-related problems encountered in exotic pet practice and tools to employ against AMR organisms.

As a continuation from the previous session, we will continue to discuss the treatment options of managing the moderate to severe cases of canine atopic dermatitis. Some cases may be ideally treated with one of the specific treatment options compared to the others.

This lecture reexamines how lung disease is evaluated radiographically and challenges the traditional emphasis on naming lung “patterns” as the primary diagnostic goal. It explores why pattern-based interpretation often creates confusion rather than clarity and reviews the anatomic, histologic, and radiographic realities that underlie lung opacity changes. By focusing on how lung disease produces radiographic findings, the lecture aims to shift interpretation toward a disease-oriented contemplation of lung lesions rather than rigid pattern categorization.

This lecture reviews the role of radiography as a first-line diagnostic tool in dogs and cats presenting with acute gastrointestinal signs, particularly vomiting. Emphasis is placed on using radiographs to distinguish surgical from non-surgical disease, recognize mechanical obstruction patterns, and identify time-sensitive conditions such as GDV and gastrointestinal perforation. Practical strategies are presented to optimize positioning, interpret equivocal findings, and integrate repeat imaging and clinical context to improve diagnostic accuracy in emergency cases.

The itchy cat can be quite frustrating to manage. We will walk through the main differentials to consider for the itchy cat and how to manage and treat all of those differentials.

In 2011, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) became part of the Upper Midwest Agriculture Safety and Health Center, one of 10 national centers for agricultural disease and injury research, education, and prevention. Previous research has quantified the occurrence of fatal injuries and other non-infectious health threats among agricultural workers, but research on zoonotic diseases among agricultural workers is sparse. Since 2012, MDH has prospectively collected systematic, detailed data on animal agriculture exposures in Minnesota residents with reportable enteric pathogen infections. Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium parvum, Salmonella, E. coli O157, and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections are reportable to MDH. Cases reported during 2012-2024 were interviewed with a standard hypothesis-generating questionnaire. Cases reporting animal agriculture exposures were re-interviewed in more detail about their agricultural exposure. Cases were excluded if they were part of an outbreak, traveled internationally, or were lost-to-follow-up. The total number and proportion of cases reporting an animal agriculture exposure were calculated, and demographics, clinical illness, and agricultural exposure characteristics were evaluated. Cases were assigned to one of three exposure tiers: 1) lived or worked on farm; 2) visited a farm; or 3) visited a fair, petting zoo, or other venue with food production animals. All Salmonella cases were also tested using a standard antimicrobial susceptibility panel and were compared to Salmonella cases that did not have an animal agriculture exposure. This session will look at the results from data collected over 13 years and examine the occupational infectious disease health risk to farm workers.

This learning event includes a case-based discussion presenting a variety of anesthetic events in ‘real time’ and how to manage them. A variety of anesthetic events will be presented and a discussion of event recognition, intervention options and response to treatment will be included.

Cats are historically difficult to assess and treat for chronic pain. The goal of this lecture is to discuss the current knowledge of pain assessment and treatment options for cats with chronic pain.

In this lecture, we will delve into the complexities of managing thyroid storm in anesthetized patients. Understanding the signs and triggers of thyroid storm, as well as the rapid interventions required, is crucial for patient safety. This session will cover the physiological effects of thyroid storm, preoperative assessment, intraoperative monitoring, and postoperative care to ensure a comprehensive approach to this critical condition. There will also be a case-based discussion on what can be seen in the recovery period in a patient that has experienced thyroid storm, and how to stay ahead of the potential complications seen in these cases.

Hands on development of Key Performance Indicators for your individual practice. Understand which KPI’s you should follow, how to calculate and what information you will need to develop a personal KPI stack for your practice.

Celebrate the enduring link between animals and people! Awards recognize: Hero, Companion & Professional Animals

The modern workplace celebrates individuality more than ever. But this very strength presents a challenge: how do we forge a cohesive team amidst a rich tapestry of differences in generation, neurodiversity, mental health, personality, and processing styles? This keynote will challenge the traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach to collaboration. We’ll explore actionable strategies to harness these diverse individual components—not as obstacles, but as fuel. Together, let’s discover how to transform our differences into collective strengths, ultimately enhancing team cohesion, boosting engagement, and driving unified progress. It’s time to move beyond managing differences and start leveraging them to build truly resilient, innovative, and high-performing teams.

2025 was a record-setting year for WNV in Minnesota, and this session will provide some important updates on human disease, veterinary cases, and the general epidemiology of WNV in Minnesota. In addition to updates on the activity in 2025, topics include what makes for a busy WNV season, how the virus is maintained in nature and transmitted to humans and animals, and how changes in weather, climate, and landscape can affect disease transmission in the future.

A continuation of the above case based discussion presenting a variety of anesthetic events in ‘real time’ and how to manage them.

There have been some updates tin how to treat and manage cases of pyoderma in the last year. We will discuss these guidelines and point out the major changes compared to the previous guidelines from 2014. All of these changes are with the focus of antimicrobial stewardship to help decrease the prevalence of multi-drug resistant bacteria.

This lecture will discuss the difference between anxiety, dysphoria, and pain and how they play a role in rough recoveries. It will cover ways to prevent rough recoveries as well as identify causes leading to rough recoveries and treating each patient accordingly. There will be several videos allowing attendees to begin identifying the various types of rough recoveries and how to manage them.

During this session we will: -Review of relevant orofacial anatomy -Review and discuss common intraoral nerve blocks: locations, administration techniques, and equipment -Review and discuss common injectable local analgesic medications -Review and discuss radiographic anatomy -Review and discuss radiographic findings of periodontal disease -Review and discuss radiographic findings of endodontic disease

The veterinary marketplace is not the same as it was five years ago, not even a year ago at this juncture. The private market has become a buyer’s dream. We will discuss how to set yourself up to attract a private buyer successfully. On the contrary, the corporate market has gone up and down immensely. With 100+ consolidators currently, how do you know who to trust with your life’s hard work, staff, clients, and patients? Together, we will discuss how both markets are currently performing.

Did you know that you can tell when there is inflammation in the stifle, months to years before the actual CCL rupture? You can even teach your best clients how to do a simple home test to identify this, way before you can palpate actual effusion. From there we can discuss eliminating the inflammation and strengthening the structures that support the stifle. If the CCL is already ruptured, learn methods to prevent a second rupture on the contralateral stifle.

Late stages of their careers, trying to find out how to exit. Let’s ensure you are in the former group, not the latter, as we discuss why valuations are essential.

Veterinary technicians are expected to perform a wide range of clinical procedures with precision and confidence, but foundational anatomy is often taught as two-dimensional textbook content or even entirely online. This presentation helps technicians apply the clinically relevant anatomy by developing a 3D understanding to improve clinical outcomes, particularly in procedures like venipuncture, catheter placement, cystocentesis, and intubation. Using real cadaveric images, virtual software and clinical model, this session will walk participants through the key anatomical concepts that matter most in practice. It will also offer tips for trainers, mentors, and leads on how to effectively teach anatomy-based clinical reasoning in the hospital setting.

Otitis externa is a common presentation in veterinary medicine and is due to an underlying primary disease. We will work through some cases and discuss a variety of diagnostics, treatment recommendations and ways to prevent recurrence.

Hear from veterinarians Dr. Stacy Holzbauer, Minnesota’s state public health veterinarian, and Dr. Steve Kivisto, senior veterinarian for companion animal programs at the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, as they give a status update on recent infectious diseases trends affecting both human and animal health, and how their agencies work together to track diseases, respond to outbreaks, and protect Minnesotans of all species.

Interpreting the electrocardiogram waveform is a primary focus of this learning event. A discussion of potential interventions and their unwanted side effects is also included.

You may not want to be a rehab vet, but you see puppies that are predisposed to hip problems, dogs that are predisposed to back problems, dogs with straight legs that are predisposed to cruciate injuries, and Labradors and other breeds that are predisposed to elbow issues. Wouldn’t it be great if you could teach the client an exercise or two to help stabilize the joint to make those issues less of a concern? This will help you enhance your Preventive Medicine skills.

During this session we will: -Review of relevant orofacial anatomy -Review and discuss dental charting and orofacial examination -Review and discuss criteria for classification of stage 1 and 2 periodontal disease -Review and discuss treatment options for mild periodontal disease -Review of relevant orofacial anatomy -Briefly review dental charting and orofacial examination -Review and discuss criteria for classification of stage 3 and 4 periodontal disease -Review and discuss treatment options for moderate to severe periodontal disease, including regenerative treatment(s)

Whether you are an experienced on the job trained veterinary team member, Certified Vet Tech, practice manager, or veterinarian, it is likely that you’ll be discussing the LVT Legacy or “Grandfather” clause. This session will provide talking points and suggestions to navigate demonstrating competency and determining qualifications.

While some diseases in veterinary dermatology are very classic in presentation, there are a variety of diseases that are known mimickers. We will cover some of these known mimickers to make sure you all feel comfortable with their presentations.

Greyhounds have a few special considerations in the peri-anesthetic period, one of which is a rapid increase in serum potassium that can quickly become life-threatening. A discussion of interventions for effectively lowering serum potassium will be included.

Spatial Patterns of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Minnesota (2015, 2022-2024): What Has Changed? In collaboration with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) and the University of Minnesota Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS), this session presents a practical spatial analysis of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) across Minnesota’s poultry sector. Minnesota is the nation’s top turkey producer and ranks No. 12 in overall poultry production nationally. During the 2015 outbreak, the largest domestic animal disease event in U.S. history, the state accounted for almost 20 percent of the roughly 50 million domestic poultry lost or depopulated. Those losses, along with subsequent waves of HPAI activity, motivate a focused, Minnesota specific approach to risk detection and response. Drawing on case data from 2015 and from 2022 through 2024, we integrate descriptive epidemiology with complementary space-time modeling to track how HPAI has moved across space and through time. The descriptive component uses weekly and monthly epidemic curves and county-level incidence to set the baseline narrative. The modeling component applies space-time cluster detection using USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service counts of poultry operations as the population at risk. We assess the sensitivity of results to different spatial and temporal window choices and show how clustering signatures evolve across outbreaks. The outcome is a coherent framework that turns complex surveillance data into operational insight. By combining clear epidemic summaries with rigorous space-time scans, this approach pinpoints where and when risk concentrates and shifts across waves. Biosecurity and Preparedness in Diverse Swine Production Systems Is the average small-scale swine producer prepared to prevent and respond to high-impact diseases on their farm? African Swine Fever (ASF) remains a significant global threat to domestic and wild swine populations, with far-reaching consequences for animal health, producer livelihoods, and national food security. Although ASF has not yet been detected in the United States, preparedness depends greatly on the awareness, confidence, and practical capacity of veterinarians. This is particularly important when supporting small-scale and niche swine producers who may have less structured biosecurity practices. For these producers, accessible education and support are essential to strengthening biosecurity and preventing the introduction of ASF and other high-consequence swine diseases. However, veterinarians may face barriers to providing this outreach, including limited time, resources, confidence discussing foreign animal disease risks, or uncertainty around available point-of-care diagnostic tools and reporting processes. This session will explore these intersecting needs and challenges, highlighting opportunities to improve veterinary readiness, communication strategies, and farm-level disease prevention efforts. Foreign Animal Disease Response Through a One Health Lens: Evaluating Mental Health and Building Surveillance Preparedness in Minnesota This session explores how lessons learned from veterinarians responding to African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in the Philippines can inform Minnesota’s preparedness for foreign animal disease events. Using a One Health framework, we will examine the intersection of disease surveillance, response-related stress, and practitioner wellbeing. Attendees will gain insight into the mental health impacts faced by veterinarians during crisis response and discuss upcoming opportunities, such as continuing education (CE), to strengthen resilience and engagement in Minnesota’s surveillance network. 

Learn the insurance basics to make sure that your veterinary practice has the coverage it needs to give you peace of mind. At Butler Vet Insurance we have developed a unique framework to protect veterinary practices and you will learn how to put the pieces of the puzzle in place. In this interactive presentation you will learn: 1. The main components to the Butler Vet Insurance Protect Your Practice Blueprint. 2. Key areas of concern that are often not covered properly on business insurance policies. 3. Questions to ask your agent or agency at your next policy review. 4. Fast and easy to implement insurance strategies that will give you peace of mind.

Explore manual therapy, body work, and joint mobilization techniques to improve range of motion and alleviate pain. Learn practical approaches for treating geriatric and arthritic patients, enhancing their quality of life through improved joint mobility. You do not need to have great anatomy knowledge or know rehab to learn how to improve quality of life for your patients with OA or scar tissue. You may even learn some techniques that can help you as well.

During this session we will: -Review relevant orofacial anatomy -Review and discuss exam findings: radiographic and dental/oral exam -Review and discuss treatment options: surgical -Review and discuss treatment options: medical -Review and discuss approach to care in the general practice setting