8 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.
Kelley Thieman Mankin, DVM
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)
We will describe the pathophysiology of BOAS and discuss surgical corrections for BOAS.
Timing of Spay Neuter
This lecture will discuss the literature, the pros and cons of spay/neuter and timing of spay/neuter.
Frustrating Wounds
Some wounds just won’t heal! We’ll discuss frustrating wounds, why they might not heal and methods to help promote healing.
Skin Flaps Anyone Can Use
We’ll discuss reasons to make skin flaps, tips and trick for creating skin flaps and specific examples.
1:30 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
Lisa Durso Keel, DVM, DABVP
Chronic Enteropathy: The Vomiting Cat
Vomiting is so common in cats that it is often accepted as normal. The reality is that vomiting two times per month or more is very significant and justifies investigation. This two-part lecture will cover one of the most common reasons for feline weight loss seen in private practice. We will focus on the characteristic history, physical exam findings, diagnostic tests and interpretation along with management strategies for the most commonly diagnosed conditions. A case series will be provided.
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is the second most common fungal disease in cats and is endemic in Texas. This disease has many different presentations and is often overlooked. This lecture will focus on the different presentations, diagnostic testing options and therapeutics available.
Urethral Obstruction: The Dreaded Blocked Cat
We will focus on one of the most frequently encountered feline emergencies in private practice. Diagnostic tests, placing a urinary catheter, pain management and current controversies will be discussed.
8 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.
Mariel Henricks, BS, RVT
Good vs. Great Mentors: Leading the Way in Mentorship
Discuss traits that set an individual apart and create a great mentor.
Conflict Management: Let's Get Ready To Rumble
Identify five conflict management styles, analyze which conflict style an individual gravitates toward, and review and practice conflict debriefing techniques.
1:30 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
Mary Berg, BS, LATG, RVT, VTS
Periodontal Disease: Understanding and Treating
Periodontal disease is one of the most commonly diagnosed disease in companion animals, but do we really understand this disease? Periodontal disease is also one of the most preventable disorders. Learn the mechanisms involved and the best prevention and treatment options available.
The Oral Examination and Common Pathology
It is important to be able to recognize and identify oral pathology and anomalies. The most commonly observed abnormalities will be discussed in this presentation. It is equally important to correctly record the pathology on dental charts. A thorough dental examination includes both conscious and anesthetized examinations as well as charting disease processes, pathology, anomalies and treatment plans.
Gaining Dental Compliance: What Works!
As veterinary health professionals, it is our job not only to promote dentistry but also to educate our clients about the importance of good oral health. How can we do this? Talk with them about the importance of good oral care by expressing the fact that the mouth is a mirror to the body. Start this education process with your clients at the first puppy or kitten visit and continue at every visit throughout the pet’s lifetime. Explain that the mouth is a mirror to the body. Methods to promote the importance of oral health will be discussed.
The Technician’s Role in Dentistry
Credentialed veterinary technicians are essential member of the dental team as pet advocates and client educators. They are eager to be empowered, and dentistry is one of the areas of the veterinary practice where technicians can be fully utilized. It is important to remember that a credentialed technician can do most tasks but diagnose, perform surgery, prescribe drugs and give a prognosis. Empowering a veterinary technician to become the dental go-to person of the practice allows for both professional growth and pride in their chosen profession while also increasing the dental revenue for the practice. This person would be the go-to for all things dental within the practice and be responsible for the training of the entire staff so everyone understands the importance of good oral health.
8 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.
Brian Speer, DVM, DABVP
Feather-Damaging Behavior: A Different Approach to an Old Problem
Most of the popular treatments or diagnostic approaches that are used lack the use of combined enrichment and antecedent arrangement strategies at the onset of treatment. This deficit sets the stage for the bird to learn and reinforce value in the problem behavior (Feather-Damaging Behavior, FDB), rendering effective treatment more challenging. This presentation explores a different approach to the problem, using paired medical and behavioral models to improve outcomes and welfare of affected birds.
Management of Aggressive and Frightened Birds
In practice, problem behaviors are commonly encountered with many companion birds. Incomplete, forceful or intrusive recommendations that may be made when these problems are discussed can result in merely a short-term success but longer-term failure. Specific problems may be augmented, generalized or allowed to become even more chronic. As such, it is important for veterinarians to be capable of making initial recommendations that are medically and scientifically sound, practical and minimally intrusive to at least encourage the stewards of these animals onto the right track for intervention. This presentation explores a balanced approach to the recognition of and management of these issues.
Beak Deformities in Birds: Problems and Solutions
This presentation reviews key aspects of the skeletal anatomy of the beak, emphasizing proper anatomic terminology for those structures, the muscles that move the jaws, their associated innervation and the macro and micro integumentary anatomy of the beak. From this foundational understanding, specific medical and surgical approaches to a variety of these deformities are then explored. Corrective grinding and shaping of beak keratin overgrowth will be discussed and photographically demonstrated.
Diagnosis and Surgical Management of Abdominal Disease in the Backyard Pet Chicken
Coelomic diseases requiring surgical intervention are extremely common in pet poultry. Of these, female reproductive disease is by far the most predominant. This presentation reviews abdominal regional and intracelomic reproductive anatomy and pathology, diagnostic methodologies best suited to given disease condition(s) and indications for medical versus surgical management.
1:30 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
Patricia Wakenell, DVM PhD, ACVP
The Crazy World of Backyard Poultry
This lecture will cover management, bird types and biosecurity.
Pat's Top 10 Disease of Backyard Poultry
Chickens, Turkeys and Ducks, Oh My!
This lecture will discuss hot button issues and select agents.
The Poultry Necropsy: Everything You Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To Ask!
8 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.
David McCormick, MS CVA
Practice Financial Health: Assessing Diagnosing and Treating
What makes a practice financially healthy, and why does it matter? This two-part session starts with a foundation on practice financial health, what it is and how it is assessed, including what you can do to self-diagnose. It then goes into the tools and statistics you can use to monitor and improve your practice's financial health.
Practice Value: The What, Why and How
Why can two practices with the same revenues have very different values? This session focuses on practice value and the valuation process in ways everyone can grasp. It begins with the origins of practice value and then explains the factors influencing value and the methods of valuing practices (with examples!).
Practice Ownership: Yes, You Can!
Thinking of owning your own practice? This session will dive into the purchase process from finding a practice through to the closing and transition. Learn how to test the purchase price to make sure it is a fair market value. We also will discuss the purchase process, the financing options (no money down!) and what you can do now to prepare.
8 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.
Alexis Thompson, DVM
Natural History of Disease and the Impact on Diagnostic Testing
Learn about the disease process and how that may impact diagnostic test selection.
Calf Diarrhea: Sample Selection, Diagnostic Testing and Common Results
This session provides a review on causes of calf diarrhea, testing methods and common results in Texas.
Causes of Bovine Abortions and Testing During Outbreaks
Discuss bovine abortion outbreaks and common diagnostic tests.
Bovine Respiratory Disease and Diagnostic Testing
This session offers an overview of bovine respiratory disease and common disease etiologies.
1:30 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
Angela Pelzel-McCluskey, DVM MS
The Future of Equine Vector-Borne Diseases in a Changing Climate
This presentation covers newly identified changes in the epidemiology of specific equine vector-borne diseases in the U.S. and how these shifts may affect equine health and disease response in the future.
Bush Tracking and Blood-Doping: How Illegal Racing Changed the Epidemiology of Equine Blood-Borne Disease in the U.S.
We will focus on the history and current status of the spread of equine infectious anemia (EIA) and equine piroplasmosis (EP) by iatrogenic transmission in Quarter Horse racehorses and the impacts of unsanctioned racing on sanctioned sport.
How Did That Get Here?: New Risks for Equine Disease Incursion in America
This presentation covers the new incursions and expansions of selected equine infectious diseases in the U.S. in recent years and the pathways for new incursions that pose an ongoing and significant risk
“I Thought the State Was Going To Handle That”
Review the recommendations on steps the equine practitioner should take before, during and after encountering an equine infectious disease case or outbreak in the course of practicing routine veterinary medicine.