Thursday Sessions

Antibiotics are no longer commonly used for treatment of acute and chronic diarrhea due to their adverse effects on the gut microbiome and risks for propagating antimicrobial resistance. This talk will focus on causes for acute/chronic diarrhea and the use of diet, probiotics/synbiotics, and immunosuppressive therapy (with intestinal biopsy) in managing these patients.
 

Interactive case discussions will be used to address evidence-based therapy for primary and secondary chronic enteropathies in dogs and cats. What does the evidence say and how do clinicians best use this information?
 

This presentation will provide an updated overview of diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for acute and chronic pancreatitis in dogs and cats. What is the role for triaditis in cats, when and what kind of enteral nutrition in these cases, are there reasonable biomarkers to assess disease progression and long-term prognosis?
 

In this session we will discuss the challenges associated with concurrent hyperthyroidism and chronic kidney disease in cats.  We will review the latest information regarding the use of SDMA monitoring in hyperthyroid cats and when to monitor and treat for iatrogenic hypothyroidism.
 

This session will focus primarily on the most recent ISCAID recommendations pertaining to bacteriuria in small animals.  We will cover when to monitor for bacteriuria as well as when and how to treat (and when NOT to!)
 

In this session we will briefly review the most up to date information on feline CKD staging before thoroughly reviewing treatments with an evidence-based approach.  Attendees should have an increased understanding of what management strategies to focus on and what to skip. 

As a previous practice owner, Jan will increase your regulatory compliance awareness, meet opioid continuing education requirements, reduce risk and discuss improved and simplified controlled substance record keeping and inventory controls.
 

When Ordering, Receiving, Storing, Recordkeeping, Logging, Administering, Dispensing, Prescribing, Inventorying, Transferring and Destructing Controlled Substances. Best Practice Time Saving Suggestions and Controlled Substance Daily Reconciliation Logs Will Be Shown and Discussed at length in Hour 2.
 

What the DEA Says the Practitioner Must Do About It and How to Improve Security and Help Prevent Theft per DEA Regulations.
 

How to Proactively Prepare for a DEA Audit, Plus How to Handle a DEA Audit When the DEA Arrives at Your Front Door.
 

This talk is meant to give a new perspective on the much dreaded topic of small animal reproduction that causes most veterinarians to cringe when a client starts asking for help & advice. Topics for review include:

-new advances in technologies that can help owners reach their reproductive goals while generating revenue for the clinic

-Brucella canis update, client education, pre-breeding testing
-CDC guidelines, Iowa guidelines
-updated information to share with our clients on spaying/neutering their animals
-consults & referrals
 

Observations on the evolution of zoo medicine - comparing past techniques, drugs, procedures and desensitization training to the present. Presentation of multiple case reports.

We have advanced our understanding of how antimicrobials interact with pathogens, the effects of antimicrobials not directly related to their interactions with pathogens, and realistic expectations of efficacy.  Some of these may play into your day-to-day decisions.
 

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) can be a useful tool in evaluating the potential for antimicrobial efficacy in food animal populations.  Yet, we can also make conclusions from AST reports which are unfounded.  As specific examples we will look at how AST may be interpreted for enteric disease pathogens in cattle and swine. 
 

By now you have been inundated with calls for antimicrobial stewardship with general guidance such as using the right dose for the minimum time necessary.  Well, that doesn’t help much without help regarding the dose and the duration.  The presentation will start with a generalized framework, what we do and don’t know about optimizing antimicrobial regimens, and then finish with a discussion where your input will be carried forward to other groups working in this area.
 

The purpose of this research project is to determine the practicality of measuring on farm passive immunity transmission and to evaluate the information linking colostrum passive immunity levels to overall calf health and performance in different environmental housing situations.
 

This session will cover traditional procedures on reproductive management in both the female and male bovine.  Estrus synchronization is commonly used to enhance breeding management in many cattle herds and there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We will discuss the understanding of synchronization techniques and some of the newer synchronization protocols being used in today's cattle industry.  Additionally, bull breeding soundness exams (BSE) are one of the most important economical procedures we can offer for our clients. We will discuss what that entails and how to make it efficient and discuss the updated guidelines to the procedure.

This session will cover four main topics as outlined below. Attendees will come away with a good understanding of basic equine behavior, handling tips for basic veterinary procedures, how research has informed practice and education options to improve working relationships between horses and their owners and veterinarians.

8:30-10:00am Basics of equine behavior – how horses interpret and respond to the world around them including the subtle indications of discomfort. Understanding horses’ affective states can facilitate advising clients on horses’ needs.
10:30-Noon Handling tips for veterinarians – training techniques to simplify basic veterinary procedures and stay safe.
1:30-3:00pm Evidence-based research to practice – how research has informed policy and provides evidence to advise clients regarding horse behavior and health.
3:30-5:00pm Education resources for horse owners – resources such as the Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (EBARQ), the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) and position statements can direct horse owners to make life easier for their vet (and their horses!).

Burnout and compassion fatigue are frequently encountered within the veterinary profession both in veterinarians and staff. According to the most recent Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study, veterinarians are more likely to experience burnout than physicians despite fewer hours worked. Learning to first to understand the causes of these conditions and how to recognize them in yourself and others is vital to making steps to address these issues. In this seminar, you will learn the signs of burnout and compassion fatigue as well as some strategies to reduce your risk of burnout and compassion fatigue within the veterinary profession.
 

Conflict is frequently encountered in the veterinary profession. Conflict among the work team can create toxic work environments especially if issues are ignored or avoided. It can be difficult to know what to do or say when a conflict occurs but learning techniques to manage conflict will create healthier work environments. In this workshop, you will learn about the most common conflict management styles and how to leverage them in various situations. You will have the opportunity to practice conflict management strategies in this interactive workshop so you will feel prepared to implement these strategies within your organization or workplace. Small group role play will be used to practice conflict management techniques using case scenario examples.
 

The transition to practice can be extremely stressful, and the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study found that wellbeing is lowest among young veterinarians. Mentorship plays a vital role in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of veterinarians. Many veterinary mentors are skilled at passing on their medical knowledge but may struggle with supporting their mentee’s mental health and wellbeing. In this seminar, focus group research will be discussed describing the experiences during the transition including challenges that early-career veterinarians face. Attendees will learn the attributes of a supportive mentor, recognizing and responding to warning signs, and implementable tools to promote wellbeing within your mentoring practices drawing from the implications of research among early-career veterinarians.
 

Did you know that veterinarians and physicians interrupt their clients after only 10 to 20 seconds on average? Poor listening may result in mistakes, wasted time, and interpersonal conflict in organizations and the veterinary workplace. Listening is considered a vital communication skill, yet very few individuals have received formal training in listening. In this workshop, strategies for improving listening skills will be discussed and practiced. Workshop participants will hone their mindful listening skills, and these newly implemented listening skills will likely improve teamwork and staff productivity and boost client trust, compliance, and satisfaction.
 

Research on mindfulness, or present-moment awareness, is emerging in veterinary medicine. In this session, learn about the latest research on mindfulness and engage in evidenced-based strategies you can use in your daily life to support your well-being and hospital culture. This session will be part lecture and part interactive workshop.