Saturday, May 17, 2025
Harrah's Atlantic City Waterfront Conference Center
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May 17-18, 2025
Kick off your VEC experience by hearing from the NJVMA President who will recap the successes of the last year and point out the Association’s direction for the coming 12 months. You’ll also hear from the AVMA District Representative and get a chance to thank outgoing Board members and congratulate newly-elected Directors.
This session will discuss normal, protective pain processing associated with tissue trauma and inflammation, and the pathways and receptors that provide therapeutic targets. Pain processing can go awry and become exaggerated, maladaptive, and even neuropathic; this session will discuss the pathophysiology of central and peripheral hypersensitization and the neuropharamcologic targets to mitigate maladaptive pain. Specific neuropathic syndromes recognized in dogs and cats will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
These sessions will focus on a general overview of the anatomy of specific abdominal organs and other structures within the peritoneal cavity and review principles of abdominal exploratory. The presentation will include tips to improve visualization and discuss methods to collect diagnostic samples during abdominal exploratory. Sessions include discussions of various -otomies and -ectomies and clinical cases.
Learning Objectives:
Dr. Adam Rudinsky, DACVIM reviews the often frustrating process of diagnosing chronic enteropathy. We will discuss how prevalent, concerning, and important chronic enteropathy is to the health and well-being of our canine and feline patient populations. We will specifically hit on tips and tricks for efficient, cost-effective, and accurate diagnosis and management of this disorder in dogs and cats. Join us to get a clinical update on appropriate strategies to screen, diagnose and treat your chronic enteropathy feline patients.
Learning Objectives:
Every week I fail. Every week I am told no. Every week I try again. This is how I know I am failing up! To be honest, failure is a thing when no lesson is learned. Veterinary professionals “failing up” may be exhibiting a trait of professionalism. What are the traits of a professional? The first exercise is just that, identifying the traits of a professional. Throughout your day, recognize the many ways in which you can further demonstrate and exemplify professionalism. As you progress through your course, these traits will become resoundingly more apparent.
Learning Objectives:
Implementing effective infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in the operating room can significantly reduce the incidence of avoidable infections, ultimately enhancing health outcomes and preserving the integrity of the surgical environment. This lecture will review the evidence-based range of practices and protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved in patient care and minimize the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs).
Learning Objectives:
Thinking ‘outside-the-box’ and utilizing creative methods to treat and monitor non-traditional pets often becomes necessary for high-level exotic animal medicine. This lecture will offer practitioners specialized techniques to help elevate the standard of medicine for small and difficult exotic pet species with which we work.
Learning Objectives:
Most companion animals diagnosed with cancer never see an oncologist for various reasons. Many primary-care practices are not equipped to provide chemotherapy and radiation. However, many palliative measures are within the purview of most general practices. These therapies address clinical signs associated with different types of cancer thereby enhancing quality of life and potentially slowing the progression of disease. For some practices, direct cytotoxic treatments may also be appropriate.
Learning Objectives:
This session will focus on veterinary industry guidelines regarding the highest, wisest, and safest use of opioids in dogs and cats. A focus will be on clinical utility of longer-acting commercial products in dogs and cats.
Learning Objectives:
These sessions will focus on a general overview of the anatomy of specific abdominal organs and other structures within the peritoneal cavity and review principles of abdominal exploratory. The presentation will include tips to improve visualization and discuss methods to collect diagnostic samples during abdominal exploratory. Sessions include discussions of various -otomies and -ectomies and clinical cases.
Learning Objectives:
In this NJVMA Veterinary Conference Session, Dr. Adam Rudinsky, DACVIM reviews the complicated arena of fiber and how to use it in practice. Dietary therapy is at the foundation of all gastrointestinal disease management, and the most critical nutrient in a majority of cases is dietary fiber. Despite this importance, dietary fiber is a vexing area due to the complexity of what fiber is and does. This course covers how to assess fiber intake, strategically adjust dietary fiber supplementation, and implement it in practice. We will review key concepts like fermentability, viscosity, and solubility and the outcomes associated with these factors.
Learning Objectives:
Throughout the course, you will be leaning a lot on the team approach to communication, goal setting, and synergistic growth. But for NOW, you are asked to focus on your personal values and vision aligning with a team’s purpose and daily mission. Time for some soul searching, answering the questions, “What do I value? What is the vision for my career in veterinary medicine?” You may feel the creation of a personal Values and Vision statement is cold and/or too corporate, however, in my experience, it is precisely the driver for all possibilities.
Learning Objectives:
The most critical aspect of maintaining an aseptic surgical environment is having well-trained personnel who understand and consistently apply the principles of aseptic technique. Key elements include hand hygiene, appropriate surgical attire, proper patient and scrub team preparation, and ensuring sterility maintenance. This discussion will focus on these principles of aseptic surgical techniques, highlighting their practical application in the operating room.
Learning Objectives:
This lecture will review normal radiographic anatomy compared to pathologic conditions of exotic companion mammals. Each case will review signalment, diagnostics, radiographic findings, and (in some cases) therapy and follow-up. Open forum discussion of cases is welcome.
Learning Objectives:
Most companion animals diagnosed with cancer never see an oncologist for various reasons. Many primary-care practices are not equipped to provide chemotherapy and radiation. However, many palliative measures are within the purview of most general practices. These therapies address clinical signs associated with different types of cancer thereby enhancing quality of life and potentially slowing the progression of disease. For some practices, direct cytotoxic treatments may also be appropriate.
Learning Objectives:
This session will focus on the highest, wisest, and safest use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in dogs and cats. A focus will be on safe and appropriate (and inappropriate) use.
Learning Objectives:
There are many opinions regarding tubes and drains: which to use, how, and when to remove them. Drains have been used for centuries to manage a variety of conditions, but research is ongoing into the best materials and application of these basic tools. In this session, participants will learn clinically relevant applications of various tubes and drains, and become comfortable with their management.
Learning Objectives:
In this NJVMA Veterinary Conference session, Dr. Adam Rudinsky, DACVIM reviews how to select and use dietary management in gastrointestinal cases. New diets and pet food companies flood the marketplace each year, making a tall order for practitioners in the field. Despite this challenge, dietary management of gastrointestinal disease remains one of the most beneficial therapeutic approaches for our patients. This course covers how to review available diets based on current literature and new findings from recent research in a practical and efficient approach for everyday implementation in practice. We will review key nutrients, expectations, and management tips for using nutritional therapies successfully.
Learning Objectives:
A thriving veterinary practice relies not only on individual expertise but also on the collective synergy and collaboration of its team members. We’re going to address the concept of synergistic growth within veterinary practices and delve into strategies for fostering a dynamic team environment conducive to innovation, productivity, and sustainable success. This session will provide you with actionable insights and strategies for being on a dynamic team, fostering teamwork, innovation, and excellence in veterinary care delivery.
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This session will focus on the proper care and handling of general surgery instruments, discussing their uses and advantages. The importance of proper cleaning, decontamination, and sterilization processes to maintain instrument integrity, ensure patient safety, and achieve effective sterilization will be emphasized.
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Emergency presentation of companion zoological species can be stressful for practitioners that are not accustomed to working with non-traditional pet species. This session will cover full case management from presentation through resolution of rabbit emergencies. Topics will include, but are not limited to, rabbit hind limb disuse, bloody vulvar discharge, and respiratory distress.
Learning Objectives:
The axiom that cats are not small dogs is clearly evident in oncology practices. While there are some differences in the types of cancer seen in cats versus dogs, there is greater divergence in the biologic behavior of some common cancers in the two species. It is unfortunate since much of the information readily available on cancer in companion animals focuses on dogs. This session highlights the common cancers in cats, their expected behaviors and treatment options, as well as discussing the special considerations in oncology care for cats.
Learning Objectives:
In this case-based presentation, we will discuss the emergence of artificial intelligence in veterinary medicine and how it can aid in accurate diagnostics. The discussion will follow an oncologic case as it made its way from the primary veterinarian, through the AI system, reviewed by the radiologist, and ultimately ending with the oncologist specialists. We will review how the AI aided both the primary clinician and the radiologist in their ultimate diagnosis. Lastly, we will briefly touch upon how AI can be used in a similar fashion in other veterinary specialties.
Learning Objectives:
During this lecture, the audience will learn the practical and safe use of local anesthetics. It will include a “video wetlab” that demonstrates various techniques suitable for any clinician to master, with a focus on circumstances specific to the patient in any clinical setting.
Learning Objectives:
Lymph nodes are important sentinels for disease, and sampling is critical for obtaining useful information for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. This session will review clinically relevant lymph nodes, how to locate them, and the best methods to obtain samples (aspirate, biopsy, excision). The presentation will include information related to peripheral, mesenteric, and sublumbar lymph nodes.
Learning Objectives:
In this NJVMA Veterinary Conference session, Dr. Adam Rudinsky, DACVIM, reviews diagnostics for chronic enteropathy patients recently available on the market. We will examine each available diagnostic for its clinical potential for moving your case management along. We will specifically hit on tips and tricks for efficient, cost-effective, and accurate diagnosis and management of this disorder in both dogs and cats. The goal being to help practitioner’s separate diagnostics that ‘walk the walk’ from diagnostics that only ‘talk the talk.’
Learning Objectives:
At the foundation of all functioning, productive, and purpose-driven teams, is trust. Within trust is a high level of accountability. Checking accountability – where does it begin? Answering, “Accountability begins with me,” is correct. Anything less of that falls short.
Accountability begins by looking in the mirror and asking ourselves, “What are the traits of a person exemplifying a high level of accountability?” Together, we will determine how you can build trust and accountability accounts AND we have to talk about testing assumptions related to biases.
Learning Objectives:
Fundamentals of Soft Tissue Surgery provides a comprehensive introduction to the surgical principles for veterinary technicians. The topics covered include patient care, antibiotic usage, patient preparation and positioning, surgical draping, suture materials and patterns, wound healing and closure, surgical hemostasis, and options for surgical drains. Additionally, recommendations for surgical equipment needed for general surgical procedures will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Establishing a competent understanding of exotic pet species’ behavior and presentation when the patient is sick or in crisis is essential for adequate triage in an emergency. This session will review basic psittacine physical exam essentials and handling for a successful triage. Medical conditions requiring immediate management will be presented and evaluated for both avian, small mammal, and herptiles. Emergency conditions will include cardiomyopathy, neoplasia, gastrointestinal disease, and dental malocclusions.
Learning Objectives:
Mast cell tumors are one of the most common cancers in dogs, and most mast cell tumors can be cured with surgery alone. However, some particularly aggressive tumors are locally invasive with a high risk for recurrence and early metastasis. Identifying the bad actors and devising thoughtful diagnostic, staging, and treatment strategies while avoiding excessive testing and overtreatment of indolent mast cell tumors can be challenging. This session reviews the importance of the medical history, interpreting cytology and histopathology reports, when to consider prognostic panels, and devising a treatment plan.
Learning Objectives:
During this lecture, the audience will learn practical and advanced use of local and loco-regional anesthesia. It will include a “video wetlab” that demonstrates various techniques suitable for any clinician to master, with a focus on circumstances specific to the patient in any clinical setting.
Learning Objectives:
Masses come in every shape, size, and location; some are manageable in general practice, and others are better handled elsewhere. This presentation will focus on subcutaneous and dermal masses that may be beyond the GVP’s comfort zone. The goal of this presentation will be to give the GVP confidence to tackle larger, more complex masses. The discussion will include a review of suture selection and patterns and methods to relieve tension.
Learning Objectives:
In this NJVMA Veterinary Conference session, Dr. Adam Rudinsky, DACVIM, reviews updates to therapeutic approaches for dogs and cats with chronic enteropathy diagnoses. Over the past few years, a wide breadth of literature has been published on novel therapeutics for chronic enteropathy – begging the question: Are you using them in your practice? From bile acid diarrhea to fecal microbial transfer, we will examine each of the newest and most promising therapeutic approaches for its clinical potential to help resolve your most challenging chronic enteropathy cases. We will specifically review mechanism, dosing, monitoring, and expected outcome with each treatment. The goal being to help practitioners walk away ready to use these techniques tomorrow in practice.
Learning Objectives:
People skills, those hard and soft skills, may create a barrier to a veterinary professional’s ability to reach their full potential. It can be difficult to define your needs, share your goals and vision for the future. The mere thought of negotiating may paralyze forward motion in building a sustainable life and career in veterinary medicine. Together we will review a few communication styles and share tips on negotiations.
Learning Objectives:
An exploratory laparotomy is usually performed to diagnose, treat, or evaluate the prognosis of different abdominal conditions. These may include traumatic injuries, inflammatory diseases, infections, tumors, or congenital issues. This lecture will concentrate on the pre-operative and post-operative care and monitoring of patients, antibiotic prophylaxis, asepsis, assessing the viability of the stomach and intestines, and indications for using stapling and vessel-sealing devices. Various case studies related to gastrointestinal surgical procedures will be reviewed.
Learning Objectives:
The management of captive parrots is not often done with enrichment equal to that of a wild conspecific. The absence of enrichment may lead to boredom, unwanted destructive behaviors, and medical conditions. This session will review natural psittacine behaviors relative to that of what is often provided in captivity. Review of medical self-destructive conditions and diagnostics related to such will be completed. Captive foraging options will be discussed. Both commercially available non-destructible and easy do-it-yourself constructs that owners can make at home will be highlighted.
Learning Objectives:
Carcinomas arising from the urinary bladder, urethra, and prostate are challenging tumors to treat. Based on their degree of invasiveness and location, surgery is often unsuccessful removing the tumor completely. This session highlights the medical management of this cancer in dogs and cats including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, conventional chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. Interventional procedures, such as urethral and ureteral stenting are also discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Time to get social! Join us in the exhibit hall for food, drinks, and raffle prizes! The perfect way to end a long day of learning before you head out on the town for the evening!
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