Sunday, May 19, 2024
Harrah's Resort & Conference Center, Atlantic City
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May 17-18, 2025
Client Experience isn’t just a fancy new term for Client Service, it is the new competitive advantage for Veterinary practices. Client service is about assisting the pet parent with a particular need in a specific circumstance. Client experience, on the other hand, refers to the whole client journey, from the moment they consider your practice or service all the way through to repeated care. The CSR role is perfect to create and facilitate this journey. This session teaches participants how to make this a reality in their practice.
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Just flap it! This lecture will describe in photos and words the oral surgery approach to extraction of various firmly rooted teeth in dogs and cats.
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This lecture will encompass anatomy of the pancreas and the cells involved controlling insulin and sugar. We will also address the progression of hyperglycemia and eventual production of ketones. We will also discuss the generation and calculation of hyperosmolar syndrome. Learning points will include the above, but also a focused discussion on acid and base sttus and GFR as it pertains to hyperosmolar DM. The lecture will also focus on treatment, which will include fluids, timing of insulin therapy, the type of insulin therapy, and the addition of electrolytes including potassium and phosphorus. Additional supportive measures, including FreeStyle Libre, feeding, gastrointestinal support, addressing comorbid issues, and antibiotics use.
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Euthanasia requires more skill than just giving an injection. Practitioners need to determine the best approach given the patient’s signalment and the team’s experience. There are 5 common injection sites for use in most companion animals: IV, IC, IP, IR, IH. The goal is to reach for the best one given the situation. Our goal during this session is to review these 5 injection types, with time to review sedation protocols. Worried about those geriatric patients and poor blood pressures? Not any more.
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Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is a complex disease process impacted by many factors. The role of stress as a major factor in FIC is abundantly clear. Cats with FIC often present with a variety of lower urinary tract signs requiring immediate medical attention. Once stabilized, a deep dive into the patient’s history and environment is essential to understanding and managing their disease. This seminar will explore what we currently know about FIC and related diagnostic strategies. The approach to management of FIC will include nutritional, pharmaceutical, and other therapeutic options, but will focus on the five pillars of a healthy feline environment and the role of multimodal environmental modification.
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All veterinary healthcare team members must be aware of infection control practices to not only safeguard our veterinary patients and team members but also to promote public health.
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Poisons are everywhere. Foods, plants, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, and metals are only some of the toxins that threaten the lives of our patients. Exposure to toxic substances is one of the most common emergencies seen in veterinary medicine. Regardless of the exact toxin involved, successful treatment depends on our ability to limit further exposure, decontaminate the patient, and give proper treatment and supportive care. We’ll discuss basic concepts of toxication and detoxication and the traditional and modern methods of protecting from and treating toxicities.
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Sympathy vs Empathy. Is there a difference? YES! Empathy is a vital tool for our veterinary teams to have in their toolbox. In this session we will explore all the ways that empathy can help veterinary people navigate clients in crisis, clients feeling guilty about their pet, and the plethora of other moments in the day of a CSR where empathy would help them survive and thrive in the current world of veterinary medicine and client communications.
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This lecture will discuss the most frustrating oral conditions in cats: tooth resorption, stomatitis, and squamous cell carcinoma.
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This lecture will include the anatomy of adrenal glands, the layers and products of the cortex, as well as HPA-axis control of glucocorticoids. Additionally, we will discuss signalment as well as the presentation of an Addisonian crisis. Diagnostics including sodium and potassium ratios, ionized calcium, acid and base status, albumin, azotemia (including why we see azotemia,) and provocative testing including stimulation and others. Treatment including fluid choices, steroids (including the concept of prednisone equivalent,) DOCP, antibiotics versus not, GI support, and additional considerations in a Crisis.
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We all know client communication is a large part of veterinary medicine. During emotional appointments like euthanasia, quality communication is the glue that holds everything together. Knowing how best to communicate with grieving clients is challenging for many. Some of us are naturally gifted at saying the right things, putting clients at ease and giving emotional support. Some of us have our hearts in the right place when supporting dying patients but struggle to convey what we want to say. The idea of good death dialogue is to wrap a client in safety and warmth, which anyone can do with a little know-how. Let’s take some time to unpack the 7 habits of highly effective communicators and gain confidence working with clients in a time of grief.
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Feline degenerative joint disease (DJD) is a common but underdiagnosed condition in cats. Degenerative changes can be present in cats in any age group, but risk increases dramatically with each passing year. Mature and senior cats over 8 years of age are commonly affected by DJD. The clinical signs are usually absent to subtle and are often unrecognizable to caregivers. Veterinary professionals play an important role in helping caregivers understand when this condition might be impacting their cat and how to treat it. This course will review the most common types of DJD in cats and provide veterinary professionals with the information and strategies necessary to diagnose and treat DJD.
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The presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of leptospirosis will be discussed.
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In 2012, the RECOVER Initiative, a joint project of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society published the first evidence-based veterinary CPR guidelines based on an extensive review of the primary literature. Between 2019 and 2022, a group of over 300 veterinary and veterinary technician specialists answered a series of over 150 specific clinical questions about CPR through extensive evaluation of the clinical and experimental literature using the GRADE process. In this lecture, the updated RECOVER 2.0 BLS and ALS algorithm will be reviewed, highlighting changes from the previous RECOVER 2012 recommendations.
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Most humans do not like conflict. Veterinary people seem to like it even less. The reality is that we face some form of conflict almost daily. In this session, we learn how to use Empathy to manage conflict situations with clients. Still, we will need additional tools in our toolbox to navigate conflict, so we add on conflict competence, conflict resilience, and specific words you can use to avoid conflict altogether. We will also discuss ways to restore a client to a state of satisfaction after conflict. Let’s get you feeling stronger about conflict situations!
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Stomatitis is a disease we sometimes control rather than cure, but cures are possible. We often think of cats when speaking of stomatitis, but dogs can be affected also. This lecture will discuss manifestations and treatment options.
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Initially, we will discuss the anatomy and different cell lines of the thyroid glands,hypothalamic pituitary adrenal access and the control of T4, as well as the production of T3 and T4. This will be followed by the role of thyroid hormone and why we see alterations in the gastrointestinal tract, cardiac changes, hypertension, neurological changes, respiratory distress (including the varied causes of distress in relation to hyperT4,) and their relation to presentation. Treatment of each of the above individually and finally management, both acute and ultimately, long-term monitoring.
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Everyone of us wants euthanasia procedures to go well. A dysthanasia is the opposite of a good death, or at least that’s one way to define it. What is and isn’t considered a good death is complicated. In this session, we review how pet owners and veterinarians define a good death so we understand what it’s not. We can then determine how best to address them when they happen, to protect the mental health of loved ones and the veterinary team. Dysthanasia is upsetting. How we correctly handle them makes all the difference.
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Blood pressure assessment should be an integral part of a senior cat’s healthcare. Despite this, many veterinarians struggle with this procedure for a number of reasons: the time required to take blood pressure in a cat may not be practical in the appointment setting, the cat may not be cooperative, the clinician may not be comfortable with the equipment available. Finally, understanding collected readings can be challenging at best. This session will review the causes and consequences of hypertension in the feline species and present a Cat Friendly approach to taking blood pressure readings. Therapeutics and diagnostic algorithms will provide the attendee with the resources necessary to implement blood pressure monitoring as part of routine senior care in their practice.
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The goal of this program is to empower veterinary technicians to educate canine pet owners on the importance of dental care compliance, including the related potential health risks of periodontal disease. By pairing technical information on canine dental care with communication tools and techniques, veterinary technicians will leave this presentation with a solid foundation of how periodontal disease can affect canine patients and a strategy on how to get more owners to comply with the current recommended dental care practices.
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“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” Confucius once said this about learning. Learning can be significantly improved by giving individuals the opportunity to put concepts into practice. The use of live animals, cadavers, models, and chance clinical training can provide some of these opportunities, though all have considerable barriers and limitations. However, immersive simulation is one way to overcome these limitations and foster learning. Is this concept applicable to clinical training within a veterinary practice?
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Missed details may mean life or death for the patients in your practice! The front desk team is not immune from this, and it is not just an issue for the new staff member, we all can fall into this trap if we are not extra cautious. In this session, we will learn some of the commonly missed details and how they impact your patients and the practice. We will also learn how to prevent missed details and implement them in your daily life. Bonus topic will be how to keep yourself safe by not accidentally diagnosing over the phone.
Learning Objectives:
The phrase “It’s like pulling teeth” arose for a reason. It’s difficult to extract firmly rooted teeth, but sometimes it is necessary. Removing fractured root tips, retrieving roots displaced into problem areas, dehiscence, and iatrogenic jaw fractures are some of the more common complications of dental extractions in dogs and cats. This lecture will discuss how to avoid complications, and how to deal with them when (not if) they happen.
Learning Objectives:
The first hour will focus on presentations, signalment, duration of signs and their importance to help narrow down causes and focus our therapy. Additionally, we will discuss some of the more common “at home” therapeutics that are often given prior to presentation. Diagnostics including physical exam, radiographs, blood work, abdominal ultrasounds, and ancillary tests based on signalment and duration of signs. This section will also address pancreatitis (both acute and chronic,) and how tht may change our prognosis.
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Choosing to end the life of a beloved and loyal companion is a responsibility that many people are unable to bear. This makes it particularly challenging to navigate conversations surrounding decision making for euthanasia. How can you handle these difficult discussions with clients by leading with compassion and empathy, while still advocating for your patients to prevent unnecessary suffering? This lecture will give you some leading questions and supportive statements to create an open and honest dialogue, to allow these clients to say goodbye without fear and regret but with grace and dignity.
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In the wild the cat species lives primarily a solitary existence, only coming together during raising of young or when food is in abundance (ex. Feral cat colonies). In the multi-cat household, the expectation that more than one cat live in the same territory and share potentially limited resources can lead to many problems. While some cats may become affiliative and share the space and resources happily, more often than not, the space is shared under duress. This can lead to intercat aggression. This session will review the not-so-natural dynamics of a multicat household and explore options for prevention and management of intercat issues and conflict.
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The goal of this program is to empower veterinary technicians with the knowledge and skills to educate pet owners about myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), 2 conditions that can lead to congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs. MMVD alone accounts for a majority of canine heart disease cases in the United States. However, intervention during the preclinical phase of MMVD can delay the onset of CHF in dogs. Veterinary technicians will acquire communication tools and strategies to initiate conversations and articulate the benefits of early identification of MMVD to engage dog owners in proactive screening and diagnostic testing.
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“We need blood STAT!” Has this phrase ever been used in your practice? Transfusion therapy and our ability to provide blood components have greatly increased our ability to help patients—and can be life saving in certain situations. A veterinary team can also maximize the chances of success by being aware of transfusion options, the value of component therapy and blood banking, and indications and contraindications of blood products. In addition, there may be uncommonly used methods in transfusion medicine that can be helpful in true emergency situations. We willexplore transfusion options and how we make these decisions during an emergency.
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We all have busy lives and little spare time for even ourselves these days. One of the biggest pet peeves that any of us experience is long wait times. They seem to be everywhere these days, from fast food to hold times on the phone. Just as you don’t appreciate being kept waiting without knowing what you are waiting for, neither do your clients. In this session, we explore tips and tricks to decrease wait times and, if that is not avoidable, how to create realistic expectations for clients who are waiting.
Learning Objectives:
The general practitioner can save lives in general practice by being on the frontline of early diagnosis of oral tumors. “Waiting and watching” an oral mass to see if it becomes a problem is not the standard of care we should strive for. Disease recognition of oral tumors is important in avoiding delays due to treatment of the wrong diagnosis. Because dogs and cats often tend to hide their oral tumors until they are of great size, finding a tumor that is small may be life-saving and should be acted upon. This lecture will review disease recognition of oral tumors, how to obtain a diagnostic incisional biopsy, staging of oral masses, and definitive treatment of specific tumor types.
Learning Objectives:
The second hour will discuss the use of traditional anti-emetic medications, as well as prokinetics. This portion will include the different mechanisms of action, the target of the medications, as well as the advantages of multimodal therapy. Additionally, we will also cover the different types of adjunctive therapy including paincontrol, acid reduction, gastrointestinal supportive measures, feeding, and when it is appropriate to consider the use of antibiotics.
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Emotionally Intelligent Euthanasia (EIE) is born of the idea that maintaining personal control of emotions is beneficial to one’s mental health and well-being. It is useful to understand what we are feeling during euthanasia and what others around us are experiencing. Such knowledge guides our communication with pet owners and makes end-of-life work much more enjoyable and fulfilling. This class explores concepts like self-awareness, social skills, and empathy to build lasting EIE. Ideal for veterinary professionals who are seeking more tools for the toolbox.
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Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) has historically been considered untreatable however advances in treatment protocols mean that FIP is now considered to be a treatable disease. This seminar will provide a review of disease etiology, transmission, and pathogenesis, with a focus on the novel therapeutics which have changed the face of FIP. This will include an update on protease inhibitors and nucleoside analogue from dosaging to timing to licensing concerns.
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This lecture is comprised of three to four mini-sessions tailored to the audience and may include, but is not limited to: cystocentesis, accurate blood pressure measurement, blood glucose monitoring, vascular access, blood typing, crossmatching, blood product administration, and CPR.
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Blood transfusions save lives! There is no doubt this statement is true in many cases, but complications can arise from transfusions. Canine and feline blood types play a large role in transfusion medicine, and non-immunologic complications play a role as well. The consequences of mismatched blood component transfusions can result in dire situations, so diligent compatibility testing and administration protocols are necessary. We will discuss common signs of complications and ways to ensure safety when administering blood component transfusions.
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New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association
750 Route 202
Suite 200
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Phone: (908) 281-0918
Fax: (908) 450-1286
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