CE Sessions
CE sessions are listed by day and track. All session times, titles and speakers are subject to change.
Overview | Sessions | Networking Opportunities | Exhibitor Listing
Hotel Information | Session Proceedings | Conference App
Join us for an eye-opener coffee (or tea) and hear from these thought leaders to start your day!
Each General Session is 1 CE hour.
8 - 8:50am
Friday, Sept. 26
Session on Addressing Zoonosis in Michigan
Presented by Nora Wineland, DVM, MS, DACVPM, Michigan State Veterinarian, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD)
This session fulfills the requirements of Rule 33 of R 338.4933 (e) of the Veterinary Practice Act under the Michigan Public Health Code.
8 - 8:50am
Saturday, Sept. 27
Session on Mastering Crucial Conversations
Presented by Andy Roark, DVM, National Speaker, Author and Practitioner
8 - 8:50am
Sunday, Sept. 28
Session on Medical Records: Beyond the SOAP
Presented by Sarah Babcock, DVM, JD, Founder, Animal & Veterinary Legal Services, PLLC
This session fulfills the requirements of Rule 33 of R 338.4933 (d) of the Veterinary Practice Act under the Michigan Public Health Code.
COMPANION ANIMAL TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Your Client Adopted a New Pet: Shelter Wellness Practices Explained | Jeanette O'Quin, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Pitfalls to Avoid in Veterinary Dermatology | Tiffany Tapp, DACVD |
| 9 - 9:50am | Emerging Concepts in Canine Protein-Losing Enteropathy: New Paradigms in Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment | Sara Jablonski, DVM, PhD, DACVIM |
| 10 - 10:50am | Investigating Animal Cruelty: Recognition, History & Communication in the Exam Room | Jeanette O'Quinn, DVM, MPH, Diplomate ACVPM and ABVP (Shelter Medicine) |
| 10 - 10:50am | Cats Are Not Small Dogs: How I Treat Feline Allergy | Tiffany Tapp, DACVD |
| 10 - 10:50am | Canine Protein-Losing Enteropathy: Case examples and Discussion | Sara Jablonski, DVM, PhD, DACVIM |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Investigating Animal Cruelty: Documentation & Presentation of Evidence | Jeanette O'Quin, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine) |
| 1 - 1:50pm | What to Do With an Itchy Dog: Pearls to Get You Through Allergy Season | Tiffany Tapp, DACVD |
| 1 - 1:45pm | What's the deal with biliary mucoceles? | Caroline Mansfield, BSc, BVMS, MVM, PhD, MANZCVSc, DECVIM-CA |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Investigating Animal Cruelty: Common Presentations seen in Practice | Jeanette O'Quin, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine) |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Canine Atopic Dermatitis: Where Do newer Therapies Fit In | Tiffany Tapp, DACVD |
| 2 - 2:45pm | Approach to Regurgitation in Dogs: New Thoughts on Esophageal Disease | Caroline Mansfield, BSc, BVMS, MVM, PhD, MANZCVSc, DECVIM-CA |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Clinical Pathology in Veterinary Forensic Investigations | Laurie Millward, DVM, MS, DACVP, PSM-FS |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Caregiver Burden and the Veterinary Client | Elaine Sheikh, DVM, MScVAA |
| 3:15 - 3:45pm | Tips for Diagnosing & Managing Chronic GI Disease in Cats | Caroline Mansfield, BSc, BVMS, MVM, PhD, MANZCVSc, DECVIM-CA |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Interactive Q&A on Shelter Medicine | Facilitated by Drs. O'Quin and Millward |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Classification and Management of Canine Mitral Valve Disease | Matthew Denton, DVM, Resident in Cardiology |
| 4 - 4:30pm | Interactive case discussion highlighting concepts from the previous sessions with Dr. Mansfield | Caroline Mansfield, BSc, BVMS, MVM, PhD, MANZCVSc, DECVIM-CA |
EQUINE TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SPONSOR | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Juvenile Orthopedic Disease: What Improves, What Doesn’t | Deborah Spike-Pierce, DVM, MBA |
| 10 - 10:50am | Static vs. Dynamic Balance: Farrier Case Management |
Speaker TBD |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Fevers of Unknown Origin in Horses | Jenifer R. Gold DVM DACVIM, DACVECC |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Medical Management of Colic in the Field: When referral is not an option. | Jenifer R. Gold DVM DACVIM, DACVECC |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Managing the High-Risk Pregnant Mare in the Field | Jenifer R. Gold DVM DACVIM, DACVECC |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Neonatal in the Field: When Referral Is Not An Option | Jenifer R. Gold DVM DACVIM, DACVECC |
FOOD ANIMAL TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Proven Profit Tips for Beef Cow-calf Veterinarians | W. Mark Hilton, DVM, PAS, Diplomate ABVP (Beef Cattle) |
| 10 - 10:50am | Nutrition 101 for Beef Cow-calf Veterinarians | W. Mark Hilton, DVM, PAS, Diplomate ABVP (Beef Cattle) |
| 1 - 1:50pm | The Importance of Trace Minerals in the Immune System & Reproduction | Jerry Rusch, DVM Diplomate ABVP |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Trace Minerals Diagnostics | Jerry Rusch, DVM Diplomate ABVP |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Mini Sessions: Understanding Mineral Tags | Jerry Rusch, DVM Diplomate ABVP |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Calf Diarrhea: Common Causes and Treatment | Emily Hess, DVM |
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Pawsitive Resilience: Staying Healthy and Happy in Veterinary Medicine | Erika Pease, LVT, CVPM |
| 10 - 10:50am | Pawsitive Connections: Mastering Communication in Veterinary Medicine | Erika Pease, LVT, CVPM |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Solving Every Team’s #1 Problem: Communication Part 1 - How West Michigan nice is killing your practice & What open and honest is and how it is essential to solving problems. | Ken Bogard |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Solving Every Team’s #1 Problem: Communication Part 2: Implementable practices to make communication a priority & Move faster, without it feeling like you are moving faster. | Ken Board |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Creating Pawsitive Outcomes: Crafting Training Protocols for Veterinary Hospital Teams | Anya Petersen, LVT |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Interactive Workshop to Improve Teams | Anya Peterson, LVT |
VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Seizures in Pets: Explaining, Managing, and Communicating with Clients | Vanessa Leiser, LVT, VTS (IM-Neurology) |
| 10 - 10:50am | A Different Spin on Things: Causes of Vestibular Diseases in Dogs and Cats | Vanessa Leiser, LVT, VTS (IM-Neurology) |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Anesthesia: Basic Skill Discussion | Moreka Beckelic, LVT |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Anesthesia: Advanced Skill Discussion | Moreka Beckelic, LVT |
| 3 - 3:50pm | What ER's Want Referring Teams to Know | Moreka Beckelic, LVT |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Blood Transfusions for General Practice: More Attainable Than You Think! | Moreka Beckelic, LVT |
VETERINARY TEAM FOUNDATIONS
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Dealing with the Difficult Doctor | Jordin Tillson, LVT, CVT, VTS (ECC), CWR, CCFP, FFCP |
| 10 - 10:50am | Compassion Fatigue and Burnout | Jordin Tillson, LVT, CVT, VTS (ECC), CWR, CCFP, FFCP |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Brain Training and Neuroscience: Well-Being Starts in Your Mind | Karlene Belyea, MBA |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Wag More Bark Less: Communication Tips for Working with All Behavioral Styles | Karlene Belyea, MBA |
| 3 - 3:50pm | How to Embrace Your Inner Sloth: Techniques for Controlling Stress & Anxiety | Karlene Belyea, MBA |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Communication Tips to Positively Impact Work Relationships and Build Trust | Karlene Belyea, MBA |
COMPANION ANIMAL TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Diagnosis Without MRI: A Collection of Unique Neurological Diseases | Ilyssa Meren, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) |
| 9 - 9:50am | An Internist, a surgeon and a radiologist walk into a bar: Tricky Referral Cases for the Small Animal Practitioner Part 1 | Kaitlin Lonc, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) & Jessica Ogden, DVM, DACVS-SA |
| 9 - 9:50am | Clinical Pathology Focused on Skin Lumps and Bumps | Jennifer Thomas, DVM, PhD, DACVP |
| 10 - 10:50am | Neuromuscular Diseases: MRI-less Diagnosis | Ilyssa Meren, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) |
| 10 - 10:50am | An Internist, a surgeon and a radiologist walk into a bar: Tricky Referral Cases for the Small Animal Practitioner Part 2 | Kaitlin Lonc, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) & Jessica Ogden, DVM, DACVS-SA |
| 10 - 10:50am | Clinical Pathology Focused on Lymph Nodes | Jennifer Thomas, DVM, PhD, DACVP |
| 1 - 1:50pm | The Back Dog: What do you do when you can't refer? | Ilyssa Meren, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Surgical Perspective on Interpretation of the Foreign Body Radiograph: When to cut? | Hayley Gallaher, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA, PG Cert Vet Ed |
| 1 - 1:50pm | When to Biopsy the Liver of Your Canine Patient and How to Submit Liver Biopsies | Rebecca Smedley, DVM, MS, DACVP |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Dizzy Kittens: Vestibular Diseases in Cats | Ilyssa Meren, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Tips & Tricks for GI Foreign Body Surgery | Hayley Gallaher, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA, PG Cert Vet Ed |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Getting the Most from your Tumor Biopsy Report | Rebecca Smedley, DVM, MS, DACVP |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Idiopathic Epilepsy: One Neurologist's Opinions on Treatment | Ilyssa Meren, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Practical Approach to Complicated Spays & Neuters: Cryptorchid, Pyometra & Dystocia | Hayley Gallaher, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA, PG Cert Vet Ed |
| 3 - 3:50pm | When to Turn to the ABCs of Molecular Pathology: IHC, prognostic panels, and PARR | Rebecca Smedley, DVM, MS, DACVP |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Mini Sessions/Case Disscussion | Ilyssa Meren, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Transfusion Medicine: A Bloody Good Time | Ilissa Chasnick, DVM, Resident in Emergency and Critical Care |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Rabies Testing at MDHHS | Katie Margulieux |
EQUINE TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Juvenile Orthopedic Disease: What Affects Performance, What Doesn’t | Deborah Spike-Pierce DVM, MBA |
| 10 - 10:50am | Equine Practice Management | Deborah Spike-Pierce DVM, MBA |
| 1 - 1:50pm | That didn't go like I expected: Complications of Sedation & Anesthesia in the Horse | Kelley Varner, DVM, DACVAA |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Analgesia in the Horse: It's Not Just NSAID's Any More! | Kelley Varner, DVM, DACVAA |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Get a Grip! Understanding Behavior for Safer Equine Restraint | Jill Sackman DVM PhD DACVB DACVS & Jenn Gavin BA CPDT-KA FPPE |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Medical Management of Equine Behavior | Jill Sackman DVM PhD DACVB DACVS & Jenn Gavin BA CPDT-KA FPPE |
FOOD ANIMAL TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Making Evidence-Based Decisions for Clinical Mastitis Therapy | Pamela Ruegg, DVM, MPVM |
| 10 - 10:50am | To Treat or Not to Treat: When Selective Dry Cow Therapy is the Right Choice | Pamela Ruegg, DVM, MPVM |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Alien Invaders: GI Parasites in Small Ruminants | Susana Myers, DVM |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Same Manure, Different Day: Common Small Animal Ruminant Disease | Susana Myers, DVM |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Common Diseases & Health Concerns of Pigs in Lifestyle Farms | Ting-Yu Cheng, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVPM |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Monitoring Acute Pain in Piglets | Pedro Trindade, DVM, MS, PhD, MBA |
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Building Stronger Teams Through Healthy Disagreement | Ron Sosa, CVPM, CCFP, PgD CCL |
| 10 - 10:50am | Say What You Mean, Hear What They Say | Ron Sosa, CVPM, CCFP, PgD CCL |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Is it Toxic…or Just Different? Rethinking Behavior Through a Neuroinclusive Lens | Ron Sosa, CVPM, CCFP, PgD CCL |
| 2 - 2:50pm | R.I.S.E. into Neuroinclusive Leadership | Ron Sosa, CVPM, CCFP, PgD CCL |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Neuroinclusive Practices for Bringing in New Talent | Ron Sosa, CVPM, CCFP, PgD CCL |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Creating Universal Design in Veterinary Practices | Ron Sosa, CVPM, CCFP, PgD CCL |
VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Incorporating Enrichment in Exotic Pet Practices: Collaborating with Owners to Improve Patient Outcomes | Edythe Sonntag |
| 10 - 10:50am | Quick and Easy Approaches to Positive Reinforcement Training in Equine Veterinary Care | Jill Sackman DVM PhD DACVB DACVS & Jenn Gavin BA CPDT-KA FPPE |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Looking Beyond the Pharmacy: The Role of Rehab in Veterinary Medicine | Ashley Barker, LVT, CCRVN |
| 2 - 2:50pm | Make Waves that take Patients from Ouch to Ahhh! Shockwave Therapy in Practice | Ashley Barker, LVT, CCRVN |
| 3 - 3:50pm | Maintaining Homeostasis: Behavior Edition Part 1 | Kaylee Benjamin, LVT |
| 4 - 4:50pm | Maintaining Homeostasis: Behavior Edition Part 2 | Kaylee Benjamin, LVT |
VETERINARY TEAM FOUNDATIONS
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | It Doesn't Have to be Front vs Back: Better Communication Inside Your Practice | Susan Sayles, DVM |
| 10 - 10:50am | AI Scribe Experience; You should have an EAP; Fun Meetings | Susan Sayles, DVM |
| 1 - 1:50pm | Diffusing the Angry Client | Andy Roark, DVM |
| 2 - 2:50pm | The Cash-Strapped Client: Systems & Boundaries | Andy Roark, DVM |
| 3 - 3:50pm | The Cash-Strapped Client: What to Say & How to Say It | Andy Roark, DVM |
| 4 - 4:50pm | K9 Officer Down: Preparing for Police Dog Emergency | Stephanie Meilleur, DVM, CCRP, Resident in Small Animal Surgery |
COMPANION ANIMAL TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | The Physics of Laser Therapy & Laser Classification System | Rachel Starr, DVM |
| 10 - 10:50am | Beginning Laser Therapy: Integrating Laser Therapy | Rachel Starr, DVM |
| 11 - 11:50 | Advanced Laser Therapy: Communicating on a Cellular Level | Rachel Starr, DVM |
VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY [WITH AN EQUINE FOCUS] TRACK
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 9:50am | Common Equine Surgical Procedures & Equipment: Knowledge is Power! | Shana Filipek, CVT, VTS (EVN) |
| 10 - 10:50am | Ergonomics & Ensuring Personal Safety in Large Animal Veterinary Practice: Strategies and Best Practices | Shana Filipek, CVT, VTS (EVN) |
| 11 - 11:50am | Neonatal Care: Is Your Team Ready For Foaling Season? | Shana Filipek, CVT, VTS (EVN) |
PRACTICAL LAB
| TIME | TOPIC/SESSION | SPEAKER(S) |
| 9 - 11:50am | Practical Lab on Anesthesia Demo & Treatment Plan with Monitoring Machines and Anesthetic Simulators (Space is Limited, RSVP Required) |
Meagan Crowley RVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) |