Tentative Schedule

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Registration open 10am-6pm

Exhibitor set up 1pm-6pm, welcome to exhibit when setup

Speaker

Location/Time

Topic

Laurie Dohmen, VMD, MS

Sponsored by Purple Moon Herbs & Studies

1:00 Leave Hotel

1:30 Herb walk: 

This medicinal and wildflower herb walk will follow the Oconaluftee River Trail along the river.  It is an easy and lovely walk filled with native wildflowers and other medicinal plants.   We will discuss the plants and their medicine as well as their uses in pharmaceuticals.  There will be time for questions, to peruse the gift shop and walk on your own at the end of the structured walk.  Bring water and wear comfortable shoes. 

4:00 Return to Hotel

Gary D. Norsworthy, DVM, DABVP (Feline)

1:00-2:30 pm Confusing and New Concepts Regarding Hyperthyroidism

2:45-4:45pm Chronic Renal Disease: Diagnosing Early and Extending Lifespan

5:00-7:00pm The Diabetic Cat: Reducing Stress and Extending Lifespan with Loose Control

(6.0 hours)

Holly Brown, DVM, PhD, DACVP (Clinical Pathology) & Jessica Wilson-Hess, MS, CVT, VTS (SAIM)

Tech Session - 4.5 hours

Hickory

1-3pm

3:15-4:30pm

4:45-6pm

1-3pm Advanced hematology: Proper CBC interpretation for improved patient care

3:15-4:30pm Maximizing hematology diagnostics: Interpreting dot plots

4:45-6pm Cancer sucks! How you can help patients with hematology testing

Louise Dunn

Snowgoose Veterinary Management Consulting

Sponsored by Care Credit

1-2:30pm - Leadership

(Marketing Message: Do you enjoy working with your team? Do you and the team stay positive at work, and overcome challenges together? Take a moment to evaluate what type of “bus” you are driving and what it takes to have energized “riders” and “drivers”.)

What Type of Bus is Your Team Riding On – And Do You Need a New Driver?

Description: You spend a lot of time getting the right people into the right seats on your practice’s “bus”. But just what kind of bus are they riding on? Is the bus limping along a bumpy road with a flat tire and a broken gas gauge? Is the driver (the leader) failing to properly navigate the road? Or is the bus traveling along with a full tank of gas and filled with energized passengers? Learn some tips from The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon.

Learning Objectives:

• Cultivate an energized practice culture for the team on your bus
• Deepen your understanding of what it takes to energize and lead your team
• Apply The Energy Bus tips to strengthen your leadership skills

2:45-4:15pm - Operations

(Marketing Message: Every day the team as at war with productivity killers – things that snag operations, sap energy and motivation, and thwart efficiency. Execute a game plan that leads the team to achieve a winning score at the end of the day. )

Executing a Game Plan that Improves Your Team’s Efficiency

Description: When there is a snag in operations - when efficiency is poor, client service falters, and patient care is on the line; can you identify the productivity killers? . Improve your team’s ability to handle the most common time killers and enjoy better productivity by utilizing a team quarterback who can call the plays to thwart the activities that causing inefficiencies and killing productivity.

Learning Objective:

• Recognize the productivity killers active in your workplace
• Develop an SOP for the Quarterback role
• Boost team efficiency and client satisfaction

4:30-6pm - HR

(Marketing message: Get every member of the team on the same page and release the ones who refuse to get with the program. )

Why Can’t People Do What They Are Supposed to Do – And When to Cut the Cord

Description: It is an all too familiar topic on discussion boards and meetings with a consultant – why can’t people just do what they are supposed to do, why can’t people follow the procedures and protocols we set up? When is it time to finally cut the cord and terminate the person? Instead of lamenting the behavior, change how you engage and train the team; and put a procedure in place for evaluating and terminating a poor performer.

Learning Objectives:

• Employ 10 steps to engage the team to do what they are supposed to do
• Utilize the steps for every situation – new hire, performance improvement, and termination protocols
• Strengthen the management team’s skills for conducting evaluations and coaching

6:15-7pm - Finance

(Marketing Message: We all know wages and inventory are two of the biggest expenses – but what about the cost of loss opportunities with the profit centers like lab and services? Monitor the right metrics and improve the wage percentage and lab profitability to put the practice on the road to better financial health. )

Tips to Improve Practice Profitability

Description: Every practice has some favorite metrics they routinely watch and use to evaluate how well the practice is doing. Are you using the best metrics for your practice ? Are you struggling to make improvements and aren’t sure how to identify what is going well and what needs to change? Two areas that could use improvement are team wages and the lab. This session presents common pitfalls affecting wage percentage and lab profitability, and offers options to rescue the hospital from potential failure.

Learning Objectives

• Identify effective next generation metrics for your practice
• Gain a deeper understanding of pitfalls and how to mitigate the risk
• Develop an action plan to restore profitability and boost business operations

Jenny Cassibry Fisher, RVT, VTS

Sponsored by PractiVet

Garrett Levin, DVM, DACVS

Sponsored by Steris Animal Health

1-2:30pm

2:45-4:15pm

4:30-6pm

6:15-7pm

Oncology review-Fisher

Surgical & Oncologic Approach to Commom Tumor Types -Fisher & Levin

What's in your toolbox? Surgical pearls for orthopedic surgeries - Levin

Making the Cut, In and out of the OR-Levin

Monday, June 1, 2020

Registration Open 8am

Exhibit Hall Open at 8am-4:30pm

Breakfast Session 7:30-8:20am 

Speaker Margi Sirois, EdD, MS, RVT, CVT, LAT

Cannabinoids in Veterinary Medicine: Promises and Challenges

This presentation provides an overview of the  endocannabinoid system and the pharmacokinetics of certain cannabinoids . An overview of legal issues related to use of cannabinoids in veterinary medicine will be discussed as well as a summary of potential therapeutic uses of cannabinoids in dogs.  Sponsored by Nutramax Laboratories, Veterinary Science

Lunch Session: 11:45am-12:45pm

David Bradley, DVM, FASLMS presents Laser Therapy: What do we Really Know

Over lunch we will present what’s new and exciting in laser therapy and discuss the current research related to what works and why.

Lecture details: The interest and enthusiasm regarding photobiomodulation are stronger than ever. This lecture will present the exciting new trends and potential uses for laser therapy. Both positive and negative studies will be reviewed to explain how to interpret the results and understand what really works and why. For those currently using lasers, it will help you better understand why you’re seeing the results you are producing. It will help you make adjustments to your protocols for those not responding. And it will help you expand the use of your laser to even more patients and conditions. For those not yet using laser therapy, it will help you make the decision whether this modality may be something worth adding to your practice or which patients may benefit from referral for laser therapy. It will also help you wade thru the marketing hype to make an informed decision as to which laser may be best for your practice.

Sponsored by Summus

Speaker

Location

Topic

Gary D. Norsworthy, DVM, DABVP (Feline)

8:30-11:30am The Chronic Puking Cat: Is It Really Abnormal?

(3.5 hours)

Holly Brown, DVM, PhD, DACVP (Clinical Pathology) and Jessica Wilson-Hess, MS, CVT, VTS (SAIM)

Tech Session - 4.5 hours

8:30-10am Cytology basics: Maximizing sample collection, preparation, and analysis

10:15-11:30am Tick-borne disease diagnostics: Beyond the 4Dx

1-2:30pm Coagulopathies: Diagnosing the bleeding patient

2:45-4:30pm Tying it all together: Maximizing diagnostics in the in-clinic lab

Laurie Dohmen, VMD, MS

1-4:30pm (there will be a break) Bee Medicine: From Honey to Venom

Not only do bees keep our food chain intact through pollination, but they offer us a myriad of sources of medicine.  Honey is used both internally for many conditions as well as a topical wound healer.  Propolis, Pollen and Royal Jelly are all nourishing and medically active.  Lately, there is burgeoning research on the use of bee venom for pain and conditions that are associated with pain, such as arthritis.  In this lecture, we will discuss all these great medicines we obtain from bees.

Clarke E. Atkins, DVM, Diplomate, ACVIM (Medicine/Cardiology)

Canine and Feline Cardiovascular Disease: Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Prognoses, and Controversies.

8:30-11:30am (2.75 hours)

8:30-10am (90min) Heartworm Disease: Important Advances

10:15-11:30am (75min) Mitral Valve Disease: What’s New Based on the 2019 ACVIM Consensus Statement?

Eric Garcia & Louise Dunn

8:30-10am

Next Level Marketing: New Ways and tools to Set Yourself Apart from the Competition

The veterinary industry is growing by leaps and bounds each year. The good news is that this means more business. The bad news? More competition. If you feel like you’re offering the same services as most other veterinary practices, that’s most likely because you are. Chances are you are also marketing yourself in the same way. Fully stocked in-house pharmacy? In-house laboratory? Unfortunately, this is now the standard and your competitors are showcasing these services in the same way too. If you’re looking to define your brand and market yourself more effectively, this is the session for you. We’ll be deep-diving into these fundamental questions of branding and identity so that you can enhance your practice and create an impact on social media, the web and locally. Spoiler alert: standing out in a saturated marketplace is actually easier than you think.

Eric Garcia

10:15-11:30am

New Tips to Handle Online Haters

Although it takes years to successfully build your reputation (both online and off), it takes just moments for a negative online review to jeopardize it. With new tools and techniques provided in this session, you will be fully equipped to handle a variety of online negative reviews. From a simple upset client to extreme cyberbullying and everything in between! You will learn how to engage with negative reviews with honest, timely and respectful responses to earn back respect and goodwill. This session will help you to discover the fundamentals of handling online negativity and navigate the increasingly important world of online reviews.

1-2:30pm

Got Cats? Get More Feline Patients & Keep Them Coming Back & How to Engage Cat Owners in Life-Long Care —

How to Engage Cat Owners in Life Long Care - Many practices have noticed for a long time their feline visits are on the decline, but very few know what to do about it. If the number of dogs you see on any given day consistently outweighs the cats, that means it’s time to attend this session to boost feline client visits. However, increasing feline visits is just one part of the equation. The next and most crucial step is to engage them in life-long care to keep them coming back. You’ll leave this session with a better understanding of how the mind of a cat owner works and how to pro-actively communicate crucial information to feline pet owners that keeps them engaged and coming back to your practice.

3-4pm

How to Implement & Handle Client Feedback —  

Deeply analyzing client feedback can help you to meet, and even anticipate, the needs, wants and concerns of your clients. This requires you to not only capture feedback but also to manage and act upon it to improve products and services. It can be difficult to capture and follow through on this feedback effectively, so this session will teach you to techniques for creating a client feedback program that’s easy to develop, measure and understand.

4:15-5pm

Help My Practice Isn't Growing! Marketing Success Stories

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Registration Open 8am

Exhibit Hall Open 8am-4pm

Breakfast 7:30-8:20am

Rod Finnegan presents Mitigating risk in the Age of Entitlement - Sponsored by Vetinsure

Lunch Session 11:45am-12:45pm

Tim Baum, DVM, MS, MT (ASCP), NCA (CLS) and Ron Turner, FIBMS, PhD present Revolutionary New Technology for UTI Testing in (35 minutes) not 3-4 days Sponsored by All Vet Imaging/Micro Vet Diagnostics

Speaker

Location

Topic

Clarke E. Atkins, DVM, Diplomate, ACVIM (Medicine/Cardiology)

Oak

8:30-10am

10:15-11:30am

Canine and Feline Cardiovascular Disease: Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Prognoses, and Controversies.

8:30-11:30am (2.75 hours)

8:30-10am RAAS Suppressant Therapy, Diuretics, Salt and Azotemia in the Cardiac Patient

10:15-11:30am A Breakthrough in Managing Systemic Hypertension and Proteinuria

Steve Dale, CABC

Sponsored by Vetoquinol

Maple

8:30-10am

10:15-11:30am

Bad Dog or Dog Owners

Of course, neither is usually true. Dogs do what they do to cope, most often with anxiety and/or inability to express their hard-wired genetics (ie: a herding dog unable to herd). This is an overview or “greatest hits” list of common dog anxiety issues, including fear of car rides, veterinary visits, thunderstorm, as well as separation distress and stereotypic or compulsive behaviors. Finding treatments (sometimes drug-free) may maintain the human-animal bond an prevent relinquishment. Solutions are offered, with a focus on behavior modification and nutritional supplements, including newer products or ideas. For example, how feeding dogs differently and increasing enrichment to pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) therapy may help by lowering inflammation in the brain. (1 to 2 hours)

Thinking Outside the Box: Adjusting the Aim

The most common behavior problem in cats is inappropriate elimination. This issue is a major cause of relinquishment and therefore death. It’s also a sign that something may be wrong medically. The good news is that most pet owners are aware of behavior problems in cats, though they may not know that a cat urinating inappropriately may be a result of a physiological explanation (diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, hyperthyroid to name a few). And thinking outside the box isn’t always the same; spraying and voiding (toileting) are two totally different problems with different solutions. Which is it?  Both issues are discussed. If anxiety is a factor how do you help clients to determine what may be causing the cats(s) to be anxious? And then what to do to ease that anxiety, including products which may help. Topics include cat litter, litter box placement, and relationships between cats within a home. (60, 90 or 120 minutes)

Theresa L. DePorter DVM, ECAWBM, DACVB

Sponsored by Vetoquinol

Beech

1-2:30pm

2:45-4:30pm

Canine Body Language and Facial Expression: Recognizing Signs of Fear and Anxiety: Canids communicate fears, anxiety and appeasement by body postures which may be appreciated in every day contexts. This presentation will include examples of wolf communication and pet-dog communication. Watching dogs is not just about dominance anymore.

Alleviating Fears & Phobias of Thunderstorms: Evaluating, diagnosing, managing and treating thunderstorm related distress. From natural fear to frantic phobia. Different reactions to storms require the clinician to offer many supportive options for the alleviation of fears and phobias.

Psychotropic Medications and Nutraceuticals for Fear Free Veterinary Visits: Pre-treatment before the vet visit. What are my options?  In this session we will look at how we can prepare our patients to have a better experience at the veterinary clinic

Shane Gentry, Owner, Sally Said So Professional Dog Training

8:30-11:30am

Behavior Wellness, Anxiety, Nutrition and Your Safety

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Steve Dale, CABC

Sponsored by Weave

Oak

8:30-10am

10:15-11:30am

Mining Millennials

Even the best veterinarians can't treat invisible clients: How to market and work social and traditional media (presented by a 30 year media professional)

Joseph Jordan, PhD, CEO

NC Physicians Health Program

Locust

8:30-10am

10:15-11:30am

Recognizing and Dealing with Substance Abuse in the Workplace