Wet Labs

Our wet labs are your chance to get hands-on instruction from experts in their field. You will get ample opportunity to practice your skills while supervised by our esteemed instructors, who will provide helpful tips and feedback. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the best and take your practice to the next level! Our world-class wet labs sell out fast so be sure to reserve your seat quickly.

Click here to see our full lineup of speakers and instructors.

Wet Labs

Our wet labs are your chance to get hands-on instruction from experts in their field. You will get ample opportunity to practice your skills while supervised by our esteemed instructors, who will provide helpful tips and feedback. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the best and take your practice to the next level! Our world-class wet labs sell out fast so be sure to reserve your seat quickly.

WET LABS for Veterinarians

  • SOFT TISSUE SURGERY BOOT CAMP

    Howard Seim III, DVM, DACVS
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Lake Room
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (5:30 pm)
    Price: $695 - $895

    Howard Seim III, DVM, DACVS

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Lake Room
    Price: $695 - $895
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (5:30 pm)

    Co-Instructor: Kristen Coleman, DVM, MS, DACVS

    This course is designed for veterinarians who have been in practice several years and have developed a comfort level in the OR – you’re ready to go to the next level! We have designed this course to teach participants the technical aspects of a variety of common canine soft tissue surgery procedures. Some ‘theory’ will be included in the lectures, but emphasis will be placed on ‘how’ to perform each procedure. The instructors will utilize video clips of clinical cases that represent the procedures participants will perform in the lab. Surgical procedures will be performed on cadavers immediately after viewing the video. Topics have been chosen that represent surgical conditions commonly seen in veterinary practice and include:

    • enucleation
    • tracheostomy
    • chest drain placement
    • esophagostomy feeding tube placement
    • laparotomy and abdominal exploratory
    • splenic vascular anatomy and rapid splenectomy
    • incisional gastropexy
    • intestinal anastomosis
    • cystotomy
    • abdominal wall closure

    WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
    Practicing veterinarians who would like to learn how to perform common soft tissue surgery procedures.

    LEARNING OUTCOMES
    By the end of this course, participants should have a thorough understanding of:

    • how to successfully perform a variety of common soft tissue surgery techniques
    • recent developments and new techniques in soft tissue surgery
    • the regional anatomy and how this knowledge impacts the procedures performed
    • the instructors’ philosophical and technical views on performing selected soft tissue surgery procedures

    Howard Seim III

    DVM, DACVS

    Dr. Seim graduated from Washington State University, completed an internship in Saskatoon, Canada, and completed a surgical residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. He obtained Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1983. He is currently on the surgical staff at Colorado State University. He was a recipient of the Merck AGVET Award for Creative Teaching, and the CSU Award for Instructional Innovation. He was also selected as the North American Veterinary Conference’s Small Animal Speaker of the Year in 2009. Dr. Seim is the founder of VideoVet a Veterinary Surgery Continuing Education video series. www.videovet.org

  • CANINE EXTRACTION TECHNIQUES

    Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Manatee Room
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (12:00 pm)
    Price: $450 - $650

    Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Manatee Room
    Price: $450 - $650
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (12:00 pm)

    Co-instructors: Ian Kupkee, DVM, MRCS and Larry Baker, DVM, FAVD, DAVDC
    Assistants: Jeanne Perrone, MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), Katie Holthusen, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), and Denise Rollings, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    This laboratory will teach the attendee proper flap procedures and extraction techniques to remove the incisors, maxillary canine tooth, and double-rooted teeth. Digital dental radiography will be utilized before and after extraction procedures to confirm complete tooth removal and proper bone contouring.

    Jan Bellows

    DVM, DAVDC, DABVP

    Dr. Bellows received his undergraduate training at the University of Florida and obtained a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University. After completing a small animal internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York City, he returned to south Florida, where he still practices companion animal medicine surgery and dentistry at ALL PETS DENTAL in Weston, Florida. He is certified by the Board of Veterinary Practitioners (canine and feline) since 1986 and the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) since 1990. He was president of the AVDC from 2012-2014 and is currently president of the Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry.

    Dr. Bellows’ veterinary dentistry accomplishments include authoring four dental texts- The Practice of Veterinary Dentistry… a Team Effort (1999), Small Animal Dental Equipment, Materials, and Techniques (2005, second edition published in 2019), and Feline Dentistry (2010). He is a frequent contributor to DVM Newsmagazine and a charter consultant of the Veterinary Information Network’s (VIN) dental board since 1993. He was also chosen as one of the dental experts to formulate AAHA’s Small Animal Dental Guidelines published in 2005, and updated in 2013 and 2019.

  • FELINE EXTRACTION TECHNIQUES

    Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Manatee Room
    Start: April 20, 2023 (1:30 pm)
    End: April 20, 2023 (5:30 pm)
    Price: $450 - $650

    Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Manatee Room
    Price: $450 - $650
    Start: April 20, 2023 (1:30 pm)
    End: April 20, 2023 (5:30 pm)

    Co-instructors: Ian Kupkee, DVM, MRCS and Larry Baker, DVM, FAVD, DAVDC
    Assistants: Jeanne Perrone, MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), Katie Holthusen, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), and Denise Rollings, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    This laboratory will teach the attendee proper flap procedures and extraction techniques to remove any tooth in a cat’s mouth. Digital dental radiography will be utilized before and after extraction procedures to confirm complete tooth root removal and proper bone contouring.

    Jan Bellows

    DVM, DAVDC, DABVP

    Dr. Bellows received his undergraduate training at the University of Florida and obtained a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University. After completing a small animal internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York City, he returned to south Florida, where he still practices companion animal medicine surgery and dentistry at ALL PETS DENTAL in Weston, Florida. He is certified by the Board of Veterinary Practitioners (canine and feline) since 1986 and the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) since 1990. He was president of the AVDC from 2012-2014 and is currently president of the Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry.

    Dr. Bellows’ veterinary dentistry accomplishments include authoring four dental texts- The Practice of Veterinary Dentistry… a Team Effort (1999), Small Animal Dental Equipment, Materials, and Techniques (2005, second edition published in 2019), and Feline Dentistry (2010). He is a frequent contributor to DVM Newsmagazine and a charter consultant of the Veterinary Information Network’s (VIN) dental board since 1993. He was also chosen as one of the dental experts to formulate AAHA’s Small Animal Dental Guidelines published in 2005, and updated in 2013 and 2019.

  • BASIC SMALL ANIMAL ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND

    Kenneth Waller, DVM, MS, DACVR
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Palm Beach Room
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (5:30 pm)
    Price: $549 - $749

    Kenneth Waller, DVM, MS, DACVR

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Palm Beach Room
    Price: $549 - $749
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (5:30 pm)

    Assistants: Elizabeth Watson, DVM, MS, DACVR, Shannon Holms, DVM, MSc, DACVR, Layla Shaikh, VMD, DACVR, Kim Bissing, BS, CPDT-KA, and Federico R. Vilaplana Grosso, DVM, DECVDI, DACVR

    This seminar series and combined wet lab will introduce the veterinarian to entry-level abdominal ultrasound imaging in the small animal practice. The basic physics, an overview of instrumentation, common artifacts, and scanning techniques will be reviewed, as well as the normal anatomy and appearance of the abdominal organs. Wet lab participants will be introduced to basic ultrasound image manipulation (knobology), the physics and artifacts of abdominal ultrasound, learn scanning techniques, and learn how to identify normal abdominal structures through the scanning of live animals.

    Kenneth Waller, DVM, MS, DACVR

    DVM, MS, DACVR

    Dr. Kenneth R. Waller III is currently an assistant dean for clinical affairs and a clinical assistant professor of diagnostic imaging at the University of Wisconsin, where he also serves as the residency director and adviser for the student imaging club. He is active in the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR) and serves on the public relations and exam committees. He performs national and international outreach and continuing education instruction. Dr. Waller has a strong background in clinical and research ultrasonogaphy, particularly contrast-enhanced ultrasound. In his free time, you may find him outdoors, on the water, or chasing after a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy named Lola.

  • OPHTHALMIC SURGERY

    Robert Swinger, DVM, DACVO
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Sarasota Room
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (1:00 pm)
    Price: $475 - $675

    Robert Swinger, DVM, DACVO

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Sarasota Room
    Price: $475 - $675
    Start: April 20, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 20, 2023 (1:00 pm)

    Assistant: Jessica Martinez, MS, DVM, DACVO

    Improve your proficiency in performing practical eyelid and orbital surgeries while gaining an appreciation for the skill level required for most corneal and conjunctival procedures. Receive step-by-step, video-driven instructions on how to perform temporary tarsorrhaphies, temporary eyelid tacking, entropion correction, eyelid reconstruction, prolapsed gland of the nictitans replacement, corneal debridement techniques, nasolacrimal flushing, and enucleations. A brief review of conjunctival grafting and corneal laceration repair will occur.

    Robert Swinger

    DVM, DACVO

    Dr. Robert Swinger completed his undergraduate work and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2003, at the University of Illinois. After completing an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Veterinary Specialists of South Florida in Cooper City, Florida, he went on to complete both an ophthalmology internship and residency at the Animal Eye Specialty Clinics in Miami, Deerfield Beach, and West Palm Beach, Florida. Soon thereafter, he joined the VCA Aurora Animal Hospital outside of Chicago, Illinois, and developed a successful ophthalmology service where he continues to actively consult. In 2011, Dr. Swinger launched Animal Eye Guys within Hollywood Animal Hospital and also consults in Miami, Florida at the Southeast Veterinary Referral Center and Miami Beach Animal Hospital. Dr. Swinger is board certified and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
    In his work environment, Dr. Swinger enjoys teaching and taking active roles in the hospitals’ internship programs. His special interests include surgical and medical management of glaucoma, cataract surgery, and corneal physiology. Outside of the veterinary arena, Dr. Swinger enjoys spending time with his family and pets, and enjoys fishing, cooking, and traveling.

  • ADVANCED SOFT TISSUE SURGERY

    Howard Seim III, DVM, DACVS
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Lake Room
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (5:30 pm)
    Price: $695 - $895

    Howard Seim III, DVM, DACVS

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Lake Room
    Price: $695 - $895
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (5:30 pm)

    Co-Instructor: Kristen Coleman, DVM, MS, DACVS

    This course is designed to teach participants the technical aspects of a variety of canine soft tissue surgery procedures. Some ‘theory’ will be included in the lectures, but emphasis will be placed on ‘how’ to perform each procedure. The instructors will utilize video clips of clinical cases that represent the procedures participants will perform in the lab. Surgical procedures will be performed immediately after viewing the video. Topics have been chosen that represent surgical conditions commonly seen in veterinary practice and will include: scrotal urethrostomy, salivary gland resection, laryngeal tie-back, anal sacculectomy, chest drain placement, and incisional gastropexy for the treatment of GDV.

    WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
    Practicing veterinarians who would like to provide a wider variety of canine surgical procedures in their practice.

    LEARNING OUTCOMES
    By the end of this course participants should have a thorough understanding of:

    • how to successfully perform a variety of practical soft tissue surgery techniques
    • recent developments and new techniques in soft tissue surgery
    • the regional anatomy for each procedure performed
    • the instructors’ philosophical and technical views on performing selected soft tissue surgery procedures

    Howard Seim III

    DVM, DACVS

    Dr. Seim graduated from Washington State University, completed an internship in Saskatoon, Canada, and completed a surgical residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. He obtained Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1983. He is currently on the surgical staff at Colorado State University. He was a recipient of the Merck AGVET Award for Creative Teaching, and the CSU Award for Instructional Innovation. He was also selected as the North American Veterinary Conference’s Small Animal Speaker of the Year in 2009. Dr. Seim is the founder of VideoVet a Veterinary Surgery Continuing Education video series. www.videovet.org

  • ADVANCED EXTRACTION TECHNIQUES

    Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Manatee Room
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (12:00 pm)
    Price: $450 - $650

    Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABVP

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Manatee Room
    Price: $450 - $650
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (12:00 pm)

    Co-instructors: Ian Kupkee, DVM, MRCS and Larry Baker, DVM, FAVD, DAVDC
    Assistants: Jeanne Perrone, MS, CVT, VTS, Katie Holthusen, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), and Denise Rollings, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    Extraction of mandibular canines, mandibular first and second molars, maxillary canines, fourth premolar, molars, and root tip retrieval.

    Jan Bellows

    DVM, DAVDC, DABVP

    Dr. Bellows received his undergraduate training at the University of Florida and obtained a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University. After completing a small animal internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York City, he returned to south Florida, where he still practices companion animal medicine surgery and dentistry at ALL PETS DENTAL in Weston, Florida. He is certified by the Board of Veterinary Practitioners (canine and feline) since 1986 and the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) since 1990. He was president of the AVDC from 2012-2014 and is currently president of the Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry.

    Dr. Bellows’ veterinary dentistry accomplishments include authoring four dental texts- The Practice of Veterinary Dentistry… a Team Effort (1999), Small Animal Dental Equipment, Materials, and Techniques (2005, second edition published in 2019), and Feline Dentistry (2010). He is a frequent contributor to DVM Newsmagazine and a charter consultant of the Veterinary Information Network’s (VIN) dental board since 1993. He was also chosen as one of the dental experts to formulate AAHA’s Small Animal Dental Guidelines published in 2005, and updated in 2013 and 2019.

  • ADVANCED SMALL ANIMAL ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND

    Kenneth Waller, DVM, MS, DACVR
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Palm Beach Room
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (5:30 pm)
    Price: $549 - $749

    Kenneth Waller, DVM, MS, DACVR

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Palm Beach Room
    Price: $549 - $749
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (5:30 pm)

    Assistants: Elizabeth Watson, DVM, MS, DACVR, Shannon Holmes, DVM, MSc, DACVR, Layla Shaikh, VMD, DACVR, Kim Bissing, BS, CPDT-KA, and Federico R. Vilaplana Grosso, DVM, DECVDI, DACVR

    This seminar series and combined wet lab is designed for veterinarians who want to further their training in small animal ultrasound. Lectures will briefly review ultrasound physics and artifacts, and assist the participants in fine-tuning the image. Normal intra-abdominal structure will be reviewed and abnormal intra-abdominal pathology will be emphasized. Wet lab participants will gain experience in completing a routine small animal abdominal ultrasound examination, knowledge of normal sonographic anatomy, and knowledge of the appearance of commonly identified pathologies.

    Some of the more challenging intra-abdominal structures to image will be emphasized. Interaction between the radiologist and the participants will be encouraged, and the attendees will have an opportunity to address personal areas of concern in their understanding of abdominal ultrasound scanning techniques.

    Kenneth Waller

    DVM, MS, DACVR

    Dr. Kenneth R. Waller III is currently an assistant dean for clinical affairs and a clinical assistant professor of diagnostic imaging at the University of Wisconsin, where he also serves as the residency director and adviser for the student imaging club. He is active in the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR) and serves on the public relations and exam committees. He performs national and international outreach and continuing education instruction. Dr. Waller has a strong background in clinical and research ultrasonogaphy, particularly contrast-enhanced ultrasound. In his free time, you may find him outdoors, on the water, or chasing after a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy named Lola.

  • BACKYARD CHICKEN MEDICINE

    Peter Helmer, DVM, DABVP-Avian Practice & Brigetta Allen Hughes, DVM, MAM, DACPV
    DVM & Technician Wet Lab

    Location: Jackson Room
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (6:00 pm)
    Price: $295 - $350

    Peter Helmer, DVM, DABVP-Avian Practice & Brigetta Allen Hughes, DVM, MAM, DACPV

    DVM & Technician Wet Lab
    Location: Jackson Room
    Price: $295 - $350
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (6:00 pm)

    Assitant: Daniel Wolf, DVM, USDA-APHIS

    These lectures will focus on the basic information needed to include poultry in your practice. Topics include regulations and reportable diseases, handling and management, anatomy, and diagnostics. Resources for physical exams, history taking, and treatment will be covered. The top ten clinical presentations will be discussed. Cadavers will be used to allow workshop participants to practice surgical approaches and study internal anatomy. Fresh and fixed tissue samples of pathology will be available for examination.

    Peter Helmer

    DVM, DABVP-Avian Practice

    Dr. Peter Helmer is a graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College. After 2 years in private avian/exotic pet practice in Calgary, Alberta, he traded snowballs for sandcastles and headed south to Florida, with a brief stop at Kansas State University to complete an internship in Zoo and Exotic Animal Medicine. Peter is currently the Senior Clinician with the Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine Service at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Clearwater, Florida.

    Brigetta Allen Hughes

    DVM, MAM, DACPV

    Dr. Hughes has been involved with poultry for a lifetime. From small flock owner to commercial flock technical service veterinarian, to state diagnostic consultant for small and commercial flocks, she has seen almost as much poultry as Colonel Sanders. She received her DVM from Tennessee, and her Masters of Avian Medicine from Georgia. She is board certified by the American College of Poultry Veterinarians. She currently specializes in pathology and disease diagnosis and consults with small flock owners regarding disease prevention, management, and treatments.

  • VETERINARY POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND FOR EVERYDAY PRACTICE

    Serge Chalhoub, BSc, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) & Adam Gonzalez, DVM, DACVIM (Small Animal)
    DVM Wet Lab

    Location: Palm Beach Room
    Start: April 22, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 22, 2023 (5:30 pm)
    Price: $549 - $749

    Serge Chalhoub, BSc, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) & Adam Gonzalez, DVM, DACVIM (Small Animal)

    DVM Wet Lab
    Location: Palm Beach Room
    Price: $549 - $749
    Start: April 22, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 22, 2023 (5:30 pm)

    Assistants: Lenore Bacek, DVM, MS, DACVECC, Victoria Miller, DVM, MS, DACVECC, Kim Bissing, BS, CPDT-KA, and Alfredo Romero, DVM, DACVS.

    Do you ever struggle with the cause of dyspnea in a cat that is too unstable to take radiographs or draw blood for ProBNP levels (cardiac, respiratory, pleural effusion)? Do you ever debate if you can safely give a patient IV fluids or when you should stop giving IV fluid boluses? Have you ever felt frustrated not finding a cause for patients presenting for “ain’t doing right” with no specific clinical signs? Veterinary point-of-care ultrasound (VPOCUS) can help you manage these patients!

    VPOCUS techniques are rapid, easy-to-learn, and practical ultrasound skills that any practitioner can apply in everyday practice. VPOCUS is commonly used as a patient-side diagnostic tool to rapidly identify underlying conditions and help direct further diagnostics and therapy. VPOCUS has a high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of abdominal effusions, other abdominal applications, and several thoracic, vascular and cardiac pathologies. Through four hours of comprehensive and interactive lectures and several case examples followed by a three-and-a-half hour hands-on laboratory on live animals, participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice the skills of VPOCUS. In addition, vascular access techniques using ultrasound will be discussed and practiced on a phantom chicken breast model.

    Serge Chalhoub

    BSc, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)

    Born and raised in Montreal, Dr. Chalhoub graduated from the DVM program at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV) of the University of Montreal in 2004. He then completed a one-year rotating small animal internship at the same institution. After working for two years as a general practitioner and emergency veterinarian at the DMV Centre in Montreal, Dr. Chalhoub pursued a residency in small animal internal medicine at the Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York City. Once he completed his residency in 2009, he stayed on at the AMC as their first renal/hemodialysis fellow. During this time, he was also trained in interventional radiology/endoscopy. Dr. Chalhoub is currently a senior instructor at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). He was the recipient of the 2013 Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Teacher of the Year Award, the 2015 University of Calgary Team Teacher of the Year Award, and the 2017 Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teacher Award. He is the coordinator of the UCVM-CUPS Pet Health Clinic for disadvantaged Calgarians. He has authored and co-authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters on veterinary point-of-care ultrasound, renal and urinary medicine.

    Adam Gonzalez

    DVM, DACVIM

    Dr. Gonzales is a graduate of Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (1999). Following veterinary school, Dr. Gonzales completed an internship in medicine / surgery at VCA West Los Angeles. He completed his residency in small animal internal medicine at Tufts University Grafton, Massachusetts (2003) and obtained board certification in 2004. He has strong interest in ultrasound and minimally invasive procedures and is skilled in ultrasound of the thorax and abdomen and in endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and urinary tract.

WET LABS for Technicians

  • DENTAL NERVE BLOCKS CLEANING, PROBING & CHARTING

    Jeanne Perrone, MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)
    Technician Wet Lab

    Location: Manatee Room
    Start: April 21, 2023 (1:30 pm)
    End: April 21, 2023 (5:30 pm)
    Price: $120 - $175

    Jeanne Perrone, MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    Technician Wet Lab
    Location: Manatee Room
    Price: $120 - $175
    Start: April 21, 2023 (1:30 pm)
    End: April 21, 2023 (5:30 pm)

    Assistants: Katie Holthusen, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), and Denise Rollings, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    This lecture explains instrument handling, cleaning, and sharpening, the importance of proper cleaning techniques, and probing and charting. This will be followed by a detailed, hands-on wet lab that provides instruction on the proper way to complete a dental prophylaxis and oral examination, including accurate charting. Learn how to properly handle instruments using the latest state-of-the-art equipment taught by some of the most highly trained veterinary technicians in veterinary dentistry.

    Jeanne Perrone

    MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    Jeanne Perrone’s work experience includes over 30 years as a credentialed veterinary technician with 12 years working in veterinary dental practice. She has written numerous articles for veterinary technician journals. She has served as the organizing committee chair and the President of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians and received her VTS credential in 2006.

    In 2022 she took a position as Program Manager of Learning and Development for United Veterinary Care. She is also the owner and facilitator of VT Dental Training which provides consulting and dentistry skills training for veterinary staff.

    Adjunct instructor for the BAS VT program in dentistry at St Petersburg College. Online instructor of dentistry courses at Vetmedteam.com. Edited and published the second edition of the book Small Animal Dental Procedures for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, published in 2021 by Wiley-Blackwell.

  • BACKYARD CHICKEN MEDICINE

    Peter Helmer, DVM, DABVP-Avian Practice & Brigetta Allen Hughes, DVM, MAM, DACPV
    DVM & Technician Wet Lab

    Location: Jackson Room
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (6:00 pm)
    Price: $295 - $350

    Peter Helmer, DVM, DABVP-Avian Practice & Brigetta Allen Hughes, DVM, MAM, DACPV

    DVM & Technician Wet Lab
    Location: Jackson Room
    Price: $295 - $350
    Start: April 21, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 21, 2023 (6:00 pm)

    Assitant: Daniel Wolf, DVM, USDA-APHIS

    These lectures will focus on the basic information needed to include poultry in your practice. Topics include regulations and reportable diseases, handling and management, anatomy, and diagnostics. Resources for physical exams, history taking, and treatment will be covered. The top ten clinical presentations will be discussed. Cadavers will be used to allow workshop participants to practice surgical approaches and study internal anatomy. Fresh and fixed tissue samples of pathology will be available for examination.

    Peter Helmer

    DVM, DABVP-Avian Practice

    Dr. Peter Helmer is a graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College. After 2 years in private avian/exotic pet practice in Calgary, Alberta, he traded snowballs for sandcastles and headed south to Florida, with a brief stop at Kansas State University to complete an internship in Zoo and Exotic Animal Medicine. Peter is currently the Senior Clinician with the Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine Service at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Clearwater, Florida.

    Brigetta Allen Hughes

    DVM, MAM, DACPV

    Dr. Hughes has been involved with poultry for a lifetime. From small flock owner to commercial flock technical service veterinarian, to state diagnostic consultant for small and commercial flocks, she has seen almost as much poultry as Colonel Sanders. She received her DVM from Tennessee, and her Masters of Avian Medicine from Georgia. She is board certified by the American College of Poultry Veterinarians. She currently specializes in pathology and disease diagnosis and consults with small flock owners regarding disease prevention, management, and treatments.

  • DENTAL RADIOLOGY POSITIONING TECHNIQUES

    Jeanne Perrone, MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)
    Technician Wet Lab

    Location: Manatee Room
    Start: April 22, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 22, 2023 (12:00 pm)
    Price: $120 - $175

    Jeanne Perrone, MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    Technician Wet Lab
    Location: Manatee Room
    Price: $120 - $175
    Start: April 22, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 22, 2023 (12:00 pm)

    Assistants: Katie Holthusen, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), and Denise Rollings, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    A one-hour lecture discussing safety, terminology, normal and abnormal anatomy, basic pathology, and labial mounting of dental radiographs is followed by hands-on training. Learn how to obtain a diagnostic intraoral radiograph using the latest state-of-the-art equipment taught by some the most highly trained veterinary technicians in veterinary dentistry. There is a low teacher-to-student ratio to ensure everyone takes all the images necessary to obtain full-mouth radiographs of a dog and cat using cadaver heads. This is the most effective way to learn intraoral dental radiography because it imitates real-life patients without the stress of having to monitor anesthesia while trying to learn at the same time.

    Jeanne Perrone

    MS, CVT, VTS (Dentistry)

    Jeanne Perrone’s work experience includes over 30 years as a credentialed veterinary technician with 12 years working in veterinary dental practice. She has written numerous articles for veterinary technician journals. She has served as the organizing committee chair and the President of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians and received her VTS credential in 2006.

    In 2022 she took a position as Program Manager of Learning and Development for United Veterinary Care. She is also the owner and facilitator of VT Dental Training which provides consulting and dentistry skills training for veterinary staff.

    Adjunct instructor for the BAS VT program in dentistry at St Petersburg College. Online instructor of dentistry courses at Vetmedteam.com. Edited and published the second edition of the book Small Animal Dental Procedures for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, published in 2021 by Wiley-Blackwell.

  • ULTRASOUND FOR TECHNICIANS

    Danielle Mauragis, CVT - VTSDI (AS) & Shannon Holmes, DVM, MSc, DACVR
    Technician Wet Lab

    Location: Sarasota Room
    Start: April 22, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 22, 2023 (12:00 pm)
    Price: $295 - $350

    Danielle Mauragis, CVT - VTSDI (AS) & Shannon Holmes, DVM, MSc, DACVR

    Technician Wet Lab
    Location: Sarasota Room
    Price: $295 - $350
    Start: April 22, 2023 (8:00 am)
    End: April 22, 2023 (12:00 pm)

    Assistants: Kim Bissing, BS, CPDT-KA, and Layla Shaikh, VMD, DACVR

    This seminar series and combined wet lab will introduce the technician to entry-level abdominal ultrasound imaging as well as elements of Point of Care Emergency FAST Scans in the small animal practice. The basic physics, an overview of instrumentation, and scanning techniques will be reviewed as well as the normal anatomy and appearance of the abdominal organs. Wet lab participants will be introduced to basic ultrasound image manipulation (knobology), the physics of abdominal ultrasound, critical care protocols, learn scanning techniques, and learn how to identify normal abdominal structures through the scanning of live canine patients.

    Shannon Holmes

    DVM, MSc, DACVR

    Dr. Holmes attended veterinary school at Ontario Veterinary College, completed a rotating internship at Michigan Veterinary Specialists, and completed her radiology residency at Washington State University. She has previously worked as a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Florida and an Associate Professor of Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Presently, she is the founding radiologist of AXIS – Animal Cross-Sectional Imaging Specialists and concurrently works as the chief radiologist for Animal Scan, LCC. Other positions include consulting radiologist for the Animal Medical Center in NYC, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Animal Health Partners of Toronto, and Veterinary Surgical Center of Sarasota. Her primary professional interests are neuroimaging, canine and equine musculoskeletal imaging. She is technically a “snowbird” living part-time in the southern US and part-time in Canada. She has 3 chihuahuas, named Julio, Macarena and Eduardo.

    Danielle Maurgais

    CVT

    Danielle Mauragis, CVT, VTS-DI, recently joined the Choice Medical Team after retiring from the Diagnostic Imaging Service at University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. During her 30 year tenure at the UF Veterinary Hospitals her responsibilities included performing radiography, computed tomography, and nuclear medicine studies; assisting with ultrasonography; and teaching physics, techniques, and quality control of radiology to veterinary students. The last 7 of those years were solely dedicated to performing and teaching ultrasound at the UF Veterinary Hospitals and various conferences.
    Ms. Mauragis co-authored the Handbook of Radiographic Positioning for Veterinary Technicians and was a contributing author for Small Animal Radiography: Essential Positioning Guide, and Small Animal Ultrasonography. Ms. Mauragis received her associate’s degree in veterinary technology from St. Petersburg College in Largo, Florida.


AAVSB/RACE Information

This program #20-990988 is approved for continuing education credits. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians may earn up to 14 hours from continuing education lectures. Veterinarians that attend a wet lab may earn up 24 hours of continuing education credits. Veterinary technicians that attend a wet lab may earn up to 16 hours of continuing education credits. Each 50-minute lecture is equal to one (1) continuing education credit. For your convenience in recording your CE hours, one certificate will be included in your registration packet. It is your responsibility to document the sessions you attend and the number of hours you receive. Conference attendees’ CE hours will be reported to AAVSB/RACEtrack.

aa