We are officially less than 30 days away from Fetch Nashville 2025! When going to a conference, all the events and activities can sometimes feel overwhelming when trying to decide where to go, who to see, and when to do it. To help, we compiled a list of labs still available, keynotes not to miss, and 

’s very own Consult and Connect to help you navigate your Fetch Nashville experience. 

Discovering the Delights of Dermatology: One Woman’s Journey Into Derm and How You Will Learn to Love It Too!

To kick off Fetch Nashville day 1, after some early morning continuing education (CE) sessions, Julia Miller, DVM, DACVD, shares her journey into dermatology through her love of music. Throughout her address, Miller will take attendees on the not-so-straightforward path she followed in veterinary medicine and how, as you continue to move through the industry, passions you might not have expected may present themselves. Sponsored by Blue Buffalo, this keynote address kicks off at 9:15 AM CDT in room 101 A-E. Make sure you do not miss it!

The Top 5 Seismic Things Happening in Animal Care You Need To Know About and Take Action On

Fetch welcomes back to our keynote stage Temple Grandin, PhD, and Marty Becker, DVM, Elite FFCP-V, to explore with attendees important changes that have been made in animal care today and provide practical insights attendees can apply moving forward in their careers. This lecture will take place on day 2 at 9:15 AM CDT and is sponsored by Vetway. 

At every Fetch conference, attendees can participate in Consult and Connect. Set up in a booth in the exhibit hall, faculty will be available to attendees to consult on cases or ask questions that they may not have been able to ask prior to or after their lectures or hands-on labs. The following faculty will be available at the Consult and Connect booth. The conversations at the booth are not available for CE credits.

Craig Clifford, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)

Tabitha Kucera, CCBC, RVT, KPA-CTP, VTS (Behavior)

Patella Luxation Lab: Introducing RidgeStop™

Led by Bruce Nwadike, DVM, DACVS, MRCVS, on May 31, 2025, from 1:15-4:15 CDT, this 3-hour hands-on lab will include a 1-hour lecture followed by 2 hours of practical laboratory work. Each of the participants will deepen their understanding of patellar luxation through the lecture’s coverage of diagnostic techniques and treatment selection. Through a strong emphasis on the novel and minimally invasive alternative to traditional sulcoplasty, RidgeStop, the lecture will show that this product utilizes a medical-grade ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene implant to provide stability but also minimal joint interference.

This course is for veterinarians only, with seating limited to 16 per group. There is a 3-hour prerequisite online course that is included in the fee, and registrants will be emailed access to the online course. Sponsored by OrthoMed North America, Inc, participants will earn 6.0 hours of RACE-approved CE credit.

Tibial Tuberosity Advancement Lab: Introducing MMP

This 2-hour hands-on lab will also be led by Nwadike and offers a practical introduction to the Modified Maquet Procedure (MMP). MMP is a progressive tibial tuberosity advancement technique for treating canine cruciate ligament disease. This lab is designed for both first-opinion and referral surgeons and will equip them with the skills needed to confidently perform MMP in their clinics. Each participating attendee will leave the lab with a deeper understanding of cruciate disease diagnosis and with the confidence required to implement a repeatable and successful surgical technique.

This course will take place from 10:15 AM-12:15 PM CDT. Attendees will need to complete 4 hours of prerequisite online courses, and registrants will be emailed access to the online course. Sponsored by OrthoMed North America, Inc, attendees will gain 6.0 hours of RACE-approved CE credits.

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Heading to Fetch Nashville in a few weeks? If so, check out what keynotes, hands-on labs, and other learning opportunities are waiting for you in the Music City.

Sneak peek into Fetch Nashville 2025

Heather Duncan, DVM, DAVDC offers a preview of her session, now available On-Demand

Going back to the basics of dentistry

Heather Duncan, DVM, DAVDC, founder and CEO of Crown Veterinary Dental Specialists in Charlotte, North Carolina, talks about her lecture “Basics of Dentistry and Extractions: What You May Have Missed in Vet School,” which she presented at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte, and is now available on Fetch On-Demand for CE credit.

I am Dr Heather Duncan, I am a board-certified veterinary dentist. I am originally from North Carolina. I went to [North Carolina State University] for undergrad and then Purdue University for vet school. I was in private practice for a couple years after vet school and then I decided that I wanted to do a dental residency. So, I did my residency at the Animal Dental Center in Baltimore, Maryland, and then I moved back to North Carolina, where I've been working with veterinary dentistry for years now, and just opened a veterinary dental specialty group called Crown Veterinary Dental Specialists in Charlotte, North Carolina. I co-own that with another boarded dentist, Dr Kristin Scott, [DVM, DAVDC].

We are really proud of our lecture “Basics of Dentistry and Extractions: What You May Have Missed in Vet School” because there is a big gap between what we learn in vet school and then what we are doing in private practice. A lot of us didn't get a lot of dentistry in vet school. I was lucky enough that we had a veterinary dentist at Purdue, and I was able to spend a few weeks in dentistry. But so many others aren't that lucky. And then when we get out into practice, dental disease is one of the main diseases we see with our patients.

So, this presentation and lecture is going to walk us through the basics, the basics of anatomy of the teeth, of how many teeth a pet should have [and] when do we decide to extract the teeth. And then how do we start planning for that extraction.

Videos

Heather Duncan, DVM, DAVDC, offers a preview of her continuing education session, now available through Fetch On-Demand

A line of supplements and probiotics for animals has been launched along with the creation of the new National Pet Wellness Day on May 8. Royal Canin announced both initiatives on May 6, 2025, bringing awareness to the importance of health care that is customized to meet each pet’s unique needs.

The new product line’s soft chew supplements target joint, digestion, and skin and coat health in puppies and dogs. Probiotic powders included in the product line were designed to strengthen canine and feline immune systems and promote their digestive health. These supplements and probiotics are formulated with ingredients that are supported by scientific studies on efficacy, according to Royal Canin.

"This innovative range of products is designed to complement our existing diets to support the health and well-being of cats and dogs," Heather Pasquale, RPh, general manager of the US Vet Business Unit for Royal Canin North America, said in a news release.

 "Our supplements are formulated with the same philosophy and scientific rigor that Royal Canin is known for, addressing specific health concerns while maintaining the nutritional balance that is crucial for optimal pet health."

Royal Canin Clinically Proven Probiotics for Digestive and Immune Health

 probiotic powders are yeast-based and contain live 

 I-1079 strain that is clinically proven to promote a strong immune system, boost beneficial bacteria in the gut, and help support digestive health and optimal stool quality in cats and dogs.

Royal Canin Puppy Digestive & Immune Health Chews

 are specially formulated using a science-driven blend of prebiotic fibers for the gut microbiome, vitamins E and C to support cellular health, and Beta-glucan postbiotics for digestive health and stool quality.

 are formulated with prebiotic fibers to feed good bacteria in the gut microbiome, Beta-glucan postbiotics for digestive health and stool quality and zeolite to help reduce stool odor.

 are formulated with New Zealand green-lipped mussel to promote joint comfort and reduce occasional joint stiffness, and EPA + DHA to help reduce inflammation from normal exercise and activity.

 are formulated with GLA, LA and Zn to help keep skin hydrated and promote good coat quality, EPA + DHA to promote healthy skin and B-vitamin blend to help maintain the skin barrier.

These new products are available through retailers that include Chewy and Amazon, and through veterinarians. The probiotic powders are available in 7-count and 30-count boxes, while the soft chews are available in 60-count packages.

Royal Canin declared May 8, 2025, as National Pet Wellness Day to celebrate the launch of the new supplements and probiotics line.

 The day also coincides with National Pet Week, which was created in 1981 by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). This year’s National Pet Week runs May 4-10, 2025, with each day focused on a different topic. The AVMA’s daily themes for the week are as follows

Sunday: Choosing wellness with a lifelong commitment

Monday: Behavioral health and creating habits for healthy pets

Wednesday: Love your pet and see a veterinarian

Saturday: Planning for the proper care of pets

Royal Canin declares May 8 National Pet Wellness Day with launch of new supplements and probiotics line. News release. May 6, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/royal-canin-declares-may-8-national-pet-wellness-day-with-launch-of-new-supplements-and-probiotics-line-302445138.html

National Pet Week. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed May 6, 2025. 

https://www.avma.org/events/national-pet-week

Royal Canin is highlighting the importance of a personalized health plan based on each pets' unique needs with these products and designated day for awareness

National Pet Wellness Day is launched with new line of supplements and probiotics

The American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) is now accepting applications for the 2025 ACVS Resident Education Travel Grants. The 5 grant recipients selected for the award will attend this year’s ACVS Surgery Summit to be held October 23-25, 2025, in Seattle, Washington.

The program is funded by the ACVS Foundation and offered in partnership with the Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition (DVMC). The program’s goals are to improve access to continuing education opportunities for residents and increase representation of historically underrepresented communities in the veterinary profession while also improving access to quality care and service.

The ACVS Surgery Summit is the organization’s largest gathering of its membership and provides resident attendees with opportunities to learn and network. Applications to the grant program are due June 1, and winners will be notified on June 19, according to the ACVS.

The 5 grants to be awarded will provide winners with complimentary registration for the summit, domestic air transportation with an economy coach ticket, and hotel accommodations. Winners may also be reimbursed for rideshare and meal expenses with the submission of receipts and within a budget and criteria set by the ACVS.

The inaugural ACVS Resident Education Travel Grant was offered in 2024 as a pilot program in partnership with the DVMC. Recipients of the 2024 grants attended last year’s ACVS Surgery Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. The 3 winners were small-animal surgery residents Anya M. Morrissey, BVetMed, MRCVS, and Pedro J. Olivencia-Morell, DVM; and large-animal surgery resident Brittany A. Veerasammy, BVM&S, MS, MRCVS.

Five Resident Education Travel Grants available—applications due June 1. News release. American College of Veterinary Surgeons. May 2, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025. 

https://www.acvs.org/news/five-resident-education-travel-grants-available-applications-due-june-1/

ACVS Resident Travel Education Grant. Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition. Accessed May 6, 2025. 

https://diversifyvetmed.org/acvs-surgery-summit/

ACVS announces ACVS Resident Education Travel Grant recipients. News release. American College of Veterinary Surgeons. July 17, 2024. Accessed May 6, 2025. 

https://www.acvs.org/news/acvs-announces-the-acvs-resident-education-travel-grant-recipients/

Winners will attend the 2025 ACVS Surgery Summit this fall in Seattle, Washington.

Travel grant program provides opportunity for 5 residents

Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, discusses the unique physical characteristics of amphibians that impact their response to anesthesia and analgesia 

Why amphibians respond differently to anesthesia and analgesia

Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, director of animal health and chief veterinarian at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, discussed the unique physiological characteristics of amphibians that affect their response to anesthesia and analgesia in an interview tied to his lecture, “Navigating Amphibian Anesthesia and Analgesia,” originally presented at the recent Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina (now available on Fetch On-Demand for CE credit).

Below is the video transcript, lightly edited for clarity:

Amphibians have several unique...physiological characteristics that impact how they're going to respond to anesthesia and analgesia. One of those key characteristics is that amphibians are ectothermic, or cold-blooded, which means their body temperatures are very dependent on the external environment around them. This can result in lower metabolic rates compared to your endotherms, or warm-blooded animals, which can influence the dosing and duration of a lot of the anesthetic drugs that you may want to use for your patients.

They also have very permeable skin, so this plays a significant role in drug absorption and elimination. So, as you put drugs on them, they're going to be transdermally absorbed through the skin, which can sometimes lead to very unpredictable dosing and absorption rates.

They also have a pretty low metabolic capacity for detoxifying drugs, meaning anesthetic agents may stay in their system longer than some of our mammalian species that we deal with commonly.

Additionally, amphibians have a pretty unique respiratory system. In addition to their lung-based respiration that you and I would have, they also have cutaneous or skin respiration. This dual respiration means inhaled anesthetic agents must be carefully monitored to ensure that animals are receiving adequate oxygenation without causing respiratory depression.

They're pretty unique, but they're not as difficult as everybody makes them out to be. That's why...this talk that I'm going to be [giving] is making sure that the people [who] are not really comfortable seeing them have a general overview of what it is to anesthetize amphibians and potentially provide them some type of analgesic drugs.

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Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, discusses the unique physical characteristics of amphibians that impact their response to anesthesia and analgesia.

Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD explains anal sac retention syndrome is and which dogs are most at risk

A brief overview of anal sac retention syndrome

In this video, Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, practicing dermatologist with the Animal Dermatology Group in Louisville, Kentucky, and star of the National Geographic Wild television series 

provides a brief overview of her session “Anal Sac Retention Syndrome: When to Treat, When to Cut,” presented at the Fetch dvm360 conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. In the video, Griffin explains what the condition is, what diagnosis and treatment entails, and which dogs are most at risk.

Anal sac retention syndrome is an interesting disease that as a dermatologist, I didn't really think I was going to have to do a lot of anal sac disease, and I do a ton. Because it's so multifactorial, it can be related to diet, the weight of the animals. Certain breeds are more likely to have anal sac issues. And then, because I treat a lot of allergies, food hypersensitivity and environmental allergies can cause issues with perianal pruritus and anal sac retention.

So it's really this whole kind of disease process, and we have to kind of figure out in that individual pet what the actual cause is. So, it can be a little challenging. I do like to do cytologies on my anal sac expressions to make sure that the patients don't have anal sac infection. And I do a lot of infusions and systemic therapy to treat those cases as well. So it's a whole, it's kind of a fun thing to do.

Retention syndrome is a little bit more common in smaller breed dogs. So I think about the little 'Fufus', anything that has to go to the groomer on a regular basis. So small, compact dogs and dogs that are overweight, which is a lot of our pet patients

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Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, explains anal sac retention syndrome is and which dogs are most at risk