Our first Fetch conference of the year officially begins this Friday! Because there are so many lectures, hands on labs, and other learning and networking opportunities available during the conference, dvm360 has compiled a list of lectures and events happening at the conference to keep an eye out for. For all those attending, we hope you have a great conference, and for those who are not, we have multiple shows coming up throughout the year, so learn more and register for the Fetch closest to you today.

On site at Fetch Charlotte, attendees will have access to exhibitors from leading companies within the industry, networking events with fellow attendees and Fetch Faculty, and for every purchase at our Wag Shop, dvm360 will be donating a blanket to a local shelter in Charlotte! The dvm360 team will also be collecting children’s books on-site at Fetch Charlotte to donate to Promising Pages, a charity that provides reading materials to children with the goal of eliminating the book desert.

On Friday March 14, 2025, at 8:00 AM EST, Philip Bergman, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology), takes the keynote stage to discuss the top 10 advancements in veterinary oncology. Throughout his keynote address, Bergman will review these clinically relevant advances in veterinary oncology, diagnostic, antinausea and appetite stimulation, USP 800, and then more on white feet, don’t treat.

On March 15, 2025, our day 2 keynote speaker Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, from Animal Dermatology Clinic, will present Extreme Makeover: Derm Edition! Attendees at her lecture will learn how a pet’s outward appearance, and the discomfort of skin diseases, can impact the human-animal bond. The lecture will explore the powerful diagnostic tool, patter recognition, uncover causes of skin disease, specific skin patterns in feline and canine patients, and how systematic illnesses can be revealed through the skin. 

Hosted by dvm360’s chief veterinary officer Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, 7 of the Fetch Faculty will each become a team captain to compete with attendees for exciting prizes, all while also earning continuing education credits during the Fetch Finale Trivia Gameshow. Who will be the Ultimate Fetch Fanatic Champions? Check out the Fetch Finale Trivia Gameshow to find out!

For an additional cost that varies based on profession in the veterinary industry, Fetch Charlotte attendees can attend a RECOVER CPR Certification hands-on lab. Beginning Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 9:15AM to 4:15 PM, Elise Littleton, LVT, VTS(ECC), and Leslie Wereszcak, MS, LVMT, VTS(ECC), will educate attendees with the concepts and techniques in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) through simulations that are scenario-based. For this hands-on lab, a pre-requisite course is required for attendees: 

RECOVER Basic Life Support: A 5 module online course that requires a knowledge assessment after each module and are required to score over 80% to advance to the next. It is estimated the course will take 5 hours to complete.

RECOVER Advanced Life Support: This module contains 3 courses and participants must complete knowledge assessments after each completed module, with a required score of over 80% to move on to the next course. This course takes an estimated time of 3.5 hours.

This lab also has a seat limit of 20 attendees.

Suture Techniques: Group 2 is an interactive workshop designed for veterinarians and technicians looking to refine their suturing skills. For over 2 hours (including a networking break), participants will practice essential suture patterns, knots (hand ties, friction knots, Aberdeen, etc.), tacking, and walking sutures using models. Led by Justin Ganjei, DVM, DACVS-SA, this lab will cost attendees an additional $20 and all attendees of the lab must be registered for the conference.

Navigating Amphibian Anesthesia and Analgesia

Jb Minter, MS, DVM, DACVZM, will present to attendees the challenges they can face when it comes to anesthesia and analgesia in amphibians. His lecture, which kicks off at 6:45 AM, will cover the principles of anesthesia and pain management, focusing on immersion and injectable anesthesia techniques, the importance of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and species-specific considerations, and more.

Feline Vaccine-Associated Sarcomas: Myth or Reality?

After wrapping up his keynote address, Bergman will be presenting to attendees a review of epidemiology and etiology of vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS), how to mitigate risk factors, and new treatments will be explored to help attendees address the client and colleague concerns surrounding VAS.

Caring for the Diabetic Cat: What’s New

Cythnia Ward, VMD, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM), will help attendees explores feline diabetes mellitus, focusing on its pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. Using case examples, she will address common management challenges and discuss advancements in feline diabetes care. Her lecture will begin at 11:00 AM ET.

Shockwave and PEMF in Veterinary Orthopedics

From 1:30-2:30 PM ET, David Dycus, DVM, MS, CCRP, DACVS-SA, and Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVS, DACVSMR, will educate attendees on shockwave therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, 2 non-invasive modalities that are becoming utilized more and more in veterinary orthopedics to reduce pain, promote healing, and enhance recovery in musculoskeletal conditions.

Unleashing the Facts: The Evolving Risks of Ticks and Tick-Borne Disease

Kathryn E. Reif, MSPH, PhD, will focus on key information regarding tick biology, distribution, and disease risks during her 2:45 PM lecture. Through the lecture, she will explain when and where ticks are active now, how they successfully find hosts vector-borne pathogens of veterinary and zoonotic importance, and the risk of pathogen transmission.

Innovative Practice Ownership Models for Modern Veterinary Practices

From 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM, Jennifer Bruns, DVM, MPVM, will teach attendees who are seeking to explore non-traditional models of practice ownership by providing insights into diverse ownership structures and operational strategies that can align with both contemporary needs and personal goals.

There’s More Than One Way to Treat a Cat: A Practical Approach to the Spectrum of Care

Kick off Day 2 of Fetch Charlotte at 6:45 AM ET with Kate Boatright, VMD, as she uses a case-based approach to discuss with attendees how they can evaluate patients and then determine the appropriate options when using the concepts of spectrum of care with incremental care. Boatright will also help attendees learn how to compassionately address conversations regarding finances with their clients.

Demystifying the Neuro Exam: How to Perform Quick, Effective, Comprehensive Neuro Exam

Following Griffin’s keynote address, Gaemia Tracy, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), will unlock the secrets of the neurologic exam with attendees as he breaks down the complexities of these assessments and providing practical step-by-step guidance, which will be great for veterinary professionals trying to elevate their comfort when it comes to these evaluations.

With the economy tightening, there are practices on the hunt for ways to cut costs, leaning into the idea the cut practice managers from their practice and pass their duties on to other team members. Bash Halow, LVT, CVPM, will use his lecture at Fetch Charlotte to reevaluate the role of practice managers for today’s veterinary hospital, including calculating their Return on Investment from existing efforts. This lecture will take place at 11:00 AM in the Learning Lounge located in the Exhibit Hall.

Are They Nutty? Are They Neuro? Are They Both?

After lunch, Tracy and Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, will take explain to attendees how they can identify findings, both on examination and historically, that differentiate a neurological condition from a behavioral condition. This lecture will also include a series of challenging cases as well as best practices on tackling them in the veterinary clinic.

Managing Blood Pressure: A Practical Case Series

Gianluca Bini, DVM, MRCVS, DACVAA, owner of Safe Pet Anesthesia, will educate attendees on the ways they can confidently assess and control hypotension and hypertension through real world examples to improve the outcomes of your anesthetized patients. Through the lecture, Bini will explain hypotension and its significance in veterinary anesthesia, the appropriate treatments for hypotension through patient assessment, and more. This lecture will be from 2:45 PM to 3:45 PM.

Understanding "Equity" Arrangements Between You and a Consolidator

Charlotte A Lacroix, DVM, JD, will explain to attendees during her 8:00 AM session on what issues veterinarian should consider before they enter an equity arrangement. Lacroix will tell attendees why these agreements need to be reviewed carefully and assessed in the context of value proposition and accompanying associated risks.

Sudden blindness is a common concern in veterinary ophthalmology, with causes ranging from corneal and lens issues to retinal, optic nerve, and brain diseases, and diagnosing the underlying condition can be challenging and complex. Joshua Broadwater, DVM,DACVO, will review the key structures of the eye and brain involved in vision, explore potential causes of sudden vision loss in dogs and cats, and outline essential diagnostic approaches to identify the cause.

The Caregiver's Dilemma - Assessing Quality of Life

Leigh Ann Collins, DVM, will help attendees assess the quality of life when it comes to family pets by understanding the trends in both clients and pets as a way to better identify each of their needs, address concerns, and make decisions that do the most good for all the parties involved with the pets care. This lecture will begin at 11:00 AM ET.

Articles

Heading to Fetch Charlotte this weekend? If so, here are some of the lectures, events, and hands-on labs you cannot miss. 

Sneak peek into Fetch Charlotte 2025

Veterinary patient visits are decreasing and the gap between appointments is increasing, a newly released white paper found.

 According to data from the paper, which was available to attendees of the 2025 WVC Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, clients may be struggling more to cover the costs of care for their pets than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Behavior shift: Implications of today’s pet owner trends on veterinary medicine in 2025

 by Vetsource—a pet health company specializing in pet pharmacy services and veterinary analytics—gathered data from 6574 practices in the US to investigate current trends among pet owners. The practices analyzed consisted primarily of general companion animal clinics, with 65% being independently owned and 35% being corporate owned.

Results from the data showed that veterinary visits had decreased 2.3% in 2024 compared to 2023. The total number of active patients were also down by 1.9% from the previous year. Meanwhile, the time between visits increased to 85.8 days from July 2023 to 2024, marking a 48% increase between visits compared to the same period 3 years ago.

These trends, however, align with economic pressures clients are facing following an 8% increase in veterinary service inflation in the last 12 months—1.6 times higher than the national inflation rate.

 “These economic concerns and other challenges translate into pet owners increasing time between visits to their veterinary practice,” wrote the authors of the white paper.

There has also been a decrease in parasiticide purchase at veterinary practices. According to the paper, dog owners are purchasing parasiticides outside of their veterinarian or choosing to skip protection entirely.

 Additional findings include an observed decrease in client spending on therapeutic diets, pharmaceuticals, and surgeries at veterinary clinics.

“Veterinary practices that excel in addressing these challenges will be the ones that focus on client relationships and offer solutions that go beyond the [4] walls of the practice,” wrote Vetsource in a news release.

 The company’s Vet2Pet app is a client communication app that offers app chat and 2-way texting, push notifications, and email messaging. It also features automated tools, including health service reminders, and online appointment requests. According to a study conducted by Vetsource, practices generate on average, 600 appointment requests annually through the app.

Other tools offered by the company include their Data Services solution, which offers veterinary reports and dashboards; the Practice Overview Report, which monitors patient activity, tracks lapsing patients, and analyzes return visits; and their Retriever tool, which sends automated emails to lapsing clients.

Vetsource solutions help veterinary practices turn challenges into opportunities. News release. Vetsource. February 27, 2025. Accessed March 6, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vetsource-solutions-help-veterinary-practices-turn-challenges-into-opportunities-302386346.html

Gilmartin S, Yost B, Zirkle K. Behavior shift: Implications of today’s pet owner trends on veterinary medicine in 2025. Vetsource. Accessed March 6, 2025. 

https://assets.vetsource.com/m/3e5197539521d838/original/DataServicesWhitePaper.pdf?&target=_blank

A white paper by Vetsource found that the time between client visits increased by 48% from 2023 to 2024 compared to 3 years ago.

Veterinary visits decline as clients face rising costs, data reveals

During this video with dvm360, Brittany Lancellotti, DVM, DACVD, shares her best strategies for managing canine allergic dermatitis taking long term anti-inflammatory therapy

Video interview with Dr Brittany Lancellotti

During an interview with dvm360 at the 2025 WVC Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Brittany Lancellotti, DVM, DACVD, from Veterinary Skin and Ear in Los Angeles, California, and host of the podcast 

, shared the best strategies veterinary professionals can use for monitoring canine allergic dermatitis patients on long-term anti-inflammatory therapy. 

: My name is Dr Brittany Lancellotti, I am a veterinary dermatologist at Veterinary Skin and Ear in west Los Angeles. 

So with patients that have allergic skin disease, this is a lifelong disease, and it's important that we monitor the safety and [ethicality] of the therapies that we're giving to these animals. One way we can do that is by focusing on figuring out their primary triggers, making sure that they're on good flea prevention so that we're ruling out the possibility of flares from flea allergies, doing a really good elimination diet trial, which at this time is the only diagnostic test for being able to diagnose or exclude a food allergy, and if they have environmental allergies, working with allergy specific immunotherapy formulated by a veterinary dermatologist to help minimize the frequency and severity of flares and secondary infections to environmental triggers. 

But if we have to use some type of symptomatic anti-inflammatory therapy on a long term basis, things that we can do to help make sure that we're minimizing the risks associated with those therapies are monitoring blood work, so CBC and chemistry, to make sure that our white blood cell counts are not dropping, we're not causing liver disease, kidney disease or increase in blood sugar; making sure that we're doing adjunctive therapies like topical barrier repair and anti microbial bathing so that we can minimize the inflammation coming from microbial overgrowth and help to minimize flares from surface allergens from crossing that impaired barrier. So if we can incorporate these adjunctive therapies, we can minimize the amount of anti-inflammatory medications that we need to use, but then also monitoring on a regular basis to make sure that we're not developing those long term adverse effects.

Videos

Because canine allergic dermatitis is a lifelong disease, Brittany Lancellotti, DVM, DACVD, explains how important monitoring the safety and ethicality of therapies given to these patients is

Monitoring long-term anti-inflammatory therapy for canine allergic dermatitis

It is more difficult to diagnose a cat with feline atopic skin syndrome than it is to diagnose a dog with atopic dermatitis, but why?

The challenges of diagnosing feline atopic skin syndrome

In this interview taken during the 2025 WVC Annual Conference, Sandra Koch, DVM, MS, DACVD, professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and director of the school’s Veterinary Medical Center Dermatology Service, talks about challenges associated with diagnosing feline atopic skin syndrome (FASS). As Koch explains, the 

 associated with the syndrome—self-inflicted alopecia, miliary dermatitis, head and neck pruritis, and eosinophilic granuloma complex—are not unique to FASS.

 As such, many conditions, including parasitic diseases, neoplasia, ear mites, and more, can mimic the disease. In the interview, Koch also talks about the importance of ruling out flea and food allergies. She also goes into what the diagnostic process entails.

Below is a partial transcript which has been edited for clarity:

The diagnosis of FASS or feline atopic skin syndrome is a challenge because the clinical presentation, or the reaction patterns, the 4 reaction patterns that we talked about, they are not pathognomonic of the disease—they're not specific [to] this condition and there's not a set criteria exclusive for feline atopic skin syndrome, for diagnosis.

So many other diseases can mimic this condition, can have the same patterns. So, it'd be wonderful, right, if you had like, ‘okay, these are the criteria, if you have this, you have the diagnosis.’ [But] it comes down to the fact that feline atopic skin syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion, just like canine atopic dermatitis. So you need to think about your history, your clinical presentation, and then you start doing diagnostic tests according to your main differential diagnosis, to rule out certain things, including parasitic diseases like 

…very commonly causes pruritus and it leads to clinical symptoms or signs similar to feline atopic skin syndrome.

Neoplasia [as well] in the case of eosinophilic granuloma complex, especially there's huge masses on the tongue. And you can also see, sometimes ear mites can be a differential for cases of atopic skin syndrome that has that have otitis externa.

Bautista-Alejandre A, Koch S. Clinical presentations of feline atopic skin syndrome. 

. March 6, 2025. Accessed March 7, 2025. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/clinical-presentations-of-feline-atopic-skin-syndrome

Богдан Маліцький/stock.adobe.com

Happy Monday dvm360 readers! We hope you all had a fantastic weekend, except losing that hour of sleep for Daylight Savings. We are so excited to be heading down to Charlotte, North Carolina this week to kick off our first Fetch conference of the year. Join the dvm360 staff, keynotes Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, and Phillip Bergman, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology), and other key industry leaders to earn 17+ credits throughout the weekend. This is not a conference to miss, so register 

As the team prepares to head to the Queen’s City, here is what you can find this week on dvm360.com:

The dvm360 team will be complying a list of lectures not to miss, keynote address teasers, events to attend, and more! Be sure to check in throughout this week for this sneak peak, and throughout the conference for the dvm360 editorial team's conference coverage.

On this week’s episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, invited back special guest Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, senior toxicology at Pet Poison Helpline, to chat about spring toxins veterinary professionals need to be mindful of.

Vetsource, a pet pharmacy service and veterinary analytics company, shared the findings of its recently released white paper stating visits are declining and the frequency between veterinary visits are lengthening, in result causing challenges, and maybe opportunities, for veterinary professionals.

During an interview with dvm360, Brian Sutherland, DVM, DACVS-SA, shares the differences between palliative procedure and definite repair ahead of his upcoming lecture at Fetch Charlotte.

The US Department of Agriculture announced late last month a $1 billion strategy to mitigate highly pathogenic avian influenza type A H5N1 that will assist the poultry industry, with hopes of lowering egg prices.

Here is a sneak peek at this week’s headlines

Sneak peek: dvm360 kicks off Fetch Charlotte, and other veterinary news

Advancing in the veterinary profession or industry not only paves the way for career growth but can also foster positive change in the industry. As exemplary professionals step into new leadership roles, they bring with them unique perspectives, creative solutions, and a commitment to evolving their organizations and the broader veterinary landscape.

The following individuals are being spotlighted in this week’s “Paws and profits” column:

Stanley Howell, MBA chief operations officer, Wedgewood

Staney Howell, MBA. (Photo courtesy of Wedgewood)

Stanley Howell, MBA has been appointed Wedgewood’s new chief operations officer. In his new role, Howell will spearhead the company’s initiatives to streamline supply chain operations, improve service delivery, and support the growth of the Blue Rabbit platform—Wedgewood’s online veterinary pharmacy platform. Howell is certified as Six Sigma and Lean Black Belt, Change Agent, and Organizational Business Designer. Prior to his appointment at Wedgewood, he held leadership roles at Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, and Merck.

“I’m thrilled to join Wedgewood at such a transformative moment,” said Howell in a company release.

 “The company’s commitment to operational excellence and customer service aligns perfectly with my passion for driving efficiency and continuous improvement. I look forward to working with our teams to support veterinarians with the best possible pharmacy solutions, ensuring they can focus on what matters most—caring for their patients.”

Stephanie Hastings, AA, director of marketing, Aurora Pharmaceutical

Stephanie Hastings is joining Aurora Pharmaceutical as its new director of marketing. In her new position, Hastings is leading the organization’s marketing strategy, brand development, and communication initiatives. A trained anthropologist, Hastings has experience in highly regulated health and wellness, as well as agriculture industries.

I am thrilled to join Aurora Pharmaceutical and contribute to their success in the animal health industry," said Hastings in a news release.

 "Aurora is known for its dedication to innovation and quality, and I look forward to driving marketing initiatives that further enhance the company's presence and value to customers."

Libby Coleman Todd, DVM; James M. Weber Jr., DVM, MBA

Libby Coleman Todd, DVM. (Photo courtesy of American Veterinary Medical Association)

James M. Weber Jr., DVM, MBA. (Photo courtesy of American Veterinary Medical Association)

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has announced that Libby Coleman Todd, DVM and James M. Weber Jr., DVM, MBA, will be joining their board this July. Todd will direct District 3, representing AVMA members living in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. Weber will direct District 5 and represent members in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

Todd is a native of Alabama with 24 years of experience practicing. She holds a certificate of thanatology from the University of Alabama and is currently the state’s delegate in the AVMA House of Delegates. She is also a member of the AVMA House Advisory Committee.

“I have learned so much about the AVMA and the immense responsibilities of the Board of Directors over the last several years. I want to continue my leadership journey as a district director so I can support and inspire other veterinarians that seek to enrich our profession,” wrote Todd in her candidate statement, according to the AVMA.

For more than three decades, Weber has played an active role in the Kentucky VMA (KVMA), including positions as president and executive board member. He represented the KVMA on the Kentucky Agricultural Council and chaired the Public Relations and Governmental Relations Committees, the latter since 2007. In addition, he served as a veterinary medical officer with the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service.

“I have had a longtime interest and desire to participate in organized veterinary medicine at the local, state, and national levels. I feel that such involvement is vital to promote the profession,” said Weber in his candidate statement.

VetnCare has appointed Matthew J. Kirchner as the company’s CEO. Kirchner has experience in health care services, medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals with a focus on organic business growth and “optimized” operations.

 According to a company release, Kirchner will also be part of the company’s board of directors.

“Having spent the majority of my career in human healthcare, I’m excited to bring my business expertise and personal passion for animals to such an important field. Pet care will continue to be a top priority for so many, and we are dedicated to leading with comprehensive and innovative care,” said Kirchner in the release.

Wedgewood appoints Stanley Howell as chief operations officer to drive growth and operational excellence. News release. Wedgewood. February 6, 2025. Accessed March 7, 2025. 

https://www.wedgewood.com/newsroom/wedgewood-appoints-stanley-howell-as-chief-operations-officer-to-drive-growth-and-operational-excellence/

Aurora Pharmaceutical appoints Stephanie Hastings as director of marketing. News release. Aurora Pharmaceutical. January 28, 2025. Accessed March 7, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aurora-pharmaceutical-appoints-stephanie-hastings-as-director-of-marketing-302362416.html

Todd, Weber elected to AVMA Board. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. February 7, 2025. Accessed March 7, 2025. 

https://www.avma.org/news/todd-weber-elected-avma-board?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

VetnCare announces Matthew J. Kirchner as chief executive officer; founder Dr. Andrew Moffatt to continue leadership role as chief medical officer. News release. VetnCare. January 28, 2025.

New leadership moves at Wedgewood, Aurora Pharmaceutical, VetnCare, and the AVMA