VITA: Schedule

At Texas A&M, we are breathing new life into veterinary continuing education (CE). VITA will give you the opportunity to learn new and innovative skills that you can take back to your clinic on Monday morning. Through interactive lectures, wet-labs, small group discussions, and social opportunities, our goal is to help you discover knowledge and tools that will continue your growth as a veterinarian or veterinary technician. We hope you’ll join us for this annual conference full of reimagined CE opportunities! (Note: Scheduled sessions and activities are subject to change or cancellation.)

white female tech with white male client and cat patient

Friday, May 19, 2023

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6:00 p.m.

Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center

Outstanding Alumni & Rising Star Awards Celebration

Limited seating is available. Additional registration by Friday, May 12, 2023, is required. $50 per person.
Learn more…

Saturday, May 20, 2023

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7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Morning Sessions

VENI 106B

Small Animal Track

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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Reading Intraoral
Radiographs
Part 1

Dr. Bert Dodd

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9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Reading Intraoral
Radiographs
Part 2

Dr. Bert Dodd

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10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Dysbiosis:
Pathophysiology
and Diagnosis

Dr. Rachel Pilla

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11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Types of Dysbiosis
and Their Treatment
in Clinical Practice
Dr. Rachel Pilla

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12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch & Learn:
Resident Case Presentations
Dr. Abby Ostronic, Dr. Courtney Meason,
& Dr. Jessica Herman

VENI 106A

Special Sessions

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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Digital Physical
Exams (Telemedicine)

Dr. Cherice Roth
(Class of 2013)

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9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Access to
Veterinary Care
Dr. Cherice Roth
(Class of 2013)

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10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Urinalysis & Beyond
(Best
Practices & Specialty
Diagnostics Beyond Urinalysis)
Dr. Jessica Hokamp

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11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Don’t Ignore the Blood Smear
(The Hematology Analyzer
Can’t Tell You Everything)

Dr. Jessica Hokamp

VENI 101B

Large Animal Track

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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Like I Need a Hole in the Head:
Newer Surgical Approaches
to the Equine Sinus & Guttural Pouch

Dr. Dustin Major

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9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Surgery “How To”
Sessions
TBD

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10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Equine Podiatry
Topic TBD
Dr. Scott Fleming
(Class of 2013)

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11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Equine Podiatry
Topic TBD
Dr. Scott Fleming
(Class of 2013)

Other Morning Opportunities

Emergency & Critical Care

VICI 315/316

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8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

RECOVER Veterinary CPR Basic Life Support
Group 1
Dr. Justin Heinz
Additional registration and fees apply.

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10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

RECOVER Veterinary CPR Basic Life Support
Group 2
Dr. Justin Heinz
Additional registration and fees apply.

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12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch

Afternoon Sessions

VENI 106B

Small Animal Track

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1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Soft Tissue
Surgery Topic
TBD
Dr. Vanna Dickerson

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2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Soft Tissue
Surgery Topic
TBD
Dr. Vanna Dickerson

VENI 106A

Special Sessions

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1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Common Exotic
Animal Emergencies
Part 1
Dr. Lauren Thielen
(Class of 2013)

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2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Common Exotic
Animal Emergencies
Part 2
Dr. Lauren Thielen
(Class of 2013)

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3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

VENI 101B

Large Animal Track

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1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

A Practitioner’s Guide to
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
Regulations in Texas

Dr. J. Hunter Reed

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2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Emerging Wildlife
Health Topics in Texas
Dr. J. Hunter Reed

Other Afternoon Opportunities 

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1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

VICI 123

Feline Dental Extractions Lab

This hands-on learning session, led by Dr. Bert Dodd, a small animal dentistry faculty member from the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), will provide attendees the opportunity to practice feline dental skills, with a low instructor-to-attendee ratio.
Additional registration and fees apply.

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1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

VICI 315/316

Emergency & Critical Care

RECOVER Veterinary CPR Advanced Life Support
Groups 1 & 2
Dr. Justin Heinz & Paula Plummer, RVT
Additional registration and fees apply.

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3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

VENI Welcome Desk

VMBS Tours

Family tours of the VMBS campus led by student ambassadors.

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6:00 p.m.

Big Shots Golf (at Travis Bryan Midtown Park)

VITA + VMBS Alumni Celebration

Celebrating the classes of 1998, 2013, and 2018. Learn more…
Learn more about Big Shots Golf (Bryan, TX)

Sunday, May 21, 2023

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7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Morning Sessions

VENI 106B

Small Animal Track

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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Approach to Adrenal
Tumor
Management
Dr. Melanie Puchot
(Class of 2013)

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9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Hypoalbuminemia & an
Approach
to Protein-Losing
Enteropathy (PLE) Management
Dr. Melanie Puchot
(Class of 2013)

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10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Seizure Control:
Is There Anything New?

Dr. Joseph Mankin

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11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Is it Ortho or Neuro?
Dr. Joseph Mankin

VENI 106A

Special Sessions

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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Zoonotic Diseases
& Biocontainment:
Managing Biorisk
in a Pandemic Era
Dr. Kurt Zuelke

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9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Veterinary
Acupuncture
Dr. Dusty Nagy

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10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

So You Want
to Buy a Practice?
Dr. Lance Roasa

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11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

So You Want
to Start a Practice?
Dr. Lance Roasa

VENI 101B

Large Animal Track

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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Lameness in
Pot-Bellied Pigs

Dr. Shannon Reed

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9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

“How-To” Sessions:
Workup of the Colicky Pig
Dr. Shannon Reed
Workup of the Colicky Horse
Dr. Amanda Trimble

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10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Diarrhea in
Horses, part 1

Dr. Rudy Madrigal
(Class of 2013)

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11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Diarrhea in
Horses, part 2
Dr. Rudy Madrigal
(Class of 2013)

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12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch & Learn:
Resident Case Presentations
Dr. Abigail Blanton, Dr. Alexis Jennings
& Dr. Heath Manning

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12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch

Afternoon Sessions

VENI 106B

Small Animal Track

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1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Rays the Roof
for Novel Uses
of Radiation Therapy

Dr. Lauren Smith-Oskrochi
(Class of 2013)

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2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Radiation for
Feline Gastrointestinal
Lymphoma (GI LSA):
Are You Kitten Me?!

Dr. Lauren Smith-Oskrochi
(Class of 2013)

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3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Brachycephalic
Syndrome:
A Survival Guide
Dr. Lance Wheeler

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4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Snake
Envenomation
Dr. Lance Wheeler

VENI 106A

Special Sessions

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1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Q&A with Members of the
Texas A&M DVM Selections
Committee: Considerations
for You & Your Candidate

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2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Minimally Invasive
Management
of Urolithiasis

Dr. Genna Atiee
(Class of 2013)

VENI 101B

Large Animal Track

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1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Haemonchus
Control Strategies
Dr. Isabelle Louge

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2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

A Guide to Small Ruminant
Visits for the Small Animal
Practitioner
Dr. Isabelle Louge

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3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Current Therapies
for Skin Tumors
in the Horse

Dr. Leslie Easterwood

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4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Effects of Metabolic
Disorders on the
Fertility of Mares

Dr. Yatta Linhares Boakari

REGISTER NOW!

If you’re looking for an opportunity to spend some time in Aggieland with old friends while you experience cutting-edge veterinary continuing education in May 2023, then VITA is the conference for you!

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