Animal CSI, Crusty Cats, & More at Orlando Veterinarian Conference

So, I recently attended the annual North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando. It is one of the largest veterinary conferences in the world. What a fascinating conglomeration of veterinary professionals from across the country and around the world.

In attendance were over 6,000 veterinarians, 1,500 veterinary technicians, 700 office managers and 900 veterinary students.  I overheard countless languages, some I recognized and many I didn't. I sat next to one vet typing in the Cyrillic alphabet on his I-pad; unfortunately I did not catch his country of origin. It was amazing to see this huge throng of people brought together for one singular reason… our caring for animals, both domesticated and not.

Countless professors from various veterinary universities worldwide convened to speak on topics both common and obscure. Lectures began at 8 a.m. and ended most nights by 7pm. There were usually as many as 20 to 25 different lectures being presented at any given hour and this continued for five days.

To show the astounding variety in topics, here are a few examples of lectures from this year's conference:

"Animal CSI: Documentation and Forensic Analysis"

"Dermatology: The Crusty Cat"

"SOSea Turtles: Sea Turtle Emergency Medicine & Critical Care"

"Euthanasia: Assisting Clients with the Hardest Decision They Will Ever Make"

"Breeding for Healthy Eyes - Clinical and DNA-based Diagnosis of Inherited Ocular Disease"

"Truth and Hype Behind Pet Food Marketing"

"Challenging Shoulder Conditions"

"Swine Production Biosecurity"

"Gastrointestinal Obstruction - Diagnostic Value of Radiographs vs Ultrasound"

"Anesthesia in Amphibians"

"Advances in Interventional Cardiology"

"Surgical Management of Splenic and Liver Tumors"

"Bioterrorism: The Role of the Small Animal Vet in Preparation, Recognition and Response"

"How to Instill Leadership Throughout the Practice"

"Around the Block: Regional Nerve Blocks in the Dentistry Patient"

"Cesarean Section in Sheep, Goats and Camelids"

"Ultrasound in Orthopedic Disease"

"Bird Sex and Behavior"

"Postoperative Management of the Canine Athlete"

"Mutual Enrichment - Helping to Heal War Veterans and Find Homes for Shelter Dogs"

It was uplifting to see so many people dedicated to the health and welfare of the animals on this planet. And amazing to see 700 veterinarians sitting in their sixth or seventh hour of lecture for the day with all those years of veterinary experience, and yet, when a photo of a cute puppy appears on the screen, the resounding "awwww" can be heard throughout the room. We are still all suckers for an adorable puppy!

Seeing so many veterinary professionals joined together in one place to learn more about providing cutting edge surgical and medical care for their patients was inspiring. It makes me ever more proud to be a member of this great profession.