2026 Technician Boot Camp

Sunday, October 18

12:00 pm ET

Better Death: Improving End-of-Life Care in Veterinary Medicine

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will examine euthanasia as a complete clinical and interpersonal process, from the initial client contact through postmortem care. Guidelines from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) will be reviewed, in addition to sedation and anesthesia protocols, routes of administration, and strategies for challenging emergency cases. This course will provide practical tools for standardizing and improving the euthanasia experience.

Presenter: Melissa Rivas, RVT, CPEP

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2:00 pm ET

When the Immune System Turns Against Red Blood Cells: A Clinical Case of Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia 

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review the disease process of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) through case presentations. This course will highlight the technician’s vital role in caring for these critical patients.

Presenter: Katie Beard, RVT, VTS (SAIM)

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4:00 pm ET

CPR Beyond the Algorithm: Applying RECOVER Updates in Real-Life Codes

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as one of the most time-sensitive and team-dependent interventions in emergency medicine and critical care. Successful resuscitation relies not only on technical skills, but also on consistent, coordinated execution under pressure. The reassessment campaign on veterinary resuscitation (RECOVER) guidelines provides an evidence-based framework specifically designed to improve CPR quality, reduce variability in performance, and ultimately increase the likelihood of successful return of spontaneous circulation. This session will focus on key RECOVER CPR guideline updates and how these changes directly improve clinical outcomes when applied in real-world practice. Emphasis will be placed on how updated recommendations support more effective decision-making, clearer team structure, improved monitoring strategies, and more efficient execution during active resuscitation events. Integrating these updates into daily workflow enhances consistency, reduces delays, and improves overall CPR effectiveness in high-acuity situations. In addition, this lecture will address common errors observed during CPR events, including ineffective communication, lack of defined leadership, delayed role assignment, interruptions in compressions, and cognitive overload. Through case-based discussion, myth-versus-fact comparisons, and real-world scenarios, this course will provide strategies to improve team performance, reduce errors, and optimize CPR quality.

Presenter: Stephanie Cramer, CVT, VTS (ECC)

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6:00 pm ET

Flap Around and Find Out: An Introduction to the Avian Patient 

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide techniques for restraint, venipuncture, and radiograph positioning for avian patients.

Presenter: Aramis Ramos, RVT

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8:00 pm ET

Through the Highs and Lows: Blood Pressure Assessment 

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will focus on why blood pressure assessment is a vital tool for initial patient assessment and throughout the course of therapy. This course will feature techniques for both indirect and direct blood pressure assessment. In addition, this presentation will include proper equipment use, application tips and tricks, plus result interpretation as it relates to therapy goals.

Presenter: Amber Hart, RVT, VTS (ECC)

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Monday, October 19

6:00 pm ET

Rehabilitation Approaches to Common Orthopedic and Neurologic Cases

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide a case-based overview of rehabilitation strategies for the most common orthopedic and neurologic conditions seen in general and specialty practice. This course will review cranial cruciate ligament disease, medial patella luxation, elbow dysplasia, osteoarthritis, plus neurologic conditions such as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), acute non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ANNPE), functional capacity evaluation (FCE), and Wobbler’s syndrome. In addition, this presentation will highlight how to recognize key clinical presentations, understand the biomechanics and pathophysiology driving each condition, how to apply the three phases of rehabilitation (acute, subacute, and chronic) to build patient-specific treatment plans, incorporate multimodal pain management, use therapeutic modalities, understand surgical stabilization options, recognize compensatory injury patterns, and apply evidence-based joint support strategies. Clinical pearls will be shared along with client compliance tips.

Presenter: Shawn Zimmermann, RVT, VTS (Physical Rehabilitation), CCRP, CSMP

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8:00 pm ET

Unlimited Paths: Reinventing What a Veterinary Career Can Be

This live, interactive non-medical program for veterinary technicians will highlight how a fulfilling career in veterinary medicine is not defined by a single path. This session will explore the many opportunities to grow beyond traditional roles through leadership, education, operations, industry, and more. Technicians will gain practical strategies for navigating career transitions, developing transferable skills, and intentionally building a career aligned with their passions, strengths, and long-term goals.

Presenter: Joe DeFulio, CVT, CCO

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Tuesday, October 20

6:00 pm ET

Triage is an Art: Emergency Triage for Beginners

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide an overview of triage and the systematic evaluation of dogs and cats to determine the urgency of their medical needs. Unlike in human triage, veterinary professionals must assess patients without verbal feedback, relying entirely on physical cues. This critical skill balances the science of objective vital signs with the art of reading animal behavior and subtle clinical indicators to save lives.

Presenter: Katelyn Collie, CVT

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8:00 pm ET

Electrocardiogram Literacy for the Small Animal Anesthetist

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will introduce proper instrumentation and use of an electrocardiogram (ECG) in an anesthetic setting. The basics of cardiac anatomy and electrical conduction will be reviewed, plus how lead placement impacts diagnostic information and how to estimate rate. In addition, this lecture will provide an overview of the most common peri-operative arrhythmias with associated disease processes and management.

Presenter: Eevee Velez, CVT

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Wednesday, October 21

4:00 pm ET

Connecting with Empathy to Clients Under Stress

This live, interactive non-medical program for veterinary professionals will review how to have difficult conversations with clients in crisis to communicate information effectively. This course provides guidance regarding the neurological implications of stress and strategies for the best way to communicate.

Presenter: Marjorie Wilson, LMSW, MPH

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6:00 pm ET

Stressed and Depressed: When Bloody Diarrhea Takes a Turn

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review the potential causes of acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS), formerly known as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE), and explore how these patients may present. This course will include diagnostics vital to determining the root cause in each individual AHDS case. In addition, this program will highlight a case presentation from triage through hospitalization.

Presenter: Anissa Galben, RVT

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8:00 pm ET

My Pet Has Diabetes  

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review the clinical signs leading to the diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats. This course will review the underlying etiologies, appropriate glucose monitoring techniques, and evidence-based treatment options.

Presenter: Kimberly Muñoz, RVT

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Thursday, October 22

6:00 pm ET

BRisky Business: Brachycephalic Anesthesia

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review congenital issues common to brachycephalic breeds and focus on using brachycephalic risk (BRisk) scoring to assess anesthetic dangers. In addition, this course will include methods to improve safety under anesthesia by implementing brachycephalic protocols and reviewing best practices to manage brachycephalic patients to optimize peri-operative safety.

Presenter: Sarah Lustgarten, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), FFCP

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8:00 pm ET

Sunburns and Side Effects: Managing the Aftermath of Radiation Toxicity

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide an overview of radiation treatment and the acute toxicities that present distinct nursing care challenges. This course focuses on radiation as a predictable, localized, and cumulative tissue injury, rather than viewing radiation through the lens of systemic chemotherapy. The post-treatment window where peak toxicity occurs at home will be highlighted to transition from subjective descriptions to objective scoring using the veterinary radiation therapy oncology group (VRTOG v2.0) criteria. Taking a systematic, regional approach, this session will feature radiation dermatitis, head and neck complications, plus mechanical safeguards. In addition, this course will cover ocular health, monitoring for early-delayed neurological flares, whole-patient systemic support, plus establishing home care protocols to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Technicians will be provided with tools to protect patient welfare, maintain comfort, and guide clients through every stage of radiation recovery.

Presenter: Victoria Barton, LVT

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Friday, October 23

6:00 pm ET

Cats, Cortisol, and Chaos: A Technician’s Survival Guide to the Cushing’s Cat-astrophe

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review feline hyperadrenocorticism. Feline Cushing’s disease is extremely rare, easy to miss, and frequently masquerades as (or hides alongside) diabetes mellitus. Technicians are often the first to notice the subtle clues of the poorly controlled diabetic, the fragile skin, or the cat that “ain’t doing right” (ADR) consistently and progressively. This course will review how to build the pattern recognition skills to support diagnosis, treatment, and long-term case management of this rare medical anomaly.

Presenters: Luz Marie Agré, LVT, CVT

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8:00 pm ET

Adding Contrast to the Case: A Technician’s Guide to Contrast Studies

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will focus on contrast studies as a valuable diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine and how technicians play a critical role in ensuring their success. This lecture will feature indications for common contrast procedures, appropriate contrast media selection, patient preparation, imaging protocols, plus positioning techniques. In addition, this course will review how to recognize common technical errors, identify potential complications, and understand normal versus abnormal contrast progression. Practical tips and clinical case examples will be provided for high-quality contrast studies that support accurate diagnosis and exceptional patient care.

Presenter: Lindsey Spatig, CVT

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Saturday, October 24

12:00 pm ET

Hidden in Plain Sight: Recognizing Oral Tumors

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide an overview on oral tumors, including how to identify tumors in the oral cavity and how to determine if they are benign or malignant. This course will focus on the prognosis of malignant oral tumors, surgical treatment options, medical management, plus patient care following treatment.

Presenter: Camille Berntsen, LVT

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2:00 pm ET

Push It Real Good: A Veterinary Guide to Dystocia and Neonatal Care

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide an overview of dystocia to improve the outcomes for both the dam and neonates during obstetrical emergencies. Dystocia requires prompt recognition, rapid stabilization, and timely intervention. This course will review the emergency assessment of dystocia, including triage, diagnostic evaluation, medical management, and indications for surgical intervention. Emergency case presentations with an emphasis on communication, teamwork, and peri-operative patient care will be featured. In addition, this lecture will include the updated reassessment campaign on veterinary resuscitation (RECOVER) neonatal guidelines with current evidence-based recommendations for neonatal assessment, resuscitation techniques, cardiopulmonary support, thermoregulation, and post-resuscitation care.

Presenter: Chanel White, RVT

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4:00 pm ET

Reducing Pre-Operative and Post-Operative Stress in Surgery Patients

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will highlight how stress surrounding surgery begins long before a patient enters the operating room and may continue well after discharge. This lecture will review practical, evidence-based strategies to reduce patient stress throughout the peri-operative period, including pre-visit pharmaceuticals, low-stress handling techniques, client education, hospitalization protocols, and post-operative support. This course will focus on how proactive communication, individualized patient care, plus appropriate pain and anxiolytic management can improve patient welfare, enhance recovery, and create a better experience for patients and their families.

Presenter: Kelsey Duffey, RVT

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6:00 pm ET

Feline Infectious Peritonitis Treatment: Out of the Shadows

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide an overview on the current diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which was formerly considered terminal. Technicians are on the front lines of this shift, from recognizing early red flags in the exam room, to administering months of injections, as well as coaching clients through a long treatment course. This lecture will review the pathophysiology of feline infectious peritonitis, how the disease evades diagnosis, plus the antiviral treatment protocols. Technicians will gain knowledge and skills through this course to support patients with FIP from intake through recovery.

Presenter: Luz Marie Agré, LVT, CVT

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8:00 pm ET

Infectious Disease Management

This live, interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review the concerns for patients and caregivers regarding infectious and zoonotic disease. This course will feature nursing care tips and approaches to hospital functions, plus provide protocols to limit the spread of infection.

Presenter: Amber Hart, RVT, VTS (ECC)

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