2025 MedVet Bay Area CE Conference

Veterinarian Track 

9:00 am PT

Cannabinoid Pharmacology: Applications to Veterinary Medicine

This live interactive medical program for veterinarians will review the endocannabinoid system and the pharmacology of phytocannabinoids. This lecture will focus on the potential anti-cancer effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists, including their anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, and anti-metastatic properties. In addition, this session will include the empirical dosing guidelines for dronabinol (Marinol).

Presenter: Jennifer A. Pierro, DVM, MS, PhD, Diplomate, ACVIM (Oncology)

10:00 am PT

Myasthenia Gravis in Small Animals

This live interactive medical program for veterinarians will focus on relating the underlying pathology of myasthenia gravis to its clinical signs by comparing it to other neuromuscular disorders. The presentation will also review current diagnostic and treatment recommendations.

Presenter: Erik Wegner-Clemens, DVM, Diplomate, ACVIM (Neurology)

11:00 am PT

Overview of Veterinary Extracorporeal Therapies

This live interactive medical program for veterinarians will review the most common extracorporeal therapies currently offered in veterinary medicine. In addition, this course will focus on hemodialysis, therapeutic plasma exchange, and carbon hemoperfusion including case presentations.

Presenter: Colin Reich, DVM, Diplomate, ACVECC

1:00 pm PT

Congenital and Juvenile Metabolic Bone Disorders

This live interactive medical program for veterinarians will provide an overview of the radiographic findings associated with congenital and juvenile metabolic bone disorders in dogs and cats. This course will focus on recognizing key imaging features to aid in the diagnosis and differentiation of these often debilitating genetic and nutritional diseases.

Presenter: Alexandra Beaulieu, DVM, DVSc, Diplomate, ACVR

2:00 pm PT

Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) 101

This live interactive medical program for veterinarians will review the basics of ultrasound mechanics and common controls, followed by its various applications in emergency medicine and general practice. In addition, this session will include examples of cases that may be approached even with a limited amount of prior ultrasound experience.

Presenter: Thomas W. Hansen, DVM, Diplomate, ABVP

3:00 pm PT

Arthroscopy: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tool

This live interactive medical program for veterinarians will review the utility of arthroscopy as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool, in addition to arthroscopy of the stifle, shoulder, and elbow.

Presenter: Alexa L. Danner, DVM, MS, Limited to the Practice of Surgery

4:00 pm PT

How to Manage Our Cushing’s Patients

This live interactive medical program for veterinarians will review several questions regarding medical management of patients with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) including which treatment(s) are recommended, when should therapy begin, and how to monitor and adjust medications. This program will provide an overview of recent data from literature, recommendations from specialists, and case presentations.

Presenter: Camille Brassard, DVM, MS, Residency Trained in Internal Medicine

Technician & Practice Management Track 

9:00 am PT

Connecting with Empathy to Clients Under Stress

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

Presenter: Geoff Simons, MSW, CSW-UT and Claire Johnson, MSW, LSW

10:00 am PT

Operation: Preparation

This live interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review the importance of surgical planning and preparation, in addition to implementation of a standardized aseptic surgical prep protocol, the creation and use of a surgical checklist, and the benefits of assigning roles.

Presenter: Lauren A. Halberg, RVT, VTS (Surgery)

11:00 am PT

Tiny Toe Beans to Silver Whiskers: Anesthesia for Young and Geriatric Patients

This live interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review practical strategies for creating safe anesthetic protocols, managing complications, and tailoring care for neonates and geriatric patients. These are two of the most challenging age groups to anesthetize, each with unique physiological considerations and risks. This course will share clear, applicable approaches to improve outcomes for the youngest and oldest patients.

Presenter: Emily Chryst, RVT

1:00 pm PT

Self-Compassion for Veterinary Professionals

This live interactive non-medical program for veterinary professionals will focus on self-compassion. We are often our own worst critics, especially when we are passionate about our work. This can negatively impact our mood, mental health, and work performance. This program will provide tools and techniques to practice that protect our wellbeing, plus the reasoning behind why these methods work.

Presenter: Geoff Simons, MSW, CSW-UT and Claire Johnson, MSW, LSW

2:00 pm PT

Navigating Change

This live interactive non-medical program will educate attendees through a workshop style lecture on navigating change by creating their own “change story” using action steps regarding why we are changing, what is changing, how the change will impact you and how leaders will support the team members.

Presenter: Maura Stevenson, MA, PhD, Chief Human Resources Officer

3:00 pm PT

Glaucoma: Understand, Recognize, and Treat

This live interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will provide a comprehensive overview of glaucoma, including its anatomy, symptoms, diagnostic techniques, and various treatment strategies to effectively manage the condition in veterinary patients.

Presenter: Helena Bell, RVT, VTS (Ophthalmology)

4:00 pm PT

To Puke or Not to Puke? Emesis Isn’t Always the Answer

This live interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will review whether emesis is appropriate when pets ingest toxic substances or potential gastrointestinal (GI) foreign bodies. This course will also provide an overview of many common toxins, in addition to treatments following emesis.

Presenter: Diana Chenault, RVT

Hands-on Labs

10:00 am PT

CPR: Practice with the Updated Guidelines

This live interactive medical program for veterinary professionals will be presented as a hands-on focusing on basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS), plus a comprehensive review of the critical reassessment campaign on veterinary resuscitation (RECOVER) initiative. The updated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines will also be highlighted with best practices for dogs and cats.

Presenter: Rebecca G. McQuitty, DVM, Diplomate, ACVECC

1:00 pm PT

What’s Your Next Move? Choose Your Own Anesthesia Adventure

This live interactive medical program for veterinary technicians is a hands-on lab with participants choosing their own adventure. This session sets up real-world anesthesia scenarios where technicians must decide how to respond to complications as they arise. Each decision branches into different outcomes to practice troubleshooting, critical thinking, and problem-solving in a safe environment. This course is designed to build confidence and provide practical strategies that translate directly to clinical anesthesia practice.

Presenter: Emily Chryst, RVT

3:00 pm PT

Code Yellow: Cracking the Collapse Case

This live interactive medical program for veterinary technicians will be an escape room-style lab challenge for teams to evaluate and manage two canine patients presenting with acute collapse. Through hands-on clinical stations focused on triage, diagnostics, emergency calculations, and treatment planning, participants will work through an Addisonian crisis and a hemoabdomen case. The session will include a guided debrief, highlighting how each step contributed to accurate diagnosis and patient stabilization.

Presenter: Danielle D. DeCormier, LVT, VTS (Oncology), CFE