Sneak peek into Fetch Charlotte 2025

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.

Keynotes & game shows

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!

Hands-on Labs

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.

Lectures

Friday

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.

Saturday

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.

Are Hospital Managers Worth It?

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.

Sunday

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 Vision Loss: What Do I Do Now?

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.