WVC attendance shoots past 13,000

Las Vegas

-- Attendance at Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) was up over last year despite the sluggish economy, according to conference organizers.

The Feb. 14-18 conference drew more than 13,000 attendees including 6,065 veterinarians, and up from last year, according to conference officials.

Overall the conference offered some 800 hours of continuing education to veterinarians and technicians in companion-animal, food-animal, equine and exotics medicine.

This year's presentations focused on everything from acute diseases, cancer, clinical pathology challenges to chronic diseases, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, infectious disease-risk management and business management/operations. A few evening sessions include profiting from social media and controlled substance regulations and legal issues.

As far as entertainment, Bayer sponsored a performance by the rock band Foreigner, and comedian Bill Engvall performed courtesy of Hill's Pet Nutrition.