Conference Coverage

Hosted by the North American Veterinary Community, the event features a variety of activities that include celebrity appearances, physical fitness, and several ways to perform community service.

With so many lectures going on during VMX 2026, here is a list of some noteworthy ones happening during the first 2 days of the show!

In this Q&A, Benita Altier, LVT, VTS (Dentistry), provides insights on how the right tools help improve patient care and practitioner experience, as well as the work of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, director of veterinary medicine at Loyal, explains how energy metabolism changes as dogs age, and the health issues these changes can lead to.

Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAABC), discusses whether a separation anxiety case warrants medication in this interview with dvm360.

Upcoming industry events for earning continuing education credits.

The North American Veterinary Community’s flagship event returns in January.

Jane Sykes, BVSc, PhD, MPH, MBA, FNAP, summarizes the practical parts of the 2023 ACVIM consensus update on leptospirosis and explains what it means for general practice. She covers the biggest shift in recommendations, how to talk to owners about vaccine safety, when to test, and how to handle suspected cases safely in the clinic.

Megan Leavey, Kevin Costner and Donnie Campbell share their personal experiences with veterinary audiences.

Vicky Ograin, MBA, RVT, VTS (Nutrition) explains the power of empathy in addressing owner concerns.

Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (Parasitology), explains that indoor pets still face vector exposure and that year-round isoxazoline protection reduces parasite burden and helps protect household members.

"I think that chronic pain is more prevalent than we actually realize...we don’t always give it the attention it deserves," says Monica Tarantino, DVM, MBA.

Laila Proença, DVM, PhD, MV, MSc, DACZM explains that affordable intraoral cameras plus mandatory pre- and post-extraction imaging let general practitioners perform safe, complete dental extractions.

Pamela D. Jones, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), recommends using CancerDx as a targeted screening tool for older and at risk dogs to detect lymphoma while limiting false positives.

Gianluca Bini, DVM, MRCVS, DACVAA, shares insights on managing surgical bleeding, addressing common mistakes, and improving patient care in veterinary practices.

Susan E. Little, DVM, DACVM (Parasitology), explains how timing shapes transmission, how to remove ticks safely, what to do with an antibody-positive but well dog, and why year-round tick control protects pets and people.

Laila Proença, DVM, PhD, MV, MSc, DACZM explains that affordable intraoral cameras plus mandatory pre- and post-extraction imaging let general practitioners perform safe, complete dental extractions.

Dr Sykes outlines why new evidence on leptospirosis epidemiology and safer vaccines led to a recommendation for annual vaccination of all dogs.

Vicky Ograin, MBA, RVT, VTS (Nutrition) recommends assessing and optimizing a patient’s nutritional plane before elective surgery and sending patients home on a complete, digestible GI diet to improve outcomes.

Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (Parasitology), argues for year-round isoxazoline use, noting that interrupting the flea life cycle protects both pets and people.

Nutrition can affect postsurgical recovery. Two simple questions can help guide productive conversations about a pet’s diet.

Pamela D. Jones, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), explains why lymphoma isn’t just one disease and how phenotyping, client goals, and teamwork guide individualized treatment.

From lab values to suction canisters and soaked sponges, Gianluca Bini, DVM, MRCVS, DACVAA, breaks down what actually helps—and what doesn’t—when estimating blood loss during surgery, in this postconference interview with dvm360.

Discover effective strategies for staff meetings and process improvement in veterinary practice management with insights from Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA.

Benita Altier, LVT, VTS (Dentistry), discusses the types of dentistry cases that a general practitioner might be more comfortable referring to a specialist.

Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, urges veterinary teams to adopt WONJI (Working On, Not Just In) by scheduling regular time away from day-to-day duties to build vision, values, and strategy.

Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, discusses the importance of dental care for senior pets, addressing periodontal disease, stomatitis, and tooth resorption.

Tannetje Crocker, DVM, discussed common emergencies presented to GP veterinary teams and some key considerations.