Puppies, kittens and Kevin Bacon: Here's what happened at the 2023 Vet Expo in Orlando
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Forget six degrees of Kevin Bacon. This year’s annual Veterinary Meeting & Expo in Orlando in January had the actor in the flesh, as well as Grammy-award winning trio Lady A, Paramount’s “Yellowstone” star Cole Hauser and Temple Grandin, subject of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning film and one of Time magazine’s most “influential people in the world.”
They were there to celebrate the 40th annual iteration of the world’s largest veterinary education conference.
This year’s event, with more than 28,000 veterinary professionals from 78 countries in attendance, represented a more than 50% increase over the event’s last record attendance pre-pandemic. The event was hosted at the Orange County Convention Center by the Orlando-based North American Veterinary Community, the world’s leading provider of veterinary continuing education.
For veterinarians, veterinary nurses, vet techs and vet students, the conference offers a huge infusion of continuing education on the latest techniques and innovations, presented in educational sessions that ranged from treating puppies and kittens with heart murmurs to “Chinchilla Tips and Tricks.” VMX is also the launchpad for new products and services from leading animal healthcare companies such as Merck.
For pet parents, VMX offers a cornucopia of hope through medical advances that will allow their beloved companion animals to enjoy better, longer lives.
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The past 40 years have brought remarkable breakthroughs in veterinary medicine, transforming the quality of life of all creatures, great and small.
“In the past 40 years, we have improved chemotherapy for pets with cancer, developed ways to use STEM cells and artificial intelligence in veterinary medicine and improved surgeries for pets to make procedures safer and more effective,” said Dr. Dana Varble, NAVC chief veterinary officer. “Dog life expectancy has doubled in the past four decades and house cats now live twice as long as their feral counterparts.”
Here is a sampling of what pets and their humans can expect when it comes to vet care.
Non-Invasive Early Cancer Detection
More than 1 million lumps and bumps are found in animals every year, yet very few of these are diagnosed, and many progress into malignant cancers.
Dr. Mike Petty, a member of the Global Pain Council of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, discussed the diagnostic wonders of HT Vista, non-invasive heat diffusion imagery introduced to the U.S. market last year to help vets identify malignant skin and subcutaneous cancers early without invasive biopsies.
“It has altered the way I approach these growths,” said Petty, who has been testing the new imaging technology for a year. “I now can’t practice without it. In my 43 years of practice, I have seen some new devices that change the face of how you practice. This is one of them.”
At around $60 per test, which is a painless five-minute procedure without the need for sedation or anesthesia, HT Vista offers peace of mind, and, should the tumor prove malignant, opportunity for early treatment and better outcomes.
Fountain of Youth
Ponce de Leon would have been impressed by Dr. Brennen McKenzie, director of veterinary services for Loyal, a San Francisco bio-tech company running clinical trials on a canine Fountain of Youth, anti-aging pills for dogs.
The research could also have significant impact on human aging. If it works on pets, a variation could work on humans.
“Dogs age biologically similarly to humans,” said McKenzie.
Research is focused on preventative medication that will promote resistance to age-related maladies such as heart disease, arthritis and kidney issues.
“85% of dogs are euthanized, because of age-related issues,” said McKenzie. “This could make a huge difference.”
Chew(y) on this
It is not surprising that the Florida-based company that revolutionized the way people purchase pet products should be part of veterinary medicine’s latest bandwagon: telehealth.
“The core mission is to make pet care affordable,” said Alexandra Bocci, associate director of communications at Chewy.
“Connect with a Vet” offers free live chat with an expert for all Chewy customers and, for $19.99, a text or video chat with a vet or vet tech for guidance on any pet-related questions, from healthcare to behavior. These conversations serve as supplemental triage to in-clinic visits, as these services typically do not offer prescription support. Owners are encouraged to discuss their questions at length.
“Some chats last for two hours,” Bocci said.
As part of the service, Chewy also provides a summary with recommendations and educational resources. The service refers more than 65 percent of callers to their primary vets for additional care, and helps owners differentiate between needing immediate emergency care or having a little wiggle room to make a regular veterinary appointment.
Veterinary telehealth, which has its roots in the human version that arose from the pandemic, is here to stay, according to NAVC’s Varble.
“Vets are incorporating it into their practices to relieve stress and be able to answer more of the owners’ questions,” she said. “It supports better patient triage and improves outcomes.”
A perfect scenario of how telehealth can save owners car rides from hell to the vet with an obstreperous pet and free veterinarians’ time for other patients is the post-surgery check. Unless stitch removal is required, a post-surgery check is tailor-made for a virtual visit.
While Chewy’s Chat with a Vet is a stand-alone service, many telehealth providers, such as VMX exhibitor Pet Vet Connection, are partnering with primary vets to provide a veterinary team for telehealth services 24/7.
Compounding
Compound medications were also a hot topic at the conference, and Chewy was involved in those conversations, too. Chewy Health offers more than 7,000 compounded medications with flavors such as tuna, beef and marshmallow to help make medicine time less stressful and ensure furry patients comply and take their meds.
Insuring pet health
Pet insurance providers, which offer pet wellness and health plans that offset the sticker shock pet parents often experience when facing companion animal medical expenses, were very visible at the veterinary conference.
And, yes, Chewy is in on it, too, with CarePlus, a portfolio of plans that cover everything from surgeries to dental cleanings.
Smile! Show us those pearly whites
Periodontal disease, which affects more than 80 percent of dogs and cats, is progressive, hard to visualize and can eventually impact the heart, kidneys, liver and more.
At VMX, PDX Biotech launched OraStripdx, a rapid test that detects periodontal disease in pets in 10 seconds, with no anesthesia or sedation required. The clinician guides the strip along the pet’s gumline and watches for color change based on concentration of thiols in the oral fluid. The more intense the color, the more advanced the disease.
Drink to that!
Merck Animal Care’s Sure Petcare displayed its Felaqua Connect, a smart water bowl that encourages cats to drink. Felaqua Connect also provides insights into drinking behavior by connecting with the cat's microchip, highlighting changes that may otherwise be missed.
The battery-operated bowl automatically refills from a reservoir as the cat drinks. There is no recirculating water and no filters to change. The bowl even notifies owners when the water needs changing. Used with the Sure Petcare App, Felaqua Connect tells how often, when and how much the kitty drinks.
Sonnenberg is a Melbourne-based freelance lifestyles and travel writer.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: January Vet Expo spotlighted latest in pet care and wellness
