Shaping the Future of Veterinary Medicine: VMX 2025 to Advance Health Care for Beloved Pets, Wildlife and Species Across the Animal Kingdom - from Dogs and Cats to Kangaroos and Honey Bees

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- From the hard-working honey bee to the exotic giant ditch frog of the Caribbean islands, VMX 2025, the world's largest and most comprehensive annual veterinary meeting and expo, will feature groundbreaking advances in veterinary medicine aimed at enhancing the health and quality of life of animals across the animal kingdom.  Presented by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), VMX 2025 will take place Jan. 25-29, 2025 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. This year, VMX will spotlight innovations in veterinary medicine with a focus on conservation, geriatric care and the medical care of common and rare species.

• VMX 2025 session highlights include an Increased Focus on Geriatrics Across Species: Just as human life expectancy is expanding, so are the lifespans of pets, farm animals and wildlife. Like their human counterparts, animals experience age-related illnesses like arthritis, cardiovascular and kidney disease, cancer and cataracts. Among the advances in veterinary geriatric medicine that will be discussed are hydrotherapy, cataract surgery on aquatic animals, nutritional plans, vaccinations and even habitat designs to create more age-friendly environments for older animals.
• VMX's Honey Bee Symposium: From their impact on the food we eat to how we treat human diseases, honey bees are a growing area of interest in veterinary medicine. This symposium will help veterinarians learn and better understand how to care for and treat honey bees. Each year on average, beekeepers lose nearly 40% of their hives from undiagnosed diseases. As food-producing animals, bees need to be cared for by veterinary professionals under new federal regulations. The symposium also will present the essential role bees play in pollination and the promising applications of bee venom in human medicine.
• From Clinic to the Wild: Veterinary experts will share the latest trends in conservation efforts that are helping a vast array of endangered species, including frogs, tigers and pangolins, which are the world's most trafficked mammal.
• Specialized Care for Our Most Popular Pets: Tailored veterinary care for beloved pets, from dogs and cats to hamsters and pot-bellied pigs.

"VMX 2025 is the premier platform for veterinary professionals to discover the latest advancements in animal health care," said NAVC Chief Veterinary Officer, Dana Varble, DVM. "Our education program this coming year will span the entire animal kingdom and the interconnectedness and interdependence of animal, environmental and human health. Through VMX, NAVC equips veterinarians with cutting-edge knowledge, research and resources to advance animal care and drive global health innovation."

Set to a "Festival of the HeARTS" theme, VMX 2025 celebrates the art and science of veterinary medicine and the animals at the heart of it all. VMX 2025 provides veterinary professionals who attend from all over the world access to more than 1,300 hours of educational content and emerging trends. These sessions are presented by world-renowned leaders in veterinary medicine, all aimed at improving the health and well-being of animals of all kinds. VMX 2025 also will be offered virtually. VMX 2025 will include the award-winning VMX Expo Hall where more than 700 exhibitors from around the world will feature the latest products across the field of veterinary medicine.

Here are just a few of the key sessions and speakers you will not want to miss:

Jörg Mayer DVM, DABVP(ECM), DECZM, DACZM and VMX 2024 Speaker of the Year, will lead the VMX Honey Bee Symposium. This track will highlight precision livestock farming in beekeeping and discuss how these practices are essential for improving bee health and supporting conservation efforts. Additionally, Dr. Mayer explores the therapeutic potential of bee products, including bee venom for inflammation reduction and their historic and modern-day applications in medicine.

Mary Gardner, DVM, co-founder of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice and Eric Garcia, digital strategist, will lead the session, "Senior to Senior: Effective Engagement for Senior Pet Parents and Senior Pets." Caring for senior pets presents unique challenges and opportunities, especially when paired with senior pet parents.

Attendees will learn how to help senior pet parents overcome challenges like mobility issues, financial constraints or emotional concerns, while increasing clinic visits and enhancing the quality of life for both pets and people. Compassion and tailored engagement can turn senior years into golden years – for pets and their devoted families.

Amanda Guthrie, DVM, is head of wildlife health services at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which runs London and Whipsnade Zoos and blends clinical expertise with a deep commitment to conservation. London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo and a former research ground for Charles Darwin. At VMX 2025, Dr.Guthrie will lead six sessions, including insights into macropods like kangaroos and wallabies and the challenges of geriatric care for big cats, like caring for dental disease, heart disease, kidney failure and arthritis. With proper care, big cats in zoos are living significantly longer than in the wild.

Mark Mitchell, DVM, MS, PhD, director of the Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana,will delve into the importance of molecular diagnostics in wildlife health, specifically focusing on innovative tools for diagnosing and treating wildlife pathogens. With more than 40 percent of amphibian species at risk of extinction, he will discuss the urgent need for sustainable conservation practices, including the use of probiotic treatments that can counter antimicrobial resistance, offering new hope for conservation efforts.

Danielle DeCormier, LVT, VTS (Oncology), CFE, director of Clinical Services Education at MedVet, will lead the session "When Cancer Becomes an Emergency," which focuses on the latest advancements in managing cancer emergencies in animals. She will explore urgent cancer cases and the importance of timely diagnostic testing. Her insights on emergency oncology care will be crucial for veterinary professionals looking to improve life expectancy and quality of life for pets with serious health challenges.

Ron Ofri, DVM, PhD, an expert in veterinary ophthalmology, will challenge myths around animal vision with his session, "Do Dogs Really See in Black & White? Facts and Myths About Animal Vision." His research on retinal gene therapy offers groundbreaking potential for restoring sight in animals and humans, and his session will provide new insights for veterinarians interested in advancing care in this specialized field.

Other notable sessions and leading veterinary speakers include:

• Sherrie Clark, DVM. Dr. Clark's session, "How the Heck Do You Care for the Miniature Pig?" will cover essential aspects of miniature pig care, including diet, exercise and preventive health measures and provide practical advice for veterinarians and pet owners to improve the well-being of these popular pets.
• Martin Haulena, DVM, MSc, DACZM. As the head veterinarian at Vancouver Aquarium, Dr. Haulena will present "Aging Gracefully Beneath the Waves: Navigating Medical Issues in Seals, Sea Lions and Sea Otters," sharing his expertise in managing the unique health challenges of aging marine mammals in zoos and aquariums.
• Kersti Seksel, BVSc, MRCVS, FACVSc, MA (Hons). In her session, "What's Love Got to Do with It? Exploring Human-Directed Aggression in Cats," Dr. Seksel will explore factors contributing to feline aggression and provide tools for reducing stress-induced aggression and improving relationships between cats and their owners.

Headlining entertainment this year includes Patrick Dempsy, musical guests Dan + Shay and a special acrobatic performance created just for the veterinary profession.

Register for VMX 2025
For more information and to register for VMX 2025, go to NAVC.com. Veterinary and veterinary nurse/technician students, as always, may attend for free and guest registration is also available. 

Credentialed journalists may attend VMX 2025, either in person or virtually, for free. Journalists will have exclusive access to interview these world-renowned veterinary experts and explore the latest innovations in veterinary care. To register or schedule interviews with these experts, please contact [email protected].

About the NAVC
The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advancing veterinary professionals worldwide. As the world's leading provider of veterinary continuing education, the NAVC delivers essential training, tools and resources for veterinary professionals to stay abreast of advances in animal medicine and provide the best care for animals everywhere. Through its commitment to innovation and excellence, the NAVC has developed a diverse portfolio of products and services, including: educational events, headlined by VMX (Veterinary Meeting & Expo), the world's largest, most comprehensive continuing education conference and launchpad for new products and innovations within the veterinary industry; VetFolio.com, a robust digital platform for virtual learning and engagement; NAVC Media, the veterinary industry's largest and award-winning portfolio of trade publications; and Embrace, an advocacy arm which unites the veterinary community and pet lovers. The NAVC was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Orlando, FL. Since 2017, the NAVC has been recognized annually as one of the Top Workplaces by the Orlando Sentinel. To learn more about the NAVC's products and brands, visit https://navc.com/. To see our schedule of upcoming events, visit https://navc.com/calendar/.

SOURCE North American Veterinary Community