“When something is visualised, the truth of its occurrence or existence can no longer be doubted - Seeing is Believing”! This proverb has particular meaning when it comes point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS); diagnostic confidence increases in 89.2% of patients when general practitioners add bedside POCUS to patient evaluation! Recent surveys suggest 50-80% of veterinary clinics have an ultrasound machine. Unfortunately, despite POCUS revolutionising all facets of veterinary medicine, many ultrasound machines are underutilised in general small animal practice. This should not be the case! By asking clinically relevant, often binary yes/no questions, veterinary POCUS can be rapidly and efficiently learned and applied by anyone in almost any setting! So, dust off that ultrasound machine, go beyond looking for the urinary bladder to get a urine sample, and start using ultrasound to make a difference in in the daily assessment and management of your patients! Through practical, hands-on training using live dogs, participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice all of the common veterinary POCUS techniques currently used to assess the abdomen, pleural space, lung, and heart. Phantoms training models will also be used to demonstrate and practice ultrasound guided vascular access. This lab will focus on techniques developed by the instructors, designed to increase veterinary POCUS diagnostic accuracy, and help facilitate easier application into everyday veterinary practice. These are all techniques that can be performed by any practitioner and should be used in everyday practice! We will also briefly review basic ultrasound machine function and probe manipulations. One of two prerequisites must be met to enrol in this lab. Participants must complete VPOCUS: Practical Applications for GPs Distance Education or online lectures through Calgary.

This small group workshop is designed to give you a basic understanding of small animal (dog and cat) echocardiography. Major topics will include ultrasound principles, normal cardiac anatomy and physiology. Also included will be techniques for achieving quality 2D and M-mode images and results, case presentations of important diseases and emergency cases, as well as plenty of opportunity for hands-on scanning of normal dogs. Individual coaching of how to obtain 2D and M-mode echocardiographic views and measurements (taught in the lectures) will be the main focus. Requirements: No prior experience or knowledge is required to participate in this workshop.

Navigating the shift from routine veterinary consults to emergency cases demands a unique skill set. The upcoming conference, led by experienced expatriate Australian vets Kate Hopper and Dominic Barfield, and supported by local experts Merrin Hicks and Sam Long, promises to equip attendees with the skills for seamless transitions.