2024 MVMA Spring CE Conference (In-Person)


Sunday, May 19, 2024
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (EDT)
* Registration open until 5/15/24 at 11:00 AM (EST)
* Registration open until 5/15/24 at 11:00 AM (EST)
Category: MVMA CE Event

Pre-registration is closed. You can register on-site on Sunday!

The MVMA is back in-person for our Spring CE Conference! 

Join us for 6 CE hours of concurrent education sessions, our annual meeting, exhibitor showcase, networking with colleagues, and more! 

PLEASE NOTE: There is NO hybrid/virtual option for this event. This is an in-person conference.

Conference flyer


Track 1

Emergency Medicine for the General Practitioner  (6 CE)
Adesola Odunayo, DVM, MS, DACVECC

This six hour session will cover the most common and most important interventions general practitioners should be familiar with in the management of the emergent patient. Tips for patient stabilization and life-saving interventions will be highlighted as well as recent updates in emergency and critical care.


Track 2 

Veterinary Endocrinology (6 CE)
Patty Lathan, VMD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)

Case-Based Approach: How to diagnose (1 hr) and treat (1 hour) canine Cushing’s syndrome

Case-Based Approach: How to recognize (30 min), diagnose (30 min) and treat “typical” (30 min) and atypical (30 min) Addison’s disease in dogs.

What’s new in the treatment of diabetes?: Overview of goals of treating diabetes in dogs and cats, using insulin (30 min) and SGLT2-inhibitors (30 min) to treat diabetic cats, and insulin (30 min) to treat diabetic dogs.


Track 3

Essentials of Surgical Oncology for the General Practitioner  (6 CE) 
Nicole S. Amato, DVM, DACVS (SA)

Solid tumor malignancies are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in veterinary patients. Considering that surgery is often the first line of defense in the treatment of dogs and cats with solid tumors, having a thorough understanding of the basic principles of surgical oncology is vital to ensure a successful outcome. The lecture series will lead with an introduction to the basic concepts of surgical oncology, including solid tumor diagnostics, proper methods of performing fine needle aspirates and tissue biopsies, best practices when submitting samples to the pathology lab and importance of staging in the comprehensive management of these cancers.

We will delve into the principles of skin, subcutaneous and mucosal tumor removal, reviewing the concept of ‘surgical dose’, and how to achieve adequate surgical margins without causing unnecessary morbidity. We will review useful surgical and non-surgical closure options, tension-relieving techniques and other postoperative strategies that lead to success.  Focusing on three different types of solid tumors, we will review the diagnostic and surgical treatment strategies for specific malignancies, including dermal and subcutaneous mast cell tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, and oral melanomas.

We will also touch upon the importance of multi-modal therapy in the management of these types of cancer when surgery is not enough to cure our patients of their cancer burden. A discussion on the ethical considerations surrounding oncologic surgical decision-making will be presented, followed by an introduction to the burgeoning concept of comparative oncology, which is allowing dogs and cats to serve as models for various cancers in a way that is benefiting both humans and veterinary patients alike.

We will conclude with a review of some exciting developments on the horizon and the future direction of veterinary surgical oncology in general.


MVMA Cancellation Policy
14 days prior to conference - 50% refund
No refunds issued within 14 days of conference

At this time, the MVMA is not requiring vaccinations, boosters, or masks at in-person events. We will continue to adhere to the public health restrictions set forth by individual communities and will alert you of any changes to this policy. Complimentary face coverings will be offered at the registration desk for those who would like them.


Thanks to our Sponsors!

* Registration open until 5/15/24 at 11:00 AM (EST)
* Registration open until 5/15/24 at 11:00 AM (EST)


DoubleTree Hotel - Westborough


Speaker Bios

Adesola Odunayo, DVM, MS, DACVECC

Adesola Odunayo is the Michael Schaer Distinguished Professor of Emergency and Critical Care at the University of Florida. She attended veterinary school at Oklahoma State University (2005) and completed a rotating internship at Hollywood Animal Hospital, Hollywood FL. She then completed an emergency and critical care internship at the Animal Emergency Center in Glendale, WI and a residency in emergency and critical care at the University of Missouri (2010). Her clinical interests are diverse but the absolute favorite part of her job is being by her patients’ bedside. She also enjoys research studies that answer practical clinical questions and has a focus in acid suppression and venous access. Outside of work, she is drawn to culinary adventures and traveling the world.


Patty Lathan, VMD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)

Patty Lathan, VMD, MS, DACVIM, is a Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Louisiana State University. She earned her VMD from the University of Pennsylvania, then completed an internship at Mississippi State University and a residency in small animal internal medicine at Purdue University. Dr. Lathan specializes in endocrinology, specifically adrenal function testing, diabetes mellitus, and the mitigation of side effects of glucocorticoids. She is currently past-president of the Society for Comparative Endocrinology.


Nicole Amato, DVM, DACVS (SA)

Dr. Nicole Amato graduated from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, receiving her doctorate in veterinary medicine in 2004. Her clinical training began as a small animal rotating intern at the New England Animal Medical Center in Bridgewater, MA and culminated in the completion of a three-year joint residency in small animal surgery at Tufts and Angell Animal Medical Center. After being accepted as a Diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2009, Dr. Amato remained in the Tufts Community as a small animal surgeon working at Tufts V.E.T.S and since has held positions at VCA South Shore Animal Hospital, Veterinary Neurology and Pain Management Center of New England and Boston West Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center. She is currently practicing soft tissue surgery at Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital (MVRH) in Woburn, Massachusetts. 

Dr. Amato enjoys all aspects of soft tissue surgery, but has special interest in surgical oncology, skin reconstruction following large tumor resections, hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal surgery, and the surgical management of extrahepatic portosystemic shunts. Dr. Amato's research interests include canine osteosarcoma, the medical and surgical management of cancer metastasis, and extrahepatic portosystemic shunts. She is currently the program director of the MVRH small animal surgery residency, devoting much of her time to developing the program and mentoring new surgeons

For More Information:

Laurie Despotopulos

Laurie Despotopulos

Association Administrator, Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA)