VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK CITY

Webinar
2026-07-08 19:00 - 21:00 UTC, 2026-06-10 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York)

Executive Board Meeting
2026-06-10 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-05-06 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-03-31 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-03-04 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-02-04 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-01-14 16:30 - 18:30, 2025-11-13 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-03 16:30 - 18:30 UTC and 2 more dates

Practical Soft Tissue Surgery Tips
2026-05-06 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Practical Soft Tissue Surgery Tips
Speaker: Howard B. Seim III, DVM, DACVS
Howard B. Seim III, DVM, DACVS graduated from Washington State University, completed an internship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, a surgical residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is currently on the surgical staff at Colorado State University. He was recipient of the Merck AGVET Award for Creative Teaching, the CSU Award for Instructional Innovation and selected as the North American Veterinary Conference’s Small Animal Speaker of the Year in 2009. Dr. Seim is founder of VideoVet a Veterinary Surgery Continuing Education video series.

CE in the City
2026-04-25 08:00 - 17:00 UTC

Updates in Canine Allergy Therapies: A Case-Based Discussion
2026-03-31 19:00 - 21:00 UTC
Updates in Canine Allergy Therapies: A Case-Based Discussion
Allergies are one of the most common—and frustrating—conditions in general practice. In this interactive, case-based session, we’ll walk through real-world examples to help you confidently select the most appropriate systemic allergy therapy. Not every treatment fits every patient, so we’ll focus on matching medications to the level of itch and inflammation to restore comfort fast. Time permitting, we will discuss the most common diseases that mimic allergies, including pemphigus foliaceus, sebaceous adenitis, and cutaneous lymphoma. You’ll leave with practical, immediately applicable strategies to improve patient outcomes and client satisfaction.
Speaker: Mollie Mesman, DVM, DACVD
Mollie Mesman, DVM, DACVD is the dermatology consultant for all Southern Veterinary Partners and Mission Veterinary Partners practices and trains residents through Animal Dermatology Group. She earned her DVM from Louisiana State University and completed a small animal rotating internship at Auburn University and a dermatology residency with the Animal Dermatology Clinic in Marina del Rey, California. Her professional interests include allergies and treatment with immunotherapy, immune-mediated conditions, ear disease, and the many uses of topical therapy. Outside of work, Dr. Mesman stays active with her husband, Dr. Charley Aldridge, and their four children. She loves all things Boston Terrier, her backyard chickens, traveling, and cooking.

Annual Awards Reception
2026-03-21 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Little Sister Lounge, 112 East 11th Street, New York, NY, 10013

Breaking the “Cruciate Code”: What Every Clinician Should Know
2026-03-04 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Breaking the “Cruciate Code”: What Every Clinician Should Know
This presentation provides a comprehensive review of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injury in dogs, including anatomy, biomechanics, diagnosis, meniscal injury, and surgical and nonsurgical treatment options. Participants will learn how to perform and interpret physical exam maneuvers (drawer, tibial thrust), evaluate radiographs and advanced imaging, understand TPLO and conservative management planning principles, review postoperative expectations, and recognize common complications. The session also covers osteoarthritis management and client communication strategies.
Speaker: Renee McDougall, DVM, MPH, DACVS (Small Animal)
Dr. Renee McDougall earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania and her degrees in veterinary medicine (DVM) and public health (MPH) from Cornell University. Following her DVM/MPH, she returned to NYC to pursue advanced training, beginning with a rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center (2016-2017), an orthopedic surgical internship with the Veterinary Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Group (2017-2018), and a surgical residency at the Animal Medical Center (2018-2021).
Over the past year Dr. McDougall has been practicing as a boarded surgeon in New Jersey, not far from her home state of New York. As a surgeon, Dr. McDougall has a special interest in orthopedic and minimally invasive surgery and a passion for using research and teaching to improve population health. With these tools she believes we can build a healthier community with less need for surgeons like her.

Feline Tooth Resorption: From Pathogenesis to Practical Treatment
2026-02-04 19:00 - 21:00 UTC
Feline Tooth Resorption: From Pathogenesis to Practical Treatment
An in-depth overview of feline tooth resorption, including classification, pathophysiology, diagnostic challenges, and evidence-based treatment options. The session covers radiographic interpretation, pain assessment, and surgical considerations, offering clinicians a comprehensive approach to managing one of the most common yet misunderstood feline dental conditions.
Speaker: Michael C. Congiusta, DVM, DAVDC
Michael C. Conguista, DVM, DACDV is a board-certified veterinary dentist and oral surgeon whose clinical work spans the full spectrum of advanced dental and maxillofacial care. He has contributed to the scientific literature across multiple areas of veterinary dentistry and has a strong clinical focus on preserving and restoring traumatized teeth through modern endodontic and prosthodontic techniques, often allowing patients to avoid surgical extraction.
He is deeply dedicated to recognizing and treating the frequently overlooked pain associated with oral disease and is driven to provide the highest level of specialty care to improve both comfort and long-term outcomes. Dr. Congiusta’s skillset is especially valuable for patients with challenging oral or maxillofacial disorders, as well as those managing additional medical conditions. Clients consistently note his thoughtful, compassionate approach and his ability to communicate complex treatment plans with clarity and empathy.

Neuter & Cancer - What does the Data REALLY Say? / Liquid Biopsy & Personalized Cancer Medicine - Real or Meh?
2026-01-14 19:00 - 21:00 UTC
Neuter & Cancer – What does the Data REALLY Say?
In the last few years there has been an explosion of publications investigating spay/neuter and possible connections to increased cancers, osteoarthritis and other diseases. These publications have led to very strong opinions by a variety of veterinary stakeholders. We will review in this lecture the publications, the numbers of patients and what the data are really trying to tell us.
Liquid Biopsy & Personalized Cancer Medicine – Real or Meh?
Despite significant promise, the use of liquid biopsy and personalized medicine in veterinary oncology remains limited and fragmented. While circulating tumor DNA and other molecular markers offer the potential for earlier detection and improved disease monitoring, their clinical application in animals is still largely investigational due to lack of full validation studies. Cost, lack of standardization, and minimal regulatory oversight further constrain widespread adoption. Personalized medicine, though conceptually appealing, currently faces similar barriers—insufficient genomic databases, inconsistent sample quality, and limited access to targeted therapies. As a result, most veterinary cancer care continues to rely on traditional diagnostics and empiric treatment protocols rather than truly individualized, molecularly guided approaches.
Speaker: Philip J. Bergman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)
Philip J. Bergman, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Oncology)is the Senior Advisor for the Veterinary and Cancer Immunotherapy Programs at the Focused Ultrasound Foundation and he was the principal veterinary investigator for the fully licensed canine melanoma vaccine (Oncept). Dr. Bergman is an adjunct faculty member of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He was most recently the Global Director of Clinical Studies for Mars Veterinary Health and VCA (2024 and 2011-2023, respectively). He served as the Chief Medical Officer for BrightHeart Veterinary Centers from 2007 to 2011; from 1999 – June 2007 he was the head of the Donaldson-Atwood Cancer Center at AMC. After finishing veterinary school from Colorado State in 1990, he was an intern at Kansas State (90-91) and returned to CSU for his medical oncology residency (91-94) and then completed a PhD Fellowship in human cancer biology from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston (94-99). He was previously Chair of the ACVIM Board of Regents and President of the Veterinary Cancer Society.

Holiday Party
2025-12-02 20:00 - 23:00 UTC | Starchild Rooftop Bar & Lounge, 305 West 48th Street, New York, NY, 10036

Meeting the Behavioral Needs of Dogs and Cats
2025-12-02 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Secret Garden at Civilian Hotel, 305 West 48th Street, New York, NY, 10036
Speaker: Vanessa Spano, DVM, DACVB
Dr. Vanessa Spano, DVM, DACVB, is New York City’s first board-certified veterinary behaviorist and the Animal Medical Center’s first-ever veterinary behaviorist.
Dr. Spano received her B.A in Biology from Barnard College of Columbia University. She received her DVM degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College of the University of PEI in 2017 and subsequently completed a rotating small animal medicine and surgical internship at the ASPCA. Dr. Spano obtained her board certification in 2023 from the American College of Veterinarian Behaviorists after completing her residency under the mentorship of Dr. E’lise Christensen, DVM, DACVB. She previously served as Medical Director at the ASPCA’s Adoption Center in NYC and worked as a behavior consultant and per diem veterinarian for patients of NYPD’s Humane Law Enforcement. Her special interests include the implication of psychological trauma for patients part of cruelty cases, psychopharmacology, shelter medicine, and companion and farm animal welfare. She actively contributes to multiple scientific articles and received the Fear Free Grant for her research on pre-veterinary visit anxiolytics in shelter cats in 2023.
She and her family share their home with their 1 rescue puppy, Puppia, and 5 rescue cats, Little Prince, Dancer, Princess, Sunny D, and Brodie.
Sponsors:

Executive Board Meeting
2025-12-02 16:00 - 17:30 UTC | Secret Garden at Civilian Hotel, 305 West 48th Street, New York, NY, 10036

New York Vet Show
2025-11-06 08:00 - 2025-11-07 17:00 UTC | Jacob Javits Convention Center, 429 Eleventh Avenue, New York, NY, 10001

Big Apple Fall Veterinary Mixer
2025-11-05 19:00 - 22:00 UTC | Castell Rooftop Lounge, 260 West 40th Street, New York, NY, 10018

Executive Board Meeting
2025-10-22 16:30 - 18:30 UTC | Arno’s Ristorante, 141 West 38th Street, New York, NY, 10018

Cancelled - Practical Soft Tissue Surgery Tips
2025-10-01 19:00 - 20:00 UTC | Arno’s Ristorante, 141 West 38th Street, New York, NY, 10018
Speaker: Howard B. Seim III, DVM, DACVS
Dr. Seim graduated from Washington State University, completed an internship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, a surgical residency at the Animal Medical Center in New York City and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is currently on the surgical staff at Colorado State University. He was recipient of the Merck AGVET Award for Creative Teaching, the CSU Award for Instructional Innovation and selected as the North American Veterinary Conference’s Small Animal Speaker of the Year in 2009. Dr. Seim is founder of VideoVet a Veterinary Surgery Continuing Education video series.
Sponsors:

Advances in Canine Esophageal Disorders – New Insights & Treatment Approaches
2025-09-10 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | STATE Grill and Bar, 21 West 33rd Street, New York, NY, 10118
Speaker: Stanley L. Marks, BVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM (Internal Medicine, Oncology, Nutrition)
Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine
Dr. Stanley Marks graduated from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri, Columbia. He completed a small animal internal medicine residency at the University of Florida and an oncology residency at the University of California, Davis. Thereafter, Dr. Marks received his PhD degree in Nutrition from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, where he is currently a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology. Dr. Marks is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in the subspecialties of internal medicine, oncology, and nutrition. He is the past President of the Comparative Gastroenterology Society and the Director of the Companion Animal Gastrointestinal Laboratory at UC Davis that focuses on furthering our understanding and knowledge of canine and feline infectious enteropathies. In addition, Dr. Marks has clinical and research interests in deglutology, with an emphasis on canine esophageal motility disorders and gastroesophageal reflux. Dr. Marks has received 10 faculty teaching awards at UC Davis during his career and was honored to be selected the Speaker of the Year at the NAVC Conference and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Convention. In addition, he is the recipient of the 2022 AVMA Career Achievement in Canine Research Award. He has authored or co-authored over 150 manuscripts in the areas of canine and feline gastroenterology, has contributed over 60 textbook chapters, and has lectured extensively worldwide.
Sponsors:

Big Apple Summer Veterinary Mixer
2025-07-17 18:30 - 21:30 UTC | Castell Rooftop Lounge, 260 West 40th Street, New York, NY, 10018

Under Pressure: Glaucoma & Other Ophthalmic Emergencies
2025-05-07 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | Empire Steak House West, 237 West 54th Street, New York, NY, 10019
Speaker: Andréa Minella, DVM, PhD, DACVO
Andréa Minella, DVM, PhD, DACVO completed a BS in Animal Science followed by a DVM at Michigan State University. She stayed at Michigan State to complete a PhD in Comparative Medicine, during which she studied inherited retinal degenerations in cats and novel treatment strategies such as gene therapy and genome editing. Following completion of her dissertation, Dr. Minella completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the University of Wisconsin followed by a Comparative Ophthalmology residency at the University of California, Davis. She now serves as an Ophthalmologist and Medical Director at the Veterinary Eye Center (VEC) NYC, Long Island City location. She will soon be heading to Connecticut to lead VEC’s first Connecticut clinic this fall and is excited to bring VEC’s expert ophthalmology care to the pets of CT. Dr. Minella’s professional interests include retinal disease and genetics, treatment of corneal disease, and ophthalmic surgery. In her spare time, Dr. Minella enjoys spending time with her friends, family, husband, and pets Millie, Apollo, and Fred. A foodie and lover of the arts, she also enjoys exploring local events, cuisine, and artistic performances.
Sponsors:

Executive Board Meeting
2025-05-07 16:30 - 18:30 UTC | Empire Steak House West, 237 West 54th Street, New York, NY, 10019
