The American Association of Equine Practitioners invites equine veterinarians, veterinary students and technicians to discover new possibilities in equine health care during its 57^th Annual Convention, Nov. 18-22, in San Antonio, Texas. 

In its return to this popular meeting location, the Annual Convention remains the world’s largest continuing education event dedicated to equine veterinary practice. More than 4,000 equine veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians and exhibitors from around the world are expected to attend the Convention. 

This year’s educational program offers veterinarians more instructional “how-to” sessions than ever, with topics including wound management, ambulatory practice and reproduction. Other highlights from the program include two interactive sessions on basic and complex lameness and an in-depth panel discussion about the new “ABCs” of joint therapy. Business sessions will focus on achieving service excellence to stay competitive in the current economy. 

Other Convention highlights include: 

Keynote Speech: Service Excellence in Veterinary Practice – It Does Matter! During his 20-year career working for the Walt Disney World Company, business consultant Dennis Snow gained an a deep understanding of what it means to provide excellent customer service. Pulling from lessons he learned during his tenure at Disney, Snow will present “Service Excellence in Veterinary Practice – It Does Matter!” to help equine practitioners stay competitive, improve efficiency and ultimately better satisfy their clients. His keynote speech will be held Saturday, Nov. 19. 

Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture. Texas A&M University epidemiologist Dr. Noah Cohen will shed light on how clinical research can be applied to everyday equine practice during his Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture. This prestigious lecture will be held Sunday, Nov. 20. 

The AAEP Trade Show. More than 300 companies will showcase products and services at the annual Trade Show, open Saturday, Nov. 19, through Monday, Nov. 21. The Trade Show will host a health fair for practitioners, with opportunities to receive flu shots, professional health assessments and resources to live a healthy lifestyle.

AAEP Foundation Celebration. A social high-point of the Convention, the 15^th Annual Foundation Celebration, Monday, Nov. 21, is a night for practitioners to enjoy the company of their colleagues. Festivities include live music from the Randy Rogers Band, live and silent auctions, a dinner buffet, and an open bar. In 2010, the live and silent auctions raised more than $72,000 for the Foundation’s mission to support research, education, benevolence and the equine community. Tickets are required and may be purchased on site at the Convention. 

7^th Annual American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians Convention. The two-day program for technicians includes lectures, new focus sessions and wet labs. 

The Annual Convention will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in downtown San Antonio. More than 100 hours of continuing education credits will be available to attendees. Registration and housing are now available online at www.aaep.org/convention.htm. The deadline to save $75 on registration is Oct. 10.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse.  Currently, the AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 10,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.

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