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College of Veterinary Medicine

Registration Opens for Upcoming Symposium on Medicine of Aquatics, Amphibians, and Reptiles

October 6, 2023

Giant tortoises interacting under shady trees

A unique learning opportunity is coming to Lynn Hall next month with a focus on the skillsets needed to treat exotic animal species. Registration is now open for the 4th biennial Medicine of Aquatics, Amphibians, and Reptiles (MOAAR) Symposium, which will be hosted by Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Exotic Animal Medicine Club Saturday and Sunday, November 11 and 12. 

The popular conference attracts participants and veterinary students from Purdue, as well as other veterinary schools in the surrounding states. The event will feature two concurrent track options – Reptile/Amphibian and Aquatic. Participants can also choose to attend hands-on wet labs. Those who are not able to attend in real-time can register for sessions remotely.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Dan Meakin, a Cincinnati area veterinarian who specializes in exotics and orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. He will open the symposium Saturday morning with an engaging lecture entitled, “All Creatures Great and Small.” After the Keynote presentation, Dr. Meakin will give several additional talks, including, “Beardies for Weirdies,” “Ball Pythons: America’s Favorite Serpent,” and “Tortoises and Terrapins: Don’t Be Afraid of Their Shell.” He also will lead hands-on labs covering Turtle Shell Repair and Turtle/Tortoise Handling and Physical Exams. 

Additional MOARR speakers and topic include:

  • Tim Arlowe – Anatomy of Lizards and Snakes
  • Heather Barron, DVM – Be Gull-able: Seabird Medicine
  • Sam Bradley, DVM – Introduction to Penguin Medicine
  • Lori Corriveau, DVM, DABVP – Fish Anesthesia, Biopsy, and Blood Draw
  • Kathryn Gamble, DVM, MS, DACZM, DECZM (ZHM) – Learning an ‘Axolotl’: Amphibian Preventative Medicine and Veterinary Assessments
  • Lydia Hall, DVM – Shark and Ray
  • Tomohito Inoue, DVM – Sea Lion Anesthesia
  • Nicholas Jew, DVM – Herptile Emergencies, Care of Captive Amphibians: Husbandry and Wellness
  • Olivia Petritz, DVM, DACZM – Current Updates in Reptile Therapeutics, Reptile Radiology and Case Review
  • Maria Sepulveda, DVM, PhD – Multiple Stressors in Aquatic Systems: New Solutions to an Old Problem
  • Levi Smith, DVM – Pinniped Keratopathy and Other Ocular Diseases of Pinnipedimorpha
  • Steve Thompson, DVM, DABVP – Turtle/Tortoise Handling and Physical Exam

Click here to learn more about the symposium. Click here to register.

Writer(s): Tom Mauch and Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

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