This past September, VEG ER for Pets took IVECCS 2026 to the next level! IVECCS (a.k.a. the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium) is the premier conference for emergency and critical care veterinary professionals. This year, more than 6,000 attendees participated both in person in Savannah, GA, and virtually—and more than 700 of them were VEGgies!
This year we did it all! We led educational sessions, celebrated VEGgie achievements, and connected with fellow vet med professionals at our gaming-inspired booth and interactive BARKcade. We showed what it means to level up emergency veterinary medicine, which was also our theme for this year’s conference! Here’s a look back at what happened this year.
Leveling Up and Leading Sessions
Learning and growth are an important part of every VEGgies’ journey—not only expanding our own skills, but teaching others too. IVECCS 2026 was no exception, with 15 VEG speakers giving veterinary education presentations highlighting new techniques, exploring emerging practices, and helping veterinary professionals strengthen their clinical skills.
VEGgies presented on a range of clinical topics, from all aspects of CPR certification and esophageal and gastric endoscopy to ultrasound guidelines and transfusion resuscitation. A few also focused their talks on important issues affecting the industry, including burnout, artificial intelligence, and equity in veterinary medicine. VEG presenters included:
Alex Blutinger, Senior Medical Director
Andrea Monnig, Director, Critical ER Education
Anusha Balakrishnan, Senior Director, Emergency Certificate Education
Avery Alston, Director, People Experience and DEI
Jenn Dow, Travel Nurse
Jenn Sager, Veterinary Nurse
Katie Hastings, Director, Nursing Leadership Enablement
Katie Mauro, Emergency Doctor
Ken Yagi, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer
Marlaina Hrosch, Director, Field Nursing Programs
Rita Hanel, Senior Director, Doctor Development
Soren Boysen, Director, Critical ER Education
A few VEGgies also contributed to the conference’s veterinary nursing education through case report presentations. Veterinary nurses Amanda Gerard, Andriana Vera, and Cindy Case each had the opportunity to present their work and share valuable clinical experiences with IVECCS attendees.
All of our presenters not only shared knowledge and insights about what’s next in emergency medicine, but also aimed to help others reach the next level in their ER careers.
Leveling Up Our Skills
Beyond leading sessions throughout the conference, our VEGgies powered up their own knowledge as well. IVECCS provided countless opportunities for our VEGgies to connect with industry colleagues, attend hands-on training workshops, and learn from experts in emergency and critical care—so they could gain new skills and techniques to bring back to their hospitals.
For our New ER Doctors (NERDS) especially, IVECCS is a valuable way to immerse themselves in the industry at an early stage in their career. This year, 171 NERDs attended IVECCS, giving them the opportunity to build on their clinical training, explore new areas of emergency medicine, and connect with veterinary professionals across the industry.
Sending our VEGgies to IVECCS is one of the many ways we support VEGgies in developing their skills, expanding their knowledge, and growing in their careers—whether they are new to ER or seasoned pros in vet med.
Leveling Up Our Achievements
IVECCS was also an opportunity to celebrate those who are making a difference in our industry, and this year, many VEGgies were recognized for their accomplishments. A huge shout out to Katie Groom, senior medical director of VEG Brentwood, who received the VECCS Practice Leader of the Year Award, an honor recognizing outstanding leadership in a veterinary emergency and critical care practice.
“I care so tremendously for my teams, so to know they feel the same way in return is really the ultimate prize,” Groom explained. “That means more to me than the award itself; to know that I have this team of people who see something in me that I sometimes struggle to see in myself.”
Many VEGgies also reached exciting milestones in their emergency veterinary nursing careers. After hours upon hours of learning and preparation, 18 VEGgies sat for the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) exam, and nine more were recognized at the Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians and Nurses (AVECCTN) pinning ceremony.
We can’t forget about the four VEGgies who competed in two heated RECOVER CPR battles—head-to-head competitions using their resuscitation skills. Jenn Dow, Travel Nurse and VTS; Angela Rathmann, Senior Manager of Veterinary Nursing Development; Cara McGowan, Veterinary Nurse; and Claudia Gonzalez, NERD, won their battles, showing their expert CPR knowledge, as well as their ability to work as a team and respond in critical situations. We’re incredibly proud of all of our VEGgies who were honored for their next-level emergency skills and leadership.
Leveling Up the Fun at our Booth and BARKcade
Another highlight: our IVECCS booth and BARKcade. We’re incredibly proud of how hard our VEGgies worked to create these interactive and engaging spots to gather, recharge, and have some unexpected fun!
Our “Level Up” theme was in full effect at our booth, which gave a nod to a retro gaming experience, with arcade-themed snacks and video games. We also surprised the thousands of attendees visiting our booth with glitter pen and holographic sticker giveaways—a throwback to early 2000s pop culture—as well as custom-designed blind boxes.
Our BARKcade really brought our gaming experience to life and gave visitors the chance to play, connect, and discover what #lifeatVEG is all about. From classic video games, to group racing games, to a claw machine, BARKcade attendees could earn points, compete for a spot on the live leaderboard (238 registered to play!), and enjoy some friendly competition. We also featured a “gameified" hospital feed showing what it’s really like in a VEG hospital and an animated map showing all of our VEG hospitals, as well as locations coming soon. Our gaming experience wouldn’t have been complete without snacks, so there were slushies, popcorn, and soft pretzels to give attendees a boost before returning to their busy conference schedules.
Between our booth and BARKcade, we gave attendees a place to connect, exchange ideas, and learn about career opportunities at VEG. Plus, they got an inside look at why the VEG experience is so unique—and why we’re not your normal veterinary ER.
Leveling Up After IVECCS
IVECCS 2026 may be over, but the learning opportunities continue. At VEG we find a way to say yes, so our VEGgies so they can do the unexpected—which means supporting them in their journey to advance their skills and pursue their career goals, and empowering them to take their work in veterinary emergency medicine to the next level. So while there will be many more opportunities to learn and grow in between, we can’t wait to see what IVECCS 2027 brings.
