Please join PetDx at the new AAHA Con (formerly known as Connexity) at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego.

Exhibit Hall Booth #52/53

Visit the PetDx booth to learn more about OncoK9, the early cancer detection test for dogs and join the canine cancer screening movement.

Exhibit Hall Hours:

• Friday, September 22 from 9:50 AM – 5:00 PM
• Saturday, September 23 from 9:50 AM – 4:15 PM

Conference Program Sessions

Friday, September 22, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

• Title: Cancer: DNA Goes Off-Leash
• Speaker: Andi Flory, DVM DACVIM (Oncology), PetDx Chief Medical Officer
• Session Description: This session will provide an overview of the basic principles of cancer biology, including the types of genes involved in cancer and common classes of genomic alterations. The concepts of clonality and tumor heterogeneity as the basis for treatment resistance will also be discussed. The session will conclude with a review of the current state of cancer screening in humans and dogs, and how advances in cancer diagnostics and treatments in one species may benefit the other.
• Session URL: https://www.aaha.org/education/all-veterinary-professionals/aaha-con-2023/education-and-schedule/sessions-and-speakers/#andi-flory-session-1

Friday, September 22, 2023 @ 2:00 PM

• Title: The Importance of Early Cancer Detection in Dogs
• Speaker: Andi Flory, DVM DACVIM (Oncology), PetDx Chief Medical Officer
• Session Description: Major veterinary medical organizations agree that the early identification of cancer is important; however, current screening paradigms (annual/semi-annual physical exam and routine minimum database) are inadequate for early detection of most canine cancers. So, it’s probably no surprise to hear that most dogs are diagnosed with cancer after the family notices clinical signs due to the disease. This session will review data from a cohort of over 350 cancer-diagnosed dogs, evaluating how the disease came to clinical attention. The session will then discuss a novel, blood-based approach to cancer screening – liquid biopsy testing. The session will conclude by answering the question “when should I start screening a dog for cancer” by reviewing data from a large study of over 3,000 cancer-diagnosed dogs in which median age at cancer diagnosis was analyzed by breed and weight.
• Session URL: https://www.aaha.org/education/all-veterinary-professionals/aaha-con-2023/education-and-schedule/sessions-and-speakers/#andi-flory-session-2

Friday, September 22, 2023 @ 3:30 PM

• Title: Updates in Liquid Biopsy: From Cancer Screening to Post-Treatment Monitoring
• Speaker: Andi Flory, DVM DACVIM (Oncology), PetDx Chief Medical Officer
• Session Description: The clinical validation study of next-generation sequencing-based liquid biopsy testing for multi-cancer detection in dogs was published in 2022. This session will provide an overview of liquid biopsy technology, test performance, and the various applications of this testing in pre- and post-diagnosis use cases. Recent clinical laboratory experience will be reviewed, along with a series of interesting real-world case studies that demonstrate how this testing is being used in clinical practice.
• Session URL: https://www.aaha.org/education/all-veterinary-professionals/aaha-con-2023/education-and-schedule/sessions-and-speakers/#andi-flory-session-3

Friday, September 22, 2023 @ 4:30 PM

• Title: From clinical practice to clinical studies: Applying the veterinary skill set in new ways
• Speaker: Kate Wotrang, BA, RVT, VTS (Oncology)
• Session Description: Veterinary professionals have a unique skill set that can be applied in a variety of settings. This session will follow the journey of one veterinary technician specialist from working in a high-volume oncology practice to a role as a Clinical Research Associate in a fast-paced veterinary diagnostic laboratory. She will discuss how the hands-on experience and knowledge gained in the clinic has helped her contribute to the development of large-scale clinical studies, including the design and deployment of the CLASSiC (Cancer Lifetime Assessment Screening Study in Canines) Study, a multi-year longitudinal study to assess the clinical utility of regular cancer screening across a dog’s lifespan. An overview of the current status of the CLASSiC study will be provided, along with some interesting case studies from CLASSiC patients.
• Session URL: https://www.aaha.org/education/all-veterinary-professionals/aaha-con-2023/education-and-schedule/sessions-and-speakers/#kate-wotrang