Grand Canyon National Park 2026May 19 - 21, 2026
Original price was: $1,045.00.$945.00Current price is: $945.00.
Topics:
Geriatrics and End of Life – Dr. Mary Gardner
Anesthesia and Pain Management - Dr. Sheilah Robertson
Discover The Grand Canyon One of the Seven Wonders of the World
Grand Canyon National Park is one of America’s most distinguished landmarks and a natural wonder you must see to believe. Its rocky walls descend more than a mile to the canyon’s floor, displaying layered bands of colorful rock, revealing millions of years of geologic history. The Squire at Grand Canyon, a Holiday Inn Resort is located 0.5 miles from the Grand Canyon South Rim. Your chance to see one of the wonders of the world while earning 15 hours of very practical RACE approved CE on Anesthesia and Pain Management and End of Life Care.
To receive the lowest guaranteed hotel rate use the booking link provided in the blue box Make Reservation. If you need assistance with your hotel booking email jaime@vetvacationce.com
May 19, 2026
12:15-12:50pm REGISTRATION: Sign in and Pick a seat! Navajo Ballroom
12:50-1 Welcome
1-1:50pm Understanding and Reaching the Geriatric Pet Population
2-2:50pm Home Hacks for Mobility and Safety
3-3:50pm Home Hacks for Comfort and Quality of Life
3:50-4:10pm BREAK AND SNACK
4:10-5pm Old and Older – Here They Come!
5:10-6pm Purrfecting Your Acute Pain Assessment Skills
5:45-6:45pm WELCOME MINGLE Watch Tower Pool
May 20, 2026
7-8am BREAKFAST BUFFET for Attendees Desert Grill
8-8:50am Managing Chronic Pain and Mobility Issues in Dogs
9-9:50am Fatalities, Adverse Events and Accidents in Small Animal Anesthesia: Can We Do Better?
10-10:50am The Central Role of Ketamine
10:50-11:10am BREAK & SNACK
11:10–12noon The Heart of the Matter: Guiding Euthanasia Choices Through Comprehensive Quality of Life Assessments
12:10-1pm Guiding the Journey: Understanding Veterinary Hospice Care
1pm EXPLORE AND ENJOY GRAND CANYON!
May 21, 2026
7-8am BREAKFAST BUFFET for Attendees Desert Grill
8-8:50am The Euthanasia Experience Part 1
9-9:50am The Euthanasia Experience Part 2
10-10:50am Caregiver Burden
10:50-11:10am BREAK AND SNACK
11:10–12noon Unravelling the Challenges of Assessing and Managing Osteoarthritis in Cats
12:10-1pm Anesthesia for Brachycephalics
1pm VetVacationCE Concludes: BOOK YOUR NEXT VET VACATION!
Your Destination
The Squire at Grand Canyon, a Holiday Inn Resort
Referring Code/Group Name: VETVACATION
Room Rate: $199 for double occupancy hotel room plus 10.9% tax $20 each additional adult person. Max 4 people per room. Children under 18 are free. No shows will be charged for the entire stay.
Pet Fee of $35 extra per day
Resort fee includes:
Wifi Speed Internet in guest rooms and public space
Mini refrigerators in-room
Complimentary self-parking
Getting There
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) is the closest major international airport to the South Rim, the most visited part of the National Park; just over 3.5 hours' drive (231 miles). Sky Harbor is a busy airport welcoming flights and airlines from all over the world.
Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) is the closest commercial airline airport to the Grand Canyon (90 minute drive from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon)
Vet Vacation Registration
If you haven't already registered for your vet vacation, take a moment to register for your vet vacation now. Registration for the continuing education is separate from your hotel reservation.
Geriatrics and End of Life
Mary Gardner DVM
When it comes to the weak and wobbly dogs or skinny old cats, Dr. Mary Gardner falls in love instantly! But her professional career didn’t always revolve around animals. Dr. Gardner is a "second career" veterinarian who spent 10 years in enterprise-wide software design, implementation and marketing. However, a twist of fate changed her path and in 2008, Dr. Gardner graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. After a few years in general practice, she found her niche in helping geriatric and terminally ill pets and their owners. In 2010, she joined her classmate Dr. Dani McVety with Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice, which now employs over 400 veterinarians across the United States exclusively offering in home end of life care.
Dr. Gardner not only is a practicing veterinarian focusing on geriatric pet care, hospice and euthanasia but she is also the company’s CEO. Dr. Gardner’s professional goals are to increase awareness and medical care for the geriatric veterinary patient and the struggles that the families face, as well as educating the entire veterinary staff on the scientific and soft skills surrounding end of life care. She speaks on veterinary hospice, geriatric medicine, assessing quality
of life and euthanasia.
Presentation Synopsis
1. Understanding and Reaching the Geriatric Pet Population
2. Home Hacks for Mobility and Safety
3. Home Hacks for Comfort and Quality of Life
4. The Heart of the Matter: Guiding Euthanasia Choices Through Comprehensive Quality of Life Assessments
5. Guiding the Journey: Understanding Veterinary Hospice Care
6. The Euthanasia Experience Part 1
7. The Euthanasia Experience Part 2
8. Caregiver Burden
Pain Management
Sheilah Robertson BVMS, PhD, DACVAA, DECVAA, DACAW, DECAWBM (WSEL), CVA, MRCVS
Dr. Sheilah A Robertson BVMS (Hons), PhD, DACVAA, DECVAA, DACAW, DECAWBM (WSEL), CVA, MRCVS.
Dr. Robertson graduated from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. She spent time as a surgery intern followed by specialized training in anesthesia and analgesia including a PhD at Bristol University (United Kingdom). She is board certified in anesthesia and in animal welfare in the USA and Europe and holds a certificate in small animal acupuncture. She has been a faculty member at the University of Saskatchewan, Michigan State University, and the University of Florida. She spent 2 years as an assistant director in the division of Animal Welfare at the American Veterinary Medical Association. In 2014 she completed her graduate certificate in Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida. In 2019 she received her certification as a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Palliative and End-of-Life practitioner by the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine. She has published widely on the recognition and alleviation of acute pain in cats. Currently she is the senior medical director of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice, a large network of veterinarians dedicated to end-of-life care and in-home euthanasia throughout the USA, and she has now transitioned to Lap of Love Medical Advisor. Dr Robertson is also a courtesy Professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. She continues to volunteer at community cat clinics and High-Volume High Quality Spay and Neuter Programs.
Presentation Synopsis
1. Old and Older – Here They Come!
2. Purrfecting Your Acute Pain Assessment Skills
3. Managing Chronic Pain and Mobility Issues in Dogs
4. Fatalities, Adverse Events and Accidents in Small Animal Anesthesia: Can We Do Better?
5. The Central Role of Ketamine in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
6. Unravelling the Challenges of Assessing and Managing Osteoarthritis in Cats
7. Anesthesia for Brachycephalics
8. Anesthesia for C-Sections
Vet Vacation Registration
If you haven't already registered for your vet vacation, take a moment to register for your vet vacation now. Registration for the continuing education is separate from your hotel reservation.









