Super Saver Rate

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Asheville – North Carolina 2026

May 1 - 3, 2026

Original price was: $1,045.00.Current price is: $945.00.

Topics:
Exotic Pet Medicine – Dr. Kristen Turner
Exotic Pet Medicine – Dr. Logan Kopp

Earn 15 hours of RACE approved high quality practical CE from two experts in Veterinary Exotic Pet Medicine and expand your knowledge in Asheville.

Asheville is a city in western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Our home base is the Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downton, newly constructed in December 2023.  The hotel stay includes an extensive breakfast buffet with made to order eggs and a cocktail hour that starts your evening every night. Asheville is known for a vibrant arts scene and historic architecture, including the dome-topped Basilica of Saint Lawrence. The vast 19th-century Biltmore estate displays artwork by masters like Renoir. The Biltmore has horseback riding and wine tasting in their own winery. The Downtown Art District is filled with galleries and museums, and in the nearby River Arts District, former factory buildings house artists’ studios.  It is within 90 minutes to the entrance of Smoky National Park and entrance is free.  Lots of waterfalls and hiking trails to explore.

May 1, 2026
11:30-1pm REGISTRATION: Sign in and Pick a seat! Blue Ridge Ballroom
1-1:10 Welcome
1:10-2pm Hopping Into Health: Mastering the Rabbit Physical Exam and Preventative Care
2:10-3:25pm Tooth or Dare: Intro to Exotic Companion Mammals
3:25-3:45pm BREAK
3:45-5pm Hands-On, Ears Up: Mastering the Physical Exam in Exotic Companion Mammals
5:10-6pm Blood and Beyond: Interpreting Hematology and Chemistry in Exotic Companion Mammals
6:15-7:15pm WELCOME MINGLE E'terie Terrace

May 2, 2026
Breakfast 7am-8 am E'terie restaurant for hotel guests
8-8:50am Nap Time, Not Panic: Sedation Strategies for Exotic Companion Mammals
9-9:50am Zoonoses and Public Health Considerations in Exotic Pet Practice
10-10:50am Coat Chaos: Crusty, Itchy, Bald—Skin Cases in Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas
10:50-11:10am BREAK AND SNACK
11:10–12am Mastering Rabbit Spay and Neuter
12:10-1pm Not Just Skin Deep: Dermatological Lesions of Rabbits and Ferrets
1pm EXPLORE AND ENJOY ASHEVILLE!

May 3, 2026
Breakfast 7am-8 am E'terie restaurant for hotel guests
8-8:50am Why “They Hide Pain” Isn’t an Excuse: Rethinking Analgesia in Exotics
9-9:50am Recognizing and Treating the Big Three in Ferrets
10-10:50pm The Twisted Truth: Liver Lobe Torsion in Rabbits
10:50am -11:10am BREAK AND SNACK
11:10-12am Tiny Trouble: Medical Mysteries in African Pygmy Hedgehogs and Sugar Gliders
12:10-1pm Wheezes and Sneezes: Respiratory Disease in Exotic Companion Mammals
1pm BOOK YOUR NEXT VET VACATION!

Save with Early Registration

Super Saver Rate: $945 with 90 days advanced registration
VetVacationCE Rate: $995 from 89 days to 45 days advanced registration
JetSetter Rate: $1045 less than 45 days advanced registration

Technician Discount

If you are a technician, use Coupon Code TECH75 for $75 off the regular registration rate.

RACE approved CE

15 Hours of RACE approved for CE for Veterinarians and Technicians.

Your Destination

Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown

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Call in: 828-407-0422
Referring Code/Group Name:
Room Rate: $229 King 2 room suite or 2 Double beds 2 room suite plus 13% taxes double occupancy

Accommodations are limited at this special rate. Please book and register early!
Cancellations can be made up to 3 pm 2 days prior to your check in. No shows will be charged a 1 night no show fee.
Breakfast vouchers will be given to each room, 2 per King room and 4 per double bed room.
Parking rate $15 (reduced from $30) per night for hotel guests.
Check in 4 pm, Check out 11 am

Getting There

There are two airports in the area. The closest airport is Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) 15 miles away. The second closest is Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP), located approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours away.

Exotic Pet Medicine

Kristen Turner, DVM, DABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal Practice)

Kristen Turner, DVM, DABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal Practice) graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She practiced at small and exotic animal hospitals across Texas for over 10 years, treating a variety of species and mentoring numerous veterinary students and early career veterinarians. She now lives in the small Central American country of Belize with her husband and their 3 dogs, where she provides virtual support and continuing education to exotic animal veterinarians through her business, The Exotic Vet Consultant. She also provides travel locum services to exotics practices and veterinary teaching hospitals across the United States. She is a member of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association where she serves as chair of the Exotic Animal Practice Committee and is active in the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians and the Association of Avian Veterinarians. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, painting and traveling the world with her husband.

Presentation Synopsis

1. Hopping Into Health: Mastering the Rabbit Physical Exam and Preventative Care
2. Mastering Rabbit Spay and Neuter: How to Approach ‘Routine’ Procedures In a Not-So-Routine Species
3. Tooth or Dare: Intro to Exotic Companion Mammal Dentistry (75 minutes)
4. Not Just Skin Deep: Dermatological Lesions of Rabbits and Ferrets
5. Why “They Hide Pain” Isn’t an Excuse: Rethinking Analgesia in Exotics
6. Recognizing and Treating the Big Three in Ferrets
7. The Twisted Truth: Liver Lobe Torsion in Rabbits

Exotic Pet Medicine

Logan Kopp, DVM, DABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal Practice)

A Nashville native, Dr. Kopp received his Bachelor of Science degree from Lipscomb University and his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville (UTK). Dr. Kopp is the only practicing exotic companion mammal specialist in the State of Tennessee, offering his patients the highest level of medicine and surgery. His specialty includes rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, rats, mice, degus, chinchillas, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, and other exotic companion mammals. He has been a featured presenter at several national conferences and has taught hundreds of veterinarians with his “Basics of Rabbit Medicine” course on the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He is a consultant on VIN, helping veterinarians worldwide with their exotic companion mammal cases. Dr. Kopp is proud to be the only GOLD-level rabbit-friendly veterinarian in North America, having been certified by the Rabbit Welfare and Association Fund, and is proud to be featured on the House Rabbit Society Website as a rabbit veterinarian. He is also RECOVER certified BLS/ALS rescuer, a cat friendly veterinarian by AAFP, and Low Stress Handling Certified in dogs and cats.  Dr. Kopp is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, the British Veterinary Association, and he subscribes to multiple other journals as well allowing him to be up to date with the most current evidence-based medicine.

Presentation Synopsis

1. Nap Time, Not Panic: Sedation Strategies for Exotic Companion Mammals
2. Zoonoses and Public Health Considerations in Exotic Pet Practice
3. Coat Chaos: Crusty, Itchy, Bald—Skin Cases in Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas
4. Tiny Trouble: Medical Mysteries in African Pygmy Hedgehogs and Sugar Gliders
5. Hands-On, Ears Up: Mastering the Physical Exam in Exotic Companion Mammals 75 min
6. Wheezes and Sneezes: Respiratory Disease in Exotic Companion Mammals
7. Blood and Beyond: Interpreting Hematology and Chemistry in Exotic Companion Mammals