Guiding Choices: The GP Role in Pet Cancer Treatment and Palliative Care
No one wants to hear the word, “cancer,” but sadly it is a leading cause of death in our pets. Veterinarians have to give pet owners this devastating news all too often, and these conversations can be challenging but necessary. In this presentation we will cover how to discuss cancer with pet owners and explain the differences in treatments between animals and people, types of treatments, and goals with therapy. Pet owners often have lots of questions for the primary veterinarian prior to referral and we will walk through commonly asked questions.
Rachel Venable
DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Immunotherapy in Veterinary Oncology: Past Present and Future
Veterinary oncology has seen significant advancements in immunotherapy, offering novel treatment approaches for companion animals diagnosed with cancer. Immunotherapy aims to harness the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancerous cells, reducing reliance on traditional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This lecture discusses key immunotherapeutic strategies, available products, and clinical advancements in veterinary oncology.
Craig Clifford
DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
Time: 1:10 pm - 2:10 pm
Less Fear, More Hope: How Research is Driving New Strategies in Hemangiosarcoma Treatment and Prevention
Hemangiosarcoma remains one of the most challenging and devastating diseases in veterinary medicine. Its heterogeneity and aggressive nature have made meaningful therapeutic progress frustratingly slow. This session will introduce a forward-thinking approach that combines cutting-edge targeted therapies with rationally designed preventative strategies, offering hope for better outcomes for patients, clients, and veterinary teams alike.
Attendees will explore original research from the University of Minnesota on eBAT, a first-in-class bispecific targeted angiotoxin. eBAT is designed to selectively eliminate tumor cells and tumor-initiating cells, offering dual potential as both a therapeutic and preventive option in high-risk canine populations.
Antonella Borgatti
DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), DECVIM-CA
Time: 2:20 pm - 3:20 pm
VetCE Virtual: Oncology in Practice: Essentials for the Everyday Vet
November 8, 2025 @ 12 pm - 3:30 pm ET
Speakers

Rachel Venable
DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
Dr. Venable is Board Certified as a medical oncologist from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Dr. Venable has always been surrounded by animals growing up on a farm in the Midwest. She obtained her veterinary degree from the University of Missouri and graduated cum laude. After veterinary school, Dr. Venable pursued further training as a small animal intern at the University of Georgia. She then completed her 3 year medical oncology residency at the world renowned Colorado State Flint Animal Cancer Center. During her residency, she achieved a master’s degree and studied new cancer therapies and clinical trials. She continues to seek out clinical trials and cutting edge therapies for her patients. Dr. Venable has authored numerous publications and has been a speaker on local and national levels. She is the founder of Pet Cancer Care Consulting an innovative teleconsulting service which consults with the family vet and pet owner together to give personalized responses and needed information to make an informed decision on treatments. She is also a VIN consultant, research consultant, and was an adjunct professor of veterinary oncology at Midwestern University. She is a member of many organizations and currently a director to the board of the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association. Her oncology philosophy is one of a team-based approach with the family and referring veterinarians for compassionate, individualized care, and optimal quality of life for cancer patients and their families.
Dr. Venable enjoys the outdoors and being on the trail with her wonderful husband and their young daughters. Service opportunities are important to them as they volunteer at church and abroad as her husband works for a non-profit building schools in the developing world. Together they go on projects all over the globe with Be The Change Volunteers.

Craig Clifford
DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
Dr. Craig Clifford graduated from Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine and received an MS in Animal Science/Virology from the University of Delaware. After completing an internship and a medical oncology residency at the University of Pennsylvania, he became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology) in 2003. He is a medical oncologist at BluePearl Malvern and was previously the director of BluePearl Science.
He is active in clinical research within a referral setting and serves as an advisory board member with industry and non-profit foundations. He has authored/co-authored over 70 papers and book chapters and is a frequent lecturer at major veterinary meetings in the USA and abroad. Dr. Clifford is a member of the Mars Veterinary Oncology Advisory Board, has served on many VCS and ACVIM committees, is a member of the Oncology Pathology Working Group, and was an Examiner for the Australian Scientist’s Oncology Specialty Exam.

Antonella Borgatti
DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), DECVIM-CA
Dr. Borgatti graduated cum laude from the University of Torino, Italy in 1996. After three years in general practice, she received a scholarship to pursue specialized training in oncology at North Carolina State University where she subsequently remained as a Research Associate, Oncology Intern, and Clinical Instructor in Oncology. She completed a Residency in Comparative Oncology at Purdue University where she also received a Master of Sciences Degree in 2006. Dr. Borgatti became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology) in 2006 and a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2007. She worked at a specialty referral hospital in North Carolina for two years before joining the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 2008. She is currently a Professor of Oncology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Member of the Masonic Cancer Center, Member of the Vallera laboratory, and Director of the Oncology residency program.
Why Attend?
The VetCE Virtual event series of micro-conferences is designed to deliver multiple approved RACE and/or CVPM CE credits in a concise, half-day virtual format with three consecutive one-hour presentations. The series not only provides you with the opportunity to benefit from educational sessions presented by expert speakers but also offers an easy way to learn and earn credits from the comfort of your home or office!
VetCE Virtual events cover a wide range of topics, from detailed medical discussions to practice management and other non-medical subjects relevant to everyday situations encountered by veterinary professionals. If you’ve already registered and happen to miss the live event, no worries, you’ll be given access to the OnDemand courses once they become available (typically about three weeks after the live event) Recordings of the sessions will be accessible for viewing for 2 weeks following each event, providing participants with a valuable reference.
Please be advised that we can not issue CE certificates for only viewing the session recordings. Anyone who registers for a VetCE Virtual event but is unable to attend the live sessions will get free access to the VetCE OnDemand courses we create from the recordings on VetMedTeam so you can still get CE credits!
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