Managing common medical problems in practice today
March 6–8, 2026
Deborah Greco D.V.M., Ph.D.
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Palm Springs CA.
Michael Lappin D.V.M., Ph.D.
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Professor of Medicine
Colorado State University
Dr. Deb Greco is an endocrinologist who has spent years studying diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats and pioneered many studies on managing Type II diabetic cats. Dr. Mike Lappin has been working with infectious causes of gastrointestinal disease and urinary tract diseases in cats his whole career. He has completed many studies associated with diarrhea, in particular, those where probiotics were used. Deb and Mike have collaborated on many research projects together and have lectured together all over the world and IVS believes you will love their interactive skills while providing you valuable information to use in your practices.
Speakers & Topics
Dr. Lappin:
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Is it immune or infectious? What infections to rule out before increasing the dose of steroids in your IMA, ITP and polyarthritis cases.
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The truth about Giardia!
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How to best use pre, pro, and synbiotics in management of your GI cases.
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Non-pharmacological management of stress diseases in cats
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Diagnosis and management of acute and chronic respiratory infections in cats.
Dr. Greco:
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Dry as a Bone: Hydration in cats and dogs
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Advances in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism in cats and dogs
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Hyperthyroidism in cats: Pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment
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Cushing’s syndrome in dogs: Challenges in diagnosis and treatment
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Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes: Addisons disease and beyond
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Calcium disorders in dogs and cats
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Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Acromegaly in the Cat
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Canine diabetes–insulin therapy, nutrition and monitoring
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Growth hormone disorders of cats and dogs
Schedule
| Registration | Friday March 6, 2026 | 7:15 am – 8:00 am |
| Breakfast | Daily | 7:15 am – 8:00 am |
| Lectures | Friday March 6, 2026 | 8:00 am – 1:30 pm |
| Saturday March 7 | 8:00 am – 1:30 pm | |
| Sunday March 8 | 8:00 am – 1:00 pm |
Accommodations
The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa is a Palm Springs resort and hotel where the picturesque mountain views and secluded location create the perfect escape. Our Palm Springs hotel is the perfect place to unwind. Enjoy the best Palm Springs Golf on one of our championship courses, lounge at any of our three pools, splash down our 60-foot waterslide or enjoy a delectable meal at one of our Palm Springs restaurant options, including the signature Pinzimini restaurant. A soothing sanctuary awaits those looking for a rejuvenating desert retreat with our expansive Palm Springs resort spa featuring treatments for everyone. Discover the ultimate oasis at The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa. Escape with us.
Price
Group Run of House room rate: $295.00 dbl per night plus taxes & fees
*Run of House means the best available room at the time of check-in.
Additional Fees (subject to change without notice):
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State and local taxes are currently 13.3%
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Business Improvement Development Assessment fee is currently 2%
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The hotel rates above are based on single or double occupancy. For additional adults (anyone over the age of 18yrs) staying in the room, with a max of 4 people per room, there is an additional fee of $35 per night, per additional person.
Reduced Resort fee:$20.00 per room, per night, plus tax. The Westin has discounted the resort fee for our group. Normally the resort Charge is $37.00 per day plus tax. Resort Charge includes:
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Premium Wi-Fi access in Guestrooms and Meeting Room Wi-Fi access (for general browsing)
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Daily Social Hour from 4:30pm – 5:30pm featuring house wine, domestic beer and batch craft cocktails
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In Room Bottled Water
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Access to Little Links Miniature Golf Course
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Access to Westin Workout Fitness Studio
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Two-hour bike rental per stay for up to 2 guests
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Self Parking
Terms
Check-In: 3:00pm; Check-Out: 12:00pm (noon)
Cancellations: Because it is high season in Palm Springs, you will be charged for 2 nights room and tax if you cancel within 14 days of your scheduled arrival. No-shows will be charged for their complete scheduled stay.
An early departure fee of one night’s room rate will apply if a guest checks out prior to the confirmed check-out date.
Late check-outs are solely at the discretion of the hotel and are based on availability on the day of check-out. Guests staying in their rooms beyond the check-out time without the Resort’s authorization will be charged a one night’s penalty.
Room Description
The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa, a Palm Springs hotel provide guests with an array of accommodations. All of our oversized guestrooms & suites showcase soothing taupe tones with textured accents. You’ll enjoy an amazing night’s sleep in our Westin Heavenly Bed®, with crisp, white 250–thread count sheets and custom mattresses. We also feature the Heavenly Bath for a spa-like shower experience.
Our Palm Springs hotel rooms feature nine different guestroom experiences. Our traditional guestrooms are 525 square feet with a private balcony. Upgrade your traditional room and enjoy a resort, pool or golf view from the privacy of your balcony. Indulge in the unsurpassed luxury of a suite. Our Palm Springs hotel suites range from 600 square feet to over 2,000 square feet. Enjoy oversized private balconies, living areas, breathtaking views and more.
Standard amenities in all our Palm Springs hotel rooms and suites include a working desk equipped with outlets, the Westin Heavenly Bed with a oversized down comforter and hypo-allergenic pillows, cable television with in-room movies and a private balcony or patio with patio furniture. Guest bathrooms include double sinks, deluxe bath amenities, make-up/shaving mirror and a hair dryer.
Things To Do
Golfing:
Listed as one of Golf Digest’s® Top 75 Golf Resorts in North America, The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa is truly a golfers dream. Our Palm Springs golf resort features two championship Troon golf courses that are available to guests, the Pete Dye course adjacent to the resort and the Gary Player Signature Course. Pete Dye is one of the game’s top designers, and his designs often host major championships. Gary Player offers a wide array of expertise from winning 165 tournaments
Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism
Set amongst lush landscaping and calming desert scenery, The Spa at Westin Mission Hills offers guests a chance to get back to their best self. Soothing scents of green tea fill the air with dim lighting and earthy tones creating a tranquil Palm Springs spa environment.
Need To Know
Registration
Online registration is easy and fast. But please confirm your hotel reservations prior to completing your registration or booking flights. Many Hotels are selling out many months ahead of our seminars. If you need to book a hotel room, click the link to the online hotel registration page. If none is available for your selected seminar, please fill out our hotel request form or contact our office at 800-487-5650. Please note that hotel rooms are not confirmed until you receive confirmation from the hotel (if you booked online thru our group link) or from our office for hotels that do not offer the online link.
IVS is now required by AAVSB RACE to upload your completed attendance into their “RACEtrack” system. Your state of license and your license number are required for all seminars starting in January 2022. More information is available at https://www.aavsb.org/ce-
Early Bird: $1145.00
Advanced: $1165.00
Regular: $1185.00
Special Pricing:
- Veterinary Technicians receive an $80 discount using promo code “techsaver”. Enter the code during checkout in the submit promotion code box.
For International Travel
Passport requirements for international travel
Please note that all passengers traveling by air to or from the United States will be required to hold a valid passport. This requirement applies to all passengers, including U.S. citizens, traveling to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
When planning international travel, please be sure that you are in possession of all required documents for both outbound and return flights. Remember to allow ample time for acquiring official travel documents.
For complete information on the U.S. Department of State’s New Travel Initiative Requirements, please visit travel.state.gov.
Pricing
Because it is high season in Palm Springs, you will be charged for 2 nights room and tax if you cancel within 14 days of your scheduled arrival. No-shows will be charged for their complete scheduled stay.
An early departure fee of one night’s room rate will apply if a guest checks out prior to the confirmed check-out date.
Late check-outs are solely at the discretion of the hotel and are based on availability on the day of check-out. Guests staying in their rooms beyond the check-out time without the Resort’s authorization will be charged a one night’s penalty.
Global Vet Community Meets CE Experiences
IVS trips are designed to meet your CE requirements while offering a break from traditional, conference-style learning. With focused half-day sessions, small-group learning, and destinations worth the journey, IVS creates close-knit communities where education feels both engaging and rewarding.
Earn Your CE Credits
IVS makes it easy — and worth the trip — to keep your CE hours current. Each trip includes 12–18 CE credit hours, along with access to a dedicated portal where certificates and trip details are easy to find when you need them.
Explore the World
Choose from 50+ destinations worldwide, including classic travel locations and Bio Bio adventure trips. No matter the setting, IVS seminars are structured to support focused learning in an environment that feels immersive — not overwhelming.
Connect With Your Community
IVS brings together veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and leading specialists in intentionally small groups. Designed for shared experience and meaningful discussion, these seminars foster professional connections that last well beyond your trip.
Get More from Every Trip
With points earned for every trip you attend, bonuses for referring friends, and a convenient user portal for tracking and seminar details, IVS makes earning your CE credits even more rewarding.
Postcards from Our Trips
From close to home to destinations abroad, hear what veterinary professionals are saying about their IVS experience.
The speakers were excellent, as were the accommodations. I love coming to IVS Seminars.”
I enjoyed this conference VERY much! The speakers were engaging and superb. I had a surgery day this past Tuesday and have implemented several of their pearls of knowledge!”
The trip was just perfect! My husband and I loved every minute.”
Thank you for a great conference! This was my first IVS experience, and it was great. … I’m hoping to arrange a trip for my vet school friends (11 of us total) in the future.”
I enjoyed the seminar. IVS [is] still the best CE in my opinion. Great venue also.”
Thank you for putting on a fantastic program in Cabo!”
Thank you. I always enjoy the CE experience IVS provides.”
Good to Know Before You Go
Registration is simple. Browse upcoming seminars using the search on our homepage, then click through to the seminar page and complete registration online. You will receive an email confirmation once your registration is complete, and a separate email confirming your payment. Please keep both for your records. You can also call our office at 1-800-487-5650 to register by phone.
IVS holds group space at each seminar venue and handles hotel bookings on your behalf. You can book accommodations at the same time as your seminar registration or separately — whichever you prefer.
On your selected seminar’s page, click the Accommodations tab and scroll down to the Book Accommodations button. Please note: if you need a room outside the standard seminar dates, availability will need to be confirmed with the hotel. Hotel bookings made through our site are not automatic and require some processing time. Once confirmed, you will receive a hotel confirmation letter from IVS by email. All hotels require a credit card to guarantee your booking, and cut-off dates apply — early registration is always advised. Our team is available at 1-800-487-5650, Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm PST.
10% of the registration fee is non-refundable. If you cancel more than 30 days before the seminar start date, you may choose a refund of the remaining 90% or a Future Transfer Credit (FTC). If you cancel within 30 days, only a Future Transfer Credit is issued. The FTC can be applied to any future IVS seminar within 2 years of your cancellation date; it is forfeited if not used within that window. To cancel, you must contact our office and receive email confirmation of your cancellation before the seminar begins. Cancellations requested after the seminar has started, or without email confirmation on file, will forfeit the full registration fee. Please also note that cancellations will remove any Loyalty Program points earned from that registration.
IVS specializes in small group seminars — usually fewer than 80 people per seminar. Most veterinarians appreciate the smaller setting, as it allows for more interaction with speakers and other participants and gives everyone a chance to get their questions answered.
International Veterinary Seminars is an AAVSB RACE-approved provider of CE, which is accepted by all state boards throughout the US and Canada. We are provider #13 and are also an approved provider in New York State. Please contact your state board or our office with any questions. For more information, visit the AAVSB RACE program website.
Where will your learning take you?
Discover a different way to earn your veterinary CE. Explore upcoming trips to find an IVS seminar set in a destination you’ll want to stay awhile.