Welcome

Dear esteemed members, friends, and colleagues,

Welcome to the 2024 EVECCS Congress – VECCUS Symposium. The Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care UltraSound (VECCUS) Interest Group is happy to welcome you in the beautiful city of Gothenburg!

As we embark on the third VECCUS symposium we are thrilled to bring you another event that continues to push the boundaries of this rapidly evolving field. Building upon the success from previous years, our symposium has grown and diversified to encompass the broad spectrum of POCUS applications in veterinary medicine.

Our commitment to veterinary point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) remains unwavering, and this year's symposium brings together a globally renowned, interdisciplinary team of critical care specialists, radiologists, and healthcare professionals dedicated to advancing veterinary POCUS. Together, we aim to nurture POCUS growth, enhance its application, and redefine the standards of care in this rapidly evolving field of veterinary medicine.

The VECCUS symposium originated from a collaborative endeavour by passionate colleagues from around the world supported by the European college and society, with a shared vision of promoting training, education, and innovation. This mission extends beyond this and future symposiums, as we strive to facilitate the integration of veterinary POCUS into all aspects of general and emergency practice, regardless of specialty level, practice expertise, focus, or certification.

In 2024, we continue our journey towards excellence by:

Promoting the clinical application of POCUS: We are committed to advocating clinically centred applications of veterinary POCUS, supporting research initiatives, standardising our approaches, and driving progression in the field.

Empowering professionals: Our symposium welcomes clinicians, technicians, and students from diverse backgrounds, encouraging them to embrace POCUS with confidence. We enthusiastically invite every individual to ask questions, challenge conventions, and unlock the potential of veterinary POCUS.

Supporting research and education: In the near future we aspire to sponsor research projects and workshops dedicated to advancing veterinary POCUS, further cementing our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.

We aim for:

Global Impact: We aim to support and encourage ongoing POCUS research, training, and development at both the graduate and post-graduate level. As POCUS becomes an integral part of veterinary curricula, our symposium is positioned to shape its trajectory.

Pioneering development: We take pride in being the first dedicated POCUS symposium in Europe, and we envision this event becoming an annual cornerstone to EVECCS, showcasing the latest developments in veterinary POCUS.

Collaboration: VECCUS is an interest group of the European Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (EVECCS) and is closely associated with the European College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ECVECC). These relationships encourage the integration of veterinary POCUS within emergency and critical care throughout Europe, but also internationally.

World-Class tuition: Our scientific program features eminent key opinion leaders in veterinary POCUS who will share their wealth of clinical experience and research.

As we gather in Gothenburg, we anticipate a symposium filled with insightful discussions, collaborative opportunities, and exciting discoveries. Together, we will continue to shape the future of veterinary POCUS.

We eagerly await your participation in what promises to be a remarkable event. Join us in Gothenburg, and together, let's re-define the possibilities of veterinary point-of-care ultrasound.

Warm regards,

On behalf of the entire VECCUS Committee,

Laura Cole
Chair of VECCUS