New Orleans was more than just a destination in late October. For Veterinary professionals from across the U.S., the gathering in New Orleans provided a hub of inspiration, deal-flow, and community. The Vet Together event (October 27-29) provided hospital leaders, practice managers, suppliers, and innovators with a concentrated burst of face-to-face time, curated meetings, and education designed to parallel the accelerated pace of the modern Veterinary marketplace.
From my vantage point, as I walked the show floor, attended educational sessions, and captured snapshots of conversations in motion, a handful of emergent themes stood out.
1. Curated Connections—More Than Just a Tradeshow
One of the event’s strongest differentiators is that supplier/hospital appointments are scheduled in advance, eliminating the aimless wandering that many traditional exhibits often deliver. According to the official event copy, “Say goodbye to aimlessly wandering the tradeshow floor. Instead, you tell us what you’re looking for, and we match you with industry professionals that match your business needs for pre-scheduled appointments.”
Walking through the appointments area, you could sense the urgency: hospital leaders meeting solution providers, founders demoing in real time, suppliers showing next-gen platforms, and the vibe was forward-looking rather than just “display booth”. For startups ready to scale in the Animal Health space (like those we help advise), this format matters—it’s not about standing out on a noisy floor, but about being in the right conversation at the right time.
2. Education + CE in a Dynamic Environment
The programming did not skimp on substance with sessions designed to “help you grow, connect, and elevate your practice.” Some key points I overheard attendees discussing:
- Practice and operational efficiency, including better alignment between the tech stack and workflows.
- Strategic growth and how practices are now balancing rising pet-owner expectations with staffing constraints.
- Supplier-partnering strategies that go beyond price and focus on value-added services, data analytics, and practice differentiation.
The event highlighted the significant pressure and desire for innovation in the mid-market practice segment.
3. Networking Moments That Mattered
Beyond the agenda, the social pieces were genuine value-adds. The opening reception, informal hallway huddles, and supplier-hosted dinners created a relaxed environment.
In my conversations, many attendees said the most valuable takeaways weren’t just what they heard in the sessions, but also who they met and how the context enabled an open exploration of new opportunities.
Chckvet and VEA sponsored a happy hour that brought attendees together for an early evening of networking and fun. Both companies exemplify innovation in a space crowded with competitors. Still, the differentiator is the innovation driven by the market’s need to innovate and iterate. Legacy or first-generation SaaS solutions served a role and brought forward needed solutions; however, solutions like VEA and Chckvet are propelling practices to a new level.
4. Key Takeaways for Animal Health Professionals and Suppliers
From what I gathered and observed:
- Hospital leaders: The appetite for innovation is real—but they want partners who talk workflow, measurable outcomes, ROI, and long-term support, not just new features.
- Suppliers and startups: Entry-point meetings are increasingly curated—you need a clear value proposition, differentiation, and a readiness to engage with decision-makers in a tight timeframe.
- Consultants/advisors: The evolving Veterinary ecosystem demands thought leadership, influencer-driven credibility, KPI benchmarking tools, and go-to-market strategies for startups looking to scale in this channel.
- Investor/corporate watchers: Veterinary services continue to consolidate, technology adoption is accelerating, and events like Vet Together serve not just as exhibitions, but as marketplaces for partnerships, deals, and early-stage innovation scouting.
5. Looking Ahead–What to Watch Post-Show
- How many of the meetings scheduled at the event convert into pilots, deals, or strategic partnerships over the next 12–18 months? The curated meeting model may accelerate that pipeline.
- Which topics from the educational sessions get echoed in hospital purchasing decisions in 2026—especially around operational efficiency, tech stack rationalization, and client-engagement models?
- For startup suppliers: the emphasis will shift from “Hey, we have this cool thing” to “Here’s measurable impact at 12 months”, and the hospital channel will favor proven ROI.
Vet Together 2025 in New Orleans wasn’t just another conference—it felt like a collision point of ideas, connections, and business momentum in the Veterinary health and care ecosystem. For those of us helping to navigate, advise, or build in this space, the value lies less in the sessions and more in the curated network, the one-on-one meetings, and the genuine conversations that occur when the floor plan is tight and the participants are intentional.
I walked away with fresh contacts, actionable insights, and a reinforced belief: the “together” in Vet Together is not just a theme—it’s a strategy for growth in animal health.
New Orleans is one of my favorite towns, and a non-profit is making it even better! The Inner Pup (TIP) is dedicated to advancing pet health by making Veterinary, preventive, and behavioral services accessible to pet owners with limited resources.
Some of their services include Veterinary assistance grants for non-emergency health issues, behavioral training support, pet owner education and outreach, and heartworm and flea prevention pop-up clinics. TIP helps pets and people stay together and thrive in the community. I am so impressed with the mission and how they implement projects that I joined TIP’s advisory board. Recently, BARK in the Belly premium pet food has partnered with The Inner Pup to donate food for distribution at local community ministries. Contact me if you would like to get involved.