Mental Health & Proteinuria | A Seminar for Vets & Nurses

Join us for an exclusive, clinically focused seminar designed specifically for veterinarians and veterinary nurses, proudly presented by Animal Emergency Service (AES) and Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS).

This is your opportunity to strengthen your emergency and critical care capabilities through two highly practical presentations delivered by experienced specialists in the field.

Featuring Dr Louise Barbesgaard and Dr Tessa Clark, this seminar is tailored to support clinicians working across general practice, emergency, and surgical settings. You’ll walk away with actionable knowledge and greater confidence in managing some of the most challenging and high-pressure cases in veterinary medicine.

Mental Health Challenges in Veterinary Medicine: from moral distress and burnout to sustainable practice

Dr Louise Barbesgaard; DVM, MSc; Senior ECC Veterinarian

This talk explores some of the most common mental health challenges we face as vets and gives you some tips and advice on how to navigate them to maintain joy and passion in your career.

Proteinuria: The Dipstick Strikes Again

Dr Tessa Clark - BVSc BPharm Cert AVP PG Cert VPS MANZCVS

Proteinuria is a common finding in general practice, but when is it clinically significant? In this seminar, Dr Tessa Clark will discuss the causes of proteinuria, interpretation of urine dipstick results, and the diagnostic approach to proteinuric patients. The session will provide practical guidance on when further investigation or treatment is indicated, helping clinicians confidently manage these cases in practice.

Why Attend?

• Enhance your emergency and critical care skillset

• Learn practical, case-based approaches you can apply immediately

• Gain insights from experienced ECC and surgical clinicians

• Build confidence in managing complex, high-pressure cases

• Connect with peers across general practice, emergency, and specialty settings

About your Presenters

Dr Louise Barbesgaard DVM, MSc; Senior ECC Veterinarian

Senior ECC Veterinarian, Animal Emergency Service Jindalee

Dr Louise Barbesgaard graduated from University of Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009 and started her career as an equine vet prior to discovering a passion for small animal emergency and critical care. She has had a broad international exposure including the US, UK and Middle East before settling in Queensland with her husband.

Dr Louise is a now a Senior ECC Vet at AES Jindalee and has a great desire to continue to build her expertise in the ECC field. Next year, she intends to commence her studies for the ECC Membership exams.

Dr Tessa Clark BVSc BPharm Cert AVP PG Cert VPS MANZCVS

Registrar - Small Animal Internal Medicine, Veterinary Specialist Services

Dr Tessa Clark is a Registrar in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Veterinary Specialist Services. After 10 years in general practice and an earlier career as a pharmacist, she joined VSS in 2020 as an Oncology Intern. Tessa has a strong interest in internal medicine, with particular passions for oncology and infectious diseases, and enjoys helping referring veterinarians manage complex medical cases. Outside of work, Tessa enjoys travelling and spending time with her family.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Pet Angels - Compassionate Pet Cremation Services

Pet Angel is an independent, family-owned, and operated Pet Crematorium offering professional services throughout Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast, Logan, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, and The Northern Rivers NSW.

Learn more about Pet Angels here.

Vet Pay - Keeping veterinary care affordable.

VetPay is an Australian payment plan provider that helps pet owners spread the cost of veterinary treatment over time. Working directly with participating clinics, VetPay covers the treatment cost upfront, with clients paying an initial deposit and the balance repaid in fortnightly direct debits — and pre-approval takes only minutes.

Learn more about VetPay here.

Royal Canin - Every pet is unique and so are their nutritional needs

Royal Canin is a global leader in science-based pet nutrition. Their formulas are developed around the specific needs of cats and dogs, taking into account factors such as breed, size, age, lifestyle and health conditions.

Learn more about Royal Canin here.

Important: By registering for this event, you acknowledge that photographs and/or video may be taken during the event by or on behalf of Animal Emergency Australia and used for marketing, promotional and communication purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please advise event staff on the day.