ORLANDO, FLA. — More than 3,000 equine practitioners, veterinary students, technicians and horse owners are expected to attend the 53^rd annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Dec. 1-5 at Orlando's Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.

Program Chair Eleanor M. Green, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ABVP, and the group's educational programs committee arranged key sessions on topics such as infectious disease, lameness and perinatology. There will be 27 how-to presentations on various equine-care techniques and seven "Table Topics" sessions on current veterinary issues.

Featured speakers will include Dickson D. Varner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT, who will deliver the Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture, "From a Sperm's-Eye View — Revisiting Our Perception of This Intriguing Cell." The Kestner News Hour will feature new presenters Margo Macpherson, DVM; Scott Palmer, VMD; and Bonnie Rush, DVM. They will review current literature on reproduction, medicine, lameness and surgery. Motivational speaker Connie Podesta will deliver the keynote address.

There also will be a veterinary technicians program, a fund-raising dinner and auction, a trade show with more than 375 exhibitors and case-based dry labs and wet labs.

For details, visit http://www.aaep.org/ or call (859) 233-0147.