Renowned Colic Researcher Selected to Deliver AAEP’s 2026 State-of-the-Art Lecture

Pioneering colic and gastrointestinal researcher Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, DACVS, will provide equine veterinarians with the tools needed to conquer the “black box” of the equine abdomen and increase the prognosis for survival from episodes of colic when he delivers the Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 72nd Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nev. 

 During his lecture, “Conquering Colic: State-of-the-Art Management of the Acute Abdomen and the Role of Next Generation Science,” Dr. Blikslager will help practitioners recognize the subtle causes of colic through use of pain scoring, delineate between common analgesics that hinder and help gut healing, advance understanding of intestinal repair, and investigate evolving science at the cellular level that is likely to drive new therapeutic targets. 

 Dr. Blikslager is a professor of equine surgery and the associate dean and director of Veterinary Medical Services at North Carolina State University (NCSU). His research is focused on equine colic and mechanisms of intestinal mucosa recovery following strangulating obstruction.  

 Among his accolades, Dr. Blikslager received the AVMA Clinical Research Award in 2020 and the Applied Equine Research Award from the World Equestrian Veterinary Association in 2011. He was named an Alumni Distinguished Professor and awarded the Ned E. Huffman Leadership Award in 2017 from NCSU, from which he also received the Pfizer Award for Excellence in Research in 2006. 

 After receiving his degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989, Dr. Blikslager completed an equine surgery and medicine internship at the University of Missouri followed by a residency in large animal surgery at NCSU. He became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1995 and received a PhD in Gastrointestinal Physiology at NCSU in 1997.  

 The honorary convention lecture, now in its 30th year, is named for AAEP Past President and Distinguished Life Member Dr. Frank J. Milne and sponsored by AAEP Educational Partner Platinum Performance. 

 The AAEP’s 72nd Annual Convention will be held Dec. 7–11 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Registration for the event is open at https://convention.aaep.org.  

 About AAEP 

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.