The Vetpodcast - Talking About Animal Health: Recent Episodes

The Vetpodcast

The Vetpodcast. Current animal health issues discussed by veterinary professionals from around the world. From pet nutrition to looking after zoo animals to blood testing spiders to the mental toll being endured by members of the veterinary profession there is sure to be something of interest for those in the veterinary industry and pet owners alike. Find out more about us at https://beacons.ai/vetpodcast

One of the givens in this world is that things never stay the same, we are always learning and we are always improving. This is as true for the veterinary profession as it is anywhere else. The information changes are based on must come from somewhere though.

Many of us will be aware of the change in recommendations as to the timing of desexing dogs. When I trained it was almost written in stone that it was by 6 months. It would now appear that the timing isn’t quite that simple. Early spey and neutering has been associated with an increase in non-traumatic orthopaedic injuries. Where did this information from?

One of the major studies the updated recommendations are based on is The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study run by The Morris Animal Foundation (https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/)

The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is one of the largest, most comprehensive prospective canine health studies in the United States. The Study’s purpose is to identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs. Each year, with the help of veterinarians and dog owners, the Foundation collects health, environmental and behavioural data on 3,000+ enrolled golden retrievers and has just celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Today we have a chat to Dr Kelly Diehl, Senior Director of Science and Communication for The Morris Animal Foundation about:

· An overview of The Morris Animal Foundation

· What is The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study

· Why Golden Retrievers?

· Some of the results to date

· The relevance to other breeds of dogs, species (even humans)

· Future areas of interest

If you have been a listener of the Vetpodcast for a while you may recall an episode we recorded back in early 2021 with Dr Melissa Trupia discussing end of life decisions and treatment. In this episode we are taking the inevitable next step today and discussing euthanasia. It is a topic that perhaps isn’t discussed as often as it should because but lets face it, almost all pet owners have to go through this process at least once in their pet owning life. I have a broad reaching discussion with Dr Kathleen Cooney, veterinarian, founder and Director of Education for The Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy. This discussion may be a bit confronting in places to some people but fore warned is fore armed.

We talk about

· what makes a good euthanasia?

· as an owner, how to prepare for your pet’s euthanasia?

· pre-euthanasia sedation – why it is now considered “best practice”

· should you be present for the final act?

· the mechanics of euthanasia

· what are your options with your deceased pet’s body?

· what about grief support?

Whether you are a pet owner or a veterinary professional, you should probably have a listen to this.

This is the second part of our discussion on the history of veterinary medicine with Dr Bruce Vivash Jones. Bruce is a retired veterinarian, veterinary historian and author and has written what is possibly the most complete account of the history of veterinary medicine published.

Bruce’s comments on the events that changed veterinary medicine, the current state of our profession and the possible future are truly insightful.

This is the first of 2 episodes discussing the history of veterinary medicine with Dr Bruce Vivash Jones. Bruce is a retired veterinarian, veterinary historian and author and has authored what is possibly the most complete account of the history of veterinary medicine published. In this first instalment, I discuss the origins of veterinary medicine as we know it, but we start some 4000 years ago with superstition, sacrifice and religion with a bit of the classical history on the side.

Whether you are a vet, vet nurse, RVN, allied veterinary professional or a pet owner, if there is only one episode of The Vetpodcast you ever listen to, please let it be this one.

It is heart-breaking. I read with absolute despair that another of our veterinary colleagues have taken their own life – again!

The statistics relating to suicide, and for that matter mental health in our profession are shocking.

I make no apologies for repeating this podcast I posted a year or so ago, it is just so important.

Not One More Vet! #NOMV

Here in New Zealand, apart from the obvious religious significance of the festival there are 2 icons that you cannot escape. Chocolate Easter eggs and raisin filled Hot Cross Buns. Unfortunately, both chocolate and grapes are potentially toxic to dogs so without pouring cold water on your festivities, what is all the fuss about?

Most men of a certain age can tell you exactly where their prostate gland is. The doctor has pointed it out to them literally on more than one occasion. Male dogs can also have issues with their prostate glands, and yes, just like our human colleagues, one of our best diagnostic tools is our index finger!

In this episode of The Vetpodcast I discuss that scourge of older men, the prostate gland, and the issues this gland can cause in dogs.

Something like 16% of dogs do it. Almost 100% of humans find it disgusting. It makes me gag! I am talking about coprophagia.

What is coprophagia? – Eating faeces

I chat to Jess from nutritionRVN about this less than savoury behaviour.

We talk about:

-Is there a risk to either dogs or humans?

-What causes it?

-How to stop it?

I would normally say sit down with a coffee and a bit of cake but for this episode but perhaps give the cake a miss this time!

News bulletins are full of disaster stories. In the case of a disaster have you got a plan for your pet? I talk to Sue Kinsella and Alison Vaughan from RNZSPCA about “disaster preparedness”.

It is as simple as:

Microchip your pets
Have a cage or crate handy
A collar and lead and perhaps a muzzle
48 – 72 hours feed
Any medication required
A copy of any relevant veterinary information
Vaccination certificates
A simple first aid kit (bandages and dressings, antiseptic, brushes and combs).

There is nothing worse than being woken up in the middle of the night by that hacking coughing sound of a cat bringing up a hairball unless it is standing on it in bare feet. We discuss causes, treatment and prevention of hairballs.

As a veterinarian, it is not uncommon for a pet to be presented to me on behalf of a frail older person by a friend or family member and having the forceful if not somewhat chilling statement made to me “this wee dog is all that is keeping mum alive. If the dog dies, mum will have nothing to live for, and she will probably die”. Unfortunately, and quite soberingly, on more than one occasion, not long after an elderly client’s beloved pet has passed away their name will appear in the death notices. It would appear their pet was all that was keeping them alive.

The animal/human bond is strong, but it appears to be even stronger in Senior Citizens. In this episode of The Vetpodcast, I have a closer look at the relationship between senior citizens and their pets.

It’s the end of what has been for most of us a very trying year so rather than dive into a technical topic for this last podcast of 2021, lets listen to some of the words of wisdom (and out-takes) from our many and diverse guests over the past year or so.

There are a few “did they really say that” moments and a few comments that hit the nail on the head as well as a couple of ill timed interruptions.

How about a treatment that circulates oxygen around the body dissolved in plasma rather than haemoglobin that diffuses oxygen into those hard to reach spots like damaged tissue with poor blood supply and deep seated infections? How useful is that! I talk to Annette McFadgen VN from Town and Country Vets in Nelson, NZ about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

· What is HBOT?

· Is it considered mainstream therapy or alternative medicine?

· What does the machine look like?

· How different from the machine used for treating decompression sickness is it?

· How does HBOT work?

· What are the indications?

· Are there any contraindications?

· How do animals react to the treatment?

· Can the machine blow up?!

We talk again to UK exotic vet Benjamin Kennedy. This time about birds, both how to keep them and for the vets and vettechs tips and tricks to help you examine and treat them.

· History of keeping birds as pets

· Do they have personalities

· Housing including enrichment and UV

· Nutrition

· How to tell if a bird is sick

· Differences between individual/small numbers and flock birds (Large aviaries and commercial chicken/turkey farms etc.)

· Common conditions

· Handling and examination

· Drug administration

· Surgery, healing, and anatomical differences

· Where to go for information

I have always been of two minds about veterinary programs on television. In truth, the reason I took up this wonderful profession in the first place was my love of the James Herriot books and the original television adaptation of them. Without James Herriot, who knows what I would be doing now. On the flip side, I have found myself screaming at the television when a vet dazzled in the camera lights misses an obvious diagnosis or overcomplicates a simple procedure in one of the many reality veterinary shows screened now.

After a bit of thought while making this podcast I believe they are actually are a good thing for the profession.

Exotic pets are becoming quite common in the world. They don’t take up much space, they don’t eat much, and you don’t have to take them for a walk every day. We catch up again with UK veterinarian Benjamin Kennedy and we discuss exotics as a pet. The first half of the podcast; we discuss the husbandry of them, and we get a little bit more clinical in the second half and talk about the veterinary care of them.

What are exotic pets?
Do they make good pets?
Special licensing
Do they have personalities and bond to humans?
How difficult is it to provide husbandry needs?
Is it harder to get the diet of an exotic right compared to a conventional pet?
How do you know your exotic is sick?
How to examine an exotic.
Drug usage in exotics
How to administer drugs.
Surgery. Healing and anatomical differences.
Anaesthetics
Do they feel pain?
Euthanasia
Where to get more information.

Not all animals have fur, but vets can still treat them. Ever wondered what to do with a sick spider or a sluggish snail. UK veterinarian, Benjamin Kennedy discusses what veterinary science can do for invertebrates.
We ask:

What are invertebrates? (Note that the 7X comment is an approximation!)
Do they make good pets?
Do they have personalities?
Special conditions required for invertebrates.
As an owner, how do you know your invertebrate is sick?
Common conditions.
Zoonosis.
How to examine an invertebrate. What parameters are used.
Anaesthetics and monitoring surgery.
How to administer drugs. Can you give fluids?
Do they feel pain?
Euthanasia
How to find more information.

I am working on a couple of interviews at the moment that aren't quite finished so I have delved deep into The Vetpodcast archives and pulled out a couple of short recordings that hopefully will be of interest to our pet owning listeners.
How do you get the most from your visit to the veterinarian? In this episode I discuss how to prepare for your visit to the vet and things that will make the visit easier for you, your vet and your pet.
I am sure most of us have been involved with an animal that has been hit by a car. What should you do?

Think of the microbiome as a lawn. It has weeds, requires fertilizing and it is possible to carpet bomb it killing all the good microbes if you aren’t careful.

We chat with Jess from nutritionRVN about what has been referred to as the second brain, the microbiome.

Around the world, hundreds of animal welfare organizations are striving to improve the life of millions of animals that have no other access to veterinary attention. All too often, a main obstacle to providing such treatment is a lack of adequate veterinary health facilities and clinical personnel, resulting in widespread animal suffering.

Vets Beyond Borders (VBB) is an Australian registered charity, established in 2003. Working with communities around the world, delivering animal health and community awareness programs where they are desperately needed.

We chat with Dr David Gray, veterinarian, director, and treasurer about the amazing work Vets Beyond Borders does and the impact it has on the communities it serves.

Genetic testing is now commonly used for screening for and diagnosing health issues in dogs and cats, parentage confirmation, establishing breed, identification, forensics and even help in creating new coat colors. We talk DNA testing with George Sofronidis from Orivet.

The tables are turned in this episode of the Vetpodcast. Someone else asks the questions. Alex Avery is a veterinarian in the neighboring practice to my old one. In a town the size of ours, what’s the chances of us both being veterinary podcasters. Alex produces a podcast named CALL THE VET and he approached me to have a chat for his podcast so of course I said yes and then flogged it. So.. Alex and I chat about how veterinary practice has changed over the years, how treatments have improved, why vets aren’t really expensive, client/vet relationships (no, not like that), client expectations and the sad state of the mental health of vets.

When you hear the term veterinarian, what animals immediately come to mind? Chances are you will think cats, dogs, cows, horses or maybe sheep. How about bees? They are production animals, and they also have health issues. In this episode we talk bee vet Juan Molina Santiago about an area of veterinary medicine you probably didn’t even know existed.

CSI is being re-released so why not re-release our animal forensics episode. We talked to George Sofronidis from Orivet Genetic Pet Care a while ago about DNA, dog attacks, dodgy meat, ownership disputes and dog poo on the lawn.

As a veterinarian in general veterinary practice, I would occasionally get asked for advice on sick fish. Our training at Vet School on aquatic medicine was pretty sparse and when a call came in for a goldfish floating upside down or an unsightly growth on the side of a guppy, I would try to look really busy or head for the door as if I had somewhere else important to be. If avoidance didn’t work, I would blow the dust off a couple of old texts on aquatic medicine I have to try and find an answer.
With more people living in apartments meaning less space for conventional pets, keeping an aquarium is a lot more common these days. The price paid for a number of fish also means that the same standard of care that is given to cats and dogs is also expected for fish. There are now veterinarians who have taken their training to a new level. In this podcast I talk to Lindsay Thomas, a UK based vet with a special interest in fish medicine and find out a bit more about fish medicine including how do you give a pill to a fish.

A year ago we talked to Sarah-Jayne, a vet from Marwell Zoo in the UK. We talk to her again and ask what effect the pandemic has had on the animals, conservation and the viability of zoos.
We ask:
• Were there any physical health issues in the animals due to covid?
• What effects has lack of visitors had on zoo animals’ behavior?
• Do zoo animals show normal behavior anyway because most are born in captivity?
• What is being done to get animals used to visitors again.
• Has the lockdown changed the type of work you do?
• Have the closures had any effect on the conservation projects zoos perform?
• Has it put species that are now only found in zoos at a greater risk of extinction?
• What effect has covid had on the viability of zoos in general?
• Have any zoos had to close and if so, what happens to their animals?
• When Marwell Zoo reopens what differences will the visitors find?

With so many options on what to feed your pet and so many people offering advice, let’s discuss pet nutrition with Jessica Joosse, @nutritionrvn , Registered Veterinary Nurse and Animal Nutritionist from Melbourne Australia.
We ask:
-What do cats and dogs need in their diet?
-Can you balance a raw diet?
-What is AAFCO?
-Does the diet need to be consistent?
-What are breed based and lifestyle diets?
-Is kibble in a diet bad?
-Should we feed bones?
-Do good diets need additives?
-Can you feed your pet a vegan, vegetarian or gluten free diet?
-What are prescription diets?
-What can I take out of the ingredient list?
-What treats should I feed?
-Who do I ask for nutritional advice?

Jess’s answer is simple….” don’t ask some random on Facebook!”

Presented by veterinarian Dr. Bryan Gregor from New Zealand, The Vetpodcast discusses current and topical animal health issues with veterinary professionals from around the world. Whether you are in the industry or a pet lover The Vetpodcast is sure have something for you. Listen on your favorite podcast player.

If there is only one episode of The Vetpodcast you listen to please let it be this one. In the UK, suicide in veterinarians is 4 times that of the average population. This needs to stop. We again look at the causes of this scourge on the veterinary profession. What are the underlining causes and what can be done to help.

With the 10 year anniversary of the Christchurch earthquakes just past and as chance would have it, as I am finishing this podcast, the North of New Zealand is getting hammered by a swarm of earthquakes and there is a tsunami warning in place, we ask the question “can animals predict earthquakes?”

Veterinary medicine is constantly advancing but it wasn’t that long ago that with a little knowledge and a few drugs the vet became the magician. I browse a couple of 100-year-old veterinary manuals.

Terminal disease and euthanasia are things a lot of pet owners have to deal with. They are not easy topics. There are now practices set up that deal solely with end-of-life matters. We discuss what owners need to consider when faced with a terminal diagnosis for their pet, how to recognize pain and how to decide when the time is right to say goodbye with Dr Melissa Trupia from Faithful Friends Home Vet.

If you have poultry in the UK, you really should listen to this.
Viruses have played a huge part in all of our lives this year. If Covid isn’t enough, now there is an outbreak of Avian Flu in the UK which has ramifications for all chicken and poultry owners and yes, chickens are now joining us in lockdown. In this episode of The Vetpodcast we discuss Avian Flu with our resident exotic animal vet, Dr Richard Rice Grubb.

Here is a question for you. If you had 2 rabbits, one male and one female and you left them to do what rabbits do, at the end of a year how many rabbits would you have? You would be amazed at the number! In this episode we talk rabbits with some words of wisdom from Richard Rice-Grubb, a kiwi vet working in the UK.

Acupuncture has become pretty much accepted in both human and veterinary medicine over the past few years and a number of vets are embracing acupuncture as part of their day to day practice. We talk to veterinarian and acupuncturist Dr Jessie Dreyfuss.

Some of you may have seen the new series of All Creatures Great and Small. Just like the series, I have revisited an old podcast. I talk to Jim Wight, son of Alf Wight (the real-life James Herriot) who is also a vet, about old time vetting and The World of James Herriot.

Vet nurses and vet techs can probably relate to this scenario. The dog has just completed its' surgery and it is in recovery. You are on your hands and knees with your head in the cage trying to get its temperature, heart rate and respiration rate. MeasureON may be the answer to your prayers!

Sometimes when we treat an animal, we don’t get the response we expect. It may be we got the diagnosis wrong, but often it is because the medication hasn’t been given correctly. In this episode we discuss drug compliance. Please take your medicine!

Veterinary hydrotherapy has nothing to do with taking your dog for a swim in the sea. Hannah Sadler, a veterinary hydrotherapist explains what hydrotherapy is and what it is used for.

Animal physiotherapy (Animal physical therapy) is becoming mainstream for treating animals now. We talk to Sarah Cruickshank, an animal physiotherapist from Auckland New Zealand.

Cats are not sheep so why do they eat grass?

Euthanasia of a loved pet is unfortunately something that a lot of pet owners have to face. How do you know when the time is right, and what can be expected when the decision is made? Please note that this podcast contains details that some people may find disturbing. Please use discretion.

There has been so much technological change in the world over the past few decades. The veterinary profession has not been immune to these changes so what progress have we made, where are we now and where are we heading? This episode we talk to Shawn Wilkie, co-presenter of The Veterinary Innovation Podcast.

There is no sugar coating it, Covid-19 is causing major issues worldwide both to human health and peoples livelyhoods. A lot of buisnesses have been able to turn off the lights, close the doors and self isolate. Not quite that easy for zoos, you cannot really turn the animals off. How are zoos faring at the moment?
- Are zoos still open?
- What has happened to the staff?
- Is the virus found in zoo animals?
- Can non-human primates contract the
disease?
- How safe is it to visit a zoo?
All these questions and more are answered by zoo veterinarian Sarah Jayne from Marwell Zoo in England

The veterinary profession has changed (along with the rest of the world)! We talk to 3 vets from different parts of the world about how they are working with your pets under Covid-19.

There really is only one topic on everybody’s mind at the moment. Covid-19. The question of whether you can catch the virus from your pet is still being asked. We present the latest information and is your pet “prepared” if you have to leave it in a hurry? Please everybody, keep safe.

In these crazy times let’s remove one stress. I have been asked a number of times “can I catch COVID-19 from my dog”. WASAVA (The World Small Animal Veterinary Association)gives a definitive NO! Let’s also spare a thought for our veterinarians, techs, nurses and other animal health professionals putting their health at risk for your pets.

It doesn't take much to turn what should have been a foolproof system on its head!

It was a routine after-hours call that could have ended up with the owner dead and me in jail!

The first day of 2020 and our thoughts are with our close neighbors in Australia dealing with horrendous bush fires. Although we are 4000km to the east, we have a sobering indicator of how bad things are. Today's episode truly falls into the "Believe it or Not" category. I am assured it is a true story, but if not, it makes a good yarn. It took a lot of guts to tell it!

This event from my distant working past really made me question the value of my professional worth! Saturday night, Old Spice, a hot date and living 20 minutes out of town were just too much for a bachelor client!

There is probably a lesson to be learnt here but it has gone over my head!

It has been a big week. I have retired from my practice and now intend to spend a lot of time fishing, making cheese and recording podcasts. The format of the podcasts has changed slightly as well and they are now more anecdotal. Think more antipodean James Herriot! In this podcast I have to question my own disease status!

As we get older, so do our joints and arthritis and stiffness may occur. This is also true for our dogs. Would you recognize early arthritis in your mate? Also, for those of you living “The Good Life” what do you do when your hens become “clucky”?

“Just the cats whiskers” and “The cat came back the very next day” are both common expressions (at least in New Zealand). In this episode we discuss the function and uses of whiskers for cats and look at “how the cat came back"?

Veterinarians in the UK are up to four times as likely to commit suicide as the general population. Why why why? This is too important to ignore

Did you know you may have a cat parasite controlling your mind? We live in a sea of Toxoplasmosis. Is it affecting you? We also discuss an unfortunately all too common condition in dogs called a Pyometra

After what seems like forever The Vetpodcast returns. This episode looks at some of the more unsavoury facets of pet ownership. Coprophagia (eating faeces), constipation and inappropriate urination.

Have you ever thought of how and why cats purr? Probably not, but I am going to tell you anyway. Scott Arnold, a vet from Ontario Canada (although probably by the time this podcast sees the light of day, Newfoundland) discusses marijuana toxicity in dogs, which he is seeing on a regular basis now the dope laws in parts of Canada (and elsewhere around the world) have been relaxed and to finish, sometimes dogs eat the weirdest things. This will be of particular interest to Golden Retriever owners and quiz night enthusiasts.

In this episode we look at something right under our nose, Cats' Whiskers, we discuss the strain of being an after-hours vet and have a "Better Work Story"

The noble grape; more toxic than you might think, the most widely used recreational drug of cats and the newspaper headlines could have read “Veterinarian saves dog, owner dead!” Welcome to the latest edition of The Vetpodcast.

There has been a groundswell of change in the gender proportion of veterinarians over the past few years. In 2013 80% of the veterinary graduates in the US were female. This change begs 2 questions. Why, and what is the effect of this change?
We start a new section we are calling "Great Work Stories".

Your vet, or for that matter your doctor gives you some medicine and some instructions. Do you follow them? If not, you are not alone.

Coming from sunny New Zealand we don’t give it much thought, but ultra violet light is often lacking in the life of some pets, and finally, they may look pretty, but some lilies have the potential to kill your cat!

We once again catch up with Jim Wight, veterinarian and son of "James Herriot" to discuss life as a vet in his fathers time, and ask Scott Arnold the question that the awesome Australian band from the '80s, Hunters and Collectors, asked "Do you see what I see?". What does your pet see when it watches television?

James Herriot is a name that is synonymous with old style rural vetting. Many of us would have read the books, or at the least, seen the television series.
In the small town of Thirsk in Yorkshire, there is a very popular attraction called The World of James Herriot. Who better to talk to us about it than Jim Wight? Jim is the son of Alf Wight who wrote under the pseudonym of none other than James Herriot. The World of James Herriot is truly the world of Jim Wight!
British MPs have called on the government to ban the sale of puppies in high street pet shops. We catch up with British vet Charlotte Farr again to find out what is behind this.

In this episode of The Vetpodcast, with look at some recent developments in the Anaesthetic Free Dentistry debate, discuss osteoarthritis in dogs and Charlotte Farr explains a headline that appeared in the paper here in New Zealand about "soft living" British pets!

Making headlines in the UK at the moment are recent amendments to The Dangerous Dog Act. Vet, Charlotte Farr talks us through these changes.
It may seem like microsurgery but there are some big benefits in getting your rat neutered. Richard Grubb explains.
Finally, there is an increasing trend for non-veterinarians undertaking what is referred to "Anesthetic Free Dentistry". From Ontario, vet Scott Arnold discusses this procedure.

"This dog is all mum is living for. If it dies, she dies." A great way to start a consultation. I discuss pets and the elderly. Scott Arnold from Ontario discusses a nasty fungal infection called Blastomycosis and Richard Grubb, our resident "pocket pet" vet from the UK talks about some nasty infectious diseases of rabbits.