Cute, fat, sniffy little rats get a bad rap for such friendly little creatures. While feral rats ARE considered pests, domestic rats are sweet animals that make great pets. Nicole and Jez discuss the joys of having rats as friends. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

What is catnip?? Is it drugs for cats?? Kind of, but they don't need a lighter - which is great as they don't have thumbs.   Nicole and Jez discuss what exactly catnip is and how it works (it's safe) If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

Is the cheap stuff at the supermarket okay to feed your pet? Yes! (as long as you know your pet's requirements) but they may not be suitable for young pets, old animals, or those with issues like food allergies. Nicole and Jez discuss the difference between supermarket and premium pet foods. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

Dogs love to eat! Dogs love to eat ANYTHING, and so they're really poor judges of what they should and shouldn't. That is our job as pet owners sometimes we don't do that job well either.   Nicole and Jez discuss what human foods dogs can eat, and how that balances with their regular dog food.  Our first episode of Season 2! If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

There’s a lot of misinformation about the dangers of parasite preventatives circulating on the internet, but parasite infestation is the far greater risk. Nicole & Jez discuss risk management with regards to parasite prevention, and why it’s almost always the lower risk option.

Dogs love human food. Humans love human food. Humans just have the ability to manipulate foods for their palatability, but tastiness doesn’t always mean it's healthy! (sadly it's kind of the opposite). Nicole and Jez discuss dogs eating too much human food.

If some protein is good, then more is better, right? Not always! While there are applications for higher protein levels in dog food, there is a limit to how much dietary protein can be processed and metabolised in a day, so "high protein" food might not be any better for your pet.   Nicole and Jez discuss why there are optimal levels of protein in foods, and why more protein isn't always useful.

It's easy to get carried away when planning to buy a horse. Going with a flashy colour, impressive CV, or pretty face instead of focusing on what you need as a rider are common traps. You need to be realistic about what you can do, and what you want to do.    Nicole and Jez discuss some common problems people make when buying horses, and why some horses pick up bad habits once they go to their new homes.

Cats are prone to developing urinary problems, and they can be frustrating to manage. Partly, this is because urinary issues often have multiple causes, involving several different triggers. Symptoms can also be nonspecific, or difficult to monitor.    Nicole and Jez discuss some ways to help kitties with urinary problems, and what to watch out for. 

Birds love seed like humans love Snickers, and the analogy doesn’t stop there. Foods high in fat and sugars trigger similar neural pathways to addictive drugs, but like drugs of addiction they are not good for you (or birds). Nicole and Jez discuss seed addiction in parrots and how to help them eat healthier.

You can't get much weirder than the axolotl, a completely aquatic amphibian (kind of an oxymoron). Despite being common as pets, they're endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction. Nicole and Jez discuss the intricacies of the axolotl.

Fat animals are very cute but are prone to lots of health problems. Weight loss can be challenging as the fatter they are, the more difficult it is for them to move around and keep active. Plus, it is incredibly hard to resist when they ask for a snack! Nicole and Jez discuss some methods for successful weight loss in pets.

Snakes get a bad rap sometimes, but they're actually very nice animals, and because of their anatomy and physiology, NOT SLIMY. They also make great pets when proper attention is paid to their husbandry. Nicole and Jez discuss the nice things about snakes and why they are our friends.

It can be tempting to feed your horse a performance feed they may not need, or load them up with lots of supplements. Just like people, it's important to feed your horse according to the amount of physical work they're doing. Nicole and Jez discuss the basics of horse feeding, and what to increase first when looking to add more to your horse's feed regime. 

Post-COVID, loads of people have taken advantage of the increase in puppy demand to make more puppies & it's sometimes difficult to tell a good, ethical breeder from a someone more concerned with turning a profit than providing healthy animals.   Nicole and Jez discuss some hallmarks of both good and bad breeders, and why going to a breeder CAN be an ethical thing to do.

It certainly seems a bit mean to classify whole species as invasive, especially when it wasn't their choice to be introduced to delicate ecosystems, but it can be one of the biggest threats to ecology, life and wildlife health in our global society.    Nicole and Jez discuss why some species are so good at invading new habitats, and why controlling them is important for native wildlife. 

Our pets can run afoul of several species of wildlife, especially here in Australia (there are venomous snake avoidance courses for dogs). While venomous snakes can be life-threatening, there are lots of other wildlife that can cause grief for our pets.  Nicole and Jez go through some common types of wildlife that can cause injury or misadventure.

There's a strong push currently for keeping horses barefoot, as it is the way they naturally live. However, the reality for most of our horses is that they aren't really living in a wild-type environment, eating wild-type feed, or doing wild-type work. So, is barefoot really best for all horses?  Nicole and Jez discuss which horses can benefit from going barefoot, and which horses are likely to require shoeing or other hoof care options to remain sound. 

Horses bring immeasurable joy to riders around the world, but we can't avoid the truth that they are EXPENSIVE to keep. Situations can change, and re-homing a large (potentially lethal) animal is fraught with pitfalls.   Nicole and Jez discuss the best way to safeguard your horse's future against sudden change of circumstances.

Cats get anxious too, and they can also show it in ways where it may not be apparent anxiety; they often toilet outside the litterbox or change their daily routine. There's lots that can be done for anxious cats! While many tools can be bought online, it's also important to get a vet checkup to make sure that medical problems like pain or infection aren't causing the problem. Nicole and Jez discuss methods to help your kitty feel comfortable and at ease.

Siamese fighting fish, or bettas, are a commonly misunderstood little fish. They need a much bigger tank than most people think! While the males can't be housed together, there are lots of invertebrates that cohabit happily with bettas, and a larger tank containing one fish need not be a waste of space. Nicole and Jez discuss the needs of fighting fish and how to set up an appropriate tank. 

Crates and kennels are easily misunderstood as restrictive caging, but they have a great use for giving dogs a safe, comfortable space that is their own. Plus it helps with future vet visits & other transport because it teaches them that confinement is temporary and okay. Nicole and Jez discuss crate training and why it is so useful for anxious dogs. 

Owners of small herbivores often get concerned about the calcium levels of vegetables like kale and spinach. Does this mean that they shouldn't be feeding any of those at all? Nicole and Jez discuss where this concern came from, and what it means on a practical, day to day basis.

Designated off-lead areas like dog parks are a great way to let your dog stretch their legs and interact with other dogs. BUT! Dogs should be kept on lead on sidewalks and in nature reserves. Nicole and Jez discuss the reasons why.