We’ve spoken about why pets need dental scale and polishes under anesthesia before, and we’re warning you about the trap of “anesthesia-free dentals.” It seems too good to be true - coz it is. BUT! Teaching your pet to accept toothbrushing at home is an effective, safe (and cheap!) way to maintain their dental health, and there’s no downside. Nicole and Jez discuss the benefits of toothbrushing and why anesthesia-free dentals are a marketing ploy that makes dental issues worse.

“Oh, that’s just normal for the breed,” is a phrase that’s thrown out about dyspneic bulldogs, nostril-less Pekingese, and Chihuahuas with eyes bigger than their sockets, but should it be considered normal, even if the trait is common? Nicole and Jez discuss how the perception of “normal” harms the ongoing development of phenotypic health in purebreds, and how to approach the problems in pure breeds.

Getting your pet to take their medication can be a major stressor for everyone involved, but it doesn’t need to be. Training your pet to accept medication BEFORE they ever get sick can make your life much easier in the future. Nicole and Jez discuss some methods of medication training and how they work.

Little dogs aren’t born mean. Small dogs have a reputation for being little land sharks, and lots of people think that’s just how little dogs are. BUT! Little dogs can be well behaved if they are taught manners and proper boundaries from puppyhood (just like big dogs). Nicole and Jez discuss why small dogs have a bitey reputation.

Pets sometimes get into their owner’s things! And those things aren't always legal, which can lead to some hesitation at the vet clinic when a history is being taken. Nicole and Jez discuss why a vet will never turn you in for your dog eating marijuana, and why you should just tell us up front what they got into.

Rabbits are complex little animals and are sadly often misunderstood, leading to many pet rabbits kept in suboptimal conditions, not receiving proper care or attention. Nicole and Jez discuss some bunny basics and why they can be one of the more challenging pets to have. 

Training your pets doesn't have to be a huge mystery, and it all has to do with positive reinforcement of good behaviour. This training method can be used to train almost any animal in a welfare-friendly way. Nicole and Jez discuss the benefits of positive reinforcement training.

Prescription diets are useful to help manage pets with chronic illness, but they come with a higher price tag. Nicole and Jez discuss tips and tricks to ensure you make the most out of a bag of prescription food.

Vets often take pets out to “the back” (treatment room) for minor procedures like blood draws. Pet owners often don’t understand why vets do this, and may suspect that there’s something we don’t want them to see. However, taking pets through to the treatment room is often the best option for everyone involved - pet, owner, and vet. Nicole and Jez discuss the reasons why we do this, and what happens behind the door.

Nobody enjoys talking money in a conversation about health and welfare, but it needs to be discussed so that expectations and plans can be managed from the beginning. Nicole and Jez discuss how to speak about finances with your vet in a way that is positive, as well as helpful for ensuring that we can give you the best plan for your budget

We all love our big, cuddly dogs! But it's important prepare for the cost and logistics of having a big dog, and to be up-to-date with preventatives. Nicole and Jez discuss The Big Problem With Big Dogs: Osteoarthritis (and why it is so important to look after their joints from day one).

Health issues come with age, but age isn’t a reason to ignore them. Age-related issues can be managed well with proper care. Nicole and Jez discuss why age shouldn’t matter when deciding on care for older pets.

Taking longer than usual to get an appointment at your local vet clinic? Vets are suddenly in short supply (partly because of the pandemic). Nicole and Jez discuss some of the reasons why we’re experiencing a global vet shortage

People get frustrated when they send in photos of their animal or describe their pet's symptoms on the phone, and are told that they need to come in for a consultation. Far from being a strange kind of upselling technique, this recommendation ensures that the right advice and treatment is given. Nicole and Jez discuss why a diagnosis can’t be given remotely, and why it can be dangerous to do so.  

While many cats enjoy the outdoors, unconstrained access has dangers for both the cats and native wildlife. There are solutions to square the circle: including cat runs and secure fencing. Nicole and Jez discuss the dangers of free roaming cats, and how it's now much easier to provide safe outdoor access.

Small parrots like budgies and cockatiels have a reputation for being “starter” or easy birds to keep, but despite this they are intelligent, complex animals that still require space and enrichment. Nicole and Jez discuss why we need to do better for our small parrots.

Sick and injured wildlife are brought into vet clinics every day, and many members of the public find it confronting to learn that the animal may be euthanised. Nicole and Jez discuss the challenges that face wildlife patients, and why euthanasia is a common outcome. [Trigger Warning] References to suicide & animal euthanasia

For dogs, as in humans, anxiety is an illness that needs management. Just as with human anxiety medication, the treatments have advanced dramatically, but still suffer from outdated misconceptions by the public. Nicole and Jez discuss canine anxiety and its treatment modalities.

People unfamiliar with veterinarians often assume that most are vegetarian. However, caring for production animals is an integral part of veterinary training, and many vets do important work in farms and abattoirs around the world; contributing the most of anyone to production animal welfare.   Nicole and Jez discuss the production animal side of veterinary medicine, and why production animal vets need more recognition for the vital roles they play. 

General anaesthesia is almost taken for granted now, but many forget it still carries risk. Every animal (and human) that undergoes general anaesthesia has a chance of complication (or even death).   Nicole and Jez discuss what general anaesthesia actually is, and why nobody can guarantee a risk-free anaesthetic.

Online communities are rife with comments stating that veterinary care should be free. While that would be ideal, even human healthcare isn't free or even subsidized for many people around the world.   Nicole and Jez discuss why veterinary services cost as much as they do, and explain why vets have big vet bills to pay off sometimes too.

Childhood pets are a source of happy memories for many people, but children should never be the *main* caretaker of any pet. Yes, pets can help to show children what responsibility looks like, but they simply lack the ability to care for a pet in full (especially when it comes to financial decisions). Nicole and Jez discuss why a pet is ultimately the parent's responsibility, and how a parent caring correctly for a pet (or collaborating with the child) can be the best way to teach...

Meeting puppies and kittens and baby rabbits are a huge perk of being a vet but there are massive downsides which can take away the joy of the job's good parts, and make the bad parts extra awful.   Nicole and Jez discuss the harsh reality of being a vet, and why the veterinary industry is so punishing. (subtext: pls be nice to your vet)

Feeding dogs and cats raw food is touted as the best way to feed pets, and the proponents say that veterinary pushback is because of a grand conspiracy to keep pets unhealthy.    Nicole and Jez discuss raw diets, the manipulative marketing behind them, but also why they can have a place in the right situation.

Why does a scale and polish for a person cost $100 when a scale and polish for a cat or dog costs $400-600? Part of the reason comes down to the language barrier between people and dogs & cats, which means that vets can't say - "Okay, Fluffy, open up and be still - this is totally completely fine, and you have nothing to worry about."   Nicole and Jez discuss the major differences between a scale and polish for a human vs a pet, why a general anaesthetic is required for pet dentals, and...