When undertaking a scientific study on the efficacy of CBD in pain relief in dogs an issue that didn’t occur to me was the problem of getting the CBD across state borders in The USA without being tagged as a drug dealer. The answer – move the study to Canada.We again catch up with Dr Kelly Diehl, Senior Director of Science & Communications for The Morris Animal Foundation to find out about some of their latest studies including:·         The efficacy of CBD in pain relief in dogs·       ...

Having spent my working life in veterinary practice, a lot of it as a practice owner, I am well used to comments about how much veterinary services cost, some in jest, some in shock and occasionally some in anger. Is this fare criticism though? Let’s take a closer look.Often the comments are in jest. I have been introduced a few times as “this is Bryan Gregor, my vet, the richest man in Timaru”.  I don’t think so. There is this perception that veterinarians have a license to print money....

Unfortunately, the veterinary profession can really take a toll on the mental health and wellbeing of those in it. In this episode of The Vetpodcast I have a frank discussion with Canadian veterinarian Dr Marie Holowaychuk who is a passionate advocate for veterinary team wellbeing. Marie is CEO and founder of Reviving Veterinary Medicine  and host of the  Reviving Vet Med podcast. If you are an animal health professional, you probably owe it to yourself to listen to this discussion.If you...

Following the disastrous floods that have hit the north of New Zealand following cyclone Gabrielle last week, I think it is opportune to revisit a podcast I recorded a year or so ago with Sue Kinsella and Alison Vaughan from RNZSPCA. If you have the responsibility of looking after animals, you should listen to this!

“Without urgent action, we are heading for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries can once again kill”  A quote directly from The World Health Organization.This isn’t hyperbole, this is potentially our future (as if there aren’t enough other things to be concerned about!). And then we have the British Health Secretary giving her left over antibiotics to family and friends. Really!!!In this episode of The Vetpodcast we discuss antimicrobial resistance.

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...

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...

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...

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 faecesI 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...

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?·       ...

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.) ·       ...

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...

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...

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?       ...

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...

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.