Shake Up Your Workup

A lump! Lipoma? Or a mast cell tumor in disguise? In this episode, Dr. Sylvia Conway talks with oncology specialist, Dana Connell, DVM, MPH, MS, DACVIM (O), to dig into how to tell the difference and about spotting a mast cell tumor sooner. They cover when to aspirate, what cytology can and can't tell you, and why a mast cell on a slide isn't automatically a tumor. They also look at where the IDEX...

Routine wellness panels, pre-anesthetic screens, senior blood work: they're often labeled "normal." But are they? In this episode of Shake Up Your Workup, host Dr. Sylvia Conway sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Schooley, DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM) to uncover the subtle, early signals of renal disease that can hide in plain sight on a routine chemistry panel. Dr. Schooley walks through the three changes to...

Spherocytes, schistocytes, keratocytes, oh my! In this episode of Shake Up Your Workup, host Dr. Sylvia Conway sits down with Dr. Ali Dudley to break down how automated blood morphology is changing the anemia workup. Dr. Dudley walks through her "top five" poikilocytes every clinician should know, explains how to tell true agglutination from false positives, and reveals why platelets and fibrin ca...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in aging cats—but could earlier intervention change the course of disease? In this episode, Dr. Sylvia Conway sits down with Dr. Natalee Holt to discuss the value of early CKD detection, the role of phosphorus in disease progression, emerging biomarkers like FGF-23, and new data supporting early intervention. Tune in for evidence-based insights on screening,...

In this episode of Shake Up Your Workup, Dr. Sylvia Conway is joined by parasitology expert Dr. Wade Burton to unpack the realities of tapeworm infections in dogs and cats. They explore why testing matters over routine deworming, the limitations of traditional fecal flotation, and how newer antigen tests are improving detection. The conversation also covers common life cycles, zoonotic risk, treat...

Excessive drinking and urination—polydipsia or PD and polyuria or PU-- are common clinical signs that can quickly derail a case. In this episode of Shake Up Your Workup, Dr. Sylvia Conway and Dr. Nancy Sanders, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVECC, break down a practical, stepwise approach to the PU/PD patient. They cover how to confirm true PU/PD, ask targeted history questions, interpret urine specific g...

In this episode of Shake Up Your Workup, host Dr. Sylvia Conway sits down with Dr. Megan Skeffington to discuss a practical, point‑of‑care approach to fine needle aspirates. The conversation explores how slide‑free, AI‑enabled cytology can help assess sample viability within minutes, support workflow efficiency, and provide actionable information early in the diagnostic process. without replacing...

When chronic gastrointestinal (GI) cases walk through the door, where do you start? Internal medicine specialist Dr. Yvonne McGrotty joins host Dr. Sylvia Conway to break down a practical, step-by-step approach to chronic vomiting and diarrhea in cats and dogs. From essential history-taking and dietary trials to microbiome insights, fecal transplants, and when biopsies really matter, this episode...

Itchy dogs are everywhere—and managing chronic skin disease can be one of the most challenging parts of veterinary practice. In this episode of Shake Up Your Workup, Dr. Sylvia Conway chats with Dr. Heather Akridge (IDEXX Dermatology) for a practical deep dive into managing itchy pets and atopic skin disease. They break down how to gather a meaningful dermatologic history, rule out common causes o...

Red blood cell morphology can reveal critical clues about your patient’s health—but only if you know what you’re looking for. In this episode of Shake Up Your Workup, our host, Dr. Sylvia Conway sits down with Dr. Guillermo Couto to takes us beyond the numbers to explore the diagnostic power of blood smears. We’ll break down: • Why abnormal erythrocytes matter and what they indicate • How to avoid...

Shake Up Your Workup is moving to Spotify and Apple Podcasts in January 2026! Join Dr. Sylvia Conway and expert guests for Season 2 as they discuss innovative approaches to everyday clinical diagnostics. Season 2 kicks off January 22 with episodes about abnormal erythrocytes, atopic skin disease, GI patients, and much more! To revisit episodes from Season 1, you can access the replays and accompan...