Ask the Vet

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Pamela Schwartz, Department Head of Surgery at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, to discuss how the new Denise and Michael Kellen Institute for Surgical Care is transforming patient care. Tune in as they discuss: A "virtual tour" of the new surgical institute at AMC The cutting-edge technology now employed in the new operating rooms How the ORs can co...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Maggie O'Haire, a noted researcher in the field of human-animal interactions. Dr. O'Haire's work is paving the way for understanding how service dogs can make a tremendous difference in the lives of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Tune in as they discuss: How the Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research and Education...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews three distinguished experts from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Sally Slavinski, Kevin Lovingood, and Caroline Bragdon to talk about the increase of the bacterial disease leptospirosis in dogs. Tune in as they discuss: The increase of leptospirosis cases in NYC dogs What causes leptospirosis and what species can contract it? How cases of...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews David Brathwaite, Patient Care Manager in AMC's Diagnostic Imaging Service. Tune in as they discuss: What is Diagnostic Imaging? David's 22-year career journey at AMC from Assistant to Patient Care Manager The role of a Veterinary Assistant The imaging machines that David maintains What percentage of AMC patients go to radiology for imaging? How animals are x...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Jonathan Losos , evolutionary biologist and author of The Cat's Meow, How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to your Sofa . Dr. Losos studies the ways humans are transforming cats and how cats in turn are transforming the world around them. Tune in as they discuss: What the ancestor of the domestic cat looked like How Dr. Losos became a cat lover Dr. Losos' le...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews veterinarian Dr. Nigel Swift, Global Head of Sustainable Agriculture and One Health at Dalan Animal Health . Dr. Swift helped in the development of the first vaccine for honey bees, which has received conditional approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This vaccine protects bees against a fatal bacterial disease. Tune in as they discuss: Dr. Swift's insp...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Jane Kopelman who serves as consultant to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s ‘Caring Canines’ therapy dogs. Jane is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a Certified Therapy Dog Team Evaluator for pet partners. Tune in as they discuss: How Jane's interest in therapy dogs began What makes a good therapy dog? How you get a therapy dog used to the hospit...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center's Chief Veterinary Technician, Nancy Patsos. With 20+ years of experience at AMC, Nancy plays an important role in managing the Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) workforce and related patient care services. She ensures compliance with patient safety standards and fosters the professional development of LVTs. Tune in as they...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus speaks with Judith Harbour, Veterinary Social Worker at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. Judith provides support and counseling to AMC staff and veterinary clients. She also facilitates AMC's Pet Loss Support Group. Listen as they discuss: What people commonly experience when they lose a beloved pet Advice for people coping with the loss of a pet Secondary loss and how...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center's new President and CEO, Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA. Tune in as they discuss:  The furry members of the Irving household How a nurse from London, England became AMC's President and CEO Lessons from human healthcare that Helen is now applying to leading a veterinary hospital Differences between human and veterinary hospitals...

Dr. Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Catherine Ruggiero, a board-certified Veterinary Nutritionist, and Manager of Scientific Communications at Hills Pet Nutrition. Tune in as they discuss:  Why Dr. Ruggiero wanted to become a veterinarian and focus on nutrition Tips on what to feed your pet Reliable sources for pet food nutrition information Common problems with homemade diets for pets What terms like &q...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus speaks with her colleague, Dr. Kelly Muller, intern and future resident at AMC. Veterinary interns are fully-licensed veterinarians who have chosen to complete advanced training, often in preparation for a residency and board certification. Listen as they discuss: When Dr. Muller knew she wanted to become a veterinarian How Dr. Muller’s internship year is helping her become a spe...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere, Director of the Thinking Dog Center at Hunter College, about new research into the behavior and cognition of domestic dogs. Listen as they discuss: The origins of Dr. Byosiere's research interests The interdisciplinary and translational nature of dog cognition research The history of dog cognition as an academic field The pre-historic...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, a veterinarian who empowers pet owners to enhance the wellbeing of their animals. Dr. Becker believes in a common sense approach to maintaining vibrant companion animals and an unconventional, integrative approach to addressing disease. Tune in as they discuss: How Dr. Becker got started  as a veterinarian The catalyst for her book, "The For...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Jill Rappaport, a journalist, author, producer, and passionate animal advocate especially for senior pets, pitties, and those with special needs. Tune in as they discuss: What we can learn from our animals The special story of Jack & Jill: The Miracle Dog with a Happy Tail to Tell The joys of giving a rescue animal a new life How Jill helped Christie Brinkley adopt...

The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of our AMC to the Rescue Fund, which provides subsidized specialty care to rescue animals whose health is an obstacle to their adoption. This fund has helped over 600 animals, partnered with over 146 rescues, and provided over $1.6 million in donated care to help pets find forever homes. In honor of this anniversary, Dr. Ann...

In this episode, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Leslie Lyons, a feline geneticist and professor of comparative medicine at the Missouri University College of Veterinary Medicine. Tune in as they discuss: What inspired Leslie to become interested in genetics Leslie's feline companions How Leslie pinpointed where cats first became pets Where cats were first purposely bred The genetic similari...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Kathryn Coyne, who is retiring after twelve years as AMC's President and CEO. Tune in as they discuss: Kate's backstory and how she came to AMC How running an animal hospital compares to a human hospital Kate's first impressions as President and CEO The biggest changes during Kate's leadership One of Kate's fondest memories What will Kate miss...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Jessica Mejia who was named Schwarzman Animal Medical Center's 2022 Licensed Veterinary Technician of the Year for her exceptional care, compassion, and collaborative spirit. Tune in as they discuss: Jessica's six pets and where they came from How Jessica became a veterinary technician NYC area programs for veterinary technicians What has changed over the las...

AMC's Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Lisa Weeth, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, about pet food and nutrition to help your pet live a long, healthy life. Tune in as they discuss: Dr. Weeth's lifelong love of veterinary medicine and her career path as a veterinary nutritionist The importance of nutrition in the health of pets The pet food manufacturing process and quality ass...

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Eunbee Kim , AMC's newest Senior Veterinarian and Specialist in Diagnostic Imaging. Dr. Kim's recent research project compares the performance of artificial intelligence software to a board-certified veterinary radiologist. Tune in as they discuss: What intrigued Dr. Kim about diagnostic imaging Why radiologists like to look at x-rays in the dark How arti...

AMC's Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews David Fitzpatrick , one of the foremost handlers and presenters of the Pekingese breed. In 2021, David was presented with the prestigious American Kennel Club ‘Breeder of the Year’ award for his Pequest Pekingese. Tune in as they discuss:  Why David became involved with the Pekingese breed How life in the palace affected the Pekingese personality What dog sh...

AMC's Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews registered architect Susan Sharp, owner of Susan Sharp Design, LLC . Susan is working with a New York City design team on the 37,000 square foot expansion and renovation of the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. Tune in as they discuss:  Why Susan decided to become an architect and focus on veterinary teaching hospital facilities How Susan became involved wit...

AMC's Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews zoologist and author Bill Schutt. Tune in as they discuss: Bill Schutt's latest book Pump: A Natural History of the Heart The unique pets Bill had as a child Why Bill found vampire bats intriguing How blue whale hearts are "small" and hummingbird hearts are "large" Narwhals and what's next... Also on this month's show: The...

AMC's Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews colleagues Dr. Dan Spector, Service Head of Surgical Service 2, and Dr. Django Martel, Senior Veterinarian, Specialist in Dentistry. Tune in as they discuss: Rico the jaguar's visit to AMC from Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey How AMC was able to repair Rico's broken canine tooth Diagnosing and treating Rico's orthopedic issue Rico's progres...