Pete the Vet's Podcast

This week's short podcast discusses life in a busy vet clinic. The ups and downs can be far more intense and demanding than most people realise. This segment was recorded in early October, during World Animal Week, and we go on to talk about the valuable work carried out by the ISPCA, preventing cruelty and protecting animals.

This time of year is difficult for many pets, due to their high sensitivity to unexpected loud noises. Listen to this short podcast to learn how to help pets cope with fear of fireworks.

The differences between dog brains and human brains are well established, and they explain many of the differences between dog behaviour and human behaviour. Listen here to find out more

Grass seeds are small sharp objects that can be hazardous to pets. Listen here to find out more...

The ban on XL Bully dogs comes into effect on 1st October 2024. This short radio interview goes over, again, the reasons why Pete feels that a far more complex and detailed approach is needed to the issue of dog attacks on humans.

Cats are very different from dogs, and this short podcast discusses some of those differences.

Penguins have been making international news. This short podcast describes how I used to work with the penguins at Edinburgh Zoo, when I was a student, and then we go on to discuss the two recent news stories.

Poisoning is a common issue for pets: this short podcast discusses three typical cases that I have seen at my vet clinic in the past couple of months.

Cats have a strong drive to hunt birds, but many owners would prefer that they don't do this. This short podcast discusses how hunting behaviour can be reduced.

Here's another short discussion about the dos and don'ts of taking pets on holiday with you, including travelling overseas

The first Spayaware event was held in 2002, when over twenty thousand unwanted dogs were euthanased in Ireland's dog pounds. Twenty years later, in 2022, there were less than five hundred euthanased. Still too many, but huge progress. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

Scooting and sledging are common behaviours in dogs. Listen here to find out why they do it and what to do to help them

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has just issued new guidelines on spaying and neutering. As the ISPCA Spayaware campaign is launched for 2024, the message on the importance of neutering for pets is adapting to new information: the bottom line is TALK TO YOUR VET about what's best for your pet.

Every day in most towns in Ireland, dogs are reported wandering the streets on their own. This short podcast looks into the "lost dog" phenomenon, and discusses how this should be tackled.

After the shocking death of a young woman in Limerick last week, and another incident involving a dog attack in Cork, there has been much discussion about what should be done. Listen to this short podcast to find out more.

In the summer months, many dogs suffer from gastrointestinal upsets (vomiting and diarrhoea), both mild and serious. Why is this so common, and what should owners do when their dogs are affected?

Greyhounds are no different to other dogs, and they deserve to be treated as such. Two examples are first, when considering keeping one as a pet, and second, under Irish law, when some procedures are banned in pet dogs, but apparently permissible in greyhounds. Listen to the podcast to find out more.

Recent research is finding out more about the lifespans of different types of cats. To find out more, listen in.

This week's short podcast discusses skin tumours in older dogs: these are common, and they are usually harmless. Listen in to find out more!

This short podcast discusses how ticks become more common in the early summer, and what can be done to control them effectively in pets.

The BSAVA congress is one of the biggest pet vet gatherings in the world: here's a short review of some of the discussions and learnings

Inhaled medication - as used by humans with asthma - are sometimes used to treat dogs and cats with nasal and lung disease. This short podcast explains the basics of how this effective form of treatment is used.

Spaying and neutering pets is important to control excessive populations of dogs and cats, but it's important to carry out an individual assessment of the impact of these operations on the pet's health before going ahead. To find out more, listen here.

In the UK, it is now illegal to own an XL Bully dog if you have not applied for a certificate of exemption for your pet. This short podcast outlines the details of the ban, including the pros and cons for this strict new law, as well as discussing what Ireland plans to do about the risk to the public from some of these dogs.

This short podcast is a from a short radio interview on Spirit radio. We discuss the surge in dogs being abandoned and surrendered to animal rescues, and we talk about what can be done to help