The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

Dr. James Oldeschulte joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk about a topic you probably didn’t think you’d hear on your commute today: fecal transplants. Yep, we’re diving into poop and how it is changing the way we treat veterinary patients. If you’ve always thought fecal microbiota transplants were only for chronic diarrhea or parvo puppies, think again. Dr. Oldschulte breaks down why acute diarrhea cases...

Beckie Mossor, RVT, joins Dr. Andy Roark to dig into the surprising results of NAVTA’s 2024 demographic survey of veterinary technicians. Salaries are climbing, yet job satisfaction is dropping fast. How do we make sense of this? Beckie unpacks the data, from the overwhelming push for title protection and standardized credentialing, to the growing frustrations around underutilization in practice....

Dr. Chelsie Estey, Chief Veterinary Officer for Hill’s US, joins Dr. Andy Roark to unpack the brand-new 2025 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report. If you think shelter trends are all about “too many pets, not enough adopters,” think again. This massive study digs into the real barriers behind pet adoption and relinquishment, from the rising costs of care and housing challenges to surprising genera...

Dr. Nathan Peterson, DVM, DACVECC, MA Bioethics joins Dr. Andy Roark to dive into one of the hardest questions in veterinary medicine: what happens when treatments feel futile? As an emergency and critical care specialist at Cornell with a master’s in bioethics from Harvard, Dr. Peterson has studied how veterinary teams wrestle with cases where the outcome may not change and the burden often falls...

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior) joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle one of the most nerve-wracking clinic moments: the lunging, growling dog that makes everyone’s heart rate spike. What do you do when a giant breed charges into the exam room, the owner refuses muzzle training or pre-visit meds, and you’re left feeling like your only option is to “just get it done”? In this lively and practical conv...

Matt Salois, PhD, joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk about why not every shiny new idea in veterinary medicine is a good idea. From the surge in new veterinary schools to the debate on mid-level practitioners and telemedicine, Matt raises the question: are we solving problems or just creating new ones? With his trademark humor and economist’s lens, he makes the case for smarter, not faster, change in ve...

Dr. Ginger Templeton, DVM, COO of HomewardVet and MOVES, joins Dr. Andy Roark to explore what the future of veterinary careers could look like and spoiler alert: it’s not one-size-fits-all. In this episode, Andy and Ginger dive into the concept of autonomy in veterinary medicine, especially as the profession continues to shift toward a more fragmented, customizable future. Ginger shares her journe...

Dr. Brian Bourquin, president of Not One More Vet (NOMV), joins Dr. Andy Roark to unpack the current state of mental health and wellness in veterinary medicine. What started as a small Facebook group has grown into a powerhouse nonprofit providing grants, peer support, accreditation programs, and a safety net for veterinary professionals in crisis. In this candid conversation, Brian shares NOMV’s...

Dr. Simon Haeder joins Dr. Andy Roark to dig into a surprising question: if a parent is hesitant to vaccinate their child, are they also likely to be hesitant about vaccinating their pet? The answer is more complex than you might expect. Drawing from his research published in JAVMA, Dr. Haeder shares insights on the correlation between human and pet vaccine hesitancy, what drives those concerns, a...

Cone of Shame 347 - When Care Can't Wait: Being Prepared for Critical Cases Julia Sosa, Chief Experience Officer at Pumpkin Pet Insurance, joins Dr. Andy Roark for a must-hear conversation on what happens when care can't wait. Ever had that moment in clinic when a pet’s situation is critical and the client is staring at an estimate, panicked and unsure what to do? This episode dives headfirst into...

Dr. Cory Woliver, DVM, emergency and critical care lecturer at the University of Florida, joins Dr. Andy Roark to discuss venomous snake bite management in veterinary practice. Ever wondered how many vials of anti-venom to give when a copperhead or rattlesnake strikes? This episode cuts through the guesswork on coagulation testing, anti-venom dosing strategies, pain control options, and when to ho...

What if improving your clinic’s communication could reduce turnover, boost job satisfaction, and enhance medical quality? Dr. Jason Coe is back on the podcast with brand-new research that shows how “relational coordination” (aka how roles within your team communicate and collaborate) impacts everything from psychological safety to employee retention. In this episode, Dr. Coe and Dr. Andy Roark div...

What do you do when your big, lovable diabetic cat suddenly develops renal disease? You call in the nutritionist cavalry! In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark is joined by boarded veterinary nutritionist Dr. Caitlyn Getty to tackle a real-world “hot mess express” case: Claudia, an obese diabetic cat who’s now showing signs of kidney issues. Together, they dig into the complexities of nutritional manage...

Dr. Lance Roasa, a veterinarian and practicing lawyer, who is the founder of Roasa Law Group joins Dr. Andy Roark. They dive into two key lawsuits shaking up the veterinary world: LMU Lincoln Memorial University suing the AVMA for anti-competitive practices and veterinary interns launching a class action lawsuit against the Match program and some vet schools. Dr. Roasa breaks down both cases, disc...

Dr. Petra Harms, veterinarian and founder of VetMaite, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle one of the most overlooked questions in veterinary AI: how do we know these tools actually work? AI scribes, chatbots and diagnostic aids are flooding into veterinary clinics, but who is testing their accuracy, safeguarding client data, or setting ethical standards? Petra is a big fan of AI (she’s not calling for...

Dr. Caitlyn Getty, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition), is back on the Cone of Shame to tackle a classic hot mess express: the IBD dog who now has early kidney disease. In this “How Do You Treat That?” episode, Dr. Andy Roark presents Murph, a finicky Yorkie with a sensitive gut, a history of GI explosions, and renal values on the rise. The kicker? His current food is working, and his owners are terrifie...

Dr. Stacee Santi, veterinarian, tech founder, and author of Stop Acting Like a Girl , joins Dr. Andy Roark for a conversation that challenges the norms women are handed and how those expectations shape careers in veterinary medicine and beyond. From the ER to the boardroom, Stacee has walked the walk, founding Vet2Pet, navigating startup negotiations, and now stepping into authorship and podcastin...

In this episode of the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark is joined by Dr. Emily Tincher, Chief Veterinary Officer at Nationwide Pet Insurance, to explore how veterinarians can personalize care for individual pets, their families and to the disease. They discuss new research, tools like The Pet HealthZone®, and the power of clinical empathy. According to recent PetSmart Charities res...

Dr. Steve Marks is building a vet school from scratch, and he’s not afraid to do things differently. In this episode, Dr. Marks, founding dean of Clemson University's College of Veterinary Medicine, joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk about what it’s really like to start a vet school in 2025. From juggling seven buildings under construction to planning clinical clerkships and raising funds for student ho...

Dr. Mary Gardner, DVM, co-founder of Lap of Love, joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk about one of the most emotional parts of veterinary medicine—helping pet owners process end-of-life decisions. Before you brace for a downer, take a breath. This episode is anything but heavy. With laughter, warmth, and a whole lot of heart, Mary brings her signature optimism to a conversation that every vet team will r...

Dr. Dana Varble, DVM, CAE, takes the mic to bust a myth that haunts way too many vets: that a board complaint is career-ending doom. (Spoiler: it’s not.) In this honest, eye-opening conversation, Dana, Chief Veterinary Officer at NAVC and exotic animal surgeon extraordinaire shares her personal experience with a board complaint, how it impacted her emotionally, and what she learned from it. Andy a...

In this jam-packed episode, Dr. Andy Roark sits down with Tabitha Kucera to talk about why animal handling deserves way more respect in the veterinary world. We’re not just talking about holding techniques here. This is about understanding body language, reducing fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS), and elevating handling to an art form. You’ll hear Tabitha’s take on why our old-school training method...

Dr. Derek Fox, DVM, PhD, DACVS joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk all things angular limb deformities and why they’re about so much more than crooked-legged Bassets. In this episode, Dr. Fox shares how limb malalignment is often the root of conditions like patellar luxation and elbow dysplasia, what general practitioners should be watching for in growing puppies, and how to set realistic expectations wi...

In this episode of the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark is joined by Dr. Emily Tincher, Chief Veterinary Officer at Nationwide Pet Insurance, to explore the concept of the "pet family perspective" in veterinary care. They discuss the importance of understanding the unique dynamics and needs of both pets and their families to provide more personalized and effective care. Dr. Tincher...

Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC, joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk about something most of us never thought we’d live through, guiding one of the largest veterinary conferences in the world through a global pandemic. What happens when your flagship event relies on thousands of people flying into one place… and the world shuts down? Gene shares a behind-the-scenes look at the massive decisions NAVC had to mak...