The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

Dr. Jules Benson joins Dr. Andy Roark for a deep dive into the economics of veterinary care, where it’s headed, and what it means for your practice. Using data trends from the last few years, Dr. Benson breaks down the troubling pattern of rising veterinary service costs and declining client visits, projecting what that could look like by 2030. But this isn’t a doom-and-gloom forecast. Together, t...

Dr. Alex Sigmund joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a common but tricky case, a 9-year-old shih tzu with persistent red eyes. In this "How Do You Treat That?" episode, Dr. Sigmund walks through his diagnostic approach to chronic canine eye redness, including Schirmer tear tests, fluorescein staining, tonometry, and the critical red flags for glaucoma, dry eye, and autoimmune conditions. They also cove...

In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark sits down with Dr. Camille Torres, a boarded veterinary nutritionist and associate professor at Colorado State University, to tackle one of the most common concerns with young pets: puppy and kitten gastrointestinal issues. They walk through a real-life case involving a nine-week-old kitten with diarrhea and discuss how to manage soft stools, dehydration risks, nutr...

Sheri Gilmartin, CVT and VP of Sales at Vetsource, joins Dr. Andy Roark to share data-driven insights on the current state of veterinary practices in 2025. With access to anonymized data from over 8,000 clinics, Sheri discusses key trends—including declining client visits, slowing revenue growth, and how independent practices are performing compared to corporate groups. They also explore rising in...

Dr. Tannetje’ Crocker, DVM, joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk about one of the most powerful (and often underused) tools in veterinary practice: social media. From Instagram posts to TikToks, Tannetje’ shares how she uses positive, relatable content to connect with pet owners, educate her community, and grow her practice in meaningful ways. In this episode, they dive into what kind of messaging actuall...

Clair Sauer, CVT, joins Dr. Andy Roark to explore how we’re teaching (and could be teaching better) in vet med. In this episode of the Cone of Shame Podcast, they dig into Clair’s unique path from science teacher to veterinary technician educator at the University of Pennsylvania. With a passion for learning theory and hands-on training, Clair shares her thoughts on competency-based education, the...

Dr. Alex Sigmund, DACVO, joins Dr. Andy Roark to share his journey from uncertain pre-vet student to rising ophthalmology star and social media sensation, better known as The Vet Eye Guy. In this episode of the Cone of Shame Podcast, Alex opens up about falling in love with ophthalmology during vet school, navigating the competitive world of residencies, and building a wildly popular educational I...

Dr. Jimmy Barr, Chief Medical Officer at Antech Diagnostics, joins The Cone of Shame Podcast for a deep dive into the future of veterinary diagnostics. With a background as a criticalist and former CMO of Blue Pearl, Dr. Barr brings a clinician’s perspective to the evolving landscape of diagnostics. He and Dr. Andy Roark discuss how innovation is shaping veterinary medicine, from AI-assisted radio...

Dr. David Haworth joins Dr. Andy Roark to unpack one of the most talked-about shifts in veterinary medicine: the rise of mid-level practitioners. In this episode of the Cone of Shame Podcast, they dive into the connection between regulation and innovation—yes, you read that right—and how smart, clear guidelines can actually fuel progress. The conversation then shifts to Colorado’s landmark ballot...

In this crossover episode of the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast and VetFolio Voice , Dr. Andy Roark, Stephanie Goss and Dr. Cassandra Fleming dive into conflict management in veterinary practices. They discuss how to reframe conflict as an opportunity for growth rather than something to avoid. Stephanie and Andy break down the importance of building conflict-resilient teams—teams that can disagr...

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior) joins Dr. Andy Roark to talk about how veterinary technicians can build a career in behavior. She shares her journey from general practice to launching Chirrups and Chatter, the challenges she faced, and the steps she took to advocate for herself and establish a successful behavior consulting business. They discuss imposter syndrome, career growth, and why behav...

Dr. Kate Boatright joins The Cone of Shame Podcast to discuss how new veterinary graduates can sometimes be perceived as money-hungry, not because they are, but because they lack confidence in case management and lean heavily on full diagnostic workups. She and Dr. Andy Roark explore how vet school training, imposter syndrome, and communication challenges contribute to this perception. They dive i...

Dr. Jen Quammen joins The Cone of Shame Podcast to discuss her candidacy for AVMA President-Elect and why she’s stepping up to lead the profession. In this episode, she and Dr. Andy Roark explore what it takes to run for AVMA leadership, the changes she hopes to bring—like expanding membership to include credentialed veterinary technicians—and the challenges of guiding a large, public-facing organ...

Dr. Donnell Hanson joins The Cone of Shame Podcast to share her passion for helping veterinarians overcome their fear of dentistry through her unique training center, The Four Legged Tooth Fairy. In this episode, Dr. Hanson and Dr. Andy Roark explore why dentistry can be such a source of stress for veterinarians, the most common roadblocks that hold doctors back, and how a hands-on, supportive app...

Dr. Rochelle Low joins us to discuss resilience and recovery from patient safety events. On this episode of the Cone of Shame Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Dr. Rochelle Low explore what patient safety events are and how they impact veterinary professionals. They discuss the critical role of psychological safety, strong leadership, and a culture of trust in helping teams learn, adapt, and heal when t...

Veterinary anesthesia expert Tasha McNerney, CVT, CVPP, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia) joins The Cone of Shame Podcast with Dr. Andy Roark to break down the role of butorphanol (Torb) in veterinary practice today. They dive into its sedative vs. analgesic properties, when it shines, and when it falls short, especially in pain management. Tasha explains opioid receptor interactions, how to think...

Dr. Donnell Hansen joins The Cone of Shame Podcast with Dr. Andy Roark to discuss oral tumors in dog. Together they discuss how to recognize them, when to biopsy, and how to talk to pet owners about what comes next. Dr. Hansen breaks down the diagnostic process, explains when a fine needle aspirate won’t cut it, and shares best practices for pain management and treatment options. She also dives in...

Dr. Andrew Woolcock, internist at Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, returns to the Cone of Shame podcast to discuss the metabolic phenomenon of hypoglycemia in dogs. In this insightful Hall of Fame episode, Dr. Woolcock and Dr. Andy Roark break down the common causes of hypoglycemia, diagnostic approaches, and effective treatment strategies for both young and older dogs. This epi...

Tasha McNerney, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), aka the original Anesthesia Nerd, joins Dr. Andy Roark to dive into the cutting edge of pain management in veterinary surgery. In this episode, Tasha discusses how to reduce opioid use while improving patient outcomes through multimodal analgesia and local anesthetic blocks. She breaks down the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) protocol,...

Dr. Anna McManamey, Professor of Cardiology at Purdue's College of Veterinary Medicine, joins Dr. Andy Roark to discuss a common yet challenging case: a new heart murmur in a cat scheduled for a dental procedure. In this Hall of Fame episode, Dr. Mack unpacks the potential causes of heart murmurs in cats, with a focus on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and other conditions that could impact anes...

In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark welcomes Dr. Phil Richmond, founder of Flourishing Phoenix , to dive into the U.S. Surgeon General's Framework for Mental Health in the Workplace. They discuss how veterinary practices can address psychosocial hazards, implement effective risk assessments, and foster a culture of wellbeing that supports teams without creating unnecessary stress. You’ll gain actionab...

Ever wondered what the next level of Fear Free handling really looks like? Dr. Andy Roark sits down with Dr. Megan Bauer and Jessica Osborne of Latah Creek Animal Hospital in Spokane, Washington, to explore their transformative journey into Fear Free practice. From navigating staff and client turnover to implementing innovative low-stress handling techniques, this duo shares how they’ve created a...

Dr. Ernie Ward joins Dr. Andy Roark to discuss the challenges of discussing pet obesity with clients and practical strategies for creating urgency and motivating pet owners to take action . This episode of the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast dives deep into the psychology of weight loss conversations, emphasizing the importance of permission, framing the discussion around quality of life, and foc...

Ryan Leech returns once again to talk about our 2025 predictions. Ryan Leech is the creator and host of The Bird Bath Podcast , and joins Dr. Andy Roark this time on The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast to explore veterinary industry trends and predictions for 2025. They discuss corporate consolidation, AI integration, emerging pet health technologies, and the potential for significant shifts in p...

Kelsey Beth Carpenter, RVT hosts a lively episode in which we find out what to do when we feel overwhelmed by the problems in our industry. On this episode of The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, Kelsey Beth Carpenter Dr. Andy Roark to discuss optimism and cynicism in veterinary medicine. They dive into how choosing optimism can positively shape careers, the difference between optimism and toxic...