Veterinary Podcast by the VetGurus

Duct tape and reptiles don’t mix – especially when used to smuggle animals as Brendan discovers. Mark reveals a Frigatebird that has broken a record – what record? – listen to find out! In other news a long term bond between two turtles is broken, and we list Australia’s 10 worst invasive species. The main topic is part 2 of our discussion of reproductive problems in...

Geckos are on the run – how exactly do they do it? Are fish self-aware? How do you monitor the wellbeing of captive elephants? We attempt to answer these questions in our news of the week. Don’t blink – you may miss the final news article. Reproductive issues in lizards is our main topic this week. Mark and Brendan discuss the various problems encountered in lizards when things g...

Dog food made from insects, snakes used as torture, and legally recognising animals’ feelings are news items this week. Mark finishes off the news with a story about smart birds – so what happened to the phrase ‘bird brained’? Our main topic is remembrance – dealing with the body after the death of a loved pet. Mark and Brendan talk about options for clients including...

News this week: Scheme to improve health of brachycephalic dogs The use of Jiggers in horse racing Are you drawn to male or female dogs? 7 spectacular facts about yaks Our main topic this week is an interview with author Laura Greaves, who has just had her 6th book published: The Rescuers – Incredible stories of life-saving dogs. You can find more information on Laura’s book here . Con...

News for this week: Freezing bird feet, technicolour squirrels, rabbit calicivirus in the UK area and a stowaway parrot…  The main topic this week is feathers – Mark walks us though the do’s and don’t’s of wing clipping in our feathered friends. Links: First UK hares test positive for RHDV2 Why don’t birds’ feet freeze in the cold? Meet India’s beaut...

We love our big statues here in Australia, so the fight over the Biggest Moose between Canada and Norway has us intrigued in our first news story of the week. The search for new species goes on – and 3 new salamander species have been found in Texas. The sad facts behind so called mini pigs are evened, and in the final news story Mark in angry about a cartoon racoon. Social media, its use an...

A good news story – Icelandic goats saved from extinction- and Brendan gets extremely emotional about this story. Mark then gets serious and talks about river systems and culverts for protection of fish.  This week we have another Top Ten: Tips for dealing with snakes for clinicians who are unfamiliar with reptiles.   Links Meet the woman who saved the Icelandic goat from extinction   Barrie...

Veterinary student numbers increase in the UK, as they do in many other countries: Brendan and Mark discuss the implications. The secret fighting lives of hummingbirds are revealed, and we find out why killer whale pregnancies fail. Do you have a floppy-eared dog? Is it cute? We find out why floppy ears are thought less threatening than erect ear. How to Train Your Vet. The main topic is a discuss...

How does chicken soup make you feel better? Brendan explains. Mark dives deep into the question of how to monitor waterway health via monitoring fish sounds and investigates Turtle Rain. in the final news story Brendan summarises a recent publication on anaesthetic deaths in pets. Heating is our main topic this week. We discuss the details of how to provide adequate heating for unusual pet enclosu...

In this New Year’s special we interview James Harris. We interviewed James at the Adelaide UPAV conference and it was a pleasure to chat to him. James is universally known and loved as a living legend in exotic pet medicine, with a phenomenal reputation as an exotics and wildlife veterinarian. He outlines his journey from the UK to the USA, and eventually Tasmania, where he now resides. Jame...

It’s our Christmas special with Mark and Brendan getting into the holiday spirit (literally) as they reminisce over the happenings in 2018 and look forward to 2019. News: The winners of the 2018 Comedy Wildlife Awards are out.. and, not surprisingly, they are quite humorous. In other news, a dog digs up a bone. We wish all our wonderful listeners a safe, happy and restful holiday period and...

We’re back!!! Brendan is back for his pilgrimage to the far reaches of India, and he shares a few stories about his adventures. We catch up with some news: Will our generation be remembered by the chicken bones we leave behind? What is the background of China’s legalisation of the rhino horn trade? Brendan muses over animal societies thriving without males, and Mark investigates the ha...

Its goats and more goats this week: Brendan talks about weedbusting goats and a list of things you didn’t know about this fascinating species. A good news story with heroic huskies rescuing a hiker in Alaska, and are cities making animals smarter. Main topic: Limb and tail amputation in reptiles. Why is this such a common procedure? Mark and Brendan give their thoughts, and tips for performi...

Brendan is intrigued with camel beauty pageants and the shenanigans undertaken to enhance the chance of winning. Mark is looking even more radiant than usual after discussing advances in drugs to increase longevity, and he discusses some difficult ethical decisions veterinarians make when pressured by clients. In the final news story this week Brendan ask’s the age-old question: Can dog&#821...

How can a chimney save birds? When they are fake. Mark explains. Brendan is hot under the collar about leaf blowers as he continues to turn into a cranky old man! In other news Mark and Brendan marvel at the wildlife Photographer of the year awards for 2018, and we are glad to see that Lee Burger has won an award. The main topic this week is fluted cats – or FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract...

We report on the rebound of a Mountain gorilla population in this week’s good news. Mark discusses whether pets can get seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and wonders if elephants are evolving to lose their tusks. Brendan then gets a bit angry when he reveals 87 elephants have been killed by poachers in Africa. Movie Review by Brendan: The Predator 2018. Don’t bother. 2 out of 10. It&#8...

Could Llamas be the answer to the ideal human flu vaccine? Scientists had no idea where the world’s tiniest flightless bird came from, until now- Mark explains. In our final news story we debate if the era of greyhound racing is coming to an end. Limbs. Or lack thereof. That is the main topic this week: amputation of limbs of various species is discussed by Brendan and Mark – what spec...

Support us via Patreon:   Patreon.com/vetgurus Mark is on location this week – playing in a basketball tournament! While he ices his dodgy knee, Brendan decides what to do with dog faeces in our first news story. We also discuss if a wind farm monitor to prevent bird deaths would likely work, and marvel at some amazing photos. Basic pet bird nutrition is the main topic this week. Brendan and...

Welcome Guru-listeners. Great to have you onboard for this week! News: For the dinosaur aficionados out there we chat about whether those small arms of T. rex are of any use. A mushroom extract may help save bees. Our final news story is a call to all Australians to get the FrogID app. and participate in FrogID week from 9-18 November. Hop to it! This week’s main topic is amphibian care. Bre...

A deaf and blind dog missing for 5 years is reunited with its owners in yet another good news story from Brendan. Mark is enthused about the educational aspects of octopuses, and wonders if having a dog increase your chance of a tinder date? To balance things out, the final news story is about cats: Are cat lovers under the influence of Toxoplasmosis? Perhaps not, though that kitten is very cute&#...

We put recreational fishing under the spotlight this week with discussion of an article on why catch and release is tough on fish. Singapore Zoo use a 3D-printed prosthesis to give a hornbill a second chance of life and Brendan is happy that the tiger population in Nepal has rebounded. In our final news story Mark  muses on the rise of the ‘bin chicken’ – the Australian White Ibi...

We are pleased, and relieved, to have Mark back from his recent ventures near Sulawesi in Indonesia. He was there at the time of the earthquake and subsequent Tsunami which has resulted in devastating loss of life and environmental destruction. The VetGurus get all the breaking news. This week Brendan is breathless talking about an inflatable pet hospital and spins some positive talk about Austral...

Dinosaurs are alive –  at a new theme park in Portugal. Why do small dogs aim high when urinating? – Mark finds out! Brendan is concerned about a neighbourhood overrun by goats and a bounty placed on a Police dog’s head by a drug cartel. As usual, we report the important stories. Nasty Nine: The main topic this week is a quick rundown of 9 nasty conditions in unusual pets that Ma...

We dig deep into the sticky issue of the reported medicinal properties of Manuka honey. Our main topic this week is Unusual Pets: more specifically, we outline common unusual pet species and debate which make good pets, and which species should not be kept. Brendan competes his review of the Clarius veterinary wireless ultrasound system. He gives its a high 9.4 Send us an email to enter our compet...

A puppy undergoes a world first complex heart surgery in London. Are we heading for a world without turtles? We also try to answer patron Sandy’s thought provoking email questions. On a lighter note we look at the finalists for the 2018 Comedy Wildlife Photography awards. Our main topic this week is oestrogen toxicity in ferrets: what is it? We chat about how to treat it, and what steps you...