Veterinary Podcast by the VetGurus

News Remote-control cyborg cockroaches to search radioactive zones High altitudes may be a climate refuge for some birds, but not these hummingbirds Main Topic: Wildlife as Pets We’ve all seen it.. the wild animal that is rescued by a well intentioned person and taken into care, to subsequently become ‘part of the family’. We have also seen the disasters reported in the media, of...

News Some Monkeys Use Stone Tools for Pleasure, Study Suggests Scientists turned dead spiders into robots Main Topic: Ethical breeding of exotic and unusual pets As with any sections of the pet industry, there are good breeders and bad breeders. Unusual and exotic pets are no different. This week we chat about aspects of breeding of unusual and exotic pets, with particular emphasis on the breeding...

News Dogs ‘cry happy tears’ when owners come home, study finds How 24 English rabbits took over Australia: DNA confirms invasion’s origins Review Brendan reviews an obscure book and topic this week: The Black Prince And The Sea Devils. It is a fascinating story of an Italian nobleman, Prince Junio Valerio Borghese, founder of the first modern naval commando squad. After the Italian capitulation in...

News Sad end for seal spotted in paddock with cows at Simpson dairy farm in south-west Victoria Plans submitted for new vet school in Lancashire Main Topic: Resurrection of extinct species Would you like to see a Thylacine ? How about a real Jurassic Park? We discuss the technicalities, pros and cons of resurrection of extinct species. Furry tail or fairytale? Thylacine de-extinction bid wins $10m...

Main Topic: Top 10 Haemostasis Tips It’s rapid fire results this week, with Brendan and Mark’s Top 10 Haemostasis Tips. Sit down, turn on, listen. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Checkout the VetGurus range of quirky, distinctive branded items. All purchases help support our podcast , helping pay for our production costs. So the bonus for you is that you...

News Freya the walrus: Norwegian official who ordered killing receives death threats Relocated beavers helped mitigate some effects of climate change How snake venom could save lives on the battlefield and the hospital bed Main Topic: 5 Environmental Enrichment options for Rodents I’m bored…. I’m bored. Does your rat, mouse, guinea pig appear to be telling you this? If so, listen...

News Rabbit-friendly vet awards return for 2022 Rude owners could prompt vets to rethink careers Main Topic: Ferret Desexing We cover the ins and outs of desexing of ferrets: When to desex, how to desex (including chemical v. surgical) and why consider desexing of this species. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Checkout the VetGurus range of quirky, distinctive branded...

Main Topic: Euthanasia of Exotic and Unusual Pets It’s part 2 of our ‘on the road’ special, recorded in Darwin, Australia. We discuss the roundtable on euthanasia, presented at the 2022 UPAV conference. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Checkout the VetGurus range of quirky, distinctive branded items. All purchases help support our podcast , helping p...

Main Topic: The 2022 UPAV Conference We report on the successful 2022 Unusual Pet and Avian Veterinarians (UPAV) conference, held in Darwin, Australia. Brendan and Mark summarise the conference and delve into details of some of the presentations. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Checkout the VetGurus range of quirky, distinctive branded items. All purchases help suppo...

News Terrifying picture shows unidentified creature roaming through Texas zoo World’s heaviest freshwater fish, a 661-pound stingray, caught in Cambodia Main Topic: Social Media for Veterinary Clinics It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . The famous quote of Charles Dickens from The Tale of Two Cities could summarise the benefits and troubles of dealing with social media. This week...

News Here’s why pumpkin toadlets are such clumsy jumpers How to MRI your dragon: researchers develop first bearded dragon brain atlas Main Topic: What is Brendan and Mark’s story? For this 250th episode it’s all about Brendan and Mark. Specifically, what is their veterinary journey.. and where are they heading? Strap on your seatbelt and listen in. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus...

Main Topic: Top Ten Testicle Tips It’s rapid fire tips this week – Ten Top Tips for testicles…. get stuck in! VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Checkout the VetGurus range of quirky, distinctive branded items. All purchases help support our podcast , helping pay for our production costs. So the bonus for you is that you get some great merchandise and...

News ‘Demon ducks of doom’ laid melon-size eggs in prehistoric Australia Why so many Australians are feeding native birds Main Topic: Cheek teeth removal in Rabbits Toothy time this week – tackling a tough tooth topic: removal of cheek teeth in rabbits. Also see our previous podcasts on rabbit dental disease: Episodes 26 and 35 : Dental Disease in Rabbits Part 1 and 2 84: Complex...

News In Bali, bird sellers help endangered mynah make a comeback Monkey shot, tiger roams streets as toll mounts for cartels’ exotic pets Main Topic: Seizures in Unusual Pets Seizures are not uncommonly seen in unusual and exotic pets. We discuss causes of seizures in selected species and provide a clinical approach to the fitting unusual pet. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGu...

News Happy, the elephant, isn’t a person, a top New York court rules Headbutts hurt the brain, even for a musk ox Main Topic: Snake Skin Diseases It’s all about skin problems in snakes this week. Brendan and Mark discuss common (and some not so common) skin issues seen in snakes. NOTE: For a deep discussion of dysecdysis (abnormal shedding) in snakes head to Episode 233. VetGurus Merchandise...

News This farmer using guinea pigs to control weeds is all you need to brighten your day Magpies have outwitted scientists by helping each other remove tracking devices Main Topic: Eclectus Parrots It’s birds this week, with a discussion on the behaviour of pet Eclectus parrots and some of the diseases seen in this species. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Check...

News No news is good news! Main Topic: Crop needle usage Mark and Brendan go over the use of crop needles – including some unusual uses for these steel rods. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus Shop Checkout the VetGurus range of quirky, distinctive branded items. All purchases help support our podcast , helping pay for our production costs. So the bonus for you is that...

News Rambo the fox evades latest capture attempt in New South Wales Pilliga forest Farmer sells slice of ‘heaven’ to protect endangered species Main Topic: Foods for Unusual/Exotic Pet Practice What are some useful foods to have readily available in exotic pet practice? Listen in to find out! Links: Wombaroo Food Products Critical Care for Herbivores VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Stor...

News These male spiders catapult away to avoid being cannibalized after sex The climate impact of wild pigs greater than a million cars Main Topic: Exotic Pet Practice Differences We often talk about how the approach to cases in Unusual & Exotic pet practice is similar to the approach for other species/practices. There are, however, aspects of exotic pet practice which are totally different to...

News Wolf or dog? Dingo genome reveals answer lies somewhere in between How lizards keep detachable tails from falling off Main Topic: Bird Beaks (Part 2) We follow up from Episode 235 which covered bird beaks. In that episode we covered repair of birds beaks. This week we chat about the reshaping of bird beaks in more detail, and delve into some more rare or complicated beak issues in various avi...

News Tunnels and scent trails ‘beneficial’ to ferret welfare Vegan diet the ‘healthiest, least harmful’ choice for dogs Main Topic: Sarcoptic Mange in ferrets This week we cover sarcoptic mange in ferrets. This is a relatively commonly encountered condition on pet ferrets in Australia, yet infrequently reported in other regions. VetGurus Merchandise – VetGurus Etsy Store VetGurus...

News A dolphin stranded on a Texas beach dies after beachgoers attempted to ride it Apes, robots and men: the life and death of the first space chimp Review: Australian Bird Guide Brendan has a book review this week: The Australian Bird Guide . It is an essential item for all those twitchy and not so twitchy bird lovers or anyone visiting Australia. The illustrations and layout are excellent. It e...

News Like elephants, grandmother giraffes spend years caring for young The U.S.’s first open-air genetically modified mosquitoes have taken flight Main Topic: Respiratory diseases in Shingleback lizards It’s reptiles this week: specifically Shingleback lizards ( Tiliqua rugosa ), also known as the bobtail, sleepy lizard, two-headed skink, stumpy-tailed skink, pinecone lizard, bobeye or boggi...

News Spix’s Macaw heads list of first bird extinctions confirmed this decade Plan to rein deer growth on Melbourne’s outskirts Review: Severance TV series Brendan reviews the disturbing Apple TV series severance . A solid 8.6/10 score. Series 2 has been given the green light. Main Topic: Dealing with troublesome clients It’s everyone’s nightmare: the angry client. It wrecks y...

News ‘Smart patrols’: The new hope for Malaysia’s last tigers Here’s how boa constrictors squeeze their dinner without suffocating themselves Review: Reacher streaming series Mark reviews (and raves) about the streaming series Reacher. It is available on Amazon Prime . He rates it a strong 8.6 out of 10. Main Topic: Geriatric Guinea Pig Care Caring for the elderly Guinea Pig is this weeks main top...