VETtalk Online Podcasts

We recently spoke with Cathy Beer, the creator of Pets4Life - www.pets4life.com.au . Cathy is passionate about educating wannabe and current pet parents about taking time to look at everything involved in talking on the lifetime responsibility of pet parenting. It's one thing to have a great idea... but does it work? Meshlin Kouri put it to the test and told us what she and her family gained from...

Pretty well everybody loves to have animals around - especially the cute, furry, feathered and fluffy kind right? So if that's the case, why do we still have so many animals in our rescue shelters despite trying to ban them for sale in pet shops and targeting unethical or backyard breeders? Sadly very few rescue groups actually try and educate potential pet parents merely trying to show "how many...

Good friends of well known Aussie larrikin dog trainer Steve Austin might jokingly refer to him as being a "bit of wind" but in fact the phrase was coined by his mother(!) as you'll find out in this very entertaining podcast... Steve also talks about his new book called Working Dog Heroes (avail on Amazon.com) and some of the amazing stories he has amassed over the years

Vets tell us that just like we humans, any medication we give our pets can potentially have an adverse reaction, especially if we give them the wrong dose… even though by law, the correct amount is always clearly marked on the packet, along with warnings about possible side effects for dogs and cats even when given the right dose. However… sometimes pet parents – especially those with quite a few...

Would you really know if your dog, cat or bird was sick? – Animals are very good at hiding pain or other symptoms of ill health so we thought we’d ask an expert for the tell-tale signs!

The Frog and Tadpole Study Group of NSW - ( www.fats.org.au ) occasionally receive calls about injured frogs. A concerned homeowner recently called the Frogwatch helpline describing what sounded like a Striped Marsh Frog 'Limnodynates Peronii' whose rear leg had somehow become wedged under her wheely bin - (trash can for our US listeners!). The concerned resident and her mother drove it over to Mo...

This week... @ 01'12" - Bloat - Deadly For Dogs - Dr Sarah Goldsmid @ 07'52" - Dogs & Hugging - Good Or Bad? - Steve Austin @ 16'30" - What It's Like Being A Vet - Dr Anne Fawcett @ 24'27" - Q-Fever - What You Need To Know - Dr Guy Weerasinghe All of these stories have separate podcast pages for easy sharing via www.vettalkradio.com.au

You don't have to be working with cattle to be exposed to this problem! Q-Fever recently struck veterinary staff working with cats and dogs in small animal practice. The disease causes severe flu-like symptoms but can easily progress to the victim being unable to work for months, even years while suffering the pain of chronic fatigue symptoms, or worse, liver or heart damage. However Q-Fever is a...

Ever wondered why vets became vets? Want to know what kind of car they drive or if they use Dr Google to 'solve' cases?... These are just some of the questions we put to veterinarian Dr Anne Fawcett from Sydney Animal Hospitals. You can read more about Dr Anne on her popular blog 'Small Animal Talk' Here's what we asked Dr Anne: You can watch the chat right here or select a question - opens a new...

PLEASE NOTE: We are testing the 'live' feature of Spreaker, our podcast host - This story was also heard in VETtalk #37. Future 'Live'shows will be announced in advance - thanks for your continued support... we really appreciate it!

This week... @ 01'07" - Anaesthesia... Is It Dangerous? - Dr Sarah Goldsmid @ 07'20" - Home Made Diets... Good or Bad? - Dr Barbara Fougere @ 13'10" - Grass Seeds Can Be Deadly! - Nadia Crighton All of these stories have separate podcast pages for easy sharing via www.vettalkradio.com.au

Anyone who's ever seen a puppy almost swimming in their food bowl knows just how much canines of all ages love to eat… in fact, they'll eat pretty much anything, especially if they think it's people food. But is that a good thing? We know that modern day dogs evolved from wolves who scavenged scraps from early humans -but will they thrive on that kind of food nowadays… what is the best food we can...

Many people love to walk their dogs more often in the cooler months and interestingly enough the grass is often longer in autumn than summer! But for some dogs that longer grass, and more importantly their seeds, can be not only painful but life threatening in the worst cases. Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia say's they've seen a recent increase in claims for grass seeds and wants to wa...

Is the problem the 'female boxer, spayed with chronic cough'? Or is the problem the family that can't get a good nights sleep because the dog sleeps inside and is coughing all night? What are vets really solving? 'Colourful' - 'Outspoken' certainly 'Experienced'... are just some of the words to describe Dr James Harris OAM. Dr James has been a practicing veterinarian for more than 56 years in seve...

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Given we’re all so chronically time-poor we've started selecting shorter podcast stories for you each week plus a video which can also be seen on www.vettalktv.com/podcasts In fact this weeks video about 'DJ' the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo is proving extremely popular on Facebook and if you want to share it with your clients and colleagues via your own FB page, website or newslette...

Does your cat know what buttons to push when it comes to 'dinnertime?' They're masters at it aren't they?... sadly to their own dietary detriment it seems. Latest estimates suggest more than half the cat population is overweight with many bordering on obese…but why? In this edited podcast British behaviourist Dr Jon Bowen has the answer, which he revealed to stunned attendees at an AVA (Australian...

This Week... @ 00'37" - Household Hazards For Pets - Dr Sarah Goldsmid @ 02'30" - Why Do Cats Like Boxes? - Dr Anne Fawcett @ 07'23" - Why Did My Cat Get Asthma? - Nadia Crighton @ 13'43" - Having Fun With Anal Glands - Dr Jo Sillince

Cats are interesting creatures. Some love to cuddle, get in your way and are happy to be seen in open spaces. While others are very shy and depend on having somewhere to 'hide' or at least stay out of harms way. Dr Anne Fawcett - the brilliant blogger on www.smallanimaltalk.com explains WHY cats who have an environment filled with boxes of all shapes and sizes, do better than those who don't.

Cats cough for a number of reasons - often it's 'just a hairball' usually caused by excessive grooming. But how would you know if it was something more dangerous - like asthma? Former DOGSLife Magazine editor Nadia Crighton has had cats (and dogs) for many years and reveals how she discovered not only that her cat had asthma but HOW she got it and more!

This week... @ 00'37" - Biggest Losers Become Biggest Winners - Rebecca Hagney @ 05' 47" - What On Earth Is Zoonosis? - Dr David Jenkins @ 09' 20" - HEY YOU!!!.. Pick Up Yer Poo! - Nadia Crighton @ 14' 42 - Basic Rabbit Care - Dr Ellen Rasidi, ARH

Got a rabbit?... Exotics Intern at Sydney's Animal Referral Hospital Dr Ellen Rasidi loves them and has some good advice for all rabbit owners or if you are new to the world of rabbits and thinking of getting some, this story is for you!. We say 'some' because most animals love to be with other animals too - especially rabbits!

Ok - here’s a trick question for you… what weighs roughly 1 thousand 500 hundred tonnes and is produced each and every day around Australia? Hint – it’s not gold, more’s the pity. It’s dog poo!!! And while those of you listening to VETtalk right now, who are dog owners, would never dream of turning a blind eye to your pet’s daily deposits… unfortunately there are some owners who still do the wrong...

According to Dr Google - "Zoonosis is a disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals." So if your pet is infected with any kind of bacteria, viruses or parasites and they come into contact with you, it's highly likely you'll get the same disease! Dr David Jenkins (no relation to Dr Google!) is a highly qualified 'parasitologist' who studies these so called 'zoonotic' diseases and reveals...

"My dogs NOT fat!! - He's just 'big boned'... ". Uh huh! It seems we've all made some kind of excuse like this for our much loved dogs right? And it's not just dogs either. Plenty of cats are... well... overweight according to Veterinary Nurse Rebecca Hagney from Claws 'N Paws Veterinary Hospital in West Bathurst NSW. On an almost daily basis Rebecca could see that more and more animals coming in...

This Week: @ 00'36" - Feline Nutrition Furfies - Dr Anne Fawcett @ 05'53" - How Well Do Vets Handle Pets? - Dr Kersti Seksel @ 14'20" - Are Backyard Chooks Good Pets? - Dr Jayne Weller @ 18'53" - Top 10 Craziest Pet Products - Part 2 - Nadia Crighton NOTE: The Vet Pet & Animal News is taking a break this week... but we'll be back! :-)