VET Talk Radio Podcasts

Well even though it says it in the title - 'fun' is not necessarily what what you would call dealing with this problem in dogs mainly.But as always Dr Jo Sillince from Pets Australia describes the condition, causes and solution in her own humorous way for the benefit of us all :-)

We've all known it ever since we've started having pets of our own, but a study out of Queensland Uni now proves the health benefits of pet ownership - for adults as well as kids!Study proves pets are good for our health!Former DOGSLife Magazine editor Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia tells us that recently in Queensland, research has revealed that spending time in parks and nature can positively impact on blood pressure and overall mental health and well-being.The study, which was led by The University of Queensland and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, suggests that having a good dose of nature is good for your health.

What makes a good 'Cat Vet'?... Dr Kim Kendall say's cat lovers AND vets need to think more about what really makes a 'Feline Friendly' practice and offer some practical advice in this podcast.

As the Easter bunny gears up for another busy night of delivering eggs to all the children around the globe, Pet Insurance Australia is reminding all pet lovers that Easter can spell disaster to an unsuspecting dog or cat.“This is a great time of year to celebrate with friends and family,” Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia says. “However it’s important to take some simple steps to ensure you don’t end up spending your precious long weekend, highly stressed at the local veterinary hospital.”With the main ingredients of Easter celebrations being chocolate it’s a good idea to remind the children and the older chocolate lovers that this delectable treat needs to be kept out of reach from the family pet. In 2016 over 1000 pets were treated for Theobromine/Chocolate poisoning.“Hiding a box of chocolates behind the couch cushion won’t suffice for a curious hound,” Crighton says. “Master scavengers will go to no end to find the hidden chocolates that can lead to a very sick dog.”PIA is also advising pet owners to be careful with flowers. “If your lovely Easter bouquet contains lilies it is vital you remove them or showcase them in an area your pet cannot access,” she warns. “Lilies are highly toxic to cats and dogs and can cause adverse reactions that can lead to death.” Many pet owners will also be travelling with their beloved pets around this time of year. Ensuring you are prepared will keep your pet safe.“Keeping pets safely secure in the car is not only paramount for their safety, but also for yours,” Crighton suggests. “Use specially designed seatbelts, harnesses and cages and don’t forget your updated tags and leashes.”COMMON EASTER COMPLAINTS;•Chocolate poisoning•Foreign Object removal•Poisoning GREAT PET EASTER TIPS•Get your dog involved in all the fun! Don some bunny ears and enjoy a nice long walk in the Spring sunshine. •Yes, your dog can join in the egg hunt. A great tip is to pop the Easter eggs inside boxes or plastic containers to prevent them finding the treats before the children!•Make some doggy safe treats and encourage your guests to treat the dog from this ‘safe’ jar and not their plate.•Use Easter baskets and have a special safe place you put these to keep them out of reach from the dog and cat. Don’t forget to pick up all wrappings too!

So many 'old wives tales' get muddled up with 21st century science. Maybe you've been told this? "Are you pregnant? Then you MUST get rid of the cat as soon as possible!" It still seems to be a common thought among pregnant women around the world - one which sadly means cats being 'dumped' for no reason whatsoever. So who better to find out more about this controversial topic than the very colourful Dr Jo Sillince from Pets Australia "true or false - having a cat is dangerous for pregnant women?More Reading: http://www.vettalktv.com/audio/cats/Cats_and_Pregnancy-Pets_Australia.pdf

Feeling the chilly weather yet? Well if we're feeling the cold so are our pets! - And most domestic dogs and cats want to do just like us and curl up in front of the fire - whether it's an open one, gas or electric.But there are dangers all pet owners need to be aware of as Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia explains!

These days our pets have just about as big a choice of food as we do! But what about medicines?The way we look after our pets is changing every year. Conventional veterinary science continues to allow us to treat all kinds of ailments in our pets from skin conditions, dodgy tummies, anxiety and more. But did you know many of the things prescribed by both human doctors and veterinarians actually originated from plants? Take Aspirin for example… apparently the ancient Egyptians used willow bark as a remedy for aches and pains yet we take that medication for granted. Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet explains how she uses both holistic and conventional methods for treating animals in her practice at www.naturalvet.com.au

There are big changes coming to Fraser Coast’s hugely popular caravan parks – thanks to ‘people power’.In late 2020 the Hervey Bay Council asked locals to take part in an online survey to provide feedback on which of a number of proposed changes should get the green light and there was an unexpectedly large response giving councillors a very clear insight into what people view as priorities.To find out more we caught up withJade Wellings - Councillor Division 5, Fraser CoastPREFER TO READ? - Full Transcript Here...https://bit.ly/CaravanParkUpdate

Being a veterinarian or vet nurse can be pretty challenging at times. With so many different animals to deal with every day - all of which they might never have seen before - can be 'challenging' to say the least. Bites, scratches and often upset pet owners means a less than perfect 'consult'. But a new program aimed at improving the animal handling techniques of vets and nurses is underway here in Australia - Veterinary Specialist Behaviourist Dr Kersti Seksel from Sydney Animal Behaviour Services - www.sabs.com.au - explains.

Ok let's get technical here... Do you know what 'Eye Boogas' are? It seems that all of us at some time have had crusty eyes that we often call 'boogas' and think very little of it...For animals and humans as it happens - dry eye can also be a serious health issue that really needs to be "looked" at (sorry about the pun!) as soon as possible.Dogs, cats rabbits and yes even birds can all have 'dry eye boogas' as Internationally renown Complementary Veterinarian, author and lecturer Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet explains in this lighthearted chat we had with her.

Have you ever noticed how animals are VERY good at hiding pain or showing they are unwell. This is a highly evolved 'protective mechanism' of course - no single animal wants to be the sick one in the pack/herd/flock etc...But how can we as pet lovers tell? Are they hot, cold, off their food? Are their gums red, yellow, white or pink? How are they standing? Is there a cough? How do you know if they have a heart problem? What is their fur like?Leading industry body 'Pets Australia' spokesperson Dr Jo Sillince explains some specific symptoms to look for in cats. For instance do you know what 'kidney coat' is?As always please see your vet for ANY signs of poor health in your pets.

While the weather this year has been, cold, wet then hot again... whether you're travelling or not, heat is a big factor in the health of our pets - in this case dogs! And we were reminded off that recently sitting in the shade under a tree having coffee with friends the other day when Kaye realised she had copped a nasty sunburn! Lesson learned – the hard way – That protective shade of the tree moved!! it’s also a timely reminder for us and other pet owners to plan how to provide adequate shelter, water and cooling mats or jackets to protect our pets from heat stress or the even worse condition Heat Stroke.To help us and help you - we called on a friend who’s treated many pets for heat stress to give us her best advice on what to do if you suspect your best friend is heat affected - Dr Karyn Wesselingh from the Animal Referral Hospital in Baulkham Hills Sydney

We thought it would be good to find out if people actually said 'thankyou' to their vets and how it felt. So we asked the highly respected Veterinary Surgical Specialist Dr Sarah Goldsmid from the Animal Referral Hospital in Homebush Sydney what it's like to get a nice thankyou from a client.

We all know dogs love to play... Sometimes though that play can turn nasty. And too often what looks like an innocent 'dog say hello to dog' at the local park can leave not only the dog but the owner requiring urgent medical attention!Long time friend and well-known Dog Trainer Steve Austin knows only too well what can happen when there's a dog fight and says you really need to know what you're doing if you want to stop it without getting hurt!

Sadly vets have seen a huge increase in the number of dogs that have been attacked by other dogs while out walking with their owners. In fact this has been happening to vets across the country and as you might imagine is both distressing for owners as it is for their Emergency & Critical Care teams & Surgeons.Knowing that these attacks have occurred due to many people now ‘stuck at home’ due to the various state ‘lock down’ regulations thanks to COVID-19, we thought we’d ask well known Veterinary Behaviourist Specialist Dr Kersti Seksel from the Sydney Animal Behaviour Service for some advice on both Off-Leash parks and walking dogs in general.

It’s hard to believe but Medical teams have been progressively improving anaesthetic products since they were first invented more than 170 years ago.The result being that today’s surgeries being shorter and safer than ever before for both people AND pets.However, there’s been a long-held myth by some pet owners that their aged pets shouldn’t undergo the surgery – even if they’re in pain.Specialist Surgical Vet Dr Sarah Goldsmind from the Animal Referral Hospital is keen to alleviate those fears by explaining how pre-surgery tests enable them to adjust the anaesthesia for that particular pet’s condition enabling the surgery to go ahead.

Right across NSW and other parts of the country, families are being forced by the major drought to make decisions about affected livestock and their own future working on the land.But little has been mentioned about one of the most misunderstood members of the family... The Working Dog - also severely affected due to the lack of food available.But one very clever animal related business, the Erina Heights Veterinary Hospital on the NSW Central Coast has come up with a great initiative we can all get involved in - and on the line to tell us all about it is Vet Nurse Tanya Middleton....

Holistic Veterinarians who look at a pet’s tongue can tell a great deal more about their patient’s state of health/disease than say a GP asking a human patient to say ‘ahh’.A rapidly rising number of vets are choosing to learn Eastern techniques to use alongside their existing western scientific training to provide combined treatments for their patients. These might include Acupuncture, TCM (Chinese herbal medicine) and nutritional regimes.Internationally renown Complementary Veterinarian, author and lecturer Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet believes this trend in bringing the best of East and West together expanding as more pets enjoy its benefits.

If you've ever had a really, really bad stomach ache - spare a thought for large breed dogs... because they, unfortunately quite commonly suffer from an even more painful and in fact potentially deadly condition known as Bloat. Veterinary specialists still don't know why it occurs in some dogs, and not others, but it appears to be on the rise given a sudden influx of Bloat cases at Sydney’s biggest privately-owned emergency and specialist centre, the Animal Referral Hospital However Bloat needn't be a death sentence as ARH’s veterinary specialist surgeon, Dr Sarah Goldsmid explains.

Is a Poodle healthier than say a Chihuahua?. What about a Cavilier King Charles Spaniel compared to a Beagle or a Boxer?Dogs are not 'dogs' when it comes to health issues. Sometimes it's just genetics -eg; "in the breed" - at other times it could be poor breeding generally or even cross-breeding.So which breeds are generally more expensive to insure?Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia explains more