The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

Dr. Emily Tincher, DVM, Chief Veterinary Officer at Nationwide and co-founder of Clarity Vet Surgical Center, is back for her sixth visit, and we're tackling a question every vet team runs into: why does the same treatment plan land perfectly with one client and fall completely flat with the next? We dig into the three Cs of pet owner decision-making (cost, choice, and convenience) and Nationwide's new free pet parent personality quiz, which helps clients figure out their priorities before they ever walk into the exam room. You'll come away with simple ways to flex your communication, build client trust, and meet every pet owner where they are, no judgment required. Gang, let's get into this episode!Thank you to Nationwide Pet Insurance for making this episode possible!LINKSNationwide Pet Insurance Veterinary Healthcare Team ResourcesPet and Pet Parent Quizzes Follow Dr. Tincher on LinkedInThe Nationwide Pet Health Zone - Breed Related InsightsABOUT OUR GUESTDr. Emily Tincher is a veterinary executive and emergency clinician whose career spans clinical practice and the design of systems that better support pets, families, and veterinary teams. A second-generation Auburn veterinarian, she grew up in her family’s rural Kentucky practice, where broad-based medical and surgical care and deep relationships with pet families shaped her commitment to accessible, relationship-centered care. She is also Co-Founder of Clarity Veterinary Surgical Center, which expands access to surgical and dental care through focused care practice design.Dr. Tincher serves as Nationwide’s Chief Veterinary Officer and AVP, Pet Health & Strategic Partnerships, where she focuses on care delivery that is clinically sound, financially sustainable, and responsive to the needs of today’s pet families.A nationally recognized advocate for spectrum of care, Dr. Tincher has served in veterinary leadership roles for more than a decade and is the Immediate Past President of the Veterinary Leadership Institute Board of Directors. She is a frequent speaker at major veterinary conferences across North America and has authored publications on cost of care, access to care, payment options, and pet family-centered approaches to veterinary medicine.

Dr. Sarah Boston, veterinary surgical oncologist, comedian, and the very first guest EVER on the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, is back, and things go off the rails almost immediately! We're talking about the hills we wish we'd stood on earlier in our veterinary careers, emotional blackmail, professional boundaries, and some of the uncomfortable realities of veterinary medicine, including pet relinquishment, animal welfare, and how we compensate veterinarians. Sarah and I don't agree on everything, and that's half the fun as we challenge each other's perspectives on where our profession is headed and what really deserves our energy. Gang, let’s get into this episode.Dr. Sarah Boston is a veterinary surgical oncologist. She is an ACVS board certified small animal surgeon and an ACVS Founding Fellow of both Surgical Oncology and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. She spent the first part of her career in academia as a tenured faculty member at both the University of Guelph and the University of Florida. She currently is in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in private practice. She is an international speaker on surgical oncology as well as a keynote speaker on other hilarious topics. Dr Boston is also a best-selling author and stand up comedian. Her book, Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved my Life was a bestseller and she has just finished her first novel and she is frantically trying to get it published. Sarah is a graduate of the Humber College Comedy Performance and Writing Program 2023 and a comedian with YukYuks in Canada. She is the host of the podcast Comedicine, where she interviews healthcare professionals who are also comedians. She is a nerd and believes that we all need to laugh more.

Stephen Niño Cital, RVT, SRA, RLAT, CVPP, VTS-LAM (Research Anesthesia), joins me to ask a question that might sting a little: are we giving maropitant to our spay patients and calling it pain control? Stephen explains why MAC sparing is not the same as true analgesia, why nausea makes pain worse (and quietly throws off our pain scores), and why maropitant still belongs in every anesthetic protocol, just not for the reason many of us think. You'll walk away better at reading veterinary research and with a stronger plan for surgical pain management. Gang, let's get into this episode.Register for the 2027 Uncharted Veterinary Conference!

Dr. Bob Lester, DVM, co-founder of WellHaven Pet Hospital, is back, and we're talking about a silver tsunami that could completely change veterinary medicine! As pets live longer, what does that mean for our appointment schedules, chronic disease management, preventive care, and the way we run our practices? We're digging into the opportunities of geriatric veterinary medicine, how wellness plans could help pets live longer, and why communicating the value of veterinary care matters more than ever. Gang, let’s get into this episode!Today's Veterinary Business: Dr. Bob Lester's article, "How Veterinary Practices Can Prepare for an Aging Pet Population"Contact Dr. Bob Lester: [email protected]

Dr. Alex Sigmund, DVM, DACVO, a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist and the face behind The Vet Eye Guy, is here to call us out on something I may or may not be guilty of: reaching for NeoPolyBac every time a dog shows up with a red eye! We're digging into why that approach can lead to missed diagnoses, how to recognize serious conditions like glaucoma and dry eye, and the essential ophthalmic diagnostics every general practice should have in its toolbox. From tonometry tips to empowering veterinary technicians, Alex shares practical ways to improve eye care, practice better antibiotic stewardship, and catch problems before they become emergencies. Gang, let’s get into this episode!The Vet Eye Guy: Follow Dr. Alex Sigmund on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook (@TheVetEyeGuy).The Vet Eye Team: Dr. Alex Sigmund's veterinary ophthalmology practice in Atlanta, Georgia.