Vet Times Podcast

Cats, like many of us, are living to an older age – but that can present a unique set of challenges to veterinary practitioners. Vet Sam Taylor has written extensively on feline subjects and, in this podcast, discusses some of the health issues frequently seen in senior patients and how to help owners manage them. – Sam works as an internal medicine specialist at Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists in Hampshire, and is the academy lead and specialist consultant for the International Society of Feline Medicine. She is also editor of BSAVA Companion. An RVC graduate in 2002, she completed internships in private referral practice before starting a Feline Advisory Bureau residency at the University of Bristol. She achieved the European Diploma in Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2009 and became an RCVS-recognised specialist in feline medicine in 2011. She was made an RCVS fellow in 2019. Sam has authored the article “Common ageing problems in cats – management tips to give to owners”, which was in Vet Times Vo

Equine sedation and general anaesthesia is sometimes required in field situations. Aoife Ryan joins this Vet Times Podcast to discuss the pharmacology of commonly used drugs in such situations. – Aoife Ryan graduated from the RVC in 2016 and worked in mixed practice before joining Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists as a small animal rotating intern in 2018. She has remained there as a resident in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia. She has cowritten with colleague Matt Gurney an article in Vet Times’ 21 April 2020 issue called “Equine sedation and field anaesthesia: drug overview”. The article (Volume 50, Issue 17, Pages 8-10) discusses the medications commonly used by practitioners, as well as the induction of patients and future possibilities. Matt Gurney graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2003, and spent several years enjoying mixed practice before returning to Liverpool to undertake a residency in anaesthesia and analgesia. He is a European and RCVS-recognised specialist in veterina

Vets see osteoarthritis patients daily, and a range of management options are available. Ross Allan, RCVS advanced practitioner in small animal surgery, draws together important management considerations in this Vet Times Podcast. – Ross Allan graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2001 and gained a BSAVA Certificate in Small Animal Surgery in 2014 and RCVS advanced practitioner status in 2015. He is a partner in The Pets’n’Vets Family in Glasgow and leads Roundhouse Referrals’ surgical team, widening access to advanced veterinary surgery in western Scotland through innovative services. Working within the Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital, Ross is familiar with the challenges and reward in effectively supporting owners and treating pets with OA. He has cowritten – with specialist clinician in orthopaedics Stuart Carmichael – an article in the 14 April 2020 issue of Vet Times (Volume 50, Issue 16, Pages 6-9). It will appear online soon, and is entitled “Management of OA part 1 – time for a change in

Acute colic is the most common equine veterinary emergency, as well as the most common gastrointestinal disorder. Equine internal medicine specialist Karin Kruger rejoins us on the Vet Times Podcast to discuss classifying it, the three pillars of successful management, treatment options and advice to give horse-owning clients. Karin is an equine internal medicine specialist at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic in Kent [www.bellequine.co.uk]. She is an American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine [www.acvim.org] diplomate who completed a residency at North Carolina State University in 2012, as well as a master’s degree in equine anaesthesia in South Africa. Prior to joining the Bell Equine team, she worked in specialist private practice in South Africa and Sweden. Her article accompanying this podcast – “Equine gastrointestinal disorders – obtaining a successful diagnosis” is in Vet Times Volume 50, Issue 15, Pages 6-7 and will be online at vettimes.co.uk Check out her first podcast for Vet Times (Ep 7 o

Fleas are still a major parasite concern for pet owners, and still transmitting diseases that are dangerous to humans Ian Wright joins us once more, this time to discuss fleas and related issues. – Ian Wright, BVMS, BSc, MSc, MRCVS, is a practising veterinary surgeon and co-owner of the Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire. He has a Master’s degree in Veterinary Parasitology, and in addition to being head of the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP UK and Ireland), is guideline director for ESCCAP Europe. He is also an editorial board member for the Companion animal and Vet CPD journals. He has written widely on parasitology topics, and is a regular contributor to Vet Times. Ian spoke about the risk posed by exotic parasites in dogs in Ep 21 of the Vet Times Podcast. It was accompanied in Veterinary Times by the article “Exotic parasites in imported dogs: diagnosing and preventing spread”, which available online at https://bit.ly/2UD1MKU An article on cat and d

Few days pass without vets seeing a case of ear disease. Veterinary dermatology specialist Ariane Neuber joins us to discuss otitis externa, including causes, cytology, therapy and products. – Ariane Neuber, DrMedVet, CertVD, DipECVD, MRCVS, has many years’ experience in referral dermatology. After an internship at the AHT, she completed a three-year residency at The University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and gained a Certificate in Veterinary Dermatology (CertVD), and European College of Veterinary Dermatology diploma and RCVS specialist status as a result. Having provided a dermatology service for a number of large referral centres, and building a successful independent referral service in the south east of the UK, she moved to Germany in 2018. She is currently working in her own, independent dermatology-only practice, Hund Katze Haut, near Bonn. She is also the scientific programme coordinator for the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group, secretary of the ECVD board,

Monthly preventive deworming in cats and dogs has been a source of debate inside and outside the veterinary profession. In this Vet Times Podcast, we’re joined again by Ian Wright, head of European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites UK and Ireland, to discuss endoparasitology topics. – Ian Wright, BVMS, BSc, MSc, MRCVS, is a practising veterinary surgeon and co-owner of the Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire. He has a Master’s degree in Veterinary Parasitology, and in addition to being head of the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP UK and Ireland), is guideline director for ESCCAP Europe. He is also an editorial board member for the Companion animal and Vet CPD journals. He has written widely on parasitology topics, and is a regular contributor to Veterinary Times. Ian spoke about the risk posed by exotic parasites in dogs in Ep 21 of the Vet Times Podcast. It was accompanied in Veterinary Times by the article “Exotic parasites in imported dogs: di

CIRD complex, historically termed “kennel cough”, is a relatively common presentation in UK primary care veterinary practice. Jenny Stavisky, clinical assistant professor in shelter medicine at the University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, discusses its prevalence, presentation and prevention in this Vet Times Podcast. – Jenny authored the article “Kennel cough: a cough by any other name?”, which appeared in Veterinary Times Volume 50, Issue 6 (4 February 2020 issue) on pages 9-10. It is online at www.vettimes.co.uk/article/kennel-cough-a-cough-by-any-other-name/ Michael Day, emeritus professor of veterinary pathology at the University of Bristol and a member of the board of the WSAVA, has also authored a feature on CIRD in Volume 50 Issue 11 (10 March issue) on pages 8-10. It is called “Complexities of canine infectious respiratory disease” and will also be available to view on vettimes.co.uk Jenny Stavisky qualified from the University of Edinburgh in 2002 , and, following

Older animals presenting with renal disease often do so because of other clinical issues. Simon Tappin, head of internal medicine at Dick White Referrals, talks us through some of the diagnostic challenges in this week’s Vet Times Podcast. – Simon is a European and RCVS-recognised specialist in small animal internal medicine and honorary associate professor at the University of Nottingham. Having trained at the University of Cambridge, after qualifying he spent two years in small animal practice before taking up a residency in small animal medicine and intensive care at the University of Bristol. He joined Dick White in 2007. He holds the RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Medicine and the European Diploma in Veterinary Internal Medicine. He is an active member of the BSAVA and editor of Companion Journal. He has lectured widely in the UK and Europe on subjects including emergency medicine and interventional radiology. Simon’s current research interests are the prevalence of the multi-drug resistance ge

Ophthalmic conditions can account for between 5% and 10% of companion animal consultations. Mike Rhodes, an RCVS and European specialist in veterinary ophthalmology, provides advice to general practitioners and discusses types, prevalence and treatment options in this Vet Times Podcast. *

With pets, like their owners, now living to an older age, more of them will be impacted by chronic pain issues. Karen Walsh is an RCVS specialist in veterinary anaesthesia and European specialist in anaesthesia and analgesia, and in this Vet Times Podcast she discusses pain management issues in companion animals. – Karen graduated from the RVC in 1994. After enjoying work as a first opinion vet, she trained at the Animal Health Trust and the RVC as a veterinary anaesthetist. She gained her RCVS Diploma in Veterinary Anaesthesia in 1999 and her European diploma in the same discipline in 2007. After working many years as an anaesthetist in a variety of referral centres, Karen joined Eye Veterinary Clinic – a veterinary ophthalmology referral practice based in Herefordshire – as owner and director in 2017. Karen enjoys the variety of the work in a busy referral clinic, but has a particular interest in pain management. Her role is to support the nurses and vets in the field of anaesthesia, as well as running

In January, RCVS council approved a series of proposals aimed at improving the education and support of veterinary students and new graduates (read more at http://bit.ly/31Y8BsM). In response, Katie Roberts – president of the Association of Veterinary Students UK and Ireland (AVS) – talks to the Vet Times Podcast about the changes, including the future of EMS and why the Professional Development Phase needs to be less of a tick-box exercise. Katie also previews AVS Congress – taking place from 21 to 23 February at the University of Surrey – and reflects on her year as president. – Miss Roberts is the 2019-20 president of the AVS, and has been on the committee for three years. She is a fifth-year student at the University of Cambridge Department of Veterinary Medicine and, once she graduates, wants to pursue a career as a vet in mixed practice.

Toxicological hazards around the home are numerous, so it is inevitable vets will see poisoning cases in their practices. Nicola Robinson, who is head of service at the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS), discusses companion animal toxicology advice in this latest Vet Times Podcast. – Dr Robinson has coauthored an article in issue VT50.06 (4 February 2020) “Companion animal toxicology”, which is available at www.vettimes.co.uk/article/companion-animal-toxicology It features practical advice for first opinion practitioners, including history taking, decontamination and when to refer, and includes several information panels, including “Emesis in the management of poisoning” and “Substances not adsorbed by activated charcoal”, and a table of drugs and products used in management of poisoning. Nicola Bates, senior information scientist/VPIS research lead, cowrote the article. She qualified as a biologist from the Brunel University, London, and has worked in human and veterinary toxicology for mor

Pet travel, growing pet importation and expansion in global parasite distribution are all increasing exotic parasite risk to the UK. Vet Ian Wright, head of the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites, discusses current and future threats and prevention strategies. – Ian Wright, BVMS, BSc, MSc, MRCVS, is a practising veterinary surgeon and co-owner of the Mount Veterinary Practice in Fleetwood, Lancashire. He has a Master’s degree in Veterinary Parasitology, and in addition to being head of the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP UK and Ireland), is guideline director for ESCCAP Europe. He is also an editorial board member for the Companion animal and Vet CPD journals. He has written widely on parasitology topics, and is a regular contributor to Veterinary Times. His latest article, referred to in this podcast, is “Exotic parasites in imported dogs: diagnosing and preventing spread” – available online at www.vettimes.co.uk/article/exotic-parasites-in-imported-d

With a number of factors increasingly in play, it’s more likely an outbreak of exotic, vector-borne equine disease could one day occur in the UK. Michael Hewetson, senior lecturer in equine internal medicine at the RVC, talks to the Vet Times Podcast about arboviruses such as African horse sickness and West Nile virus, the importance of education and surveillance in helping detect them. – Dr Hewetson graduated from Onderstepoort, South Africa in 1999. He spent a year in private equine practice before completing a residency in equine internal medicine, critical care and anaesthesia at the University of Glasgow. He holds the RCVS certificate in equine internal medicine and is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons. Dr Hewetson has a PhD in equine gastroduodenal permeability studies and has published extensively in the field of equine gastroenterology. He currently works as a senior lecturer in equine internal medicine at the RVC. He spoke on “Emerging and exotic vector-borne equine d

Myxomatous mitral valve disease is the most common cardiac disease in dogs, and the primary cause for congestive heart failure and cardiac-related death. In this podcast, Prof Luca Ferasin, European and RCVS specialist in veterinary cardiology, discusses prevalence, prognosis and research. – Prof Ferasin is a European and RCVS specialist in veterinary cardiology. Having graduated with honours in 1992 from the University of Bologna, after 3 years of research in endocrinology at the BBSRC Institute in Cambridge, he was awarded his PhD in 1996. He taught canine and feline cardiorespiratory medicine at the University of Bristol for seven years, before joining the University of Minnesota as an associate professor in cardiology in 2005. Returning to the UK in 2008, he has worked in various referral institutions and has contributed extensively to the veterinary literature, with articles, abstracts, and book chapters, including the chapter on coughing in the latest edition of Ettinger’s textbook of Internal Medic

With additional consumer emphasis on animal welfare in the food chain, livestock vets need to be continually engaging with farmers on improving calf health matters. In this episode, Katie Fitzgerald discusses ways vets can motivate farmers on youngstock health issues. – Katie Fitzgerald graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2012 and joined a farm 
practice in North Yorkshire, working with a range of dairy, beef and sheep clients. She then spent a year working at a Lancashire practice before returning to Nottingham as a resident. Katie is a director of LLM Farm Vets in Derbyshire and continues with her research into dairy cattle housing. She also sits on the BCVA board, consulting on Government policies. She was a speaker at London Vet Show in the BVA farm stream, with a session on “Engaging with farmers to improve calf health. Within this podcast, she mentions resources made available by, among others, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) [https://ahdb.org.uk], including

Andy Rose and Charlie Mays co-founded VetFit after a study at the RVC showed sport and exercise had a significant positive impact on mental well-being. – Charlie Mays and Andy Rose qualified from the RVC in 2018 and 2017, respectively, having studied two degrees together, played rugby together and lived together for seven years. While at the RVC, both developed a keen interest in mental health and the role sport and exercise can play in that. This led to a study at the RVC and, latterly, the creation of VetFit. Designed to help veterinary surgeons and nurses fit exercise into busy lives in practice, VetFit delivers tailored activity programmes designed to reduce the impacts of stress through sport, exercise and social support. For more information, visit www.getvetfit.co.uk

Having discussed the lessons he learned from his visit to the National Association of Black Veterinarians Conference in part one (Ep 15), David Charles considers the influence role models could have on BME students and the next generation of vets in the UK. – David Charles is senior vice-president of the Association of Veterinary Students UK and Ireland, having served as its president from 2018-19. He graduated from the University of Bristol in 2019 and works at Oakwood Veterinary Group in Norfolk. Earlier this year, he presented at the first National Association for Black Veterinarians Conference in the US to discuss barriers faced by current and potential BME veterinary students on both sides of the Atlantic. According to the latest data, Dr Charles is one of 3% of vets in the UK from black or minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds – and he said studying to become a vet in such an environment can be “challenging”. “First of all, there is the lack of BME role models in the UK for vets, vet students and asp

David Charles attended the first National Association for Black Veterinarians Conference in the US. In the first of a two-part episode, he speaks to the Vet Times Podcast about the lessons he learned that could be brought back to UK practice to boost diversity in the profession. – David Charles is senior vice-president of the Association of Veterinary Students UK and Ireland, having served as its president from 2018-19. He graduated from the University of Bristol in 2019 and works at Oakwood Veterinary Group in Norfolk. Earlier this year, he presented at the first National Association for Black Veterinarians Conference in the US to discuss barriers faced by current and potential BME veterinary students on both sides of the Atlantic. According to the latest data, Dr Charles is one of 3% of vets in the UK from black or minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds – and he said studying to become a vet in such an environment can be “challenging”. “First of all, there is the lack of BME role models in the UK for vets