Vet Times Podcast

In this episode, Vet Times editor James Westgate discusses the work of the WSAVA Oncology Working Group, formed to raise awareness of the latest thinking in cancer therapy and promote best practice globally. The committee’s team of expert members is currently working to develop a set of easy-to-use, accessible global guidelines for veterinary oncology practice, as well as practical, user-friendly tools for use by vets to enhance standards of treatment and educate owners about cancer in pets. Joining James are working group members Nick Bacon – an RCVS-recognised specialist in small animal surgery (oncology) and a European specialist in small animal surgery (oncology) – and former WSAVA president Jolle Kirpensteijn, past-president of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology. Further information on the group can be found at https://wsava.org/committees/oncology-working-group/

Life as a farm vet can be challenging, invigorating and ultimately very satisfying, with good communication extremely important. Owen Atkinson, a farm vet and consultant, rejoins the podcast to offer insight into communicating with farm clients – and explains the magic question game (see his article, Coaching skills for farm vets, at https://bit.ly/3y7kqMu). Owen Atkinson is a farm vet and worked in practice for more than 20 years before establishing Dairy Veterinary Consultancy in 2013. He provides advice and training for all types of dairy and veterinary businesses. He has a passion for farmer-vet communications and leading effective change. He has developed his expertise in coaching and facilitation, undertaking a postgraduate diploma through Aberysthwyth University, and enjoys working with people and teams just as much as with cows and calves. He can be contacted at owen@dairyveterinaryconsultancy.co.uk

Where can your veterinary nursing skills take you? In this month’s VN Happy Hour, the team will be exploring all the angles and showcasing the diverse range of careers and lifestyles on offer to the UK’s “green army” of veterinary nursing professionals. In this episode we hear Belinda Andrews-Jones, Luke Frewin and Fraje Watson answering questions posed by the people that matter – you and your peers.

Welcome to the second part of “Bridging the Gap’ – a special two-part VBJ First Opinions podcast in association with the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS). Recorded as part of an ongoing initiative to highlight the benefits of SPVS membership for those just starting out on their careers, the first episode focused on some of the barriers to career progression and diversification that face young vets. This second instalment takes a look at some of the solutions and how SPVS can help vets at all stages in their careers across a range of issues – from EMS and emerging technologies to leadership and legals.

In this podcast we are talking epilepsy, with veterinary neurology experts Simon Platt and Laurent Garosi. We will be chatting to them about when to treat epilepsy in dogs, what with and how to monitor patients effectively. ______________ Laurent Garosi is an RCVS and European Board of Veterinary Specialisation specialist in veterinary neurology and fellow of the RCVS for meritorious contribution to clinical practice. After creating and heading the neurology/neurosurgery service at large referral practice in Hertfordshire for 14 years, Dr Garosi joined CVS Referrals in March 2019. He is currently clinical director of Vet Oracle Teleradiology, offering neuroimaging report worldwide. Dr Garosi has overall clinical responsibility of the clinical neurology services across the CVS referral network as well as being learning and development neurology stream leader. His main clinical and research interests are cerebrovascular diseases, neuro-imaging and feline neurology. Dr Garosi has published widely in the f

VN Times editor Rachael Buzzel is joined by RVN and manager of the Linnaeus Veterinary Nursing Post Registration Programme, Sophie Venables. The programme launched in early 2020, but Linnaeus had to think fast and adapt as COVID hit and the nation was thrust into its first national lockdown. Sophie talks us through the first year of the programme and how, though it was not what they expected, they have learned from it and plan for future cohorts. For more information on the programme and how to apply for the March 2022 cohort, email vetnurseprp@linnaeusgroup.co.uk or visit the Linnaeus website: https://www.linnaeusgroup.co.uk/nursing-post-registration-programme/ ––––––––––––– BIOGRAPHY During Sophie’s career she has worked as an RVN in a variety of clinical settings to cover primary care, charity and referral clinics. Throughout these roles, she has always had a passion for education and development of veterinary nurses. While working at Wear Referrals part time, Sophie  commuted to the University of Br

This podcast has been brought to you by Neptra – the only single-dose, vet-administered treatment available for acute otitis externa in dogs. Launched in 2020, Neptra is available to vets in the UK and is the number one selling treatment for acute otitis externa in the US, under the name Claro. In this episode, we speak to Kathryn Cuddy, an RCVS advanced practitioner in veterinary dermatology, on the subject of otitis externa, and particularly how it can affect the behaviour of a dog, making it difficult and even dangerous for owners to treat themselves at home. If you see otitis cases regularly in practice, there may be many owners thanking you tuning in. Kathryn Cuddy, MVB, CertAVP(VD), MRCVS, graduated from University College Dublin in 2011. She spent four years working in small animal practice in the UK before returning home to Ireland in 2015. Kathryn has always had a special interest in veterinary dermatology, and began further study in dermatology with the University of Liverpool in 2013. In 2016,

RVC emergency and critical care resident Dave Beeston BvetMed(Hons), PGDip(VCP), MRCVS, who has been charting his early veterinary career in Vet Times, provides some insight on first interviews in this Vet Times Jobs special podcast. This podcast and an accompanying article were previously available exclusively to job seekers who had completed their Vet Times Jobs Skills Match profiles. To find out more about the Skills Match service, visit https://bit.ly/3iCaYvt The article “Tips for approaching your first interview” was in the summer recruitment supplement (inside Vet Times Volume 51, Issue 25; 22 June 2021) and is online at https://careers.vettimes.co.uk/articles/approaching-your-first-interview/

Vet Ian Wright BVMS, BSc, MSc, MRCVS, co-owner of Mount Veterinary Practice in Lancashire, offers some pointers on what practices are look for from candidates at interview. This podcast and accompanying article were previously available exclusively to job seekers who had completed their Vet Times Jobs Skills Match profiles. To find out more about the Skills Match service, visit https://bit.ly/3iCaYvt The article “What do practices look for in prospective vets?” was in the summer recruitment supplement (inside Vet Times Volume 51 Issue 25; 22 June 2021) and is online at https://careers.vettimes.co.uk/articles/what-are-vet-practices-looking-for-in-prospective-new-vets/

Fiona Stephens, recruitment manager for Goddard Veterinary Group, answers some of your submitted questions about conducting yourself in interviews in this Q&A-style podcast. This podcast and accompanying article were previously available exclusively to job seekers who had completed their Vet Times Jobs Skills Match profiles. To find out more about the Skills Match service, visit https://bit.ly/3iCaYvt The article “Interview success: bringing out your best” was in the summer recruitment supplement (inside Vet Times Volume 51 Issue 25; 22 June 2021) and is online at https://careers.vettimes.co.uk/articles/interview-tips-how-to-bring-out-your-best/

Lameness in cats can create challenges for vets and owners. In this podcast, Karen Perry joins the Vet Times Podcast again to discuss the most commonly encountered conditions, diagnosis, research, surgery and long-term management. ––––––––––––––– Karen has written the Focus article in Vet Times (Volume 51, issue 16, Pages 6-10 – 20 April issue) “Pouncing on pain – managing feline orthopaedic conditions”, which can be found in full in the “Pain Management” collection, in the Companion Animal hub, on our CPD+ service. [https://bit.ly/3zW2tBQ] Within the article, Karen discusses two commonly encountered causes of lameness in cats – medial humeral epicondylitis and feline cranial cruciate ligament failure – and evaluates the experience and literature base used to direct diagnosis and treatment. ––––––––––––––– Karen graduated from The University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (R[D]SVS) in 2005. After a short period in mixed practice, she completed an internship in small animal orthop

Welcome to the first part of a special VBJ First Opinions podcast in association with SPVS – the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons. As part of an ongoing initiative to highlight the benefits of SPVS membership for those just starting out on their careers, VBJ editor James Westgate hosted a panel discussion featuring three younger vets and three SPVS board members with decades of experience between them. Called “Bridging the Gap’, these ground-breaking discussions form a two-part podcast series. This first part focuses on some of the barriers to career progression and diversification that face young vets and how SPVS can help overcome them, while the second instalment goes on to look at some of the solutions and how SPVS can help vets at all stages in their careers across a range of issues – from EMS and emerging technologies to leadership and legals. We’d like to thank Leigh-Anne Brown, Ben Sweeney and Vicki Farbon from SPVS as well as Holly Sutton, Nat Morris and Alice Varney for their time and t

On 27 May 2021, VN Happy Hour 5 – sponsored by AnimalCare – focused on the topic of senior pets. Hosted, as usual, by Vet Times editor James Westgate and VN Times editor Rachael Buzzel, the evening featured a lead interview with RVN Kirsty Cavill and an expert panel comprising Nicola Lakeman and Emma Gerrard.

VN Times editor Rachael Buzzel sits down with RVN and university lecturer Amanda Curtis to discuss wound care, management and the VN’s role in this complicated process. There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to wound care and it is important vet nurses understand what can go wrong when caring for these injuries. Amanda Curtis talks us through the process and, in particular, how to keep a step ahead of the sometimes tricky biofilms. _________________ This month’s podcast is sponsored by Essity. Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company, dedicated to improving well-being through its products and solutions, essentials for everyday life. Essity, best known in the veterinary market for key brands such as Soffban and Tensoplast, is excited to introduce the Advanced Wound Care range through its Cutimed and Leukomed product portfolios. _____________ Amanda Curtis began her veterinary nursing career in late 2006 working for a small animal hospital. She has worked in a variety of clinic

In the third and final part of our series on telehealth – brought to you by Vets Now, the UK's leading provider of emergency and critical care – we sit down once again with Dave Leicester to review how well the service has been received. And Dave is definitely the man to speak to; as the head of telehealth at Vets Now, he has been involved with the service since the ECC provider began planning a telemedicine service in 2017. However, Vets Now was putting the final elements in place with a view to launching in April 2020 when lockdown was announced due to COVID-19 and – for good or bad – the company decided to bring its launch forward by a month. With this in mind, Vet Times editor James Wetgate asks how things have gone for the service over the past 14 months or so...

Mitral valve disease (MVD) is the most common cardiovascular disease and the most frequent cause of congestive heart failure in dogs. European and RCVS specialist in veterinary cardiologist Luca Ferasin joins the podcast again, this time to discuss this chronic degenerative disorder. Prevalence of MVD varies with age, and most geriatric dogs, especially those in small breeds, will eventually develop the condition. In this podcast, Dr Ferasin will discuss staging criteria, prognosis and changes to how MVD is managed and treated. _____________ Dr Ferasin is head of cardiology at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Having initially graduated from the University of Bologna with honours in 1992, following three years of research in endocrinology he was awarded his PhD in 1996. Awarded a fellowship of the RCVS in 2019, Dr Ferasin is a European and RCVS specialist in veterinary cardiology who has contributed extensively to the veterinary literature with articles, abstracts and book

To promote the upcoming VMG-SPVS Virtual Congress (13-14 May 2021), VBJ sat down with chief executive officer at The Wildlife Trusts, Craig Bennett. Craig will be opening congress at 9am on 13 May, but spoke to James Westgate in advance of his appearance to offer a sneak preview of some of his key messages and themes.

This month VN Times editor Rachael Buzzel is joined by locum RVN Molly Fiander to chat about life as a locum, coping through COVID-19, and her love for helping VNs find/rediscover their passion and get the most out of their qualification. Molly qualified as a vet nurse in 2017, but has had a huge passion for animal welfare since she was a little girl. In 2018 she “fell” into locum life, but hasn’t looked back. Molly is super passionate about teaching other veterinary professionals about locuming and improving the standard of care across the industry. She built her own consultancy business to help vets and VNs thrive as locums.

With an increase in popularity of breeds that are prone to allergic skin disease, such as the French bulldog and Labrador retriever, it’s likely we’ll be seeing more of these tricky cases over the coming months to years. Diagnosis isn’t always easy, taking time, care, compliance and excellent communication. Hill's Prescription Diet Derm Complete makes choosing a therapeutic diet easy early on in the diagnostic process by helping to manage up to 99.6% of canine skin disease. Visit www.hillsvet.co.uk/pet-solutions/derm to find out more about this new and unique diet. This Vet Times Extra Podcast is with Michael Unsworth, veterinary affairs manager UK and Ireland for Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Michael is a small animal vet with 12 years of experience in practice and 5 years within veterinary industry. Clinical roles in the UK and Australia have included working at the first opinion teaching hospital at the RVC, and leading a team in a large and small animal group based on the south coast. Michael's passion r

VN Happy Hour 4.0 saw vet nurse, writer, educator and leading blogger Jane Davidson feature in our main interview to discuss her perspective on physical and mental well-being, before joining our expert panel for a broader debate on some of the big issues in the veterinary nursing profession. RVN panellists Aoife Smith, Elle Payne, Jane Davidson, Zara Livingstone and veterinary nurse-turned personal trainer Adam Robinson – all leading experts in their fields of well-being and health – answered delegates’ questions on well-being and shared the day-to-day magic moments that make being an RVN a job like no other.