Vet Talk Radio

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 feed - and by default - the worst foods. Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet in Sydney is an expert in nutrition and all kinds of healthy things for our pets and helps us out with some great suggestions.

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 warn all pet owners to be aware of the issue.

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 several countries and in this short informal chat at the inaugural Sydney Zoobiquity Conference, he explains his frustration at what is NOT being taught to veterinarians and human medicos alike!

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 newsletter... feel free to ‘share the love’ of animals. There is a 'Share' button on every story page. Meantime... THIS WEEK'S PODCAST STORY! * How Fat Cats Push Our Buttons - Dr Jonathan Bowen 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? British behaviourist Dr Jon Bowen has the answer!

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 Veterinary Association) Conference…

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

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 :-)

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 thing… and that’s putting the future of offleash parks at risk. We’re joined on the line by Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia…

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 more in this .. er ...'entertaining but educational podcast!'

"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 to the hospital were on the 'chubby' side and decided to do something about it! The idea for their Biggest Loser for Pets program came of course from the popular reality TV show. And just like that show 'contestants' are given a weight loss program and an exercise routine to help shed those kilos. In this short podcast Rebecca talks about the educational aspect for pet owners - who often 'lose count'of the number of treats or portion sizes for their pets.

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! :-)

We've had chooks (chickens for our overseas listeners!) for many years now. They're a great source of eggs and believe it or not are VERY socialiable. Given the chance they love to cuddle and get involved in the day to day activities around the home - including coming inside the house to see 'wassup'! Animal Referral Hospital's Exotics Vet Dr Jayne Weller also has chooks so this story might be a little 'biased' :-)

Here are the second lot of Top 10 'Crazy Pet Products identified by Pet Insurance Australia' that you need to know!... Missed the first 5? - Check this out: http://bit.ly/1Luj1pp 6) NAIL POLISH Apparently been with for a while - Have you EVER painted your pet's nails? 7) DOG-E & PUSS-E NAIL COVERS & CAPS Hmmm - are your puddy tats nails getting stuck in the carpet? 8) O-DOG-COLOGNE If it smells like a dog it probably is! 9) RAINCOATS & BROLLIES Now we're talkin'- Sounds pretty sensible this one! After all nobody wants a wet dog right? 10) WEARABLE DOG POOP CATCHER! We'll leave this one to your imagination!

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.

What do you feed your cat? A commercial tinned or dry cat food? Do you believe your cat is getting what the label promises? Well if you've watched a recent ABC Lateline program, viewers should be concerned, their program stating, – quote – “Peer-reviewed research by the University of Sydney, published in the Australian Veterinary Journal, has found that some commercial pet food could cause 'severe illness or injury' to adult cats.” Pretty scary stuff and it's no surprise a lot of cat owners are worrying about what they're feeding their cats. www.SmallAnimalTalk.com blogger Dr Anne Fawcett comments

This week... @ 00'39" - WARNING: Easter Lillies Kill Cats! - Dr Narelle Brown @ 04'00" - Are Cats Going Under The Radar? - Dr Jo Sillince @ 06'38"- Do Mice Make Good Pets? - Cindy Cairns @ 09'05"- Top 10 Craziest Pet Products - Part 1 - Nadia Crighton Plus... @17'10"- Latest Vet, Pet & animal News - Kaye Browne