Ask the Vet

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Scott Weese, a leading expert in veterinary infectious diseases and creator of the must-read Worms & Germs blog. Tune in as they discuss:

• Insights into the 2023 “mystery” canine respiratory disease
• The impact of social media and lifestyle trends on the perception of pet health
• How the social network of dogs influences the spread of disease
• The tragic situations that can arise if pets don’t receive vaccinations on time or at all
• Emerging challenges and threats that will impact the future of veterinary medicine, including climate change and antibiotic resistance

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story of the month, featuring the raccoons who invited close to 100 guests to a Washington woman’s garden buffet
• Animal news, including the contagious smile of dolphins
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Kwane Stewart, a veterinarian who provides free veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness through his nonprofit, Project Street Vet. Dr. Stewart was named CNN’s 2023 Hero of the Year for his outstanding efforts. Tune in as they discuss:

• What inspired Dr. Kwane Stewart to become a veterinarian
• The origin of Project Street Vet and how the organization has evolved
• Common health problems of dogs living on the streets in California
• The rewards of doing this work
• How being named CNN's Hero of the Year has affected his mission
• The diverse ways veterinarians can utilize their professional skills and expertise
• What are some misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness?
• How companion animals can be a lifeline to their humans

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story of the month, featuring Rainbow, the siamese cat who travelled more than 800 miles in search of his family after going missing in Yellowstone National Park
• Animal news, including a groundbreaking new surgery: the first-ever c-section on a North American porcupine
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Jamie Cohen, LCSW, AMC's new Veterinary Social Worker. Jamie brings more than a decade of experience in supporting trauma survivors and helping individuals and families navigate grief. At AMC, Jamie leads our Pet Loss Support Program and our Caregiver Support Group, offering both practical and emotional support to pet owners facing the loss or illness of their beloved animal companions.

Tune in as they discuss:

• How Jamie came to work at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center
• Jamie's biggest adjustment to working at an animal hospital
• Helping clients when they are making decisions about treatments
• The influence of Jamie's dogs on her work
• How the Pet Loss Support Programs and Caregiver Support Group at AMC help pet parents
• How the loss of a pet compares to, and differs from, the loss of a human
• Jamie's suggestions for people coping with the death of an animal companion
• How friends and family can support someone who has experienced pet loss

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story of the month, featuring Sphen, one half of the famous “gay penguin power couple” at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, who has died at the age of 11
• Animal news, including Dr. Hohenhaus' concerns about Fefé, a new perfume designed for dogs by Dolce & Gabbana
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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AMC's Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, a certified cat behavior consultant, animal behavior scientist, and author of the new book Play With Your Cat: The Essential Guide to Interactive Play for a Happier, Healthier Feline.

Tune in as they discuss:

• Dr. Delgado's career path in feline behavior
• "Catios," and indoor vs. outdoor cat recommendations
• Common feline behavior issues, including litter box avoidance and inter-cat conflict
• Cats' sense of smell and its importance in their social interactions
• Cats' innate solitary nature and heightened stress response
• Litter box best practices: placement, hygiene, and choice of litter
• The importance of play in cats' wellbeing and the origins of Dr. Delgado's book
• How play mimics hunting, which is considered a "species-specific natural behavior" for cats
• Play in kittens vs. adult cats
• Guidelines for feline play: make it an interactive hunting experience
• Dr. Delgado's 5 Golden Rules of Play

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story of the month, featuring a helpless baby bird saved by a warm tortilla
• Animal news, including: a miniature poodle saved by NYPD, AMC, and the ASPCA; new research on dogs' response to human emotions; "cocaine sharks" off the coast of Florida
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Florence L. Dickler, Professor and Author of “For Dog’s Sake,” a heartfelt story about Clea, an adorable dog rescued from a Moroccan village. Clea was also one of Dr. Hohenhaus' oncology patients at AMC. Tune in as they discuss:

• Why Florence wrote "For Dog's Sake" from the point of view of her dog Clea
• The challenges of writing this book
• How Florence balanced information and facts with the emotional aspects of storytelling
• The people who contributed to Clea's cancer care and recovery across countries
• What readers can learn from this book
• How Florence met her new dog

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about Archie the cat who was rescued from a ponderosa pine tree in the Grand Canyon's South Rim
• Animal news, including the new antiviral drug that treats FIP, a previously fatal disease in cats
• Pet Health Listener Q&A 

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Lisa A. Fortier, DVM, PhD, DACVS, a distinguished clinician, researcher, educator, and equine surgeon. Dr. Fortier is currently the Editor in Chief of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) and the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR). Tune in as they discuss:

• Why Dr. Fortier became a horse specialist
• The fake journal problem causing researchers to lose their work, data, and writing
• Dr. Fortier's goals for influencing veterinary medicine through her work as Editor in Chief
• The role of peer-reviewed tutorial videos in how veterinarians learn
• Improving customer service at journals to better serve authors and readers
• What are good sources of online pet health information?
• Balancing the amount of articles between species
• The impact of podcasts and social media in reaching people
• Being happy with what you're doing

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about the orangutan who healed his wound with medicinal plants
• Animal news, including the longevity of different cat breeds
• Pet Health Listener Q&A 

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Pamela Schwartz, Department Head of Surgery at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, to discuss how the new Denise and Michael Kellen Institute for Surgical Care is transforming patient care. Tune in as they discuss:

• A "virtual tour" of the new surgical institute at AMC
• The cutting-edge technology now employed in the new operating rooms
• How the ORs can connect with people around the world
• Why keeping dogs and cats separate helps in their recovery
• Plans for clinical research and advances in patient care
• How will the surgery service integrate with the new Emergency Room and Intensive Care Units?
• Ergonomic improvements in the new surgical suites
• What veterinary innovations are coming next to AMC?

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about the pet octopus who laid 50 eggs, transforming a home in Oklahoma into a marine nursery
• Animal news, including the cat who was accidentally shipped in an Amazon box from Utah to California
• Pet Health Listener Q&A 

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Maggie O'Haire, a noted researcher in the field of human-animal interactions. Dr. O'Haire's work is paving the way for understanding how service dogs can make a tremendous difference in the lives of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Tune in as they discuss:

• How the Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research and Education was named
• Dr. O'Haire's inspiration to study human-animal interactions
• The ways Dr. O'Haire persisted in studying a relatively new field with few opportunities
• The difference between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs
• What is cortisol and how does it relate to post-traumatic stress disorder?
• How having a service dog impacted veterans' stress physiology in Dr. O'Haire's study
• How Dr. O'Haire hopes her work will improve health care for veterans
• The pros and cons of a national certification or registration body for service animals
• Dr. O'Haire's next project
• In addition to veterans, who can service dogs help?

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about Albert, the "gentle giant" 750 pound alligator seized from a home in New York state
• Animal news, including new research showing that 25% of Labrador Retrievers carry a genetic mutation that predisposes them to obesity
• Pet Health Listener Q&A 

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews three distinguished experts from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Sally Slavinski, Kevin Lovingood, and Caroline Bragdon to talk about the increase of the bacterial disease leptospirosis in dogs. Tune in as they discuss:

• The increase of leptospirosis cases in NYC dogs
• What causes leptospirosis and what species can contract it?
• How cases of leptospirosis are diagnosed, counted, and tracked
• The health problems leptospirosis causes in dogs and how this disease is treated
• The role rat management, vaccines, and other strategies play in reducing cases of leptospirosis
• How access to veterinary care can limit the ability to track leptospirosis
• The impact of climate change on the dynamics of this and other diseases
• Can humans contract leptospirosis from dogs? 

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo in February 2023, but sadly passed away after colliding with a building
• Animal news, including the story of a stingray named Charlotte who mysteriously became pregnant
• Pet Health Listener Q&A 

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews David Brathwaite, Patient Care Manager in AMC's Diagnostic Imaging Service. Tune in as they discuss:

• What is Diagnostic Imaging?
• David's 22-year career journey at AMC from Assistant to Patient Care Manager
• The role of a Veterinary Assistant
• The imaging machines that David maintains
• What percentage of AMC patients go to radiology for imaging?
• How animals are x-rayed with a "hands-free" technique
• Interesting cases and animals that David has seen
• The challenges and rewards of David's role

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about a golden retriever puppy who is Chief Dog Officer on the world's largest cruise ship
• Animal news, including the girl whose best friend is a quail hatched from a supermarket egg
• Pet Health Listener Q&A 

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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