Veterinary hosts Sabrina Barnwell and Mairead Leahy speak with parasite expert Nikki Wall about the new prescription-only rules for horse wormers, why parasite resistance is accelerating, and how outbreaks are affecting horses and herds.

The episode covers practical advice on pasture management, risk-based testing, working with your vet for bespoke parasite plans, and myth-busting common assumptions like relying on calendar worming or single fecal egg counts.

Join Mini Off Duty with Dr Nicky Walsh as she explains what parasites (worms) are, how they live in ponies, and the signs to watch for like loose poo or weight loss.

Learn simple prevention tips—pick up poo, use pasture management (and even ruminant "worm hoovers"), and when to ask a vet for help. The episode also clears up the confusion about ringworm and skin infections.

Featuring listener questions, a fun quiz, and a call for kids to send voice notes about their pets, this ten-minute episode is perfect for young animal lovers.

Why vaccinate? Because prevention is cheaper, kinder and far safer than cure.

Our newest Mini Off Duty star, Vincent, wants to know:

Don't miss the full episode on decoding vaccinations in horses...out on Thursday night

In this full-length episode, we sit down with Cheryl — vet nurse, mum, mature student, cancer survivor, award-winner, and all-round powerhouse — for one of the most inspiring conversations we’ve had on Off Duty.

Cheryl shares her remarkable journey from banking to veterinary nursing, retraining later in life, juggling family, study, and work, and discovering a career that brings her joy every single day. She speaks openly about resilience, the moments that nearly broke her, the community that held her up, and the pets and people who helped shape her along the way.

We talk career change, nursing reality (it’s not all puppies and kittens), the importance of support networks, advocating for yourself in a broken healthcare system, and what it truly means to love your job.

This episode is honest, funny, raw, uplifting, and full of heart.

🎧 If you’ve ever thought about changing careers, becoming a vet nurse, or just need a dose of courage and perspective — Cheryl’s story is for you.

In this Mini Pod episode, we’re joined by Cheryl, one of our brilliant veterinary nurses, who lifts the lid on what vet nurses really do — from calming nervous pets to mastering the ancient art of licky-lick bribery.

We chat about how to make vet visits easier for your pet, the signs that something’s not quite right at home, and the small habits that can make a big difference to your pet’s comfort and confidence.

A short, funny, genuinely helpful episode for every pet owner.

Kids’ Corner: We’re collecting voice notes from children about their pets for future episodes!

🎧 Listen now — and don’t miss the FULL interview with Cheryl coming this Saturday.

In our first episode, vet and mums Mairead Leahy and Sabrina Barnwell finally sit down to chat about the beautiful chaos of juggling vet life, parenting, ponies and everything in between. 

We share why we started Off Duty, what listeners can expect and a few stories from behind the scenes-the good, the funny and the down right exhausting. From school pick ups, emergency calls, muddy ponies to messy kids, this episode gives an honest, warm and very real look into our every day lives

Next up, we’re joined by Cheryl for a heartfelt and unforgettable conversation.