Happy first day of school and welcome back to another episode of vet sessions! Even though we're sad to see summer come to an end, we couldn't be more excited for the lineup of episodes we have coming your way this fall. And to kick it all off, today's episode, with host Dr. Shannon Gowland, covers a topic that is sure to be common across all veterinary primary care clinics: feline upper respiratory disease. What to look for, when to pursue diagnostics, when to treat, and which treatments/drugs are actually effective are all answered in today's session, featuring veterinarian, feline medicine aficionado, and OVC internal medicine resident, Dr. Matthew Kornya. You won't want to miss it!

Most veterinarians will understand the feeling of wanting another pair of eyes to confirm the diagnostic results of complicated cases. Something like, does this dog really have right-sided cardiomegaly, or am I just seeing things? Imagine having that extra level of assurance right at your fingertips. That is what artificial intelligence (AI) in veterinary medicine is working towards, but is it too good to be true? Find out in this week's episode, where Dr. Shannon Gowland sits down with veterinarian and board-certified radiologist Dr. Ryan Appleby to find out exactly what AI is, where it fits into veterinary medicine, and what considerations need to be made when using these AI applications in practice.

Although infectious diseases are always making headlines, avian influenza is one virus that seems to be consistently in the news, especially lately. This week, Dr. Omar Khan sat down with Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative veterinarian and board-certified veterinary pathologist Dr. Brian Stevens, to find out the inside scoop on this tenacious virus. In this episode we discuss the basic etiology, transmission, and diagnostics of the current avian influenza strains, as well as how the current outbreak in wild bird populations has the potential to affect livestock, companion animals, and even people. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

Welcome back! We are so pleased to share part two of our interview with the renowned Dr. Karol Mathews. Last time, Dr. Mathews shared her serendipitous journey in veterinary medicine, but in today's episode Dr. Tiffany Durzi explores one of Dr. Mathews many passions in veterinary medicine: pain management. Managing out-patient pain is often challenging and many clinicians feel limited in what they can prescribe. In this session Dr. Durzi and Dr. Mathews lay out the uses, dosages, contraindications and evidence supporting Gabapentin for a variety of out-patient pain management and sedation/anxiolytic protocols. We hope you enjoy!

Most of you know the name Karol Mathews, either through her time as a professor, or through her work in OVC's ICU as an emergency and critical care specialist, or even through her ECC textbook that seems to be a staple in every veterinary clinic. But I'm sure many of you would be surprised to know that Dr. Mathews didn't grow up dreaming of becoming a doctor, despite boasting an incredibly successful career. In this week's episode Dr. Tiffany Durzi sat down with Dr. Mathews to hear not only how she came to become a veterinarian, but what brought her all the way from the UK to Ontario, Canada. Kick back, relax, and enjoy this serendipitous story that is sure to inspire you to believe that anything is possible.

Welcome back! While it's certainly no secret that primary care is important for our all companion animals, this is especially true for working dogs. These specialized canines need to be kept healthy, as they rely on their strength, endurance, and keen senses to perform their valued jobs. However, it can be tough to get proper veterinary care when injuries are sustained in remote areas or a call to duty could come at any moment. Not to mention veterinary personnel comfortability with treating these dogs, some of which quite literally bite for a living. To talk on this subject, Dr. Tiffany Durzi has brought in Charlotte Donohoe, a skilled RVT and Fitness and Rehab technician who, alongside her husband Dr. Jason Donohoe, has extensive experience providing primary care to the canine units of police departments in the GTA. In this episode you will learn about the health management considerations and safety precautions necessary for treating these very special animals.

Welcome back! Although widely recognized in bovine medicine as a culprit of infertility and abortion, Tritrichomonas foetus isn't often added to differential lists for companion animals, so don't worry if it wasn't on your radar either. However, over the last decade, evidence has shown that T. foetus is likely involved in chronic large bowel diarrhea in cats, but not all cats are equally affected. To help shed some light on this mystery, Dr. Tiffany Durzi has recruited OVC's own parasitology professor and veterinarian Dr. Andrew Peregrine, to give us the details on this underrecognized parasite.

As veterinary professionals, we are known for our compassion and empathy to the animals we serve, as well as their owners. But what about compassion for ourselves? Well this doesn't always seem to come naturally to many veterinarians and veterinary professionals. So, for this week's episode we had veterinarian and mental health epidemiologist Dr. Andria Jones-Bitten sit down with Dr. Tiffany Durzi to help unveil what self-compassion truly is, why it is so necessary for longevity in this profession, and how we can be better at it.

If you've ever wondered how technology will integrate into the future of veterinary medicine, this is the episode for you. This week, Dr. Omar Khan sits down again with Dr. Pavneesh Madan to talk about some new technological advances that will likely make an appearance in veterinary healthcare in the near future. We touched on everything from streamlining data-driven technologies and the internet of things, to robotics and nanoscale bacteria-enabled autonomous drug delivery systems (nanoBEADS). We hope this episode leaves you feeling as excited for the future as we felt recording it.

Spring is finally here in Ontario and life has started to return to some semblance of normal, which for many people means going back to work and other activities that take them out of the house. And although this is largely an exciting time, some of our furry friends may not share the same sentiment, as many veterinarians have reported an increase in separation anxiety behaviour in their patients, especially dogs. Not only is separation anxiety frustrating and challenging for the owner, it can be equally as frustrating to treat. That's why in this week's episode, Dr. Shannon Gowland has brought in companion animal behaviour expert Dr. Lee Niel to break down everything from differentiating and diagnosing true separation anxiety, to treatment plans involving both medications and behavioural modification training. We hope this episode leaves you feeling more confident in understanding and treating this important behavioural disorder.