VETtalk Online Podcasts

While the weather this year has been, cold, wet then hot again... whether you're travelling or not, heat is a big factor in the health of our pets - in this case dogs! And we were reminded off that recently sitting in the shade under a tree having coffee with friends the other day when Kaye realised she had copped a nasty sunburn!

Lesson learned – the hard way – That protective shade of the tree moved!! it’s also a timely reminder for us and other pet owners to plan how to provide adequate shelter, water and cooling mats or jackets to protect our pets from heat stress or the even worse condition Heat Stroke.

To help us and help you - we called on a friend who’s treated many pets for heat stress to give us her best advice on what to do if you suspect your best friend is heat affected - Dr Karyn Wesselingh from the Animal Referral Hospital in Baulkham Hills Sydney

Feeling the chilly weather yet? Well if we're feeling the cold so are our pets! - And most domestic dogs and cats want to do just like us and curl up in front of the fire - whether it's an open one, gas or electric.

But there are dangers all pet owners need to be aware of as Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia explains!

It’s hard to believe but Medical teams have been progressively improving anaesthetic products since they were first invented more than 170 years ago.

The result being that today’s surgeries being shorter and safer than ever before for both people AND pets.
However, there’s been a long-held myth by some pet owners that their aged pets shouldn’t undergo the surgery – even if they’re in pain.

Specialist Surgical Vet Dr Sarah Goldsmid from the Animal Referral Hospital is keen to alleviate those fears by explaining how pre-surgery tests enable them to adjust the anaesthesia for that particular pet’s condition enabling the surgery to go ahead.

It’s the bane of bird fanciers everywhere – how to deal with their feathered friend’s primal urge to become a mum – and the very real concern the bird might become egg-bound.

It’s a problem Exotics Vet Dr Jayne Weller has helped many bird owners confront, so she was well-prepared with a mix of solutions when she joined us on the recent VETtalk ‘Live’ podcast to answer caller questions.

Dogs, cats even birds have dental health problems - And poor dental health can lead to shorter lives and many life-threatening diseases.

Did you know you can brush a dog or cat's teeth? - It's true... just ask your vet to show you how.

Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet in Sydney tells us some of the signs to watch for with your pet's teeth.

It seems Australia's 'Long Hot Summers' are becoming even longer - especially with the El Niño effect.

The result? - S N A K E S ! - And unfortunately the snake bite is not always the end of it. If your pet survives there are often other even even more costly side-effects that need to be treated.

Prevention is better than cure according to Nadia Crighton who has some simple yet often forgotten tips in the short podcast courtesy of Pet Insurance Australia..

Is a Poodle healthier than say a Chihuahua?. What about a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel compared to a Beagle or a Boxer?

Dogs are not 'dogs' when it comes to health issues. Sometimes it's just genetics -eg; "in the breed" - at other times it could be poor breeding generally or even cross-breeding.

So which breeds are generally more expensive to insure?

Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia explains more

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'!

Exotics Vet Dr Jayne Weller also has chooks so this story might be a little 'biased' :-)

Many vets tell us there's still an unfounded stigma surrounding the safety of anaesthesia for pets… sometimes resulting in desperately needed procedures such as a dental cleaning or extraction being put off, leaving the pet in pain. The rationale owners sometimes offer is " well, humans aren't put under just to have their teeth treated…are they?”

So we thought we’d find out the truth from someone who uses anaesthetics on a daily basis – Specialist Surgical Vet Dr Sarah Goldsmid from the Animal Referral Hospital.

Ok let's get technical here... Do you know what 'Eye Boogas' are? It seems that all of us at some time have had crusty eyes that we often call 'boogas' and think very little of it...

For animals and humans as it happens - dry eye can also be a serious health issue that really needs to be "looked" at (sorry about the pun!) as soon as possible.

Dogs, cats rabbits and yes even birds can all have 'dry eye boogas' as Internationally renown Complementary Veterinarian, author and lecturer Dr Barbara Fougere from All Natural Vet explains in this lighthearted chat we had with her.