I'm a veterinarian who cares for pets, and this podcast is designed to disseminate information and ideas relating to my work. It's aimed at the animal loving public, so if that's you, subscribe today, and listen in.
This week, a number of common pet questions were discussed, submitted by listeners to Declan Meehan's Morning Show on East Coast FM
This week, we discuss a range of common pet questions submitted by listeners to East Coast FM's Morning Show with Declan Meehan
Ticks are common in summertime in Ireland. This podcast explains how to identify ticks, how to remove them safely, and best of all, how to prevent them completely.
In this week's short podcast, we discuss a dog with a rare type of haemophilia, plus we discuss other topics briefly, including the summer itch in pets, plus queries from listeners.
The summertime is the best time to take on a new puppy. To find out the reason for this, and to check on what's involved in bringing a new animal into your life, listen here.
Lungworm is an increasingly common parasite in dogs, and it can have a lethal impact. To find out more, and to check what you need to do to protect your pet, listen here.
This week, we discussed the fact that we are heading into peak flea and tick season. What should pet owners do to protect their pets, while also making sure that they do not harm the environment (insects and birds) in any way?
After my visit to the BSAVA vet congress, I heard about a proposed medication to make pets live longer. To hear my take on this, listen in!
As summer approaches, many people plan to take their pets with them on trips to the UK and Europe. This short podcast explains what you need to do to prepare for this.
In this week's podcast, I discuss the use of alternative or complementary treatments for animals. What's the evidence behind them, and how should they fit in with conventional veterinary care for pets?
Most animal rescue groups are occasionally faced with the challenge of an animal needing medical or surgical treatment with a high price tag. Today we discuss one such case, under the care of the ISPCA.
It's common for dogs to be seen wandering the streets, with no owner in sight. What should you do if you see such an animal?
In this short podcast, we discuss the current thinking on pets experiencing emotions.
Pets need dental care, just like humans, but this is often misunderstood. This short podcast explains why it's so important, and what should be done at home to ensure that pets have optimal dental health.
Today is 1st February 2025, the day when the ban on XL Bullies comes into force in Ireland. I have recorded a short podcast on this topic, along with East Coast FM, and while this was done 10 days ago, it's still relevant.
This week, we talk about what you can do to keep your pretty safe and comfortable in cold weather
This week's podcast opens with some chat about Christmas preparation for pets, and then we talk about how Temple Grandin is helping to promote a scheme to make visiting vets more enjoyable for dogs and cats
A new global veterinary initiative aims to focus more on understanding animal behaviour as a way of learning more about their needs.
My uncle John was passionate about animal rights. He was a vegan from the age of fifty, and he dedicated the rest of his life to improving the lives of animals in captivity.
With the election in Ireland coming up later this week, this is a good time to discuss animal welfare. Do you know what your preferred candidate plans to do about animal issues? To find out more, listen in here
It's common for pets to carry too much weight without their owners realising. This podcast explains how to identify this, and how to stop the weight gain before obesity develops.
Local anaesthetics are widely used in veterinary surgery to allow painful procedures to happen while an animal is conscious. This is a brief summary of how this can be useful in day to day veterinary work.
This week, we talk about the way that pets adapt to the changes in time when the clocks adapt to daylight saving time.
This week's short podcast discusses life in a busy vet clinic. The ups and downs can be far more intense and demanding than most people realise. This segment was recorded in early October, during World Animal Week, and we go on to talk about the valuable work carried out by the ISPCA, preventing cruelty and protecting animals.
This time of year is difficult for many pets, due to their high sensitivity to unexpected loud noises. Listen to this short podcast to learn how to help pets cope with fear of fireworks.
The differences between dog brains and human brains are well established, and they explain many of the differences between dog behaviour and human behaviour. Listen here to find out more
Grass seeds are small sharp objects that can be hazardous to pets. Listen here to find out more...
The ban on XL Bully dogs comes into effect on 1st October 2024. This short radio interview goes over, again, the reasons why Pete feels that a far more complex and detailed approach is needed to the issue of dog attacks on humans.
Cats are very different from dogs, and this short podcast discusses some of those differences.
Penguins have been making international news. This short podcast describes how I used to work with the penguins at Edinburgh Zoo, when I was a student, and then we go on to discuss the two recent news stories.
Poisoning is a common issue for pets: this short podcast discusses three typical cases that I have seen at my vet clinic in the past couple of months.
Cats have a strong drive to hunt birds, but many owners would prefer that they don't do this. This short podcast discusses how hunting behaviour can be reduced.
Here's another short discussion about the dos and don'ts of taking pets on holiday with you, including travelling overseas
The first Spayaware event was held in 2002, when over twenty thousand unwanted dogs were euthanased in Ireland's dog pounds. Twenty years later, in 2022, there were less than five hundred euthanased. Still too many, but huge progress. Listen to the podcast to learn more.
Scooting and sledging are common behaviours in dogs. Listen here to find out why they do it and what to do to help them
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has just issued new guidelines on spaying and neutering. As the ISPCA Spayaware campaign is launched for 2024, the message on the importance of neutering for pets is adapting to new information: the bottom line is TALK TO YOUR VET about what's best for your pet.
Every day in most towns in Ireland, dogs are reported wandering the streets on their own. This short podcast looks into the "lost dog" phenomenon, and discusses how this should be tackled.
After the shocking death of a young woman in Limerick last week, and another incident involving a dog attack in Cork, there has been much discussion about what should be done. Listen to this short podcast to find out more.
In the summer months, many dogs suffer from gastrointestinal upsets (vomiting and diarrhoea), both mild and serious. Why is this so common, and what should owners do when their dogs are affected?
Greyhounds are no different to other dogs, and they deserve to be treated as such. Two examples are first, when considering keeping one as a pet, and second, under Irish law, when some procedures are banned in pet dogs, but apparently permissible in greyhounds. Listen to the podcast to find out more.
Recent research is finding out more about the lifespans of different types of cats. To find out more, listen in.
This week's short podcast discusses skin tumours in older dogs: these are common, and they are usually harmless. Listen in to find out more!
This short podcast discusses how ticks become more common in the early summer, and what can be done to control them effectively in pets.
The BSAVA congress is one of the biggest pet vet gatherings in the world: here's a short review of some of the discussions and learnings
Inhaled medication - as used by humans with asthma - are sometimes used to treat dogs and cats with nasal and lung disease. This short podcast explains the basics of how this effective form of treatment is used.
Spaying and neutering pets is important to control excessive populations of dogs and cats, but it's important to carry out an individual assessment of the impact of these operations on the pet's health before going ahead. To find out more, listen here.
In the UK, it is now illegal to own an XL Bully dog if you have not applied for a certificate of exemption for your pet. This short podcast outlines the details of the ban, including the pros and cons for this strict new law, as well as discussing what Ireland plans to do about the risk to the public from some of these dogs.
This short podcast is a from a short radio interview on Spirit radio. We discuss the surge in dogs being abandoned and surrendered to animal rescues, and we talk about what can be done to help
Dementia is a common problem in older pets: listen to this ten minute podcast to learn more about what happens, and what can be done to help.
From dog and cat toys to pet cams and more, this short podcast discusses pet related Christmas gifts
We all need a good night's sleep. So what should we do when our pets wake us up in the early hours? How can we get them to stop? Listen to the podcast to find out.
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