The Tiny Vet Podcast

FIV, feline immunodeficiency virus (sometimes known as "Cat AIDS") isn't necessarily a major barrier to a healthy, happy cat - and certainly isn't a dealbreaker if you're looking at an adoptable cat.    Dr Nicole and Jez discuss the ramifications of FIV, as well as what you can do to prevent your cat from getting it, and managing an FIV positive household. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

The various holiday seasons have food and gatherings in common, and it can be easy to forget to prep your pet for them while also picking up the party food, making sure there's enough ice, and informing everyone of the plan to stop Uncle Murray from passing out in the neighbour's tomato patch again.    Dr Nicole and Jez talk about some of the common dangers that pets can get into during holiday periods, and how to reduce the risk of a public holiday emergency vet visit.  If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

Cute, fat, sniffy little rats get a bad rap for such friendly little creatures. While feral rats ARE considered pests, domestic rats are sweet animals that make great pets. Nicole and Jez discuss the joys of having rats as friends. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

What is catnip?? Is it drugs for cats?? Kind of, but they don't need a lighter - which is great as they don't have thumbs.   Nicole and Jez discuss what exactly catnip is and how it works (it's safe) If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

Is the cheap stuff at the supermarket okay to feed your pet? Yes! (as long as you know your pet's requirements) but they may not be suitable for young pets, old animals, or those with issues like food allergies. Nicole and Jez discuss the difference between supermarket and premium pet foods. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

Dogs love to eat! Dogs love to eat ANYTHING, and so they're really poor judges of what they should and shouldn't. That is our job as pet owners sometimes we don't do that job well either.   Nicole and Jez discuss what human foods dogs can eat, and how that balances with their regular dog food.  Our first episode of Season 2! If you'd like to support the podcast please head to www.patreon.com/tinyvetpod 

There's a lot of misinformation about the dangers of parasite preventatives circulating on the internet, but parasite infestation is the far greater risk. Nicole & Jez discuss risk management with regards to parasite prevention, and why it's almost always the lower risk option.

Dogs love human food. Humans love human food. Humans just have the ability to manipulate foods for their palatability, but tastiness doesn't always mean it's healthy! (sadly it's kind of the opposite). Nicole and Jez discuss dogs eating too much human food.

If some protein is good, then more is better, right? Not always! While there are applications for higher protein levels in dog food, there is a limit to how much dietary protein can be processed and metabolised in a day, so "high protein" food might not be any better for your pet.   Nicole and Jez discuss why there are optimal levels of protein in foods, and why more protein isn't always useful.

It's easy to get carried away when planning to buy a horse. Going with a flashy colour, impressive CV, or pretty face instead of focusing on what you need as a rider are common traps. You need to be realistic about what you can do, and what you want to do.    Nicole and Jez discuss some common problems people make when buying horses, and why some horses pick up bad habits once they go to their new homes.

Cats are prone to developing urinary problems, and they can be frustrating to manage. Partly, this is because urinary issues often have multiple causes, involving several different triggers. Symptoms can also be nonspecific, or difficult to monitor.    Nicole and Jez discuss some ways to help kitties with urinary problems, and what to watch out for. 

Birds love seed like humans love Snickers, and the analogy doesn't stop there. Foods high in fat and sugars trigger similar neural pathways to addictive drugs, but like drugs of addiction they are not good for you (or birds). Nicole and Jez discuss seed addiction in parrots and how to help them eat healthier.

You can't get much weirder than the axolotl, a completely aquatic amphibian (kind of an oxymoron). Despite being common as pets, they're endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction. Nicole and Jez discuss the intricacies of the axolotl.

Fat animals are very cute but are prone to lots of health problems. Weight loss can be challenging as the fatter they are, the more difficult it is for them to move around and keep active. Plus, it is incredibly hard to resist when they ask for a snack! Nicole and Jez discuss some methods for successful weight loss in pets.

Snakes get a bad rap sometimes, but they're actually very nice animals, and because of their anatomy and physiology, NOT SLIMY. They also make great pets when proper attention is paid to their husbandry. Nicole and Jez discuss the nice things about snakes and why they are our friends.

It can be tempting to feed your horse a performance feed they may not need, or load them up with lots of supplements. Just like people, it's important to feed your horse according to the amount of physical work they're doing. Nicole and Jez discuss the basics of horse feeding, and what to increase first when looking to add more to your horse's feed regime. 

Post-COVID, loads of people have taken advantage of the increase in puppy demand to make more puppies & it's sometimes difficult to tell a good, ethical breeder from a someone more concerned with turning a profit than providing healthy animals.   Nicole and Jez discuss some hallmarks of both good and bad breeders, and why going to a breeder CAN be an ethical thing to do.

It certainly seems a bit mean to classify whole species as invasive, especially when it wasn't their choice to be introduced to delicate ecosystems, but it can be one of the biggest threats to ecology, life and wildlife health in our global society.    Nicole and Jez discuss why some species are so good at invading new habitats, and why controlling them is important for native wildlife. 

Our pets can run afoul of several species of wildlife, especially here in Australia (there are venomous snake avoidance courses for dogs). While venomous snakes can be life-threatening, there are lots of other wildlife that can cause grief for our pets.  Nicole and Jez go through some common types of wildlife that can cause injury or misadventure.

There's a strong push currently for keeping horses barefoot, as it is the way they naturally live. However, the reality for most of our horses is that they aren't really living in a wild-type environment, eating wild-type feed, or doing wild-type work. So, is barefoot really best for all horses?  Nicole and Jez discuss which horses can benefit from going barefoot, and which horses are likely to require shoeing or other hoof care options to remain sound. 

Horses bring immeasurable joy to riders around the world, but we can't avoid the truth that they are EXPENSIVE to keep. Situations can change, and re-homing a large (potentially lethal) animal is fraught with pitfalls.   Nicole and Jez discuss the best way to safeguard your horse's future against sudden change of circumstances.

Cats get anxious too, and they can also show it in ways where it may not be apparent anxiety; they often toilet outside the litterbox or change their daily routine. There's lots that can be done for anxious cats! While many tools can be bought online, it's also important to get a vet checkup to make sure that medical problems like pain or infection aren't causing the problem. Nicole and Jez discuss methods to help your kitty feel comfortable and at ease.

Siamese fighting fish, or bettas, are a commonly misunderstood little fish. They need a much bigger tank than most people think! While the males can't be housed together, there are lots of invertebrates that cohabit happily with bettas, and a larger tank containing one fish need not be a waste of space. Nicole and Jez discuss the needs of fighting fish and how to set up an appropriate tank. 

Crates and kennels are easily misunderstood as restrictive caging, but they have a great use for giving dogs a safe, comfortable space that is their own. Plus it helps with future vet visits & other transport because it teaches them that confinement is temporary and okay. Nicole and Jez discuss crate training and why it is so useful for anxious dogs. 

Owners of small herbivores often get concerned about the calcium levels of vegetables like kale and spinach. Does this mean that they shouldn't be feeding any of those at all? Nicole and Jez discuss where this concern came from, and what it means on a practical, day to day basis.

Designated off-lead areas like dog parks are a great way to let your dog stretch their legs and interact with other dogs. BUT! Dogs should be kept on lead on sidewalks and in nature reserves. Nicole and Jez discuss the reasons why.

We've spoken about why pets need dental scale and polishes under anesthesia before, and we're warning you about the trap of “anesthesia-free dentals.” It seems too good to be true - coz it is. BUT! Teaching your pet to accept toothbrushing at home is an effective, safe (and cheap!) way to maintain their dental health, and there's no downside. Nicole and Jez discuss the benefits of toothbrushing and why anesthesia-free dentals are a marketing ploy that makes dental issues worse.

Description Coming Soon (sorry from Jez!)

Getting your pet to take their medication can be a major stressor for everyone involved, but it doesn't need to be. Training your pet to accept medication BEFORE they ever get sick can make your life much easier in the future. Nicole and Jez discuss some methods of medication training and how they work.

Little dogs aren't born mean. Small dogs have a reputation for being little land sharks, and lots of people think that's just how little dogs are. BUT! Little dogs can be well behaved if they are taught manners and proper boundaries from puppyhood (just like big dogs). Nicole and Jez discuss why small dogs have a bitey reputation.

Pets sometimes get into their owner's things! And those things aren't always legal, which can lead to some hesitation at the vet clinic when a history is being taken. Nicole and Jez discuss why a vet will never turn you in for your dog eating marijuana, and why you should just tell us up front what they got into.

Rabbits are complex little animals and are sadly often misunderstood, leading to many pet rabbits kept in suboptimal conditions, not receiving proper care or attention. Nicole and Jez discuss some bunny basics and why they can be one of the more challenging pets to have. 

Training your pets doesn't have to be a huge mystery, and it all has to do with positive reinforcement of good behaviour. This training method can be used to train almost any animal in a welfare-friendly way. Nicole and Jez discuss the benefits of positive reinforcement training.

Prescription diets are useful to help manage pets with chronic illness, but they come with a higher price tag. Nicole and Jez discuss tips and tricks to ensure you make the most out of a bag of prescription food.

Vets often take pets out to “the back” (treatment room) for minor procedures like blood draws. Pet owners often don't understand why vets do this, and may suspect that there's something we don't want them to see. However, taking pets through to the treatment room is often the best option for everyone involved - pet, owner, and vet. Nicole and Jez discuss the reasons why we do this, and what happens behind the door.

Nobody enjoys talking money in a conversation about health and welfare, but it needs to be discussed so that expectations and plans can be managed from the beginning. Nicole and Jez discuss how to speak about finances with your vet in a way that is positive, as well as helpful for ensuring that we can give you the best plan for your budget

We all love our big, cuddly dogs! But it's important prepare for the cost and logistics of having a big dog, and to be up-to-date with preventatives. Nicole and Jez discuss The Big Problem With Big Dogs: Osteoarthritis (and why it is so important to look after their joints from day one).

Health issues come with age, but age isn't a reason to ignore them. Age-related issues can be managed well with proper care. Nicole and Jez discuss why age shouldn't matter when deciding on care for older pets.

Taking longer than usual to get an appointment at your local vet clinic? Vets are suddenly in short supply (partly because of the pandemic). Nicole and Jez discuss some of the reasons why we're experiencing a global vet shortage

People get frustrated when they send in photos of their animal or describe their pet's symptoms on the phone, and are told that they need to come in for a consultation. Far from being a strange kind of upselling technique, this recommendation ensures that the right advice and treatment is given. Nicole and Jez discuss why a diagnosis can't be given remotely, and why it can be dangerous to do so.  

While many cats enjoy the outdoors, unconstrained access has dangers for both the cats and native wildlife. There are solutions to square the circle: including cat runs and secure fencing. Nicole and Jez discuss the dangers of free roaming cats, and how it's now much easier to provide safe outdoor access.

Small parrots like budgies and cockatiels have a reputation for being “starter” or easy birds to keep, but despite this they are intelligent, complex animals that still require space and enrichment. Nicole and Jez discuss why we need to do better for our small parrots.

Sick and injured wildlife are brought into vet clinics every day, and many members of the public find it confronting to learn that the animal may be euthanised. Nicole and Jez discuss the challenges that face wildlife patients, and why euthanasia is a common outcome. [Trigger Warning] References to suicide & animal euthanasia

For dogs, as in humans, anxiety is an illness that needs management. Just as with human anxiety medication, the treatments have advanced dramatically, but still suffer from outdated misconceptions by the public. Nicole and Jez discuss canine anxiety and its treatment modalities.

People unfamiliar with veterinarians often assume that most are vegetarian. However, caring for production animals is an integral part of veterinary training, and many vets do important work in farms and abattoirs around the world; contributing the most of anyone to production animal welfare.   Nicole and Jez discuss the production animal side of veterinary medicine, and why production animal vets need more recognition for the vital roles they play. 

General anaesthesia is almost taken for granted now, but many forget it still carries risk. Every animal (and human) that undergoes general anaesthesia has a chance of complication (or even death).   Nicole and Jez discuss what general anaesthesia actually is, and why nobody can guarantee a risk-free anaesthetic.

Online communities are rife with comments stating that veterinary care should be free. While that would be ideal, even human healthcare isn't free or even subsidized for many people around the world.   Nicole and Jez discuss why veterinary services cost as much as they do, and explain why vets have big vet bills to pay off sometimes too.

Childhood pets are a source of happy memories for many people, but children should never be the *main* caretaker of any pet. Yes, pets can help to show children what responsibility looks like, but they simply lack the ability to care for a pet in full (especially when it comes to financial decisions). Nicole and Jez discuss why a pet is ultimately the parent's responsibility, and how a parent caring correctly for a pet (or collaborating with the child) can be the best way to teach responsibility.

Meeting puppies and kittens and baby rabbits are a huge perk of being a vet but there are massive downsides which can take away the joy of the job's good parts, and make the bad parts extra awful.   Nicole and Jez discuss the harsh reality of being a vet, and why the veterinary industry is so punishing. (subtext: pls be nice to your vet)

Feeding dogs and cats raw food is touted as the best way to feed pets, and the proponents say that veterinary pushback is because of a grand conspiracy to keep pets unhealthy.    Nicole and Jez discuss raw diets, the manipulative marketing behind them, but also why they can have a place in the right situation.

Why does a scale and polish for a person cost $100 when a scale and polish for a cat or dog costs $400-600? Part of the reason comes down to the language barrier between people and dogs & cats, which means that vets can't say - "Okay, Fluffy, open up and be still - this is totally completely fine, and you have nothing to worry about."   Nicole and Jez discuss the major differences between a scale and polish for a human vs a pet, why a general anaesthetic is required for pet dentals, and how to reduce the frequency of dentals for dogs.