The Vet Chat NZ

Thinking of taking your veterinary career overseas but not sure where to start? In this episode of The Vet Chat NZ, host Ellen Eyre chats with Dr. Tarryn Walker, a Kiwi vet fresh from her 3 year OE adventure, to unpack everything you need to know about working abroad. From navigating the visa process and securing a job to finding accommodation and adjusting to life in a new country, Tarryn shares first hand insights, practical advice, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you're a recent graduate considering an OE or a vet looking for a change, this episode will help you take the leap with confidence. Tune in for a fun and informative chat that might just inspire your next big move!

In this episode of The Vet Chat NZ, we're joined by Dr. Krispin Kannan, a leader in cow wearable technology and data integration, based in Waikato NZ. Together with host Ellen Eyre, they explore how wearable technology is revolutionising veterinary practice at every level—from individual cow health monitoring to herd-wide insights and high-level consultancy. Dr. Kannan shares practical tips and real-world examples to help veterinarians leverage this technology to improve animal health, boost farm productivity, and build stronger client relationships. Whether you're new to wearables or looking to deepen your expertise, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you stay at the forefront of bovine care.

In this episode, we dive into Johne's disease, a persistent challenge in dairy herds which can be costly to both the farms bottom line, as well as its devastating impact on animal health. Virbac technical veterinarian Ellen Eyre is joined by LIC veterinary epidemiologist Kara Dawson and scientist Rebecca White, as they break down the latest research from LIC milk testing as well as the theory around minimising the impact of Johne's disease in dairy herds. Together, they discuss advancements in milk testing, insights from years of data, and strategies for disease management that drive both animal health and economic resilience. Later, fourth-generation dairy farmer Brendon O'Leary offers a practical look at how these tools work on the ground, giving vets and farmers alike real-world advice on implementing effective practices.   To contact Kara or Rebecca: Kara.dawson@lic.co.nz Rebecca.white@lic.co.nz

Matt and Greg have both been back at the World Buiatrics Congress, this time in Cancun, Mexico.  There are more interesting and sometimes quirky studies to share, and even a few unique Mexican experiences! Find out what a vampiricide is, how best to detect Johne's in a barn system or how much copper injections elevate liver levels, among other things. ACVM Registration Nos. A010028 and A009374.

Dr Jennifer Dauth joins Sumari to chat about her fascination with reproduction, the driving force for her to become a member at ANZCVS (Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists). Desexing in dogs is not a one size fits all conversation. New research, more informed owners, the changing status of the dog in the household and alternative medical options all contribute to vets having to reconsider their protocols. Jennifer talks about the pros and cons of desexing, the various medical and surgical options available, as well as striking a balance with what is  best for the individual dog, while addressing the owners' needs. Urfer SR, Kaeberlein M. Desexing Dogs: A Review of the Current Literature. Animals (Basel). 2019 Dec 5;9(12):1086. doi: 10.3390/ani9121086. PMID: 31817504; PMCID: PMC6940997. Howe, Lisa. (2015). Current perspectives on the optimal age to spay/castrate dogs and cats. Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports. 2015. 171. 10.2147/VMRR.S53264. Beauvais W, Cardwell JM, Brodbelt DC. The effect of neutering on the risk of mammary tumours in dogs – a systematic review. J Small Anim Pract. 2012;53:314–322. Holt PE. Urinary incontinence in the bitch due to sphincter mechanism incompetence: prevalence in referred dogs and retrospective analysis of sixty cases. J Small Anim Pract. 1985;26(4):181–190. Torres de la Riva G, Hart BL, Farver TB, et al. Neutering dogs: effects on joint disorders and cancers in golden retrievers. PLoS One. 2013;8:e55937. Client handout: https://www.vss.net.au/desexing-your-dog.html Hart BL, Hart LA, Thigpen AP, Willits NH. Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence. Front Vet Sci. 2020 Jul 7;7:388. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00388. PMID: 32733924; PMCID: PMC7359819.

Host turns guest as Matt Wells, Technical Services Manager at Virbac NZ, joins the Vet Chat this week and shares his wisdom on the diagnosis and closed reduction of dislocated hips in cattle. During his 13 years in clinical practice, he was able to develop his skills in this area and has presented at the NZVA conference, and still regularly talks on dislocated hips to recent graduates at the Supergrad Day. Matt shares tips and tricks that have helped him in the past, as well as resources he has created that have helped others be successful in their attempts. Closed reduction of dislocated hips: Getting the clunk Dislocated hips: Open reduction Dislocated Hips - Diagnosis & Reduction

Winston is a veterinary epidemiologist who has recently set up EpiVets Ltd in collaboration with colleagues Emma Cuttance and Greg Chambers. Winston joins Ellen to discuss lameness in dairy cows in New Zealand, and offers practical advice which stems from the extensive research he has done whilst completing his PhD. The episode includes lots of tips to help clinicians promote early identification on farms, streamline treatment and management of lame cows, and also reiterates that we are doing well in NZ in terms of prevalence and recovery rates.

Laurinda Oliver is a specialist equine surgeon and intern coordinator at Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre.  She and Matt discuss how a non-equine vet can improve the care of horses and reduce their stress levels by having clear plans for treatment, referral and even euthanasia. They focus on colic and wounds, but also cover foalings, eye conditions, acute lameness and sick foals.   Equine Emergencies Textbook Haygard Mobile Formulary Liphook Equine Hospital Lab BEVA Apps

Martin Earles shares great recommendations for handling, examining, and treating rabbits. From the ideal combination of male and female rabbits in a household to performing an oral examination, antibiotics that are safe, best desexing practices, and general husbandry tips to boost the confidence of vets when they encounter rabbits in-clinic.

Katie Denholm's research on colostrum and calf health during her time in NZ will be familiar to many vets. She is now completing her PhD while teaching at Glasgow University, and joins Matt to discuss what we now know about the full effects of getting colostrum wrong, and what to focus on to improve calf health. They cover the best practice of ideal timing and volumes, storage, and assessing passive transfer, and include the latest research and updates.

Exotic animal diseases are a threat to New Zealand's farms and economy. While FMD is the most obvious concern, there are others on the radar for Biosecurity New Zealand. Mark Eames is a Biosecurity New Zealand Incursion Investigator. He joins Matt to discuss what vets should be looking out for, how we can monitor animals for these diseases, and what the process looks like for a practitioner if they report something unusual. 

In this episode of The Vet Chat, Sumari Potgieter talks to Jordana Whyte, manager of the trust that runs the Wildlife Hospital Dunedin. They discuss the responsibilities of the veterinarian, the public, and the Department of Conservation (DOC), and how various roles work together to ensure the best outcome for the patient. Helpful resources for vets for bird and bat care are provided by the New Zealand Vet Association and are referenced in this talk. Vets can access the full documents on the NZVA website. For anyone interested in further reading, training and support, this list of references will be useful: Available to all NZVA members, the Avian and Wildlife health guidelines, policy, and resources can be found here. This includes bat care advice for first responders and vets, as well as advice for managing emaciated seabirds. Contact DOC (0800 DOC HOT) or rehabilitation facilities identified through the Wildlife Rehabilitation Network — WReNNZ — to arrange for transfer to longer-term care as soon as the patient is stabilised, or to seek additional advice/guidance. Find out which NZ birds are threatened, listen to bird song, and learn about birds on the DOC website.   A digital encyclopaedia of NZ birds can be found here. Call the Department of Conservation emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) immediately if you see anyone catching, harming, or killing native wildlife. DOC resources on bats. Information on lead poisoning, psittacine beak and feather disease, and avian influenza. The Wildlife Hospital Dunedin can be contacted through Jordana Whyte at 021735211 or info@wildlifehospitaldunedin.org.nz

We've made significant progress at reducing antibiotic DCT in New Zealand dairy herds, albeit slower than was initially hoped. Scott McDougall and Matt discuss the current situation in 2023 and the likely future of antimicrobial use. They cover adverse events and how we've learned to minimise these, how much AMR we already have, how well-managed selective DCT compares with blanket DCT, and the updated best practice recommendations for cow selection and teat sealant administration in NZ conditions.   Links for further reading below. Vet Council Statement on Authorisation of DCT NZVA drying off resources SmartSamm Technote 14   

Greg Chambers, an Epidemiologist at EpiVets, and Matt Wells were two of the thousands of attendees at the recent World Buiatrics Congress in Madrid. They share some of their highlights of the week from a New Zealand perspective, covering everything from phantom cow treatment, to applying Toyota's car manufacturing methods to calf rearing, and treating ketosis with red wine.

Sumari Potgieter is joined by Jess Beer, owner of Kiwi Vet Behaviour. Following the significant and widespread reaction to an NZ court ruling on a case in which a dog bit a veterinarian, Jess and Sumari discuss the need for better education about raising safe dogs. Using the CAV resource, they discuss how both vets and owners can work together to manage the pet's behaviour so that the pet can receive the care they need in a safe manner. Reactivity is not aggression, but it can quickly escalate, and Jess provides practical advice on how to identify and manage these situations. Links to the relevant topics can be found below: Managing anxious or reactive animals: https://nzva.org.nz/resource/companion-animal/ Recommended Best Practice: Managing Reactive, Anxious and Aggressive Behaviours in the Veterinary Setting: https://nzva.org.nz/assets/For_vet_professionals/cd748b1dab/Guidance_Reactive_Dogs.pdf Association of Professional Dog Trainers New Zealand (APDTNZ): https://www.apdtnz.org.nz/ Sophia Yin poster downloads: https://cattledogpublishing.com/poster-download/

In this Special Edition, Matt is joined by Mary van Andel, MPI's Chief Veterinary Officer. They discuss how the FMD outbreak in Bali has changed the risk to NZ, and how MPI are responding. They cover vet-specific topics like what happens when you call the 0800 80 99 66 exotic disease hotline, how a response to an incursion would play out, and what to tell farmers about questions on vaccination and PKE.  Click the links for more information on Surveillance for Veterinary Professionals and an FMD factsheet.

Once a day (OAD) miking has been a farmer-driven revolution, with most farms now milking at least their treatment mob OAD. Matt is joined by Katrina Roberts, a veterinarian from Anexa and Headlands Consultant, to discuss how Kiwi farmers have gained time and achieved better animal health, despite science that is only now catching up. They cover everything from OAD colostrum mobs to whole herds on 10 in 7, and what vets should know about successfully implementing OAD on farm.

Matt is joined by Emma Cuttance, Research Manager and Epidemiologist for the newly formed company EpiVets Ltd. They discuss how consumer pressure is beginning to change farming practices, and how we now need good science to support these changes. This means a move towards research about how happy animals are, rather than just how productive they are. Emma uses a couple of studies that she has been involved with as examples to frame the discussion.

Currently clinical lead veterinarian at Stoke Veterinary Hospital in Nelson, Dr. Meg Irvine speaks with host Steve about the juggle of family and her veterinary career, and how she came about to develop her rapport and communication programme designed specifically for the veterinary profession, Vet Lifeskills. Meg discusses quick and easy ways to improve communication skills in practice, what to do when things go wrong or when you are dealing with a difficult patient and client, and how you can put these communication and rapport skills into practise everyday.

Salmonella cases are on the rise once again in dairy cattle, but we don't yet know why. Chris Compton, now a Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Epidemiology at Massey University, is part of a team working on a research project to identify risk factors and better understand what has changed in recent years. He talks with Matt Wells about what we've learned from previous outbreaks, what the major concerns are, and how we can limit the severity of outbreaks until we have more answers. More cases are needed for the study, so listen out for details of how you can contribute to solving this problem!

Recorded earlier in 2021, host Steve speaks with vet Warren Stroud about his diverse career. About being a business and practice owner in the Kapiti Coast and the shift from large to small animal practice. Warren also provides tips to young vets as to what practice owners are looking for in a new graduate or colleague.

With a melting pot career, BVetTech grad Samantha Tennent has ingrained herself in the dairy sector. She was a vet nurse briefly and an AI tech, then a Farm Solutions Manager at LIC for three and a half years. She did a stint in rural advertising and was the programme manager for InCalf at DairyNZ before taking on her current role as the General Manager of WelFarm Ltd. Recorded during lockdown in 2021, Sam speaks with Matt Wells about how we can take advantage of the opportunities from better farm data and new processor requirements.  She also uses her unique background to discuss how it can be done without increasing vet workloads, while improving incomes for both clinics and farmers.  

Recently awarded a membership to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Behaviour, Dr Lucy Scott has a passion in helping owners and their animals live happily alongside one another. Lucy speaks with host Steve about common behaviour issues in cats and dogs, in particular separation anxiety, how it can be managed and treated and when behaviour cases should be referred. 

Julie Collins-Emerson is one of the founding members of the Leptospirosis Research Group at Massey University. With over 30 years experience in lepto management in New Zealand, she has been involved in almost all of the recent research in this field. She talks to Matt Wells about New Zealand's terrible history with lepto on farms, how we've improved over time, and the ongoing challenges we face as serovars evolve & new issues emerge.  

Director of Masters of Veterinary Medicine at Massey, registered Specialist with the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council & a director of the Centre for Service & Working Dog Health, Kate Hill wears many hats. Kate chats about her roles, in particular the Masters Programme & how it can benefit vets at any stage of their career. She also provides tips in handling Hyperthyroidism in cats having done her PhD on transdermal methimazole use.

Trish is a practitioner, farmer, consultant & practice owner at North Canterbury Vets Culverden, with over 30 years of experience. She speaks with host Matt Wells about the changing landscape of a large animal vet as a result of the ever-increasing adoption of on-farm technology by clients, and the opportunities this creates to add value & make the job more rewarding.

Dr Hilal Dogan, Massey graduate of 2014, is the founder of The Veterinary Confessionals Project which she started in her final year. Currently the Director of Wellbeing at the Veterinary Emergency Group, Hilal speaks with host Steve about her inspiration behind The Vet Confessionals Project and how it helps veterinary professionals all over the world.   

Andy Millar, Technical Manager On-Farm Research and Development at Fonterra, speaks with host Matt Wells about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the dairy industry. Andy has a wealth of knowledge in the AMR space, with a perspective from various levels; farm, vet practitioner, industry, pharmacological and science. 

Joon Seo, veterinary cardiology registrar talks with host Steve Oehley about his role as well as his recommendations to vets in the field about how to approach heart disease.    

Mike Shallcrass, Senior Veterinary Manager at Fonterra talks with host Matt Wells about the changes that are occurring in the animal welfare space in New Zealand's dairy industry.

Welcome to the all new veterinary podcast - The Vet Chat. Hosted by fellow vets, Matt Wells and Steve Oehley. They chat to a wide variety of industry professionals about all things animal health in NZ.  This podcast is brought to you by Virbac and proudly supported by the NZVA.