Veterinary Podcast by the VetGurus

A thunderstorm, dodgy wifi and noisy neighbours make this weeks podcast special! Topical news includes discussion on a new species of Lemur discovery in Madagascar; a birding Facebook group gets all haughty and bans owl photos, and we wrestle with an article discussing the effects of war on wildlife. Mark gets off his couch to review an avian book full of pretty photos Then we wade into zoonoses as our main topic of the week with a discussion on avian chlamydia and salmonella in reptiles and their effects on humans. The book review by Mark is Owls,Frogmouths and Nightjars of Australia which he rates 8 out of 10. Links: Local Facebook birding group bans owl photos Elephants, lions and other wild animals are exquisitely sensitive to the effects of war Big-Eyed, Fluffy-Tailed Lemur Species Discovered CDC advice for reptiles and amphibian care NSW advice for safe handling of fish and reptiles Psittacosis advice sheet Australia Contact us: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus

In news Mark talks about his sighting of the Regent Honeyeater, a critically endangered bird. Brendan reviews the Fujifilm Instax SP-1 Smartphone printer, a great promotional tool for clinics. The main topic for this week is something we are frequently asked about: the basics of reptile surgery. The discussion includes fluid therapy, suture selection and patterns, and heat retention and loss. Links: Regent Honeyeater For more information on the use of vascular clips for surgery: Hemoclips and Ligaclips Contact us: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus  

It’s the Australia Day holiday down under and Brendan and Mark are in a festive and feisty mood. News Mark jumps in the deep end to ponder on the meaning of Australia day – and what exactly should we be celebrating? Another load of news stories this week: Songbirds struggling with noise; banning of circus animals; and animal welfare campaigners protest a proposed dog breeding facility. in lighter news we jump on the treadmill with baby sea turtles and discuss a fishy story about tapeworm infections in humans. Book Review Brendan is good at sniffing out obscure titles and this week is no exception. Following on from the discussion in Episode 5, he reviews the educational, lighthearted, and fun book ‘Does it Fart?’. He scores it an aromatic 8.0 out of 10. Bearded Dragon Care The main topic is the iconic Australian reptile commonly kept as a pet world-wide, the Bearded Dragon (Pogona spp.). We outline the basics for keeping these as pets, and the common problems encountered when unwell bearded dragons are taken to veterinary clinics. Links Does it Fart? The definitive field guide to animal flatulence. Songbirds are struggling with noise pollution New Jersey (USA) plan to ban exotic circus animals suffers setback Animal welfare campaigners against proposed dog breeding facility in Australia Baby sea turtles on treadmills for science Tapeworm acquired from eating raw fish Can’t get enough of the VetGurus? Contact us: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus

We are excited about our new professional recorded intro and outro. Lots of news this week: including how to cope with ‘vet shaming’; an automatic bird identification system program excites Mark; natures smallest rainbow found – on a spider; a lethal bat fungus sees the light, and Brendan dreams of heading off to Richard Branson’s private island. For our product review Brendan looks at the free PDF e-book Australasian Parasites Inside and Out. Ears are our topic for this week. We discuss the treatment of aural haematomas, and chat about various ear conditions in unusual pets, and ask the question ‘Why do most ferrets have grotty ears?’ Links: Coping with vet shaming Automatic bird identification system Nature’s smallest rainbow on spider Lethal bat fungus may be susceptible to UV light Richard Branson’s Koala Conservancy Australasian Parasites Inside and Out free e-book Contact us: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus

Here we are already half way through January. Brendan and Mark are both back at work fighting the good fight against pesky parasites, belligerent bacteria, vexatious virus, and cranky clients. In news, snake eggs are found in a school sandpit in Australia, pumas (or wild mountain lions) are picky when choosing their sleeping sites, and the Mekong region reveals over 100 new species. Mark fires Brendan up with a story about the animal inspirations behind the newest Star Wars creatures, then brings us back to earth with an article about the mental health of animal shelter workers. Since this is our 13th episode – lucky for some – we decided to make our main topic a chat about the lifespan of pets. How old can we expect our small mammals, birds and reptiles to live for? No spoilers – subscribe and listen to learn the answers. Links: Snake eggs found in Australian school sandpit Pumas sleeping habits revealed Mekong region reveals 115 new species Greater Mekong region Animal inspiration behind the Last Jedi creatures Why do animal shelter workers burn out? Contact us: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca

Welcome to 2018. We hope you had a safe and relaxing holiday period and wish all our listeners the best for the coming year. 2018 is off to a flying start, though perhaps not for birds in Brighton, England, where residents have installed spikes in trees. In other news, sea stars (starfish) make a comeback, a new species of spider is named after a famous musician, and brain surgery is performed in a fur seal. Mark chats about trazadone use in dogs for anxiety based behaviour disorders in a product review. In our main topic this episode we get to the bottom of anal gland disease in dogs. Mark and Brendan discuss their preferred treatment regimes for this common condition in pet canines. Links: Trazadone Bird spikes in trees ruffle feathers in England Sea stars make a comeback in California Brain surgery in a fur seal Intertidal spider discovered Contact us: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca  

Having (just) recovered from their Christmas festivities, including a face-to-face catch up in Melbourne, Mark and Brendan reminisce over the happenings in 2017. They look into their crystal ball for 2018 and consider the future of veterinary science. We receive a fascinating email from a subscriber in Singapore, who educates us on the otter population in Singapore. In other news we report of a fire at London Zoo, person is killed in the USA from a dog attack, and we discuss an article about Christmas and dogs. Mark is concerned about the low genetic diversity of ferrets in some geographical locations, and is looking younger due to his skiing. Our main topic this episode is our thoughts on the year about to end and what to expect in 2018 – what is the outlooks for graduates? What are the likely popular species of pets? We wish all our subscribers and listeners a wonderful New Year and a safe and happy 2018. We look forward to talking to you soon… and don’t forget to send us an email to say hi. Links: Singapore smooth coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata): OtterWatch Facebook Page BBC Article Video of Singapore Otters London Zoo reopens fire I won’t be alone at Christmas – I have a dog Dogs kill person in USA Low genetic diversity in ferrets The 20 hardest jobs to fill in Australia Low-altitude skiing can slow down aging Our contacts: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca  

Ho Ho Ho. In this special edition Mark and Brendan spread some Christmas cheer. Each of us review items for use over the holiday period – some veterinary based and some not. In news we talk about the world’s heaviest flying bird and a fossil named after Darth Vader. Looking for some new equipment to spice up your practice? Then consider the great fold-away and portable Buster ICU enclosure, which will pay for itself in no time. Or keep your patients toasty with the aptly named HotDog pet warming system. The Rycom non-contact clinical thermometer is a useful temperature measurement gadget that Mark uses – 5.9/10. Suprelorin (deslorelin) implants are reviewed by Mark, as well as bird foraging video. Tired of vet life and need something to take your mind off work? Look no further than the intriguing documentary about Vivian Maier. It’s a great true mystery documentary about a street photographer and excellent viewing even for those with little interest in photography, as it is also about the human condition and is very poignant. 9.2 out of 10 From Brendan. A novel to read over the Christmas break is Artemis. It is a science fiction novel set on the moon by the author of The Martian, which was made into a film starring Matt Damon. Artemis is the story of Jazz, a small time smuggler on the moon and her adventures. A fun, fast paced, easy to read novel perfect for the post Christmas period, recommended by Brendan. Or consider the book The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, a thought provoking read for the holiday period. A non-fiction text to consider is the Avian Anatomy, Textbook and colour atlas. This second edition text is a high quality production For some Christmas cheer consider a beer from the Grand Ridge Brewery, located in Mirboo North, east of Melbourne, Australia in the Gippsland region. Links: Hot Dog Veterinary Patient warming system Kruuse Buster ICU enclosure: A PDF detailing the enclosure can be found here; It can be purchased in Australia from various suppliers including Sound Veterinary Supplies Foraging for birds Suprelorin (deslorelin) implants information for ferrets here The Finding Vivian Maier movie is listed on IMDB. The official movie trailer is on YouTube. You can view many of her amazing street photos on the official website vivianmaier.com Artemis novel by Andy Weir, the author of The Martian. Avian anatomy textbook and colour Atlas Grand Ridge Brewery Rycom non-contact clinical thermometer The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill The comedy wildlife photography competition winners can be viewed here. Our contacts: [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca

This pre-Christmas special of the Vet Podcast is for the week ending December 22, 2017. In news, the genome of the Tasmanian Tiger has been sequenced and we discuss the consequences. Mark reveals that an extinct marsupial has been ‘rediscovered’, and we list 8 things about Guinea Pigs that you may or may not know. Spotted recently in Tibet has been Snow Leopards. The Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) syndrome in Turtles is the main discussion this week. Brendan and Mark chat about calcium and Vitamin D metabolism, the diagnosis of, and treatment options, of MBD in chelonians. Included is a discussion of turtle diets – and the poor prognosis of turtles presented to clinics as ‘turtle soup’. Links Tasmanian Tiger genome sequenced Crest-tailed Mulgara rediscovered Snow Leopards spotted in Eastern Tibet for the first time. Also see these stunning photos of snow leopards. [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca  

Lots of news this week: Vets save lions from illegal zoo in Bulgaria. Australian vets no longer require licensing for examining dogs and cats for export. Mark walks on the wild side with his experience dealing with venomous animals, and we discuss pigeon brains. Brendan provides some insider tips to Melbourne culture and explains why the ‘magic’ is his new favourite beverage and how it can help you discern the good from the bad coffee establishments. The final news item is that the Magpie have been voted Australia’s favourite bird, though Brendan and Mark have other thoughts. We launch out Patreon site where subscribers can help by ‘throwing us a bone’ and kicking in a donation to keep the VetGurus podcast going. Mark shines a light on the WolfEyes Tactical torch in a product review. The main topic this week is rat care. The basics of preventative health for pet rodents are discussed, including diet, desexing, environmental enrichment and geriatric care. Links: Melbourne’s Magic coffee is for coffee lovers. Find out more about the types of coffee you can get in Melbourne at this website or here An overview of the Australian Magpie. Vets save lions from illegal zoo in Bulgaria. Article from Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Pigeon brains Wolf eyes tactical beam wildlife torch Support us on Patreon here and keep our Podcast running by helping cover costs and throwing us a bone. [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca  

This week we have an update on the Orange-bellied Parrot recovery program in the news section, together with a dramatic follow up regarding rabbits and their flatulence. The main topic this week is a discussion of egg coelomitis and egg binding. What species are prone to these conditions, how do we treat, and what is the prognosis? We are very excited about our upcoming Christmas special. The special will have lots of reviews – both veterinary and non veterinary. Send us a link to any products you think we should include in the special. Email us at [email protected]. Links: Tasmania Government official Orange-bellied Parrot Facebook site Orange-bellied Parrot recovery program Definition of Yolkal from the Urban Dictionary Unusual Pet and Avian Veterinarians (UPAV) special interest group of the Australian Veterinary Association Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca [email protected] Twitter: @VetGurus

In news, we chat about species extinction. Johnathan the giant tortoise, who is over 186 years old, is newsworthy, possibly not for the right reasons. Brendan reveals his medicinal tea secret. Mark reviews the Olympus tough TG-4 camera for in-clinic use. We welcome new subscribers from the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians. The main topic this week is head tilt in rabbits. We put on our thinking caps and discuss the causes of head tilt in rabbits, the diagnostics that may help narrow down our differential list, and debate the effectiveness of potential treatment protocols. Episode links: Commentary on species extinction and media coverage. This article by the Guardian from the UK provides some thought provoking reading about the extinction of Rabbs’ fringe-limbed treefrog and the lack of interest of the media to report such events. Johnathan the Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) has his own Wikipedia page. You can also learn more about visiting him from the St Helena official website. The New York Post article on Johnathan is amusing reading. Olympus Stylus TG-4 Tough Camera review. TG Series cameras information here. Or view the TG-4 on Amazon Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV) Listener Survey We want to learn more about YOU, our listeners and subscribers. Please complete this very short survey so we can make our podcast better!

We launch our new domain name – VetGurus.com. News and book review. Our first listener email is answered. How long to fast exotic pets before routine surgery? Mark interviews Brendan about the Melbourne Rabbit Expo which was held last weekend. Do Rabbits Fart? Discussion on the toothpaste method of removing uroliths in Guinea Pigs. To contact us send an email to [email protected] Book review: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance You can purchase the book on Amazon here Links: PlatinumCPD – Hosts of the Melbourne Rabbit Expo AVA Love is Blind campaign No Hairs Ark Chinese Crested Rescue  

Mark chats about his weekend away glamping and reveals some wildlife photography tips, then jumps into the frying pan. Two-stage euthanasia of unusual pets. Melbourne weather. Topic of the week: Intestinal parasites in exotic and unusual pets. Bird, small mammal (rabbit, guinea pig, rat, mice and ferret), and reptile intestinal parasites are discussed. What parasites do we need to worry about in exotic species? Strategies to prevent parasites and effective use of antiparasiticides. What is a pseudo parasite? A new term is coined – pseudo-yeast – you heard it here first. Links: A selection of veterinary parasitology texts Veterinary Parasitology Reference Manual 5th Edition. Spiral bound, highly rated by clinicians and students. Veterinary Clinical Parasitology 8th Edition Good spiral bound text for quick reference for students or busy clinicians. Georgis’ Parasitology for veterinarians Comprehensive text, probably best for those with a deeper interest in parasitology. Satin Bowerbird taken by Mark on his Glamping trip  

Advice for new graduate veterinarians and vet nurses/technicians: job interview tips; how to choose a practice; lifestyle choices; Brendan’s Yashica camera. Book review: Desert Vet by Dr Alex Tinson, an Australian veterinarian who went to the United Arab Emirates to look after camels. Links: Desert Vet by Alex Tinson: Bookdepository link or Amazon Kindle link Australian Veterinary Association Graduate Mentor Program Outro music supplied by Canadian Lee Rosewarne from happypuppyrecords.ca To contact Brendan and Mark directly: [email protected] Brendan’s Yashica Mat 124-G Medium Format camera and a sample picture of Jezza, one of Brendan’s rescue greyhounds:      

Amusing patient names, backyard chickens and the chaotic life of a vet are discussed this week. The main topic is urinary tract diseases of guinea pigs. Join Mark and Brendan as they slowly unravel – and unhinge – at the end of a busy week.

Our first episode. Employment options for new graduate veterinarians, discussion on analgesia in animals – Do unusual and exotic animals require pain relief? What drugs to use? Do they work? Download. Listen.Enjoy. Subscribe and send feedback. Links: Anne Fawcett’s Small Animal blog Vet Cook Book