Episodes

Dr. Gianluca Bini, DVM, DACVAA, is here to talk about one of the scariest parts of veterinary medicine: anesthesia, and why so many of us may be overcomplicating the wrong things while underestimating the stuff that actually keeps patients safe. Dr. Andy Roark and Luca dive into veterinary anesthesia safety, monitoring, equipment, technician training, and the myth of the “perfect protocol,” all while making anesthesia feel way more approachable and practical for GP teams. If you’ve ever felt int...

Dr. Flavia Vedova, DVM, MBA, DACVIM (Nutrition), jumps into one of the most confusing parts of pet nutrition, figuring out when to switch diets, what “all life stages” actually means, and whether your large breed dog really needs a large breed formula. If you’ve ever stared at a pet food bag wondering if you’re helping your patient thrive or just falling for clever marketing, this episode breaks down senior pet nutrition, large breed puppy growth, calcium and phosphorus balance, and the future o...

Dr. Lily Chen, DVM, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle one of the most frustrating cases in veterinary medicine: the chronic diarrhea dog that just keeps coming back for more metronidazole. From microbiome testing and dysbiosis to fecal transplants and the surprising behavioral changes pets can show after treatment, this episode dives into the growing world of microbiome therapy and what it might mean for chronic enteropathy cases in practice. If you’ve ever felt stuck managing recurring GI disease,...

Dr. Andy Roark hosts Dr. Jules Benson, founder and principal of Titum Lucidum Consulting, to push the access-to-care conversation from advocacy into practical, feasible actions veterinary teams can take now. They frame access to care as a broad spectrum, noting growth in specialty access while affordability challenges are expanding even for middle-income households, and they stress veterinary medicine’s cash-based reality and the lack of a true safety net. Benson argues access solutions must be ...

Dr. Josh Rosen (known online as D-O-G-T-O-R Josh) joins host Dr. Andy Roark to debate a provocative question: should veterinary operations leaders who come from outside medicine be required to complete a clinic-based onboarding before leading teams? They explore the tension between “medicine people” focused on individual patients and “operations people” focused on scale, and how lack of day-to-day context can lead to decisions (like shorter appointments, pricing changes, wellness plans, or staff...

Dr. Charli Dong, DACVD, joins the podcast to tackle one of the most frustrating and common cases in practice: the itchy dog that just will not get better. If you have ever had a client convinced it is “just a food allergy” while their dog continues to suffer, this episode is your playbook. Dr. Dong breaks down canine atopic dermatitis in a way that actually makes sense, from puppies presenting earlier than expected to the messy overlap between food allergies and environmental triggers. You will ...

Dr. Andy Roark welcomes Caitlin Palmer (aka “the desk winch”), a veterinary receptionist at Southern Vet Clinic and a member of the President’s Advisory Board for the North American Association of Veterinary Receptionists (NAVR), to talk about the state of the front desk. They discuss how changing communication preferences and tools like AI may increase the importance of front-desk staff as key client communicators, and why reception should be viewed as a long-term career path with better pay, r...

Dr. Matthew Richardson, veterinary practice owner and director of the Veterinary Sustainability Alliance, joins Dr. Andy Roark to address a growing challenge in veterinary medicine: how clinics can reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing patient care or profitability. He breaks down healthcare’s carbon footprint and shares practical, real-world changes clinics can implement, from energy-efficient upgrades to reducing anesthetic gases. They also introduce the Green PAW Certification...

Dr. Kat Sutherland (PhD), assistant professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a question every new grad wrestles with, how do you speak up and create change without feeling like you’re overstepping? In this episode, they dive into change management for early career veterinarians, unpacking the real barriers like confidence dips, imposter syndrome, and unclear communication skills. You’ll hear practical strategies for getting buy-in from your team, navigating res...

Dr. Peter Weinstein, veterinarian and independent ownership advocate, joins Dr. Andy Roark to explore why more veterinarians are choosing to own their practices and step away from corporate structures. They break down the resurgence of independent veterinary practice ownership, including the financial realities, student debt concerns, and the desire for autonomy and purpose driving this shift. If you’ve ever wondered whether owning a veterinary practice is still possible or worth it, this episod...

Dr. Jules Benson, DVM, founder of Tapetum Lucidum Consulting and a data strategist, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a frustrating truth in the access to care conversation, lots of well-meaning advice for vets is not practical in real clinics with limited time, fixed protocols, and real-world overhead. They dig into the “iron triangle” of cost, quality, and access (the good, fast, cheap problem), and why defining “quality” often gets tangled up with “most advanced care.” Along the way, they talk a...

Tasha McNerney, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), tackles one of the most common clinical dilemmas, how do you safely sedate dogs and cats for quick procedures without committing them to a full day of anesthesia or risking complications. If you have ever hesitated before radiographs, wound repair, or diagnostics because you wanted fear-free handling but also needed efficiency, this episode delivers practical answers. Tasha walks through reversible sedation protocols, multimodal analgesia, and h...

Maria Pirita, CVPM, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a frustrating reality many veterinary leaders are facing right now, your clinic feels slammed every day, yet the appointment book is quietly shrinking. In this Uncharted crossover episode, Maria and Andy unpack why declining veterinary visits can hide behind busy schedules filled with same day appointments, and why that pattern can create serious problems for clinic planning, revenue stability, and patient care. They explore practical leadership...

Dr. Peter Weinstein, DVM, is asking a question many veterinary professionals feel but rarely say out loud, is veterinary medicine slowly losing its soul? In this thought-provoking conversation, he breaks down the concept of the “enshittification cycle,” and how corporate pressures, rising costs, and unrealistic client expectations can pull focus away from patients, teams, and community. More importantly, he offers hope. From strengthening veterinary team utilization to improving veterinary clien...

Dr. Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS, founder of Tapetum Lucidum Consulting, tackles one of the biggest questions facing veterinary medicine right now, why trust in veterinarians feels more fragile than ever. Fresh off a conference, he and Dr. Andy Roark explore how corporate growth, changing client perceptions, and rising costs are reshaping veterinary client trust and the perceived value of care. They dig into relationship-centered care, the importance of authentic practice values, and how evidence-b...

Dr. Emily King, DVM, founder of All Star Veterinary Clinic and veterinary social media educator, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a growing tension in veterinary medicine, the public narrative that vets, corporate groups, and private equity are driving up costs while telemedicine companies promise cheaper alternatives. After a high-profile interview featuring Dutch telehealth’s CEO stirred controversy, Dr. King shares what really happens inside veterinary clinics, how social media can build trust ...

Dr. Emily Singler, VMD, jumps right in with a question every practice owner should be asking, are we truly supporting our people through pregnancy and parental leave, or just hoping it works out? In this episode, she and Dr. Andy Roark unpack how smart veterinary parental leave planning, thoughtful postpartum support, and clear communication help protect team morale, reduce resentment, and keep great people in veterinary medicine long term. You will walk away with practical ideas for accommodati...

Bill Schroeder, owner of InTouch Practice Communications, jumps in to tackle a big question every clinic owner is starting to feel: if pet owners are asking AI instead of visiting websites, are veterinary clinic websites becoming obsolete? Dr. Andy Roark and Bill unpack how AI search and conversational search are changing veterinary website marketing, why strong veterinary SEO and original content still matter, and how clinics can position themselves so AI tools actually send clients their way. ...

Simon F. Haeder, PhD is an associate professor of public health at The Ohio State University, and jumps in with a question every clinic feels right now, how easy is it really for pet owners to get veterinary care? Using a massive secret shopper study, Simon shares what thousands of calls to clinics reveal about preventive care appointments, rural versus urban access, and what wait times actually look like across the country. Dr. Andy Roark and Dr. Simon Haeder unpack what this means for practice...

Dr. Sarah Boston, DVM, DVSc, DACVS, boarded surgical oncologist, author, podcaster, and stand up comedian, joins Dr. Andy Roark for a candid, funny, and slightly unhinged conversation that started with a text message and turned into a full blown existential check on veterinary medicine. Ever feel like the system is just a little… off? From commission based pay and buried service fees to corporate pressures and the emotional tax of modern practice, Andy and Sarah dig into why so many vets feel ic...

Dr. Aaron Massecar, PhD, is back, and if you have ever wondered whether AI scribes are actually helping or quietly creating new problems, this episode is for you. Andy and Aaron dig into what the human medical literature really says about AI scribes, beyond the hype and sales pitches. They talk about reduced administrative burden, better medical records, improved client connection, and why burnout prevention may be the biggest win of all. This is a thoughtful, nerdy, big-idea conversation about ...

Dr. Michael Jaffe, DVM, DACVS, associate professor of small animal surgery at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a problem hiding in plain sight, feline osteoarthritis. If you have ever thought cats just “slow down with age,” this episode will challenge that assumption fast. Andy gets candid about how often OA is missed in cats compared to dogs, and Michael breaks down why feline arthritis shows up as subtle behavior changes rather than ob...

Matthew Salois, PhD is currently the President of the Veterinary Study Groups, Inc. (VSG), where he is responsible for enhancing the economic and cultural success of more than 1,800 veterinary member practices. Most recently, Matt was the chief economist and head of the veterinary economics division at the AVMA between 2018 and 2022, where he applied his skills in economics, business, and communication to support the daily lives of veterinarians. From 2014 to 2018, he served as director of glo...

Dr. Sheena Warman and Dr. Kristin Jankowski sit down with Dr. Andy Roark to confront a growing challenge in vet med. We are graduating veterinarians who can recite the gold standard, but many feel unprepared for the realities of practice where finances, time, and access shape what care is possible. If you have ever struggled to balance what the textbook recommends with what your client can actually do, this episode hits home. Andy digs into why Spectrum of Care is changing how vet schools teach ...