Episodes

We love our big statues here in Australia, so the fight over the Biggest Moose between Canada and Norway has us intrigued in our first news story of the week. The search for new species goes on - and 3 new salamander species have been found in Texas. The sad facts behind so called mini pigs are evened, and in the final news story Mark in angry about a cartoon racoon. Social media, its use and abuse, is our main topic this week. We dive deep into the machinations of setting up and maintaining a w...

A good news story - Icelandic goats saved from extinction- and Brendan gets extremely emotional about this story. Mark then gets serious and talks about river systems and culverts for protection of fish. This week we have another Top Ten: Tips for dealing with snakes for clinicians who are unfamiliar with reptiles. Links Meet the woman who saved the Icelandic goat from extinction Barriers to fish migration Microchips Australia: Microchips Australia is the Australian distributor for: Trovan micro...

Veterinary student numbers increase in the UK, as they do in many other countries: Brendan and Mark discuss the implications. The secret fighting lives of hummingbirds are revealed, and we find out why killer whale pregnancies fail. Do you have a floppy-eared dog? Is it cute? We find out why floppy ears are thought less threatening than erect ear. How to Train Your Vet. The main topic is a discussion for veterinary nurses/technicians. We debate the ins and outs of how to deal with cranky vets, p...

How does chicken soup make you feel better? Brendan explains. Mark dives deep into the question of how to monitor waterway health via monitoring fish sounds and investigates Turtle Rain. in the final news story Brendan summarises a recent publication on anaesthetic deaths in pets. Heating is our main topic this week. We discuss the details of how to provide adequate heating for unusual pet enclosures - reptiles, birds and mammals. There is also a short discussion of heating for critically ill pa...

In this New Year's special we interview James Harris. We interviewed James at the Adelaide UPAV conference and it was a pleasure to chat to him. James is universally known and loved as a living legend in exotic pet medicine, with a phenomenal reputation as an exotics and wildlife veterinarian. He outlines his journey from the UK to the USA, and eventually Tasmania, where he now resides. James was awarded an Order of Australia medal for services to wildlife care. Contact us: VetGurus@gmail.com Tw...

It's our Christmas special with Mark and Brendan getting into the holiday spirit (literally) as they reminisce over the happenings in 2018 and look forward to 2019. News: The winners of the 2018 Comedy Wildlife Awards are out.. and, not surprisingly, they are quite humorous. In other news, a dog digs up a bone. We wish all our wonderful listeners a safe, happy and restful holiday period and a wonderful 2019. Links: Exuberant digging dog unearths 13,000-year-old woolly mammoth tooth Squirrel can'...

We're back!!! Brendan is back for his pilgrimage to the far reaches of India, and he shares a few stories about his adventures. We catch up with some news: Will our generation be remembered by the chicken bones we leave behind? What is the background of China's legalisation of the rhino horn trade? Brendan muses over animal societies thriving without males, and Mark investigates the hairy business of the illegal market in tarantulas. The UPAV (Unusual Pet and Avian Veterinarians) conference, rec...

Its goats and more goats this week: Brendan talks about weedbusting goats and a list of things you didn't know about this fascinating species. A good news story with heroic huskies rescuing a hiker in Alaska, and are cities making animals smarter. Main topic: Limb and tail amputation in reptiles. Why is this such a common procedure? Mark and Brendan give their thoughts, and tips for performing partial limb and tail amputation in reptiles. Links: Weedbusting goats Heroic husky rescues injured hik...

Brendan is intrigued with camel beauty pageants and the shenanigans undertaken to enhance the chance of winning. Mark is looking even more radiant than usual after discussing advances in drugs to increase longevity, and he discusses some difficult ethical decisions veterinarians make when pressured by clients. In the final news story this week Brendan ask's the age-old question: Can dog's tell time? Adrenal disease in ferrets is the main topic of this episode. What is it? How do ferrets get it? ...

How can a chimney save birds? When they are fake. Mark explains. Brendan is hot under the collar about leaf blowers as he continues to turn into a cranky old man! In other news Mark and Brendan marvel at the wildlife Photographer of the year awards for 2018, and we are glad to see that Lee Burger has won an award. The main topic this week is fluted cats - or FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease). Links: How fake chimneys can help save birds Wildlife photographer of the year awards 2018 Figh...

We report on the rebound of a Mountain gorilla population in this week's good news. Mark discusses whether pets can get seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and wonders if elephants are evolving to lose their tusks. Brendan then gets a bit angry when he reveals 87 elephants have been killed by poachers in Africa. Movie Review by Brendan: The Predator 2018. Don't bother. 2 out of 10. It's that bad. Eye diseases in unusual pets is our main topic this week. Brendan and Mark talk about commonly seen (p...

Could Llamas be the answer to the ideal human flu vaccine? Scientists had no idea where the world's tiniest flightless bird came from, until now- Mark explains. In our final news story we debate if the era of greyhound racing is coming to an end. Limbs. Or lack thereof. That is the main topic this week: amputation of limbs of various species is discussed by Brendan and Mark - what species do we commonly remove limbs from, and why? What species cope without a limb and what species don't? Product ...

Support us via Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus Mark is on location this week - playing in a basketball tournament! While he ices his dodgy knee, Brendan decides what to do with dog faeces in our first news story. We also discuss if a wind farm monitor to prevent bird deaths would likely work, and marvel at some amazing photos. Basic pet bird nutrition is the main topic this week. Brendan and Mark give the lowdown on what to recommend for clients to feed their feathered friends. Links: Wind farm mo...

Welcome Guru-listeners. Great to have you onboard for this week! News: For the dinosaur aficionados out there we chat about whether those small arms of T. rex are of any use. A mushroom extract may help save bees. Our final news story is a call to all Australians to get the FrogID app. and participate in FrogID week from 9-18 November. Hop to it! This week's main topic is amphibian care. Brendan and Mark outline the basics of caring for frogs, including enclosure setup and cleaning, feeding, lig...

A deaf and blind dog missing for 5 years is reunited with its owners in yet another good news story from Brendan. Mark is enthused about the educational aspects of octopuses, and wonders if having a dog increase your chance of a tinder date? To balance things out, the final news story is about cats: Are cat lovers under the influence of Toxoplasmosis? Perhaps not, though that kitten is very cute... UV lighting in reptiles is our main topic. Brendan and Mark outline the basics of this fascinating...

We put recreational fishing under the spotlight this week with discussion of an article on why catch and release is tough on fish. Singapore Zoo use a 3D-printed prosthesis to give a hornbill a second chance of life and Brendan is happy that the tiger population in Nepal has rebounded. In our final news story Mark muses on the rise of the 'bin chicken' - the Australian White Ibis. 'Megabacteria' infections in birds, Macrorhabdus ornithogaster, aka 'gastric yeast', or AGY, is the main topic. Bren...

We are pleased, and relieved, to have Mark back from his recent ventures near Sulawesi in Indonesia. He was there at the time of the earthquake and subsequent Tsunami which has resulted in devastating loss of life and environmental destruction. The VetGurus get all the breaking news. This week Brendan is breathless talking about an inflatable pet hospital and spins some positive talk about Australian funnel-web spiders, whilst Mark muses on why mammals went the fur route instead of feathers and ...

Dinosaurs are alive - at a new theme park in Portugal. Why do small dogs aim high when urinating? - Mark finds out! Brendan is concerned about a neighbourhood overrun by goats and a bounty placed on a Police dog's head by a drug cartel. As usual, we report the important stories. Nasty Nine: The main topic this week is a quick rundown of 9 nasty conditions in unusual pets that Mark and Brendan don't like dealing with. Do you have a condition to add to the list: please email us vetgurus@gmail.com ...

We dig deep into the sticky issue of the reported medicinal properties of Manuka honey. Our main topic this week is Unusual Pets: more specifically, we outline common unusual pet species and debate which make good pets, and which species should not be kept. Brendan competes his review of the Clarius veterinary wireless ultrasound system. He gives its a high 9.4 Send us an email to enter our competition for a mystery prize pack delivered to your door: VetGurus@gmail.com Links: Manuka Honey -scien...

A puppy undergoes a world first complex heart surgery in London. Are we heading for a world without turtles? We also try to answer patron Sandy's thought provoking email questions. On a lighter note we look at the finalists for the 2018 Comedy Wildlife Photography awards. Our main topic this week is oestrogen toxicity in ferrets: what is it? We chat about how to treat it, and what steps you can do to prevent it. Enter our 50th episode competition to win! Just send us an email to enter. It IS tha...

We welcome our new 'beardie' patron: Sandy from Canberra, Australia. A big shout out to Sandy for helping cover our production costs, and thanks for the thought-provoking email - keep them coming! Why don't YOU become a patron of our show, become famous, and feel good on the inside and outside? Visit Patreon.com/vetgurus for more details. In news this week California passes a bill banning the sale of cosmetics tested on animals and we bemoan the extinction of some bird species. In the final news...

We investigate the New Zealand town that wants to ban cats. A huge drop of a king penguin population. Are Mumbai's leopard's good or bad? Thats the news stories for this week.. oh, and Mark talks about how to hang a birdhouse without harming the tree or the bird! Rabbit nutrition is the main topic this week. What is the best diet for pet rabbits? What is bad? What is toxic? Listen and find out all this and more. Contact us: VetGurus@gmail.com Twitter: @VetGurus Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com...

Pacific Chocolate and the koala genome - what's the link? Listen and find out. Also hear about the vegetarian bear, dairy farming in India and finally, why chickens may wear diapers/nappies. Now that's a variety of news items. Chlamydiosis in birds is this weeks main topic. Brendan quizzes Mark to find out how prevalent this disease is in pet birds, then they both discuss zoonotic aspects of this disease - Psittacosis. The discussion includes diagnostic steps, treatment options and control. Link...

Dogs prefer reggae when stressed... apparently. Or did you already know that? How about teaching birds to collect litter? Or did you hear about the Dengue fever outbreak halted by the release of mosquitoes? So many great news stories this week we decided to finish with 20 things you may not know about Zebras. Once you've listened to all this news you will be ready for your local quiz night, or to bore your family or partner. Mammary tumours in rats and mice is the main topic this week. Brendan a...