Episodes

Brendan wants to go to Bali - for work of course. Maybe he will be less angry about the situation with greyhound racing in New South Wales if he had a break? Mark goes mad about the pesky parasite toxoplasmosis, then sniffs out a story details dog's detecting cancer in our final news story this week. Upper respiratory tract diseases of the rabbit is our main topic this week. 'Snuffles' is the catch-all phrase often used to describe these disorders. We talk about the various causes of these commo...

Is it a fish, is it a bird - or is it just a toxic mess? We look at the amazing fish-bird found in China. A kelpie sells for a record price in Australia. In our last news story Mark gets angry, very angry, about some 'facts' of the Jurassic world film. Our main topic this week is in response to an email from a long-time subscriber. Tom asks 'how do I encourage veterinary staff to get excited about unusual and exotic pets?' Listen on and we will try to help answer this, and more questions or is t...

A new species of armoured dinosaur has been identified and we report on this gorgeous, yet extinct, animal in our first news story. Brendan is sad, and his dogs know it; Mark is excited about a sun bear birth in the UK and is the pet trade killing off species? We find out - because we get the big stories. Respiratory diseases in rats and mice is our main topic this week. An important topic, chronic respiratory disease is endemic in pet rodents - certainly a topic not to sneeze at. Support our sp...

Welcome to the VetGurus podcast! Where else can you find out how to stop seagulls getting drunk, learn about a new species of venomous snake, hear about breeding rhinos in Australia and debate the pros and cons of animal research? Nowhere else! That's why you listen (sometimes) and why we provide you with the best (or maybe the most obscure) news items.. and keep the emails coming in with news items for us to share. Our main topic this week is vomiting in dogs. Brendan and Mark chat about cases ...

A flight crew springs to action to help a French Bulldog. How smart are birds? - we find out - sort of; and a discussion of wild animals helping us in the garden are news items this week. Our final news item is about an incursion of the varroa honey bee mite into Melbourne, Australia. This weeks main topic? Here it is: Illegal pets. Brendan and mark discuss the complex factors at play when dealing with illegal pets - from the massive money involved in the trade of these animals, the threat they ...

Here we go again with topical veterinary news, information and lame jokes. Mark is seeing a run on nutritional deficits in patients presented to Sugarloaf Animal Hospital, which leads to a discussion of home made versus commercial foods for pets. Flat faced rabbits are in the news for all the wrong reasons, and we find out how bees may save elephants from train collisions. Poncho the Police Dog in in the news for his resuscitation play. On our final news story we chat about snail-sucking snakes-...

How should we talk to dogs? We finds out all about 'dog speak' in our first news item. Dachshunds are popular pets in the UK - should they be? A good news story to finish: a dog saves a young boy from a dryer. Dr David Middleton is our star guest and main topic for this week. David is the owner of Mt. Mary vineyard in the Yarra Vallet wine region of Melbourne, Australia. Not only is he famous for his wonderful wines, David mentored Brendan when he was a zoo veterinarian. We sit down with David t...

Bees get stressed - really! Good news about the wild jaguars of Mexico, and Mark is talking to dogs and trying to stop cats eating wildlife. In other news Brendan and Mark finally catch up on some emails, and we announce or new sponsors. Gout in reptiles is the main topic this week. We discuss what it is, the signs of gout in reptiles, diagnostic steps and treatment options. We are excited to introduce our two main sponsors: Chemical Essentials and Specialised Animal Nutrition. They have donated...

Birds can see Earth's magnetic fields - we find out how. A dog saves a child lost in the Australian outback, predators help farmers and mushrooms kill dogs. A mix of news stories this week to get things started. Thanks to Doug Black for the link to the Bird article. Euthanasia is our main topic. Specifically, we walk through the 2-stage process for euthanasia of unusual pets, and also discuss the logistics of how to help our clients during the stressful time of the planned death of a loved pet. ...

Did you know blue-tongued skinks have UV emitting tongues? Now you do. Who is Pizza the polar bear and why should you care? Why are most dolphins called Bruce, and what's with all the questions?? All these questions and more are answered in our news section. Product reviews: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury gets a 9.451 out of 10 from Brendan. Fencing wire for use as an endotracheal stylet gets a 10 out of 10. The main topic this week is Part 2 of Dental Disease in Rabbits. We dive into the gear r...

Does the human race do anything right? Well, we are very good at eradicating other species. Greyhound racing is banned in the Australian Capital Territory and giant predatory worms have invaded France! So what exactly is the Icarus project and why are we excited about it? Listen to our news section to find out. A rapid fire discussion of 10 conditions of unusual pets is our main topic this week. Brendan and Mark point out some common reasons why various unusual pets are brought to see a vet - in...

Calls to ban trade in amphibians from Asia is our first news story. Do therapy dogs like their work? - we find out. The sad story of the Vaquita, the smallest porpoise species in the world leaves us depressed, so in our final news story we are amazed as a crow steals a credit card and tries to buy a train ticket! We interview Doug Black from Microchips Australia for our main feature this week. We discover the power of the ostrich. Doug has a fascinating story to tell: how he became an Ostrich ve...

The news just keeps on coming... this week Mark discusses stress in the veterinary workplace and the love life of Dora the hawk. Brendan discussed the amusing husbandry and feeding of veterinarians for new owners guide. Dingoes and some myths about these canines is the last story this week. Mark's product review is the rabbit appeasing pheromone. He refuses to score it, as it is not available for use here in Australia! Zoonoses, in particular Q Fever - or Query fever - is our main topic this wee...

The news kicks off with the announcement of our competition winner. Congratulations to Elizabeth Pearson! Your signed book is on its way. In other news we report on a potential threat for the rarest ape in the world, the naming of species after celebrities, and the difficulties of livestock live export. Another non-veterinary 'product' review by Mark today, with a lowdown on a music video by Childish Gambino. We are on the road this week, reporting from the Australian Veterinary Association 2018...

Should we be more like sloths? In our first news story we discuss this important topic. In other news a tiger cub found in a bag is recovering well after being rescued, the unusual sex life of brown widow spiders, and veterinary interns speak out against exploitation. A flurry of emails last week with more entries for our book competition. The competition is now closed and we will announce the winner soon! An email from subscriber Nick asks for more information on the use of deslorelin implants ...

Death is in the news this week with the end of the world's oldest spider at the age of 43, the weird and depressing world of hummingbird love charm trafficking, and we follow the trail of the London thylacines. Brighter news is the novel approach to control of locusts in China through the use of a chicken army! Brendan has a book review this week: Clinical anatomy and physiology of exotic species by B. O'Malley. An excellent text for anyone interested in unusual/exotic pet medicine and surgery, ...

News is a bit depressing this week with a story about a kangaroo in a zoo stoned because it wasn't hoping for visitors; popular animals facing higher extinction rates and the severity of the 2016 Great Barrier Reef bleaching. Brighter news is the story of Toby the cat who found a new home after his owners rejected him. The product review from Mark is a bit left-field, with his take on the state of Australian basketball. We're not sure what it has to do with veterinary medicine, however his enthu...

Quirky news again this week, which begins with talk on empathy - can it be learned, is there a genetic factor or who cares? A field study of Mary River Turtles in Australia reveals an ageing population. The cannibal Red Squirrels of Yukon and the death of Australia's last flamingo are our last news stories. Our main topic discusses the benefits of desexing, with particular emphasis on small mammals. What are the other benefits of desexing apart from the obvious prevention of breeding and helping...

Brendan has lost his mind - literally. He outlines his recent experience with transient global amnesia and a stay in hospital over the Easter period. In other news birds are pests in Melbourne - or are they?; and the concerns about backyard chickens and human health. Our main topic this week is dental disease in rabbits. We regard this as such an important (and often requested) topic that this is part one of a series of podcasts on rabbit dental disease. Links: Lyssavirus in Queensland Transient...

A dog in a park, Sea Turtles on a Mumbai beach, and a billboard built for birds in Sweden are the varied news items this week. In other news, Mark ponders on how rabies causes aggression. Our main topic is eggs and incubation. Mark talks us through the process of candling eggs to determine if the embryo is viable, the basics of incubation and tips to maximise the chance of the eggs hatching. We then provide an overview of the approach to infertility in birds - what to do when a client brings inf...

The news topics just keep on coming: How can dogs help us understand cancer? Can we use cats to control feral rats?; and some quirky facts (and fiction) about platypus. These are the news items this week, together with the sad tale of the last male northern white rhino dying. Sorry is the title of our main topic this week, as we delve into the complex matter of dealing with complaints. Brendan and Mark outline their experiences with dealing with complaints, and provide some thoughts on the best ...

How long have you had your pet? We meet a woman who has had the same pet for 56 years. Mark gets the claws out and becomes haughty about declawing, and is anxious about caring for sick pets. In the final news item we put to bed the age-old question - can a newt kill you? This week's main topic is how to make the surgical vet visit run smoothly from the client and pet perspective. Tips such as completing as much paperwork as possible before the surgery, having the client leave some favourite food...

Brendan may have Man Flu but that doesn't stop the vet gurus from releasing another podcast full of veterinary goodness! He soldiers on, delirious, to warn us not to feed the monkeys, and directs our attention to a cute polar bear cub born in the UK. Mark presents 6 unusual facts about Tapirs and muses over the potential demise of the world's smallest porpoise. Our review this week is a movie - or make that 2 movies: BladeRunner and the recently released BladeRunner 2049. Both of us award it ove...

Mark is looking resplendent in his Lacoste Polo shirt this week - trying to convince us he wears it for a good cause. In other news dogs are in the bad books - threatening wildlife and wreaking havoc on beaches, whilst Brendan ponders the choice of colour in a newly discovered giant slug. Mark's book review is 1Q84, a dystopian novel. You can find more information here. He rates it a 7 out of 10. Brendan's Melbourne Veterinary School Class 30th Reunion - can you see him? The main topic this week...