The Pet Doctor - Keeping your pets healthy & pet wellness - Pets & Animals on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

If you've watched the NetFlix series, House of Cards our suspicions of the stereotype of politicians is probably true, and they don't have our best interests at heart. Other professions are held at much higher esteem - veterinarians for instance. But if you watched a recent television exposé it casts some doubt on veterinarians and veterinary medicine. My guest today is Dr. Clark Fobian. He is the President of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and we're going to try to debunk some of those stereotypes that were brought about on this 20/20 exposé.

They hide in alleys, abandoned houses, fight over scrapes of food and live lives tragically cuts short by disease, neglect and misunderstanding. These are the oft forgotten feral cat. My guest, Becky Robinson is the Founder and President of Alley Cat Allies. Promoting the health, welfare of all cats has been the mission of this unique organization of ½ million supporters. Learn how you can help feral colonies, your local animal shelters whether or not you are a cat owner.

Visions of the bucolic James Herriot and doctors caring for cats and dogs is what typically comes to mind when people think of veterinarians, but there is so much more to this profession. Dr. John de Jong of Weston, Mass, and a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s leadership is my guest today. We will discuss how vet med in USA has evolved in the past 150 years and the exciting advances that are taking place every day.

Debates concerning the Affordable Care Act of 2013 have at times resembled a dog and cat fight. But what about the care we give our four legged members of the family? Are pet parents doing the best they can? Current research has shown that pet owners are increasing their expenditures of on pet food and products but are not investing in proactive wellness care for their pets. Why treats and not treatments? My guest, Dr. Sandi Lefebvre of Banfield Pet Hospitals will help to answer that question and reveal the results of the Banfield Pet Hospital 2013 State of Pet Health Report.

You are as cautious any parent of a human child when it comes to the health and welfare of your four legged charges. But could the world around you be conspiring to expose your pet to toxins? What are some of the most common poisons that your pet may encounter? How would you know if your pet has been sickened? Can you avoid the possibility of inadvertent toxic exposures? Dr. Robert Poppenga, a veterinarian and head of the Toxicology Section of the California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory System at the University of California, Davis will help answer these question and more.

The evening news is awash with intrigue and scandals from our nation’s capital, but there is some behavior that America’s elected officials should be ashamed of... their relations with animals. Who is looking out for the health and safety of America’s animal and food? From the Farm Bill, to animal welfare, food safety, conservation and research, it is the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Governmental Relations Division who is advocating behind the scenes for the needs of animals, people and the environment.

Every time there is a survey to determine which profession is most respected and trusted, veterinarians always rank toward the top. But does America have a favorite veterinarian? Yes, according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation it is Dr. Carlos Campos of Spring Hill, Florida. After we chat you will see why he is so special.

One moment your pet seems absolutely normal and then it happens. It might be just a chatter of its jaw or it may fall to the ground and paddle with its feet totally unaware of what is going on around it. Is your pet in pain? Is it going to die? You feel helpless and don’t know what to do. My guest will give us great insights into seizures. She is veterinarian Dr. Karen Muñana. She is a board certified veterinary internist with a subspecialty in neurology and professor of neurology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Today we are discussing a very scary problem for pet owners. Have you ever seen a person faint, have a stroke or have an epileptic fit? Have you ever seen that in a pet? Did you know that pets, like humans, can suffer from seizures from a number of different causes? They can even have epilepsy. I doubt anyone listening every thought their pet would have a seizure- it is not something we are generally prepared for. Hopefully after listening to this episode you will have a much better understanding of seizures in our pets. What are they, why they occur and what we can do about them. Our special guest and expert today is Dr. Jason Berg, a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist and veterinary neurologist who will help us understand the conditions associated with seizures.

Mary Bly may have said it best... ’Dogs come when they are called; cats take a message and get back to you.’ Despite some deeply held personal preferences America loves its pets. U.S. households share their beds and laps with over 74 million cats and 69 million dogs. But what does it say about you if you have a fondness for felines or are crazed about canines? Royal Canin recently commissioned a survey to discover why a purr or bark is more likely to tug at your heart strings. Are we swayed by the flip of a wily whisker or does size really matter? Dr. Laura Peltz of Royal Canin will discuss the findings and why feeding to the breed can insure that no matter your choice, your pet lives as long and healthy a life as possible.

Pet owners often get that glazed over look to their eyes when the topic of pet insurance is broached. It is too expensive. The paperwork is complicated. There are too many limitations and exclusions. What if these concerns were eliminated? Think of how the health and well-being of your pet could be impacted. Dr. Kerri Marshall is a veterinarian with a unique insight into the statistics of pet health and the tragic consequences of not safeguarding our pet’s health with insurance.

Some people may take them for granted but there are certain aspects of our everyday life that I find to be mini wonders of the world…how bridges stay up, communications can be instantaneous ½ way around the world with only a small handheld device, the disembodied know it all can guide me on a road trip with only the occasional ‘recalculating’ prompt and how veterinary dentists at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine have been able to use 3-D printers to construct models of an animal skull…Amazing. Dr. Boaz Arzi is my guest today. We are going to chat about collaborative efforts of engineers and veterinarians at UC Davis to improve the health of animals and people. In medical circles, there is a common adage amongst surgeons…a chance to cut is a chance to cure. If it is up to my guest, Dr. Bill Culp of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, that phrase may become antiquated in some veterinary surgical situations. Dr. Culp is a board certified veterinary surgeon who is foregoing the blade and using radiology to treat conditions previously thought to be inoperable.

You can spot them 6 strollers away, the new parent. They look ecstatic and a bit frazzled. They tote around the jumbo size of cleaning products to decontaminate the world for their precious bundle of joy. You would think that their home would be one of the safest places for 2 and 4 legged critters but you may be surprised to learn, that items associated with babies can be highly toxic to pets. To tutor us in the ‘A.B,Cs’ of safeguarding our furry kids, is my guest Dr. Justine Lee, associate director of Pet Poison Helpline.

I’ve heard it said, that cats are lick potato chips- you can’t have just one. But mixing flavors like the British turkey and stuffing variety with flaming Cajun American snacks could leave a strange taste in your mouth. If you are like me, you have multiple perpetrators of TV screen paw prints. Sometimes a clowder (a collective of cats) works and sometimes it can have dire effects on your carpeting and sanity. The new book, Your Ideal Cat co-authored by my guest Dr. Ben Hart; board certified veterinary behaviorist and his wife, Lynette Hart, a professor of veterinary medicine and human-animal behavior will tell us how we can keep purrrrfect harmony in our homes.

Ever wonder what it would be like to share an evening of witty banter with America’s Golden Girl Betty White? Now is your opportunity. Through an eBay auction, fans can bid to be Betty White’s guest at the Morris Animal Foundation Gala of HOPE, An Evening with Betty White in Los Angeles in October. Our guest today is Dr. David Haworth, President and CEO of Morris Animal Foundation to tell us about the Gala of HOPE and your chance to win a date with Betty! Bidding for 'Win a Date with Betty' will start at $1,500. Click here and start bidding!