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

Got a pet that itches, bites, scratches, chews, licks or just putz with itself all the time? You swear that it doesn’t have fleas. You have tried lotions, potions, and shampoos. Your veterinarian just gives you pills and pokes your pet with injections of who knows what and the skin issues persist. The answer must be in the diet. At least that is what all the pet parents at the dog park and pet store sales folks are telling you. So does your pet have a food allergy? Is grain and gluten free the answer? Or should you feed organic, holistic, or maybe raw? My guest is Dr. Alice Jeromin, a pharmacist, a board certified veterinary dermatologist, adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University College of Medicine, international lecturer and author.

You can’t listen to the news or peruse the internet without hearing or reading about the various uses and abuses of medical marijuana, CBD oil and hemp products. From Alaska to Maine to Florida, as of May 2018, 29 states and the district of Columbia allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. 9 states and DC permit its recreational use. 17 states have removed penalties for the use of CBD products for medicinal reason but not necessarily the use of medical marijuana. Pet owners, be aware all of these rules and regulations refer to people and not pets. You may be wondering why your veterinarian hasn’t discussing this topic with you. My guests are two distinguished colleagues who are bridging the gap from hearsay and testimonials to the scientific investigations of the beneficial effects of hemp products on pets. I am thrilled to learn about these breakthroughs from Drs. Joe Wakshlag and Fred Metzger.

It is so embarrassing; your friends come over to visit and your dog pees on the carpet when they reach down to greet it. You laugh while at the groomers as your dog trembles so severely that they can barely hold its leg steady to trim its nails. At the veterinarians, you have to carry in your 50# Golden Doddle through the door whimpering all the way. It is just a little vaccine. What a baby…or is it? And can you do anything about it? My guest is America’s Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker. We are going to discuss his recently released, best selling book ‘From Fearful to Fear Free’.

Since you are listening to this podcast, it’s likely that you are a pet lover. I’ll further posit that you’ve used the services of a veterinarian to care for your pet. But are you aware that without veterinarians that the health of your pet, our food supply, wildlife, world health and your personal health would be jeopardized? Being a veterinarian, you may think that I am a bit prejudiced and you would be right. But my guest, Dr. Michael Topper, the 2017-2018 President of the American Veterinary Medical Association and is also in agreement plus he has the expertise to substantiate these claims.

The heart…we often think of it in romantic terms…you stole my heart, you broke my heart, you make my heart go pitter patter but this small biological pump is so much more. The lub dub, the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout our bodies is an amazing feat of precision electromechanical and chemical coordination. But there are times when a pet’s cardiovascular system becomes diseased often with the same issues that affect their owner’s body. Thankfully there are veterinary specialists such as my guest, Dr. Thomas Morrison, a board-certified cardiologist. In the next ½ hour, we are going to chat about why your pet may need the to be referred to a heart specialist and advances in this critical field.

I used to love wearing spikey high heels and didn’t think anything about trekking around town on these fashion statements. But after a few close calls where I almost slipped on slick flooring I am now extremely leery. Our pets sometimes feel the same way. I know Labradoodles rarely wear Manolo Blahniks but sometimes pets just need a little assistance in being more sure footed. You’ve probably seen those crazy YouTube videos of pets sporting booties…they don’t look happy, so what is a pet owner to do? My guest today is Dr. Stacey Bone. He is a companion animal veterinarian and co-developer of PawFriction, a traction inducing paw pad coating system for special need pets.

The Baby Boomer phenomenon is not just occurring in people. Our pets are living longer due to advances in medicine and improvements in home care. But is just living enough? Do our pets need to be mentally stimulated, enriched, in order to truly have the best quality of life…to thrive and not just survive? And what is enrichment? You buy them toys but they just don’t want to play? You invested in a fancy dancy pet monitor that tosses treats to them and they just seem bored. They are just old…and there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do to bring back that spark of youth. Dr. Julie Albright is one of 65 board-certified veterinary behaviorists in the US and an assistant professor of veterinary behavior and PetSafe Chair of Small Animal Behavioral Research at the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Merriam-Webster defines a hero as a person admired for achievements and noble qualities. For the past several years, I have been honored to have been asked to review nominations for the American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Nurse Awards. It has been humbling to read these submissions. It has also made me very proud to be a member of this profession. Do you know a veterinary professional who has made a difference in your life, in the life of your pet or your community? Take a listen to my conversation with Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane and learn about how you can recognize these advocates for pets and the people who love them.

The debate over the need and safety of vaccines in pets and people seems to always be in the news. Is their risk worth their purported benefits? Do vaccines cause autism in children? Do vaccines cause cancer in pets? You got your flu vaccine last year and you still came down with the flu…what gives? To answer questions on vaccines in pets is my guest Liza Rudolph. She is a boarded veterinary technician specialist in Canine and Feline Clinical Practice along with Small Animal Internal Medicine. She works in both general and referral practices, lectures and publishes articles for pet owners and veterinary professionals.

Your dog or cat having tummy troubles? Poobiotics may be the answer. And no that wasn’t a slip of the tongue, I meant poobiotic and not probiotics. With the intestinal tract being the largest immune system in the body, keeping your dog and cats gut healthy is one of the best ways to keep your pet’s body in top shape. Through a process known as fecal transplantation, poop from a healthy pet is given to one with GI malfunction, helping to reestablish a robust and viat intestinal micro biome.

You know that your pets make your life happier and healthier. Studies have shown that pets lower blood pressure, decrease your chances of having heart attacks, can enhance your community interactions. But did you know that even your indoor cat and canine companion that only cruises the neighborhood are sentinels for world health? My guest is Dr. Megan Mehaffey. She is a Research Ecologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research Development. We will discuss how you can become a citizen scientist and help safeguard the health of pets, people, the ecosystem, our economy and the planet.

You may be diametrically opposed to genetically modified food. You would never buy a product that has had its DNA tampered with. You’re concerned that this reportedly bigger, better, larger, hardier food could affect your health in the long term. But do you realize that your pet’s DNA has been modified and many of the diseases we see in our cats and dogs is due to these alterations? To discuss the top genetic diseases that affect our feline and canine companions is my guest Dr. Jerold Bell, a Clinical Associate Professor of Genetics at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and practices at Freshwater Veterinary Hospital in Enfield, CT.

Fall… what a phenomenal time of year. A chill in the air...a perfect excuse for snuggling with your pet. And want to get a little exercise…how about a walk through leaf strewn trials to enjoy the colors and sounds of a changing season. If you are a hunter, time to hit the fields with your trusty canine to fill the larder with game. Maybe your hunting is for tasty mushrooms with which to flavor your evening meals. But do you know which ones are safe to eat? Does your dog? Fall can also be a time of increased risk for your pet, both inside and out of the home. My guest is Dr. Charlotte Flint. Since 2010 she has been a senior consulting veterinarian at Pet Poison Helpline.

Like, wow man…. mention Valley Fever and you may like have totally gnarly visions of the 1980’s and Tom Petty’s song ‘Free Falling’…the killer rad anthem to the California’s San Fernando Valley lifestyle. This however is a grody to the max disease that can duh fatally affect people and animals in the Southwest of you know the U.S. My righteous guest is veterinarian, Dr. Christine Butkiewicz… OK, I promise, is the last of my Valley speak for this segment…like what ever.

Through the ages, the way we view bats has been tainted by stories like Dracula and Batman. Champions of good or evil blood sucking Transylvanian royalty, in reality, bats serve an essential role in our ecosystem and they need our help. This show, the Pet Doctor, is about pets but I am not advocating that you keep these amazing creatures as companions. My hope is to dispel some of the myths about bats and to better understand their behaviors, biology, and our interdependence. This way we can hopefully both survive the changes that are going on around us. If you have the chance to visit Monteverde, in the cloud forest of Costa Rica a trip to the research center, the Bat Jungle is a must. I was fortunate to visit this unique attraction and meet today’s guest , biologist and bat expert Vino De Backer.