veterinary thought exchange vtx:podcast

Episode 60 - This one's for Dean

In this week’s episode we are talking to the incredible Jade Statt. Many of you will know Jade through her connection with StreetVet, an award-winning national charity offering free accessible vet care and services to pets belonging to those experiencing homelessness. A chance meeting with a homeless gentleman and his dog inspired co-founder Jade to take vet care out onto the streets to the people and pets that need it most. What started in 2016 as 2 vets, Jade Statt and co-founder Sam Joseph and a backpack full of veterinary supplies, is now a charity fuelled by over 500 vet and vet nurse volunteers who swap the practice for the pavement in 23 locations across the UK from Glasgow to Cornwall and growing. StreetVet recognises and champions the importance of the human-animal bond and since inception has treated over 2,500 pets. In this very special conversation, we chat to Jade about many of the amazing people she has met along the way. It all started with a dog called Brick and I am confident Okley will be looking down with pride.

 

For more information, please visit streetvet.org.uk

 

StreetVet is on Instagram (@streetvetuk_), Twitter (@streetvetuk), Facebook (@streetvet) and LinkedIn (@streetvet)

 

In our clinical segment, Scott starts a series of conversations about the management of acute diarrhoea in dogs and cats. Are you confident stepping away from the antibiotics?

 

www.vtx-cpd.com

Episode 59 - Learning from loss and going for goat

In this week’s episode we are talking to Heidi and Liv. Heidi and Liv are both 3rd year vet students at the University Of Liverpool, with unique alternative entry routes. Heidi worked on a dairy farm. Liv qualified as an RVN and worked in a small animal clinic. The shared experience of parent loss has strengthened their friendship, and together with Tobias they founded the Bereaved Vet Students Group (@bereavedvetstudentsgroup) . They are on a mission to improve bereavement support, and to create a safer space within the profession for anyone coping with grief and loss. 

Heidi found strength in CrossFit, and if not in the gym she can be found with her pet goats. She discusses the difficulties of being an autistic vet student, and the importance of self-acceptance to show up as your true (weird) self. Liv continues to work as an RVN around her studies and is an avid cinema goer after a long day at university. She discusses many things… including hiding in the toilet!

 

Heidi:
Instagram - @CrossFitVet

Liv: 

Instagram - @_livfreeman_ 

Twitter/ X - @TheRVNVet 

 

We are thrilled to be joined by the lovely Gemma for our clinical chat today. Scott and Gemma continue their conversation about the treatment of liver disease, with a focus on steroids and UDCA. A massive thank you to our incredible friends at Protexin for supporting this conversation:

www.protexinvet.com

www.vtx-cpd.com

 

Episode 58 - My Veterinary Patchwork Quilt

In this week’s episode we are talking to Dr Eve Hanks. Eve is the CEO & Founder of MI:RNA. Eve is a veterinary surgeon, innovator and entrepreneur and she used her clinical and scientific background for conception, development and implementation of a novel diagnostic testing technology. Eve has created this new platform with microRNAs, having studied, researched, and published in this area for over 7 years. We talk about her career path and how all the pieces of the puzzle have come together, bringing her to where she is today. Please check out some of Eve’s amazing work:

 

https://mirna-diagnostics.com/en

 

https://www.facebook.com/MIRNADiagnostics

 

https://www.instagram.com/mirna_diagnostics/

 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/mi-rna-diagnostics/

 

We are thrilled to be joined by the lovely Gemma for our clinical chat today. Scott and Gemma talk all things liver disease treatment, with a focus on the mystical sAME (S-Adenosyl methionine). Join us next time for the second part of this chat. A massive thank you to our incredible friends at Protexin for supporting this conversation:

 

www.protexinvet.com

www.vtx-cpd.com

Episode 57 - Taking a leap of faith

This week we talk to the wonderful Inge Breatnach. Inge qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2007 in Dublin and spent 11 years in general practice. In 2015 she moved to a large oncology and soft tissue referral hospital and worked as a surgical oncology nurse. In 2020 she joined The Ralph veterinary referrals in Buckinghamshire and helped to establish a medical oncology service. Having completed her DipAVN in 2020, and her PgCert AVN (oncology) in 2022, she now has her sights firmly set on the oncology VTS qualification. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/oncologyrvn/

https://twitter.com/OncologyRVN

https://www.facebook.com/oncologyRVN

 

In our clinical segment, we conclude our discussion about incidental liver enzyme increases. If you've enjoyed delving into this topic with us, make sure you check out our online course here:

https://vtx-cpd.com/courses/love-your-liver-liver-disease-in-dogs-and-cats-2022/

 

  

Episode 56 - ”If you can’t see it you can’t be it”

This week we are joined by the incredible Janika Patel. Janika is a small animal veterinary surgeon that qualified from University of Nottingham in 2017. She has worked in various practices across London and Surrey and is currently a locum around Leicestershire. She has a keen interest in internal medicine and a passion for raising awareness of issues such as racism, diversity and equality within the profession. Janika’s Instagram page @janikathevet began as a diary of her experiences as a vet and soon evolved into an inspiring space for other people of colour to join the veterinary profession.

 

Instagram - @janikathevet

                • British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society: https://bveds.com/

                • Animal Aspirations: https://www.animalaspirations.com/

                • RCVS Diversity and Inclusion Working Group: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/committees/advancement-of-the-professions-committee/diversity-and-inclusion-working-group-dig/

                • BVA Good Veterinary Workplace: https://www.bva.co.uk/media/3708/bva-position-on-good-veterinary-workplaces.pdf

                • RCVS Supporting Guidance: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/code-of-professional-conduct-for-veterinary-surgeons/supporting-guidance/veterinary-team-and-business/

 

In our clinical segment today Scott continues a series of discussions regarding the investigation of liver disease, especially those pesky liver enzymes. Learn more about liver disease in dogs and cats by joining our liver course:

 

https://vtx-cpd.com/courses/love-your-liver-liver-disease-in-dogs-and-cats-2023/

Episode 55 - ”Plant trees you will never see”

In this week's episode, we talk to Elly Russell from the Veterinary Defense Society (VDS). After graduating from Cambridge Vet School in 2002, Elly worked in a variety of clinical roles including small animal practice and an emergency critical care setting. In 2017 she completed her CertAVP in small animal surgery and discovered her passion for patient safety. Elly is currently undertaking a PhD researching the role communication plays in the delivery of safe, effective veterinary care. Elly is passionate about supporting vet teams and developing the communication practices they need to achieve high performance and fulfilling, happy careers.

We would like to say a huge thank you to the VDS for their support of this podcast and to Elly for this thought-provoking conversation!

https://www.vds-training.co.uk/

https://www.thevds.co.uk/

 

In our clinical segment today Scott starts a series of discussions regarding the investigation of liver disease, especially those pesky liver enzymes. The question is… how do you investigate these liver enzyme increases, especially those that you find incidentally! Learn more about liver disease in dogs and cats by joining our liver course :

https://vtx-cpd.com/courses/love-your-liver-liver-disease-in-dogs-and-cats-2023/

 

#vtx #vtx_cpd #veterinarycpd #veterinarypodcast”

 

Episode 54 - Leading Change

In this week's episode we are talking to the incredible Helen Silver-MacMahon and Cat Auden from VetLed. We have recorded this special episode ahead of the VetLed 2023 Veterinary Human Factors Conference. We hear a lot of voices in our profession calling for change of all sorts.  Maybe you are too…but how do we really do that? How can we improve things for the long-term, and not just apply ‘sticking plasters’ to problems? Hopefully this episode will help in starting to answer some of these questions! At VetLed the team passionately believe that taking a Human Factors approach to change in veterinary practice will make a fundamental difference to both the patients under our care… and the people delivering that care.

The jam-packed online two day-conference schedule features nearly 24 hours of cutting-edge CPD, and over 40 speakers with a range of diverse and highly interactive sessions from panels, discussions, lectures, key-note sessions, TED-style talks, and abstract presentations and networking:

 

https://www.vetled.co.uk/conference

 

If you are listening to this podcast after the event… do not fear! The Main Conference runs live online, but ALL content is recorded and available on replay for 6 months after conference day (23^rd and 24^th February 2023).

 

In our clinical segment this week we continue a discussion about leptospirosis with our very own Scott. This week we chat about the diagnosis and treatment of this challenging condition. To learn more about vtx and what we do, please check out our website:

 

www.vtx-cpd.com

Episode 53 - Shelters, Surgery and Stinky

This week we talk to Dr. Kelly Gehlhaus who works in shelter medicine in Minnesota. We talk about her international studies, shelter medicine and navigating the challenges this brings for patients and their owners. We dive into finding your niche and what makes each veterinary professional individual. 

 

Dr. Kelly Gehlhaus attended the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, graduating in 2015. Upon graduation, she moved to Utah on a whim to begin her veterinary career in small animal clinical practice at a low-cost, high-volume clinic, where she was first introduced to the spectrum of care concept. After years in Utah, her partner, a fellow vet and Dick Vet graduate, obtained a veterinary pathology residency at the University of Minnesota. A year into their life in Minnesota, and amidst a pandemic, she joined the veterinary team at Animal Humane Society's community clinic, where she is now the Managing Clinic Veterinarian. At AHS, she played a pivotal role in piloting the Community Medicine Rotation with the University of Minnesota. Her special interests are animal behaviour, internal medicine, hospice care, and strengthening the human-animal bond through veterinary medicine. She is also the mother of five fur children (three dogs and two cats) and a small human child. One of her dogs is a recent impulse adoption, and so happens to be a blind pit bull puppy! Although life and work keep her very busy, she enjoys taking time to draw and paint, go for long runs, and is an avid equestrian. One of her passion projects is breaking down breed stigmas and volunteering for the most amazing organization, known as 'My Pitbull is Family', which runs the North Minneapolis Pet Resource Center.

 

Animal Humane Society of Minnesota: https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/

My Pitbull is Family: https://www.mypitbullisfamily.org/

North Minneapolis Pet Resource Center: https://www.mypitbullisfamily.org/nmprc

 

You can also follow Kelly’s pup on Instagram and follow their journey! https://www.instagram.com/blindpittiebros/ 

 

Episode 52 - From surgery to psychology: leaving expectations behind

In this week's episode, we are talking to the brilliant Liv of @vetgonereal. We talk all about her journey through veterinary medicine, from an aspiring surgeon to a qualified coach teaching veterinary teams about the power of positive psychology.

We discuss the power of divorcing the expectations we put on ourselves, and how emotions are not as simple as good and bad or positive and negative. What does it really mean to live your life with purpose and show up as your authentic self?

Liv graduated in 2016 from a university in Poland and shortly after graduation moved to the United Kingdom. Throughout her career, Liv has been mentoring and providing mental health support to her colleagues. This passion for veterinary wellbeing led her to undertake a masters degree in Applied Positive Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University.

Based on several years of veterinary and peer-support experience, combined with Positive Psychology and EQ training, Liv created the Vet Gone Real platform. Liv specialises in veterinary wellbeing and emotional intelligence. She works with both individuals and practices to help them understand how positive psychology can improve their team dynamics and improve psychological safety and build thriving workplace cultures.

You can find out more about Liv's platform Vet Gone Real below:

https://www.instagram.com/vetgonereal/

https://www.facebook.com/vetgonereal

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-oginska

https://www.vetgonereal.com/

 

Episode 51 - the good, the bad and the social media

On this week's show we are talking to Cat Henstridge, also known online at Cat the Vet. We will be talking about her life as a first opinion vet and what it is like to navigate being a vet on social media. 

 

Cat graduated from Bristol University in 2003 and has worked ever since as a small animal vet in first opinion practice.  She started her career in a hospital in Wolverhampton and after a few years left to locum in and around the West Midlands. In 2015 she moved with her family back to her home town of Sheffield where she now works part-time in an independent clinic.

 

Her passion is, and always has been, this profession and the people in it and after writing a website of pet advice for owners because she was frustrated at the lack of good quality information on the internet (this was a while ago, things are different now!), she started to blog and then created social media pages, both to continue to educate but also to showcase the veterinary world and combat the myths and misinformation about us.  These have grown to form a significant part of her career, which she balances with her actual job, her three children and a busy family life!

 

https://www.facebook.com/catthevet

https://www.instagram.com/cat_the_vet

https://www.tiktok.com/@cat_the_vet

 

If you have any questions about the cpd material featured on today's podcast, or if you have an idea for a future episode, contact scott@vtx-cpd.com