Ask the Vet

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Maggie O'Haire, a noted researcher in the field of human-animal interactions. Dr. O'Haire's work is paving the way for understanding how service dogs can make a tremendous difference in the lives of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Tune in as they discuss:

• How the Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research and Education was named
• Dr. O'Haire's inspiration to study human-animal interactions
• The ways Dr. O'Haire persisted in studying a relatively new field with few opportunities
• The difference between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs
• What is cortisol and how does it relate to post-traumatic stress disorder?
• How having a service dog impacted veterans' stress physiology in Dr. O'Haire's study
• How Dr. O'Haire hopes her work will improve health care for veterans
• The pros and cons of a national certification or registration body for service animals
• Dr. O'Haire's next project
• In addition to veterans, who can service dogs help?

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about Albert, the "gentle giant" 750 pound alligator seized from a home in New York state
• Animal news, including new research showing that 25% of Labrador Retrievers carry a genetic mutation that predisposes them to obesity
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews three distinguished experts from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Sally Slavinski, Kevin Lovingood, and Caroline Bragdon to talk about the increase of the bacterial disease leptospirosis in dogs. Tune in as they discuss:

• The increase of leptospirosis cases in NYC dogs
• What causes leptospirosis and what species can contract it?
• How cases of leptospirosis are diagnosed, counted, and tracked
• The health problems leptospirosis causes in dogs and how this disease is treated
• The role rat management, vaccines, and other strategies play in reducing cases of leptospirosis
• How access to veterinary care can limit the ability to track leptospirosis
• The impact of climate change on the dynamics of this and other diseases
• Can humans contract leptospirosis from dogs?

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo in February 2023, but sadly passed away after colliding with a building
• Animal news, including the story of a stingray named Charlotte who mysteriously became pregnant
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews David Brathwaite, Patient Care Manager in AMC's Diagnostic Imaging Service. Tune in as they discuss:

• What is Diagnostic Imaging?
• David's 22-year career journey at AMC from Assistant to Patient Care Manager
• The role of a Veterinary Assistant
• The imaging machines that David maintains
• What percentage of AMC patients go to radiology for imaging?
• How animals are x-rayed with a "hands-free" technique
• Interesting cases and animals that David has seen
• The challenges and rewards of David's role

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about a golden retriever puppy who is Chief Dog Officer on the world's largest cruise ship
• Animal news, including the girl whose best friend is a quail hatched from a supermarket egg
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Jonathan Losos, evolutionary biologist and author of The Cat's Meow, How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to your Sofa. Dr. Losos studies the ways humans are transforming cats and how cats in turn are transforming the world around them. Tune in as they discuss:

• What the ancestor of the domestic cat looked like
• How Dr. Losos became a cat lover
• Dr. Losos' leap from studying lizards to cats
• When were cats first domesticated?
• How cat mummies are helping determine where cats were domesticated
• Surprising things Dr. Losos learned in his studies
• The relationship between saber-tooth cats and domestic cats
• The methods Dr. Losos uses to study cats
• Should cats be allowed outside?
• What Dr. Losos will be researching next

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about Ricardo the bull, who was found running on the train tracks in Newark
• Animal news, including the shelter that had all their dogs adopted for the first time in 47 years
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews veterinarian Dr. Nigel Swift, Global Head of Sustainable Agriculture and One Health at Dalan Animal Health. Dr. Swift helped in the development of the first vaccine for honey bees, which has received conditional approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This vaccine protects bees against a fatal bacterial disease. Tune in as they discuss:

• Dr. Swift's inspiration to become a veterinarian and work with vaccines
• The fascinating way honey bees are vaccinated
• Damaging stressors affecting bees
• The bacterial disease this vaccine has been developed to prevent
• The bees transported around the US to pollinate crops
• How to run studies on wild bees
• Are there other bee diseases Dr. Swift is working on?

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about the rare birth of elephant twins
• Animal news, including the dog who was rescued after two months lost in the mountains
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews Jane Kopelman who serves as consultant to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s ‘Caring Canines’ therapy dogs. Jane is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a Certified Therapy Dog Team Evaluator for pet partners. Tune in as they discuss:

• How Jane's interest in therapy dogs began
• What makes a good therapy dog?
• How you get a therapy dog used to the hospital environment
• The importance of the therapy dog's handler
• Where else can therapy dogs work besides hospitals
• Why therapy dogs are so meaningful for people
• Can therapy dogs get stressed?
• How to participate in the Caring Canines program

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about the journey of a panda family from Washington D.C. to China
• Animal news, including Golden Retriever Stella's incredible survival in the Alaskan wilderness
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

Watch our discussion The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa with Dr. Jonathan B. Losos.

Watch Diabetes Mellitus in Dogs and Cats with Dr. Elizabeth Appleman.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center's Chief Veterinary Technician, Nancy Patsos. With 20+ years of experience at AMC, Nancy plays an important role in managing the Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) workforce and related patient care services. She ensures compliance with patient safety standards and fosters the professional development of LVTs. Tune in as they discuss:

• What led to Nancy's career as a Veterinary Technician
• One of Nancy's most memorable patient cases at AMC
• Why Nancy has stayed at AMC for over two decades
• What is a Veterinary Technician?
• The ways LVTs can advance their career and how AMC is creating more career ladders for technicians
• AMC's first Vet Tech Conference

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about a black bear who decides to hang out on a catamaran
• Animal news, including a stray dog rescued by crocodiles
• Pet Health Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus speaks with Judith Harbour, Veterinary Social Worker at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. Judith provides support and counseling to AMC staff and veterinary clients. She also facilitates AMC's Pet Loss Support Group. Listen as they discuss:

• What people commonly experience when they lose a beloved pet
• Advice for people coping with the loss of a pet
• Secondary loss and how it contributes to grief
• Why pet loss groups are helpful
• Judith's role in supporting the wellbeing of veterinary staff
• Ways people can celebrate and honor the life of their pet

Dr. Hohenhaus also interviews Sara Bader, author of The Book of Pet Love and Loss: Words of Comfort & Wisdom from Remarkable People. Tune in to hear:

• What inspired Sara to write a book about pet loss
• How Sara found the quotes for her book
• Sara's favorite quote about pet love and loss
• What Sara learned from writing her book
• Does Sara have a new cat?

Also on this month's show:

• Viral trending animal story about what made a baby giraffe very unique
• Animal news, including how stray dog Scout escaped a shelter to become a medical care nursing home resident
• Listener Q&A

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Ann Hohenhaus interviews the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center's new President and CEO, Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA. Tune in as they discuss: 

• The furry members of the Irving household
• How a nurse from London, England became AMC's President and CEO
• Lessons from human healthcare that Helen is now applying to leading a veterinary hospital
• Differences between human and veterinary hospitals
• Exciting and surprising things about AMC
• How Helen describes AMC to her friends

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about the the gathering of hundreds of Golden Retrievers in Scotland
• Animal news, including Rufus, the trained Harris hawk, who ensures the Wimbledon tennis courts are kept clear of pigeons
• Listener Q&A 

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email [email protected] to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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Dr. Hohenhaus interviews Dr. Catherine Ruggiero, a board-certified Veterinary Nutritionist, and Manager of Scientific Communications at Hills Pet Nutrition. Tune in as they discuss: 

• Why Dr. Ruggiero wanted to become a veterinarian and focus on nutrition
• Tips on what to feed your pet
• Reliable sources for pet food nutrition information
• Common problems with homemade diets for pets
• What terms like "natural" and "limited ingredients" mean on pet food labels
• Why it's good to keep the original pet food packaging you purchased
• The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and their role in the pet food industry
• Ways to help keep your dog or cat at the right weight

Also on this month's show: 

• Viral trending animal story about how a cement barrier couldn't keep rescue dogs Brenda and Linda apart
• Animal news, including the bond between a scuba diver and a small mouth bass
• Listener Q&A 

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