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Maggie Roberts & Vanessa Howie

Vets Talking Pets

A Pets & Animals , Kids & Family and Education podcast

#125 in Pets & Animals · 🇬🇧
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About the show

We all love our pets, but do we really understand them or see the world from their perspective? Join UK-based vets, Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie for their must-listen podcast made especially for pet caregivers. They are highly experienced vets who have worked in both companion animal vet practice and the animal charity sector and provide insight into all aspects of pet ownership. Maggie and Vanessa are passionate about animal welfare and love to share their knowledge in a down to earth, humorous but compassionate way. No pet subject is out of bounds, and they are happy to tackle difficult and controversial topics as well as offering practical advice for anyone already owning a pet or thinking about welcoming one into their home. Tune into their weekly pet care podcasts for a paw-some mix of entertainment and information. Send any questions to info@advovet.co.uk

Newest episodes

Episode 19: So you still want to work with animals? Part 2 - Non-veterinary options

32 min

What are the options if you want to work with animals but not within the vet industry? Maggie and Vanessa discuss a myriad of different careers including animal physiotherapists, zoo-keeping, sheep shearing and even AI – artificial insemination! What does an equine dental technician do? What the difference between an animal behaviourist and an animal trainer? How do you get into conservation work? All these questions are answered including information on what qualifications and work experience are needed. A love of animals is not enough so the importance of resilience, pragmatism and sheer hard work is added to the mix to help you decide what role might be right for you. And here's the links we refer to for animal trainers and behaviourists: The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors - APBC The Animal Behaviour and Training Council - ABTC Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourists - CCAB (Apologies we may have got this acronym slightly wrong in the podcast!)

Episode 18: So you want to work with animals? Part 1 - Veterinary work

35 min

It’s many people’s dream to work with animals but it’s a very competitive sector, not often well paid and certainly isn’t all playing with fluffy kittens! Vanessa and Maggie discuss the trials and tribulations of working with animals and getting into vet school. Do you really have to be a straight A student or are there other routes to fulfil your ambition? Is it true that the most difficult thing about working with animals is the people? Would our hosts go for the same career if they had their time over again? They also discuss other roles in vet practice such as the vital part vet nurses play along with animal care assistants, receptionists and practice managers. If you want to find out more about becoming a vet or vet nurse, please visit one of the following links for more information: RCVS, BVA, BVNA and the Veterinary Schools Council.    

Episode 17: Meet our first guest, Nicky the cat behaviourist

28 min

It’s great to have varying perspectives so we’re pleased to have our first podcast guest, Nicky Trevorrow. Nicky is a qualified animal behaviourist at Cats Protection and a registered veterinary nurse. In this episode we chat about how she became a behaviourist and what her role involves. She tells us why cats are her passion and what are the main challenges of working with this intriguing species. She shares lots of tips to set your cat up to be the purrrfect companion.

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All episodes

Episode 19: So you still want to work with animals? Part 2 - Non-veterinary options

32 min

What are the options if you want to work with animals but not within the vet industry? Maggie and Vanessa discuss a myriad of different careers including animal physiotherapists, zoo-keeping, sheep shearing and even AI – artificial insemination! What does an equine dental technician do? What the difference between an animal behaviourist and an animal trainer? How do you get into conservation work? All these questions are answered including information on what qualifications and work experience are needed. A love of animals is not enough so the importance of resilience, pragmatism and sheer hard work is added to the mix to help you decide what role might be right for you. And here's the links we refer to for animal trainers and behaviourists: The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors - APBC The Animal Behaviour and Training Council - ABTC Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourists - CCAB (Apologies we may have got this acronym slightly wrong in the podcast!)

Episode 18: So you want to work with animals? Part 1 - Veterinary work

35 min

It’s many people’s dream to work with animals but it’s a very competitive sector, not often well paid and certainly isn’t all playing with fluffy kittens! Vanessa and Maggie discuss the trials and tribulations of working with animals and getting into vet school. Do you really have to be a straight A student or are there other routes to fulfil your ambition? Is it true that the most difficult thing about working with animals is the people? Would our hosts go for the same career if they had their time over again? They also discuss other roles in vet practice such as the vital part vet nurses play along with animal care assistants, receptionists and practice managers. If you want to find out more about becoming a vet or vet nurse, please visit one of the following links for more information: RCVS, BVA, BVNA and the Veterinary Schools Council.    

Episode 17: Meet our first guest, Nicky the cat behaviourist

28 min

It’s great to have varying perspectives so we’re pleased to have our first podcast guest, Nicky Trevorrow. Nicky is a qualified animal behaviourist at Cats Protection and a registered veterinary nurse. In this episode we chat about how she became a behaviourist and what her role involves. She tells us why cats are her passion and what are the main challenges of working with this intriguing species. She shares lots of tips to set your cat up to be the purrrfect companion.

Episode 16: Preparing for your new arrival

34 min

After all the planning and research, finally collecting your new pet is a very exciting time! Understandably your new housemate may be a little nervous or missing their mother, so you want to make this transition period as stress-free as possible.  Vanessa and Maggie give you tips on what you need to do to make things go smoothly including what information you need from the breeder or adoption centre, how to set up the house to give the new arrival a space of their own and how to gradually introduce them to the rest of the family including other pets. We want to set you up for many happy years together.

Episode 15: Extreme conformation in cats – is it a problem?

31 min

For many years most cats were non-pedigree moggies, but things are changing and more people are acquiring purebred cats. Maggie and Vanessa discuss how some conformational problems in dogs are now being seen in cats due to the human desire to have a cute or unusual pet. They explain why flat faces, short legs, folded ears, being bald, wrinkled or tailless causes welfare issues in a species that has evolved to be perfect for its ecological niche. They discuss the dangers breeding wildcat hybrids and why these do not make good pets.

Episode 14: From Egyptian gods to a myriad of moggies – a history of cat breeds

30 min

Cats were once worshipped as gods and they’ve never forgotten it! But why did the Egyptians love cats so much and what part did they play in their domestication? Vanessa and Maggie delve into the history of how cats came to be such a widespread form of rodent control and then much-loved pets. They were already excellent hunters and clean, affectionate pets that didn’t need to be modified for human use so why did the Victorians want to develop different cat breeds? We chat about these moggie mysteries and discuss the growing number of cat breeds.

Episode 13: Having a whale of a time? How to interact with wild animals in a welfare-friendly way

34 min

As animal lovers, there is nothing better than seeing animals in their natural habitats. Sadly, we don’t always get the opportunities to do this but there are other ways of interacting with wild animals including visiting zoos, aquaria, conservation projects or even getting a mobile animal exhibitor to visit your school or party. But what is the animal’s experience? Maggie and Vanessa discuss their views on which types of activities should be avoided, how to choose more animal-friendly ones and share some of their own experiences, both good and bad.

Episode 12: Animal Activities – are they good or bad for animal welfare?

24 min

With summer holidays on the horizon, many people will be looking for activities to engage in. Animal lovers may be tempted by the array of animal-related activities available but how can we be sure that the animals’ welfare is put first? In this episode Vanessa and Maggie discuss activities involving domestic species such as bulls, horses, donkeys and camels. Is it OK to ride an elephant or trek with llamas? What about cat cafes and goat yoga? We will give you our views and some tips to check if your chosen activity is OK from the animal’s perspective.

Episode 11: Hot Dogs and Melting Moggies – how to keep your pets safe in summer

36 min

Most of us love the warm weather and so do many of our pets but there are dangers regarding heat and other seasonal issues that it’s important to be aware of. Did you know that your pets can get sunburnt or suffer from heatstroke? What about the risk of those pesky fleas, ticks, maggots and even snakebites? How can an innocent grass seed become a major problem? Maggie and Vanessa give you their top tips for dealing with summer emergencies and how to prevent them for a sunny but safe summer. Sorry about the background noise in this recording, we were trying to keep ourselves cool by sitting in the shade outside!

Episode 10: Extreme Conformation – what is it and why is it bad for dogs?

26 min

Maggie and Vanessa explain what extreme conformation is and why some dogs are bred with very flat faces, short legs or tails, no hair, or lots of wrinkles. They may look cute but often there are unintended consequences that affect the health and welfare of the dogs. These problems lead not only to more vet bills and heartache for you but lifelong issues for your pet.  We discuss what’s being done to help reduce these problems and how a new tool, the Innate Health Assessment could improve the lives of future generations of puppies.

Episode 9: Canine Chronicles – a history of dog breeds

30 min

Where do dogs come from and why are there so many breeds? Vanessa and Maggie discuss how dogs evolved from the grey wolf to become man’s best friend and how dogs were selectively bred for different purposes like hunting and guarding. Learn how your pet dog today may have been born to be a companion but may still have the characteristics of their working ancestor. How does this affect your dog’s behaviour? You may be surprised by the background of favourite breeds such as Dachshunds and Yorkies.

Episode 8: Corporates, independents and competition – unravelling the mysteries of the vet industry

38 min

There has been a lot in the news about the UK's Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) investigation into the companion animal (pet) veterinary industry. Maggie and Vanessa discuss the changes that have occurred over the last few years, including the increase in the number of corporately owned practices and the impact this has had. They look at what changes have been suggested by the CMA, whether they will really make a difference to pet owners and the impact the investigation has had on frontline vet staff.  The CMA's remedies and recommendations to vet practices can be found here.

Episode 7: How to get the best out of your vet

34 min

Vanessa and Maggie explain how you can get the best out of your vet practice and make the right choices for your pet. Making a real difference to the cost of treatment is not just by shopping around; it’s about what treatment options are best in each individual situation. Like any service, owners need to check what they are getting for their money – what is the best value, may not be the cheapest. There are plenty of tips on improving communication and trust between owners and their vets to get the right outcome for their pets.

Episode 6: Why are vets so expensive?

35 min

Never afraid to tackle difficult topics, in this episode, Maggie and Vanessa answer the question, ‘Why are vets so expensive?’. Medical care is expensive for both humans and animals and many people don’t understand the true cost of their own health care. Costs of similar procedures for people and animals are compared as well as looking at overheads and the salaries of vets versus other professionals. You might be surprised at some of the answers!

Episode 5: Adopt or shop?

24 min

So, you’ve decided which pet to get. You want to get them from a reliable source, but what is that – a breeder, a pet shop, a rehoming charity or even online? Should you visit them first? Is it sensible to get a pet via social media or from abroad?   Vanessa and Maggie consider the options available and discuss the pitfalls to help you make an informed decision when choosing where to get your new pet from.  

Episode 4: Cute vs commitment: Choosing the Right Pet

36 min

You’ve decided which species you want so what’s next? What age, sex or colour of pet do you want and where are you going to get them from? Do you want a playful kitten or an older lap cat? Do you want a pedigree pet? What are the initial costs you need to consider? Maggie and Vanessa discuss the pros and cons and give tips about how to get a pet that is happy and healthy and is right for you.  

Episode 3: Which pet is purrfect for you?

38 min

You’ve decided to get a pet but which one? Maggie and Vanessa discuss the pros and cons of keeping both traditional and non-traditional species. What are the relative costs in terms of time and money? Do you need specialist knowledge? How easy is it to give some pets a good quality of life in your home? Do they need to be kept in pairs? Whether you’re thinking of a bunny or bearded dragon, there is plenty of food for thought provided.

Episode 2: I want a pet but should I get one?

20 min

Thinking of getting a pet? Do you know that people do more research when they buy a fridge than acquiring a new animal? It tends to be an emotional decision and may happen spontaneously such as a stray cat appearing in your garden. Animals add so much to our lives but getting a pet is a big step and there are many things to think about. Maggie and Vanessa discuss what to consider before taking the plunge.  

Episode 1: Meet the vets!

29 min

Get to know Maggie and Vanessa as they introduce themselves and discuss their passion for animal welfare. Learn why they became vets and how they know each other. Is Maggie really a mad cat lady? Is Vanessa a science nerd and why did she want to be a horse vet? What were their first pets? All will be revealed! New episodes weekly. Follow now and never miss an episode!

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