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After being sprayed in the face by a skunk, one Jack Russell Terrier developed a life-threatening blood issue. 

Skunk encounter creates rare near-death experience 

Annika VanNoy, PhD, joins this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast to discuss mental health in the veterinary profession

Healing the healers: Mental health in the veterinary profession

Bond Vet Launches New Position: Area Lead Nurse

Here is how veterinary teams can help clients honor the cherished memories of their beloved pets and find comfort after pets cross the Rainbow Bridge

Honoring beloved pets on Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

The investment includes funding for high-priority research initiatives on zoonotic infectious diseases, vaccines, animal welfare, and more

USDA announces $17.6 million investment to protect livestock welfare and fund research 

This year’s theme will focus on the impact veterinary technicians have on more than just clients and patients

NAVTA announces 2024 theme of National Veterinary Technician Week 

Atlantic Veterinary College is investigating the use of a commonly prescribed children’s medication to treat these cardiac tumor canine patients  

Veterinary college launches clinical trial to treat cardiac tumors in dogs

Linda Ellis, DVM, sits down with Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to talk about common liability claims in the veterinary profession.



Podcast CE: veterinary professional liability - common claim drivers

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Clinical

 exotic animal medicine page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on the latest in veterinary exotic animal medicine. This page consists of videos, interviews, articles, podcasts, and research on the advancements and developments of therapies for exotic animal medicine, and more.

Although most clinics primarily have clientele of cats and dogs, there will be times when a client with a pet bird makes its way into your clinic. When this happens, are you and your team prepared to assess and treat this patient? If you could use a little refresher on avian medicine, or are curious about treating birds in general, this is the episode for you! 

On this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Adam Christman, MBA, DVM, and Laila Proença, DVM, PhD, MV, MSc, DACZM, cofounder and CEO of VETAHEAD, review Proença's top 5 tips for performing an effective avian exam, plus a special guest Proença may be bringing to Long Beach. 

Below is a partial transcript. Listen to the full podcast for more.

Laila Proença, DVM, PhD, MV, MSc, DACZM: 

I will say the first one is you already know what you have to do. You are already a bird veterinarian, all of us are, or a technician or assistant, because you know, the medicine is the same, Adam. My tip number one is don't be afraid, because we already know what we need to know. Okay? It's just like when you are seeing a dog and then you're going to see a cat. The medicine is the same. There are a few unique traits like how you restrain that cat versus how you restrain a dog...So the first thing is don't be afraid. 

If you use proper technique, which is not difficult to accomplish, we're gonna go through them. It's going to be okay, you need to examine the bird. Just a visual exam is not going to take you anywhere you're not going to be able to practice your medicine [and] you're not going to be able to palpate or auscultate, so don't be afraid. And I will close this first by saying I don't practice exotic medicine. Okay, exotic medicine it's a lot of BS. It's a lot of nonsense rules [and] a lot of things that you must do and must have which makes absolutely no sense. And it's all there to make us afraid of doing it. It is zoomed, that's why I say zoomed because you already know it. 

Want to learn more from Proença? Well, you are in luck!  Proença is one of our incredible keynote speakers at dvm360's first-ever Fetch conference in Long Beach, California from December 1-3, 2023. Join Proença and all of our incredible speakers for a conference you do not want to miss, so 

VETAHEAD founder and CEO Dr Laila Proença shares her top 5 tips for completing an avian exam 

 5 tips for a successful avian exam

Unlike most veterinary professionals, Douglas Mader, MS, DVM, Diplomate, ABVP (Canine/Feline), Diplomate, ABVP (Reptile/Amphibian), Diplomate, ECZM (Herpetology), EBVS, did not decide to enter veterinary medicine until he was older. After developing a love of science and working closely with a veterinarian at local horse stables, Mader pursued a career in veterinary medicine to focus on treating and caring for equine patients. 

However, in an unfortunate accident, Mader was struck by an underaged drunk driver, leaving him unable to continue working with the horses, and changing his career path forever. Now, Mader is a triple-boarded veterinarian with an impressive list of awards and achievements.

Mader joins this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast to share with Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, his path to veterinary medicine, the inspiration behind his book, 

, and the true power of the human-animal bond.

Diplomate, ABVP (Canine/Feline), Diplomate, ABVP (Reptile/Amphibian), Diplomate, ECZM (Herpetology), EBVS:

  The human-animal bond knows no bounds, and the human-animal bond doesn't care what color you are, what race you are, what culture you're from, what language you speak, what your socio-economic class is, anything, that human-animal bond is real. And when I get up in the morning, when I started this 40 years ago, and today, when I get up in the morning, my goal is to promote the human-animal bond. And, I have blinders on to everything else other than focusing, laser focusing, on that patient and that client, and what can I do to keep that bond strong? That's my whole goal. 

To learn more about Mader's book, visit his 

Dr Doug Mader provides readers an inside look at the inspiration behind his book, plus how a tragic accident changed the trajectory of his career

The complicated reality of the human-animal bond

This episode of The Vet Blast Podcast is all about fish anesthesiology. Gianluca Bini, DVM, MRCVS, DACVAA, shares his insights and expertise in aquatic medicine.

: The fish anesthesia device, which is literally like a little tank where there is water underneath.... There is a little pump that pumps there. It has a little tube that pumps the water and it's recirculating that water and then there is sort of like a grate where we place a towel, which is wet. The fish lays on the towel and the tube coming from the palm goes in the fish mouth so that the water constantly recirculates from the tank to the fish mouth and then it comes out of their gills. And so it passes through their gills so that you know they have an uptake of the oxygenated water and the water with the anesthetic. And so that guarantees you that the fish constantly have supply of oxygenated water and an anesthetic. And that's usually done for more prolonged procedures.

An boarded anesthesiologist and aquatic medicine expert walks through his approach to fish anesthesiology

How do you even anesthetize a fish anyway?

GFI #256 and compounding medication is the topic of this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast. Marcy Bliss, CEO of Wedgewood Pharmacy, joins Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to explain the ins and outs of this new FDA guidance.

: Over many years, FDA has been asserting that it should regulate compounding from bulk drug substances in animal health. So to facilitate that, they've recently released a final guidance to kind of frame up their current thinking, and this guidance is called the GFI #256....Now, this is not a law or regulation. It's not a statute, but the agency has announced its intention to enforce primarily to pharmacy enforcement...For me, I think the broad intent is to ensure that if a veterinarian can use commercial products that they do so, and that compounding is used for its intended purpose purpose, which is really to provide customized medication when the veterinarian determines that an FDA-approved product is not the best treatment for patients. So, either it's a compliance issue, like you said, or the drug isn't available in the marketplace, like potassium bromide, or the drug needs to be changed...Maybe it's available as a tablet and it needs to be an injectable or damaged drug.

So the FDA, I think, really just wants to ensure the appropriate use of compounded medication. Of course, we believe veterinarians are already using it appropriately, but the FDA wants to put this guidance in place, I think, to put some guardrails and a framework around that.

Marcy Bliss, CEO of Wedgewood Pharmacy, talks GFI #256 compliance and how drug compounding has changed over time

What you need to know about GFI #256 and the changing landscape of compounding medicine

Laila Proença, DVM, PhD, MV, MSc, DACZM, joins The Vet Blast Podcast to talk access to education and rabbit medicine. She and Adam Christman, DVM, MBA focus on GI syndrome in rabbits and share diagnostic and treatment tips.

: GI syndrome is not a name that everybody's familiar with because people refer to GI stasis as the syndrome, but GI stasis is just one part of the syndrome that may or may not happen, which is hypomotility...Things are not moving, but we don't have any dilatation; we don't have any gas; we don't have any obstructions...We call it syndrome because it's multifactorial. It's not just about diet. It's not just about using our current medications. It's not just about stress. It is way deeper than that.

Learn tips and tricks for dealing with rabbit gastrointestinal stasis syndrome and related GI issues

A deep dive into rabbit gastrointestinal stasis syndrome

In this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Jenifer Chatfield, DVM, DACZM, DACVPM discusses her experience with elephants, chimpanzees, and more. She tells Adam Christman, DVM, MBA about her life as a zoo veterinarian and how she got into zoological medicine in the first place. 

chimpanzee is the only species that ever almost darted me back...I shot it. It was beautiful. It was a perfect hit right in the biceps. Amazing. And as I'm congratulating myself, fully injected, in it that half of a second, the chimp ripped it out, picked it up, cocked his arm back, and threw it back at me. I felt it go by my face. 

Jenifer Chatfield joins The Vet Blast Podcast with Adam Christman to share amazing stories from her experience in zoological medicine and beyond. 

Adventures in zoological medicine with Jenifer Chatfield

Disney World is considered one of the most magical places on earth, and rightfully so. For second-year veterinary student Christian Capobianco, this enchanted place ignited his passion for zoological medicine.

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Capobianco shares more about his magical path to zoological and wildlife medicine and offers words of wisdom to pre-veterinary students.

“I remember distinctly the first time I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian, and it actually happened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” he tells Adam Christman, DVM, MBA.

Years ago, during a family trip at Disney World, Copbianco watched veterinarians perform a procedure on a lion at Rafiki’s Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom. That’s when the lightbulb went off for him. “From then on out, I was like, I’m going to become an animal doctor, and I’m going to work with those wild and weird creatures that no one else wants to work with,” he says.

When Capobianco, a native of Long Island, New York, was a junior in high school, he decided to attend North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine due to its accredited exotics program. His family, in support of his pursuit, moved to North Carolina.

After receiving his undergraduate degree in Animal Science, Capobianco says he had a 6-month window before starting veterinary school and decided to apply for Disney’s veterinary and conservation education internships. He was convinced he would be selected for the veterinary scholarship but instead was selected for the conservation education one. At first, he was disappointed but soon realized it was the best thing that could have ever happened to him. The lesson learned? Not everything goes as planned, but in the end, your dreams can still come true.

Capobianco’s piece of advice to stressed pre-veterinary students uncertain about their future is to take it easy and trust that things will work out the way they’re supposed to. As far as applications go, he recommends highlighting what makes you stand out.

“I was one of those pre-veterinary students who—like many in the veterinary realm—was Type- A. I needed all my applications to be perfect and all my experiences documented,” he says. “You need to remember that they are seeing a lot of applications when you apply to school. So, you need to find that one thing that makes you special and different and make sure to hit on that in your application.”

Listen below for more on Capobianco’s magical path to zoological medicine, plus a fun fact about him.

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Dr Christman is joined by second-year veterinary student Christian Capobianco who reflects on the life-changing experience that inspired him to become a wildlife veterinarian and offers useful advice to pre-veterinary students.

Episode 48: A magical journey to zoological medicine

A wild mountain lion is the first documented case in North America

Rustrela virus variant identified in Colorado

Ophthalmologists at UC Davis removed the tumor and treated it with a new laser technology, photodynamic therapy 

Bengal-hybrid tiger treated for eyelid tumor

Read about how the highly pathogenic avian influenza was transmitted to cows, cats, raccoons, and dolphins, plus what steps are being taken to contain the spread

3 must-reads on avian flu

Researchers found evidence that H5N1 can be transmitted from cows to other mammals, including cats and raccoons

New study finds cows can transmit avian flu to other mammals 

The list aims to ameliorate access to safe and effective medicines and vaccines for veterinarians globally

Global list of essential veterinary medicines for food-producing animals in need of rabbit and poultry specialists 

Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, explains when anesthesia is needed to perform exams and procedures on lions

Administering anesthesia to lion patients

DVM, MS, DACZM, director of animal health and chief veterinarian at the North Carolina Zoo, explains when anesthesia is needed to perform exams and procedures on lions. He also shares that at the North Carolina Zoo, the animal care team is making strides in this area by incorporating behavioral training and Fear Free approaches so the lions are comfortable and easily comply to the veterinary care. 

The following is a partial transcript of the video.

: A lot of people still dart lions. You get a dart gun, you administer the anesthetic drugs through a dart at some distance, because the lion doesn't like you. We have really been working in the last probably 10 to 15 years here at the North Carolina Zoo, to really ramp up our behavioral training program, which means both of our lions now are trained to come up alongside of the mesh, that's basically a piece of protective mesh that keeps you away from the lion, the lion will present its butt. And you could administer the drugs just because the lion just comes up alongside, it knows it is going to get a treat, you administer the drugs, it gets a little bit of a piece of meatball or something, and then you walk away, and then the drugs take effect. And then you have to go in to make sure that it's fully asleep. 

So honestly, the most challenging part is just administering the drugs. Anesthesia in lions, and I'm going to knock on wood, is pretty straightforward. It's not that difficult. It's the administration of the drugs and then the safety aspect, realizing that you are dealing with a cat, a large cat that could hurt everybody in the room if it started to wake up. It's not going to be, 'Oh, just physically manually restrain it and get it back under control.' It's get the drugs, get out of the room, and hopefully things will kick in. 

Videos

How North Carolina Zoo is leveraging behavioral training and Fear Free methods 

Medical

Administering anesthesia to lion patients 

When working with bird patients, regard them the same way you do dog or cat patients, Laila Proença, DVM, PhD, MV, MSc, DACZM, CEO and founder of VetAhead, advised in a 

 interview at the 2023 American Veterinary Medical Association Convention. She particularly focused on when presented with avians in critical condition and how as a veterinarian, you already have the necessary knowledge and tools to triage these animals.   

So, triaging for an [avian] emergency is no different than what you already do for dogs and cats. You know, we will triage for actual emergencies, so a life-threatening event, if there is any bleeding, if there is severe respiratory distress. So, all the common things that would be an emergency for a dog, for a cat, they are the same [for birds].

Dr Laila Proença offers her best advice for when presented with these patients 

Avian & Exotic

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