The Vet Record Podcast
The Vet Record Podcast offers an informal look at the veterinary world, covering news, opinions, careers, and clinical topics. It is hosted by editor-in-chief Suzanne Jarvis and other members of the Vet Record editorial team. Each episode aims to provide insight into current issues affecting veterinary professionals and the wider animal health sector.
Episodes
Episode 29: Do they really need antibiotics? New toolkits for canine acute diarrhoea and cat bite abscesses
RUMA's Steve Howard and Kit Sturgess join editor in chief Suzanne Jarvis to talk about the new condition-specific toolkits released by RUMA. These cover canine acute diarrhoea and cat bite abscesses, and provide resources to help practitioners decrease their use of antimicrobials. They also discuss what the target reduction in use is and where we are on this. The toolkits can be accessed at: https
Episode 28: Inside the Animal Sentience Committee: shaping government policy
In this episode, Josh Loeb, Vet Record's senior news reporter, is joined by Michael Seals, chair of the Animal Sentience Committee, and committee member Richard Cooper, to discuss the origins of the committee and questions surrounding it. Set up in 2022, the committee has a remit to report to Parliament on the implications for the welfare of sentient animals arising from any area of policy. But ho
Episode 27: Managing heat-related illness in dogs
With record temperatures being recorded in the UK this summer, editor in chief Suzanne Jarvis talks to the RVC's Emily Hall, Jude Bradbury and Dan O'Neill about heat-related illness and heatstroke in companion animals. With the focus on dogs, we discuss this quintessential contextualised care condition. Mortality is high if body temperature exceeds 41.0°C, so the most important action is to cool t
Episode 26: Inside the new bTB strategy
Vet Record senior reporter Josh Loeb is joined by Ed Simmons from the British Cattle Veterinary Association and BVA junior vice president Gwen Rees to discuss the newly released bovine TB strategy for England and what it might mean for the future of bTB control. Ed and Gwen were both part of the bTB Partnership that produced this new strategy. Will it be implemented by Defra and what will the reac
Episode 25: The hidden truth about buying puppies
In this episode, Josh Loeb is joined by Rowena Packer, senior lecturer in companion animal behaviour and welfare science at the Royal Veterinary College, to unpack the complex - and often confusing - realities of buying a puppy. She describes the growing influence of trends and social media, and why making the ‘right’ choice isn’t always straightforward.
Episode 24: Navigating the challenges of wildlife rehabilitation
In this episode, we are joined by Paul Reynolds, chair of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. We discuss problems in the rehabilitation sector, such as overtreatment and delayed euthanasia, and efforts to produce standards that rehabilitators can sign up to in order to improve practice in this area.
Episode 23: Making sense of risk in everyday practice
Do you know what risk is and how to assess it to aid clinical decision making? In this episode, Rachel Dean and Caroline Scobie build on their recent In Practice article to explain what relative and absolute risk is, and how to put that knowledge into practice for the patient in front of you. They use canine neutering as an example – a very common consultation in general practice – to illustrate h
Episode 22: Returning to work after maternity leave
In this episode, equine vet Phoebe Putt chats to Alexandria Lipka and shares her honest reflections on returning to clinical work after maternity leave. Drawing on her own experience as a first-time mother, Phoebe discusses the concept of 'matrescence' and why it is often misunderstood or overlooked in the workplace. She explores the challenges and emotional realities of returning to work, the rol
Episode 21: Discussing the CMA's final remedies
With the CMA's final remedies now out, Suzanne and Josh are joined by BVA president Rob Williams to find out what vets and veterinary businesses serving clients with companion animals need to know. Remedies include a requirement to publish price lists, a cap on the price of prescriptions and an obligation for practices to make it clear if they are part of a chain.
Episode 20: How vet professionals can communicate their worth
With the CMA investigation shining a spotlight on veterinary pet services costs and consumer choice, Paul Higgs, chief veterinary officer for CVS, talks to Suzanne about the difference between value and price. We talk about what the tensions are for vet professionals in first-opinion practice, valuing veterinary expertise, and how contextualised care, if done well, can give owners reassurance as w
Episode 19: Navigating miscarriage, infertility and assisted fertility in veterinary workplaces
Vet Record recently published a paper on the experiences of vets and vet nurses around miscarriage, infertility and assisted fertility (MIAF) in veterinary workplaces. In this episode, Suzanne talks to two of the authors on the paper, Nat Scroggie and Zoe Belshaw, about the study, which found that nearly a quarter of people left or considered leaving their workplace due to their experiences at the
Episode 18 - Insights from Paul Manktelow
Paul Manktelow, veterinary director at Blue Cross, talks about the transition from clinical to leadership roles and how undertaking an MBA gave him the knowledge from outside the sector to make a difference. He talks about how effective leadership makes way for more efficient and happier workplaces, and the need to understand commercial pressures. We also talk about the tensions in the current vet
Episode 17: Resetting the regulatory landscape for veterinary professionals
Editor in chief Suzanne Jarvis and senior new reporter Josh Loeb chat about what's in Defra's legislative reform consultation, which is being described as a once in a lifetime opportunity to shape the future of the veterinary professions. This episode also includes an interview with UK deputy chief veterinary officer Ele Brown, who answers questions from Josh about some aspects of the proposals fo
Episode 16: The uncertain future of Cambridge Vet School
One of the UK's most prestigious vet schools is facing a threat of closure after the University of Cambridge's School of Biological Sciences recommended that this institution should cease to deliver veterinary teaching. What has caused this crisis and how might it affect other vet schools? In this episode, Suzanne Jarvis, the editor of Vet Record, and the journal's senior reporter, Josh Loeb, talk
Episode 15: Keeping moving with Nick Weston
January sees many people start on a resolution to get fitter and exercise more. However, many of these resolutions fail. In this episode, Nick Weston, a small animal vet, running coach and keen runner himself, gives tips on how to make the resolutions stick. We chat about the benefits of setting realistic goals beyond January, and how to fit it into the busy working life of being a vet. We also ta
Episode 14: What might be coming up in 2026 in the veterinary profession?
In this episode, Josh and Suzanne chat with BVA president Rob Williams about the big issues likely to come up for the vet profession in 2026. The long-term impact of the CMA investigation and movement on legislative reform receive a good airing, along with artificial intelligence use in practice - will it be a game changer or just another tool to use in practice? We also discuss the challenge of m
Episode 13: Careers chat with Mark Lowrie
After realising his childhood ambition to become a zoo vet wasn't for him, Mark set out on the journey to specialise in neurology. He talks about the value of seeing general practice before specialising and how failure can be a positive if you seek to learn from it. He sets out his views on the problems with corporate practices focusing too much on spend per visit, and the value of experience addi
Episode 12: Careers chat with Tom McNeilly
In this episode, we chat to Tom McNeilly, director of Moredun Research Institute. He talks about the challenges of a career in research, but how it can be fulfilling and lead to making an impact to animal health and welfare. He explains how interest has grown in incorporating environmental aspects into the research carried out at the institute, but that their primary focus continues to be advocati
Episode 11: Competition in the clinic part 2 - drilling into the latest from the CMA
In this special two-parter, we speak to the regulator (RCVS) and the BVA to get their take on the CMA's provisional findings. What is their understanding of what the CMA has said? Are they concerned about the watchdog's proposed remedies? Is this the end of the world as we know it? Do they feel the CMA has listened to previous comments? This comes after the CMA released a draft report of its final
Episode 10: Competition in the clinic part 1 - drilling into the latest from the CMA
In this special two-parter, we speak to vets working at independent and corporate practices about what the CMA's provisional findings could mean for them. What is their understanding of what the CMA has said? Are they concerned about the watchdog's proposed remedies? Is this the end of the world as we know it? This comes after the CMA released a draft report of its final recommendations and launch
Episode 9: Careers chat with Nicola Lakeman
In this episode, we sit down with Nicola Lakeman, RVN, a dedicated nutrition manager, international lecturer, and passionate veterinary nurse. Nicola shares her inspiring journey and offers valuable career tips, highlighting why nurse consulting is her favorite aspect of the job. Tune in to hear her insightful advice for vet nurses, including the unexpected importance of always having spare socks
Episode 8: The future of bovine TB control: vaccination, traceability and eradication?
Sir Charles Godfrey's expert panel on bovine TB (bTB) recently updated the government on the latest evidence pertaining to the epidemic. Defra is expected to publish a new strategy next year setting out how it plans to eradicate the disease in England by 2038. Is eradication by 2038 still feasible? What has to change to enable the deadline to be hit? In this episode Godfray, together with vet and
Episode 7: Careers chat with Danielle Gunn-Moore
Danielle Gunn-Moore's passion for feline medicine and all things cat comes through, but also her curiosity and love for people she has encountered in the profession, both as a mentor and mentee. She talks about the challenges of coming from a poor background and of her disability, which is having an increasing effect on her. She discusses the need to maintain feline-specific specialists, and how a
Episode 6: Careers chat with Maggie Roberts
Maggie Roberts is probably best known for her work at Cats Protection; however, she has had a hugely varied career. In this episode, she talks to deputy editor Alexandria Lipka about her early days as a student in Edinburgh, working overseas in Australia and Malawi, and how she became fully embedded within the charity sector. She currently runs her own consultancy company offering services to supp
Episode 5: Neutering guidelines and the charity perspective
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) released guidelines on neutering last year. These promoted controversy and are now being revised. Caroline Allen from the RSPCA, who convened a charity roundtable on neutering, joins the Vet Record Podcast to discuss the issue from the perspective of the rehoming sector.
Episode 4: Careers chat with Sheila Voas
In this episode, Sheila talks about starting life as a 'traditional' veterinary practitioner in mixed practice and how circumstances led her into switching to the State Veterinary Services after about 20 years. She talks about looking at the consequences of decisions - and how she needs to look wider than solely animal health risks in her role as chief veterinary officer for Scotland.
Episode 3: Careers chat with Malcolm Morley
In this episode, Malcolm highlights the value of encouraging and flexible colleagues - at all stages of his career - and how adversity led him into getting interested in representing his profession, both for the British Equine Veterinary Association and the BVA. As BVA president, he found himself promoting 'Great Veterinary Workplaces', thinking more deeply about animal welfare and being involved
Episode 2: Careers chat with Caroline Scobie
In this episode, Caroline Scobie speaks about her interest in evidence-based veterinary medicine and how that has led to collaborations outside of the traditional practitioner role. Her interest has been furthered by undertaking an MSc in evidence-based medicine and that has led to Caroline taking a closer look at what diagnostics can do and the limitations. She explains how her nosiness is the id
Episode 1: Careers chat with David Charles
In this episode, David talks about making the change to study veterinary science after initially starting another degree. He discusses how he got into farm vetting despite having no background in the sector, and the value of having skills from other non-veterinary work—in this case, running a bar—and maintaining a flexible attitude. He shares his proud moment of representing Black British veterina
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