Episode 17: Veterinarian Appreciation and Music for Dogs

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00:00:00:02 - 00:00:14:10
Chris (Voice Over)
Pets Add Life. Your guide to the latest in pet trends, products and the joy of the human animal bond with Kristen Levine and Chris Bonifati. Powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.

00:00:14:12 - 00:00:19:02
Kristen
Hey, Chris. This week is the official start of summer.

00:00:19:04 - 00:00:38:01
Chris
I can feel it in the humidity and in the air and in the sunlight. I was I spent some time outside. Believe it or not, I spent some time outside in the sun, and I have never felt more exhausted in my entire life. Like two days in the sun and I am absolutely drained. So yes, summer is here.

00:00:38:03 - 00:00:38:18
Kristen
I know you're.

00:00:38:18 - 00:00:48:02
Chris
Not alone as Chris has seen his shadow in the in the sun, and he has predicted that it's going to be hot from now until about October.

00:00:48:04 - 00:00:50:18
Kristen
Yeah, well, I noticed you had a little bit of a sunkissed glow there.

00:00:50:18 - 00:00:53:04
Chris
So I do. I am I am glowing.

00:00:53:06 - 00:00:55:05
Kristen
Like your pasty friends behind you.

00:00:55:06 - 00:01:15:17
Chris
Yes, I like it. Yeah, I like my pasty friends behind me. I am tan and ready to go. but today is June 18th, which marks, Veterinarian's Appreciation Day. so we're going to be talking a lot about that, on today's show. And for those of you who may be new here, this is the Pets Add Life podcast.

00:01:15:22 - 00:01:38:18
Chris
I'm Chris, joined as always by Kristen. Today we are going to be sharing with you two great stories. two excellent products. Speak with two guests, two veterinarians today, actually. And then we're going to be answering two questions from you, all our listeners, helping you with your day to day life with your pets. So, I can't wait.

00:01:38:18 - 00:01:39:22
Chris
It's going to be a good one, right, Chris?

00:01:40:01 - 00:01:41:05
Kristen
it's always a good one.

00:01:41:07 - 00:01:48:11
Chris
Always. Yeah. Never. It's never. Not a good one. so let's go ahead and jump right into our first segment.

00:01:48:13 - 00:01:51:19
Chris (Voice Over)
Kristen and Chris present story time.

00:01:51:21 - 00:02:02:20
Kristen
All right. So my story today came to me from a friend yesterday. she shared, tell me if you've ever heard of this. It's called the comedy Pet Photography Awards. I'd never heard of this.

00:02:02:20 - 00:02:06:02
Chris
What? That sounds like three different things.

00:02:06:02 - 00:02:09:07
Kristen
It does. It's a very odd name. but now.

00:02:09:07 - 00:02:13:13
Chris
In peace and put together. And what it could be now. So. Yeah. Go ahead.

00:02:13:15 - 00:02:34:15
Kristen
The website is comedy pet photo.com. And apparently this is a contest that happens every single year. You can go to the website and you can see the gallery of winners for this year 2024. And you know, I, I highly encourage our listeners to check this out. We'll put we'll put the link in the show notes. These pictures made me laugh out loud.

00:02:34:16 - 00:02:52:19
Kristen
They were just so cute and uplifting and funny. And I'll tell you, the winner was, well, I don't know, maybe I shouldn't tell you what the winner is. okay, let me, let me go ahead and tell you. I'll tell you what the winner is, but you still have to see it for yourself. It's a, And these are not professional photographers.

00:02:52:19 - 00:03:11:06
Kristen
These are just people taking great pictures of their pets, doing funny things. And the. The winner is a, cocker spaniel who's trying to get through a cat door. And he's. He clearly doesn't fit. And his owner said he watches the cats do it all the time, and he can't figure out why he can't just go through the door.

00:03:11:06 - 00:03:14:09
Kristen
So it's really cute.

00:03:14:11 - 00:03:30:01
Chris
That is that is hilarious. I think that's I think I've seen some of these pictures before, because now that you mention it, it seems super familiar. but I'm definitely going to have to check it out if there's, there's any type of content that I enjoy. It's animals being silly.

00:03:30:03 - 00:03:38:10
Kristen
Well, and, you know, we all have thousands of pictures of our pets on our phone. So, you know, might want to scroll through and submit 1 or 2 of them for, for next year.

00:03:38:12 - 00:04:01:13
Chris
Yeah, I have a video of my cat attempting to drink water from the sink, but she sort of gets placed her head under the stream of water and is lapping up air as the water just sort of goes around the side of her face. And I was looking at her like, you're not drinking water. Like, do you think do you think she's drinking water right now?

00:04:01:13 - 00:04:02:15
Chris
Because you're not?

00:04:02:17 - 00:04:04:23
Kristen
I think she's been watching you in the shower with the ginger.

00:04:04:23 - 00:04:25:23
Chris
Yeah, well, she does do that. She is one of those cats to sort of pad away the shower curtains so that she could stare. which is weird. And I've never really understood why. It's not like every cat does that. It's like a some cat type deal. so any animal behavior experts out there that want to write to me and let you let me know why my cat's become a perv?

00:04:26:00 - 00:05:02:08
Chris
that would be great. my story, I am marking because summer has begun. I am marking the end of my run, of, summer based products and and stories with this last final episode here. so my story is more of a PSA. it is getting hot out. And there are certain things that you should be aware of as a pet owner, especially some new pet owners who may have just gotten a pet in spring while the weather is nice and now we're getting into the dog days of summer.

00:05:02:10 - 00:05:24:02
Chris
and there's some things that you should know about on how to properly take care of your animals. Some signs to to look at. And the first thing is, if you usually walk your dog at like 2 p.m., don't, don't. Especially when we're hitting in some of these places and triple digits just don't save walk time for the cooler parts of the day.

00:05:24:04 - 00:05:44:10
Chris
your dog will thank you. Dogs especially have, in certain breeds have a difficult time regulating their heat. You'll see them panting a lot. And the thing about dogs is they'll do anything to make you happy. So they'll tough through it. And you don't want to make your dog tough through a walk. A walk is supposed to be an enjoyable, leisurely part of the day.

00:05:44:12 - 00:05:53:20
Chris
this one's obvious. Don't leave them in the car for any reason. Ever, no matter what. just don't just don't just don't do it. I'm not going to go, more more into it.

00:05:53:22 - 00:05:55:10
Kristen
you don't need to listen.

00:05:55:12 - 00:06:13:19
Chris
Yeah, exactly. I don't need to say more. next, if you've been listening to the show, I've been recommending some great, products, and I have another one later on. How to keep your dog or cat. well hydrated and nice and cool. So? So be sure to leverage those things. Like, water bottles. I have a great water bottle recommendation.

00:06:13:23 - 00:06:21:07
Chris
coming up on the show and things like even, even just kiddy pools fill them up and throw it in the yard and let the dog play at their own leisure, because when they're.

00:06:21:07 - 00:06:25:22
Kristen
That's a that's like a kiddy kiddy pool, not a kitty. Yes.

00:06:26:00 - 00:06:46:01
Chris
Not a kitten pool, which I don't think the cats would enjoy. and then finally just know what your animals normal behavior looks like. And if there's a change in behavior, especially over the course of an extended period, you should get your dog to an emergency veterinarian. Because they may be suffering from the effects of a heat stroke.

00:06:46:06 - 00:06:58:05
Chris
So just think about all these things as you're enjoying summer. Understand that our furry friends don't have the option of putting on a a bikini or something. You know, a little less modest.

00:06:58:05 - 00:06:59:20
Kristen
Take that fur coat off either.

00:06:59:22 - 00:07:16:08
Chris
Yeah, they try to. You might notice your animals are shedding a lot right now because they're trying to, but still, they do have difficulty regulating their bodies, with the heat. but we can help as their caretakers. So. So follow some of those tips, and you're going to have a nice, enjoyable, and safe summer.

00:07:16:12 - 00:07:23:10
Kristen
So, Chris, our next guest is a veterinarian, but actually a veterinary celebrity from an Animal Planet show.

00:07:23:12 - 00:07:28:23
Chris
Really? I mean, I feel as though all veterinarians should be celebrities, but what makes this one so special?

00:07:29:00 - 00:07:45:12
Kristen
Well, yeah, a million things, for starters. But, he used to have a show on Animal Planet called hangin with the Hendersons because he, his brother, and his father are all veterinarians. Oh, he's also a musician. And we're going to talk more about what he's got coming up next. But, I'm really excited about it.

00:07:45:14 - 00:07:46:18
Chris
Excellent. Let's jump right on

00:07:46:18 - 00:07:51:18
Chris (Voice Over)
in beyond the Leash exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.

00:07:51:20 - 00:08:12:07
Chris
Joining us now is Doctor Ross Henderson, a renowned veterinarian who has gained popularity not just for his exceptional veterinary skills, but also his compassion approach and his unique ability to connect with both pets and their owners through music. this is a great time to have Doctor Henderson on the show because as we know, we've been talking about all day.

00:08:12:07 - 00:08:35:04
Chris
Today is Veterinarian Appreciation Day, and this coming Saturday, June 21st, is going to be World Music Day, where we are going to be launching, Doctor Henderson's new show, Bedtime Ballads on Dog TV. I know that was a lot of info right at the front, but let's get straight into it. Doctor Henderson, how are you doing today?

00:08:35:08 - 00:08:39:08
Dr. Ross Henderson
I'm doing great. I'm doing great. Super excited. And thank you guys for having me on.

00:08:39:10 - 00:09:04:11
Chris
Absolutely, absolutely. So let's let's jump right into it. And first my my first question is, is really about your background and how you came and arrived at a place where you saw blending. music and, practical, you know, scientific approach, as a healing, aspect for animals for sure.

00:09:04:13 - 00:09:27:10
Dr. Ross Henderson
For sure. There's I think probably the concise version is grown up with my dad being a vet in a family practice, knowing that I wanted to be a veterinarian, playing music since I was in second grade piano that evolved into guitar, that evolved into music production. In college, I had a little identity crisis. I was like, man, I really enjoy music.

00:09:27:10 - 00:09:45:05
Dr. Ross Henderson
I enjoy that, man. I got to pick one. And then I realized ditching either one for the other felt like amputating a limb off. So, I was like, you know, I'm going to figure out a way to do both. And then when I graduated, veterinary school in Edinburgh, Scotland, came back, started working at the family practice.

00:09:45:05 - 00:10:08:16
Dr. Ross Henderson
And one of the first things that arrived was my guitar. And I hung it up on the wall, which is, probably a privilege of a family practice. I don't know if I would have been able to do that if I walked into, a corporate vet job or something. Right. and then, yeah, it was at first it was just like a little mini zen moments playing guitar at my desk.

00:10:08:18 - 00:10:51:12
Dr. Ross Henderson
to then it was, it was playing and having dogs being around and realizing that music was very part of people's lives, which meant it was part of dogs lives, were living amongst people. And then I think it really hit a chord, literally, when I was playing, playing for patients like before and after surgery, instead of doing healthy things like a bike ride or, or, walking for lunch, I would sit and play music near the kennels and, then that's what kind of cute, videos that went on social media and then realized that a lot of people connected to it, it some people said it was kind of

00:10:51:12 - 00:11:10:03
Dr. Ross Henderson
like an unfair cheat code playing music to dogs. it wasn't fair because it was so easy to connect with. But, I think it's really cool seeing the actual, response of a dog that's nervous starting to play, and then they start to calm down. It's not every dog. There's definitely some dogs, like, oh, I'm going to play.

00:11:10:03 - 00:11:20:02
Dr. Ross Henderson
And then I was like, okay, they're, they're they're probably more artists like like painting or something, but not me. No. But anyway, that's the short version.

00:11:20:04 - 00:11:29:00
Kristen
Well, let's talk a little bit. maybe you can share with us, any of the science behind how music can be calming for certain animals?

00:11:29:06 - 00:11:59:08
Dr. Ross Henderson
Yeah, absolutely. So and this is cool. This is discussed in the show as well, which I was super excited, when Robin reached out. but yeah, it's it's pretty fascinating. Just the there's certain frequencies that there's data that causes calming effects. you know, lower registers and things. I think the other fascinating part is just the spectrum of, the frequency range that they can hear and how well they can hear as well.

00:11:59:08 - 00:12:29:07
Dr. Ross Henderson
So, and then also the tempo and pace and then even chord structure. So it's, it's fascinating, but it also kind of makes sense, because they're also emotional creatures. And I feel like music in a way transcends and translates, some of that emotion. So I think it's so cool that humans are in a capacity to create music, and that it kind of bridges being able to share emotion with animals in a way.

00:12:29:07 - 00:12:34:21
Dr. Ross Henderson
And the fact that there's data that's kind of starting to support that is really interesting.

00:12:34:23 - 00:12:54:18
Kristen
Let's just talk a little bit about the show Bedtime Ballads, which, as Chris said, is going to launch on the 21st of June, which is this week, that this, that, this interview is launching. I love the timing. This is Pet Anxiety Awareness Month, and, you know, I love that, that we're talking about how music can be calming for pets.

00:12:54:18 - 00:12:58:15
Kristen
But tell us about a little bit about the show. What can we expect to see on Bedtime Ballads?

00:12:58:18 - 00:13:26:10
Dr. Ross Henderson
Yeah. So it's, just interesting facts along the lines of what can help our relationship with our pets, to kind of enrich that relationship in a safe way. That helps with anxiety, helps with stress, helps with, routine, how different things in our lives can be integrated into their lives to make it mutually beneficial. and then music, of course.

00:13:26:10 - 00:13:57:03
Dr. Ross Henderson
So each episode finishes with, like a song, a ballad version of, some original songs that have kind of been, yeah, just part of my musical journey that I was able to format in a way that was suited for the, the show, which I was super excited about in there, you know, I it it seems kind of obvious or cliche, but it's like I've written a lot of songs inspired by my interaction with animals.

00:13:57:05 - 00:14:23:20
Dr. Ross Henderson
so, like this song. Let Me Be Your Home was inspired by what it actually means, seeing people adopt these animals that are maybe, maybe that don't have a chance and that you're creating this relationship that will literally change your life. So I think, you know, those types of things. And then there's some other songs that, are maybe less specific to dogs, but I think work well.

00:14:23:20 - 00:14:43:08
Dr. Ross Henderson
So anyways, it's just a really cool concept of being able to share how our relationship with dogs can be enriched, and then adding that musical element. So is like, I was like, I'm, I want to do this. That's like, I feel like I feel like that is, this is what it's all been stemming up to in a lot of ways, you know?

00:14:43:09 - 00:15:06:17
Chris
Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, for all of our, listeners who, maybe listening right now and hearing the dulcet, tones of your voice and wondering, man, I wonder you talked about all these songs. I wonder what they sound like. Well, I have some great news. We're actually going to go ahead and give all of our, listeners here a little sneak peek, of your upcoming show.

00:15:06:19 - 00:15:17:22
Chris
and that's going to be airing on dog TV. Like I said, June 21st, World Music Day, the show is called Bedtime Ballads. So we're going to go ahead and give you all a little preview right now.

00:15:18:00 - 00:15:33:18
Voice Over
It’s bedtime ballads with Dr. Ross.

00:15:33:20 - 00:15:59:06
Dr. Ross Henderson
Hello pet lovers. I am Doctor Ross Henderson, and today we are diving into the fascinating topic of the power of music and how it specifically affects our furry friends mood and stress levels. Have you ever noticed your dog relaxing to the sound of a soft melody? Well, there's science behind that scene. Music isn't just a human pleasure, it's significantly impacts canine emotions and stress.

00:15:59:08 - 00:16:22:06
Dr. Ross Henderson
Studies have shown that certain types of music can calm dogs, reducing their heart rate and stress levels much like it does for us. But not all music has the same effects. Classical music, for instance, has been found to have a particularly soothing influence, while heavy metal might be a little less conductive to relaxation unless you have one of those rock or Chihuahuas.

00:16:22:11 - 00:16:42:07
Dr. Ross Henderson
I know you've seen them. Selecting the right music for your dog might depend on their breed, age, and personality. A lively puppy might enjoy upbeat tunes. We're a senior dog could prefer slower, softer melodies. Observing how your dog reacts to different genres is key to creating the perfect playlist for their relaxation.

00:16:42:07 - 00:17:12:15
Chris
So that's just a quick little preview. Again, the show's name is Bedtime Ballads, airing on dog TV this, June 21st on World Music Day, so it sounds super interesting. Doctor Henderson that concept of, blending, all these different kinds of sounds to create this music that is actually soothing to animals. I'm really interested in the fact that, that classical music is, has been shown to have a more soothing effect at any insight as to why that might be.

00:17:12:15 - 00:17:26:07
Chris
I mean, heavy metal not being soothing. I understand, but I'm not the type to throw on, Mozart or Bach when I'm feeling stressed out, so. So can you give us some insight as to why that is?

00:17:26:09 - 00:17:57:01
Dr. Ross Henderson
yeah. So I my entry into music was learning classical piano, widely enough. And, I don't I don't know how to particularly explain it, but but classical music definitely has this. So sometimes I'll play a song. Or when I was learning classical music, I would mess around and kind of create my own versions of songs, but there's something about it that just feels bigger than, than just notes playing.

00:17:57:01 - 00:18:34:15
Dr. Ross Henderson
And lately, ironically, I just got my piano tuned, the one that's been upstairs, in our house, and I've, like, really fallen in love with playing piano is like my first love. And in fact, that reminds me of that song Baby Grand with, Ray Charles and Billy Joel, which is an amazing song. but yeah, getting the getting the piano tuned and starting to play it, I swear it feels like I'm transporting back to like, elementary school and middle school when I was just consumed with this, this thing that felt way bigger than myself.

00:18:34:17 - 00:19:04:22
Dr. Ross Henderson
and so I think with without being able to really describe that, it's something there to me which is really unique to, to classical music. I think jazz is like a fancy, like a more fun, upbeat version because I've experienced something similar with that as well. It's just it's very complex, very cerebral. But, with classical music, yeah, there's, there's, it feels like you're watching a movie without any visuals is what the feeling.

00:19:04:22 - 00:19:15:16
Dr. Ross Henderson
So it's very feely, I think. which is great. If you've ever been to a symphony, you know what I'm talking about. Or like, like an orchestra in a big theater. I mean, it the same thing. It's it's phenomenal.

00:19:15:16 - 00:19:45:06
Chris
Yeah, well, my experience with music was playing violin poorly through high school, trying to get into college. so I can't necessarily relate, but here we are, sort of in the middle of June. 4th of July is coming up, and we know that 4th of July could be a very stressful day for dogs. So any tips on how maybe some of our listeners could use, music as well as some of the other products that we've been recommending throughout the summer?

00:19:45:07 - 00:19:51:11
Chris
but how the addition of music could be used to help keep pets relaxed on a very stressful day like that?

00:19:51:12 - 00:20:16:09
Dr. Ross Henderson
Yeah, for sure. I think starting starting with routines and integrating it beforehand. That way if there are noises that break through the ambient noise and and music that we're playing, there's something familiar that they can kind of hold on to. but ultimately it's, you know, it's like with my two year old twin boys, the white noise, kind of cushions, other sounds that are going on.

00:20:16:09 - 00:20:44:07
Dr. Ross Henderson
You know, when my wife starts vacuuming at ten, I'm like, okay, the white noise is kind of a cushion here, you know? So, And I'm getting a look that I should be the one vacuuming that that's where, you know. But anyways, the the the music is great. It adds, it adds a constant. And if that constant is something that they're familiar with, dogs are creatures of habit, you know, so routine is really secure for them.

00:20:44:07 - 00:21:05:14
Dr. Ross Henderson
You know, and then obviously if there's, if there's, exceptions. Right. So, like, my dogs are very sound averse. and there's times where I do get worried about, like her injuring herself or anything like that. That's where conversations with your veterinarian would be very practical. just to kind of prepare for those times, which is. We're all used to that.

00:21:05:14 - 00:21:15:09
Dr. Ross Henderson
You're not going to surprise any vet if you go in and say, hey, my dog, loses their mind and starts chewing the wall and poops themselves, you know, which is what we want to avoid, right?

00:21:15:10 - 00:21:26:15
Kristen
Well, Doctor Henderson, where where else can we hear your music? obviously, we'll be eagerly awaiting the launch of bedtime Ballads on dog TV. But is there. Are there other places we can find it?

00:21:26:17 - 00:21:53:06
Dr. Ross Henderson
Yeah. So, there's there's the streaming services. we've got a few songs up there, so just under my name, Ross Henderson. there's one little experiment I did, psych, this pop music production called Doc Ross. You know, that is like Doctor Dre can do it. And I'm actually a doctor, like, come on. So that's great, but it's it's Doc Ross.

00:21:53:06 - 00:22:16:22
Dr. Ross Henderson
That song is actually really fun. I love that song. And then, a band that we had formed and in the middle of Covid called Wild Goose Chase. those those songs are great, female vocalists, that, that. Yeah, it's just a blast. and then I had twins and then my I stopped playing music for the rest of my life.

00:22:17:00 - 00:22:20:15
Chris
And that feels like that's sometimes. Right? Yes, it feels like that sometimes.

00:22:20:15 - 00:22:21:06
Dr. Ross Henderson
Yeah.

00:22:21:08 - 00:22:41:14
Chris
Well, thank you so much, Doctor Henderson, for sharing your story with us coming on the show today. And for all the helpful tips. again, new show, Bedtime Ballads, June 21st. Be sure to check it out on dog TV. but until then, we'll we'll just have to wait and see what Doctor Henderson does next.

00:22:41:16 - 00:22:45:12
Dr. Ross Henderson
Perfect. Thank you guys.

00:22:45:14 - 00:23:05:12
Chris
That was a great talk. And Doctor Henderson has such a calming energy around him. I'm pretty sure if he went to any profession, he would be talking about its calming effects on animals. Like if you decided to become like a part time baker, he'd be like, pastries could calm your dogs too. And it's just because he's just so he's just so calming to be around.

00:23:05:13 - 00:23:12:03
Chris
It's contagious. I feel better now. All my worries and angst is disappeared into the ether.

00:23:12:05 - 00:23:14:15
Kristen
He is the direct opposite of you, Chris, in terms of.

00:23:14:18 - 00:23:16:08
Chris
Exactly like, yeah, he's.

00:23:16:12 - 00:23:21:13
Kristen
Got energy, but he's just so smooth and even keeled.

00:23:21:13 - 00:23:23:22
Chris
And yeah, I would say right.

00:23:24:00 - 00:23:25:15
Kristen
Now that we've talked to him.

00:23:25:17 - 00:23:46:12
Chris
In, in some type of fictional relationship, he would be like the super cool super hero and I would be the maniacal villain, and he'd use the power of music to save the day and make all the dogs start. Stop barking at me. But I'm right. I'm taking this down now. I've got this is. This is a whole spinoff show.

00:23:46:14 - 00:24:01:02
Chris
There's a whole spin off show. I hope dog TV's listening, because this is this is gold. This is gold. Let's move on. Let's move on. Let's just keep the show going before we get too off off the rails and move on to our next.

00:24:01:02 - 00:24:03:03
Kristen
I think Ron fell off his chair. Oh, there he is. Yeah, he.

00:24:03:03 - 00:24:25:09
Chris
Fell off his chair. It's over. I've killed I've killed our producer and we're going to move on to the next segment. Now, our next guest on the show is a close colleague and friend of ours, Doctor Dana Verbal with the Navy Sea. she's going to bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to veterinarian medicine. we've got a lot of leading trends here.

00:24:25:09 - 00:24:39:13
Chris
And as I teased before, it's Veterinarian Appreciation Day. So she's going to share some stories around that and give you some tips on how to show your veterinarian some appreciation on this beautiful Tuesday. So let's listen in

00:24:39:15 - 00:24:41:16
Chris (Voice Over)
Pets Add Life.

00:24:41:18 - 00:24:53:20
Kristen
I am very excited to introduce our guest today, Doctor Dana Varble. She is the chief veterinary officer of an NAVC which stands for the North American Veterinary Community. Welcome, doctor Varble

00:24:53:22 - 00:24:55:20
Dr. Dana Varble
thank you so much for having me today.

00:24:55:22 - 00:25:06:13
Kristen
You know, I've actually, I've kind of met you before at at the VMX show. but you're always so busy. You're just you're here, you're there, you're everywhere.

00:25:06:15 - 00:25:17:12
Dr. Dana Varble
Yeah. I just have, like, 28,000 people to say hi to that week, so sometimes it's hard. I try and say hi to everybody, but sometimes I miss a few. I'll admit it. Yeah.

00:25:17:14 - 00:25:36:19
Kristen
Well, we wanted to have you on the show today, because today, the day we're recording the show, which is, you know, the day the show drops, which is June 18th, is National Veterinary Appreciation Day. And what better guest to have than a veterinarian who helps so many veterinarians. So I'm glad that you could join us today.

00:25:36:21 - 00:25:47:22
Dr. Dana Varble
Yeah. Thank you. It's a really exciting day for us. It's a good day for me because I get to appreciate all the people I work with and all the people I work for. So it's it's definitely important to me.

00:25:48:00 - 00:25:48:23
Kristen
I'm so first.

00:25:48:23 - 00:26:05:12
Chris
For for some context, for our listeners who may not understand, what NABC is or what a chief veterinarian officer may do, can you describe a bit your role and how you interact with all these amazing vets from around the country?

00:26:05:13 - 00:26:38:01
Dr. Dana Varble
Sure. North American veterinary community are kind of our mission, and our job is to bring the latest and greatest, continuing education information, industry updates and new products and new innovations, new science to all the veterinarians worldwide. We do that through several ways. We have an online learning platform called that folio. We have journals called Today's Veterinary Practice, Today's Veterinary Nurse, Today's Veterinary Business, and Veterinary Advantage.

00:26:38:03 - 00:27:24:19
Dr. Dana Varble
but probably what we're most known for is the big show in January. It's a trade show called Veterinary Meeting and Expo. We call it Vmax for short. We love our acronyms. And, at that meeting, you know, many, many veterinarians and veterinary nurses and technicians and other professionals in the space, from pharmaceutical companies to medical device companies to all of us, ultrasound and imaging companies come together and we have, wonderful five day meeting where we share all the new educational information, new science, with veterinarians so that they can bring it right away back to their clinics and improve the lives of pets everywhere.

00:27:24:21 - 00:27:42:12
Kristen
Yeah, I think it's really important for pet parents to, to understand the continuing education that that veterinarians go through every whether it's yearly or, bi annually. Do you know how what are the requirements of licensed veterinarians today as far as continuing their education?

00:27:42:14 - 00:28:01:16
Dr. Dana Varble
Yeah, I mean, it varies by state, but about on average, veterinarians have to get 20 hours of continuing education every year. Some states do it every other year. So maybe for them it's it's 40 hours or 30 hours every other year. And that helps us stay up to date. you know, so many things we always talk about.

00:28:01:16 - 00:28:27:04
Dr. Dana Varble
Veterinary medicine is advancing so quickly that it is hard to stay current and abreast of all the the new stuff that's available for pets. And we we do. We're nerds. Yeah. I say veterinarians are nerds. We went to school for a long time. We love learning. So it's a great opportunity for us to just kind of reinvest in ourselves and be able to bring that right to our patients.

00:28:27:06 - 00:28:28:14
Dr. Dana Varble
It's a great opportunity.

00:28:28:16 - 00:28:51:15
Chris
but that that, you know, all those continuing education credits that may come as a surprise to some of our listeners, all that travel that gets invested, and, and reinvesting back into their education. Are there other aspects of the job that may be surprising or unsung, that you'd like our listeners to be aware of so that they can appreciate you that much more?

00:28:51:20 - 00:29:17:07
Dr. Dana Varble
Oh, there's probably a few. But I think one of the things that I, I always try and promote this to, to pet parents is the role of credential, veterinary nurses, credential veterinary technicians in the care for their pet. you know, sometimes I think I, you know, I love being a veterinarian, but I couldn't do it without all the people around me helping me and helping answer questions.

00:29:17:09 - 00:29:41:10
Dr. Dana Varble
I think sometimes what they do and how much they're educated surprises people. Typically, they have an associate's degree. Many of them actually have bachelor's degrees now, and there's quite a few that have master's degrees. So they're very educated. They have a lot of information that they can share with you, a lot of expertise they can bring to you as pet parents.

00:29:41:12 - 00:29:59:21
Dr. Dana Varble
And, you know, I think the important thing with them is, is sometimes the veterinarians, I'm limited. I have so many patients I have to see in a day, and I want to bring everyone my best. But it's sometimes nice to have, you know, those professionals around me that can help enhance what I do. Make it real for you.

00:30:00:02 - 00:30:23:19
Dr. Dana Varble
A lot of times, they could spend more time with, with pet parents, and help answer those in-depth questions. So I think sometimes they're not just, you know, folks who brought in off the streets. We have many wonderful veterinary assistants and kennel assistants that are amazing as well. But these folks that are really well-educated are really professionals and can really help you as well.

00:30:23:21 - 00:30:32:04
Kristen
Yeah. And their role, from what I understand, is really, going to be expanding, given that there's a shortage of veterinarians today. Isn't that right?

00:30:32:06 - 00:30:54:10
Dr. Dana Varble
Yeah, there is a shortage of veterinarians. So again, we need to focus on our time on the the doctor only things, which are actually a lot fewer than most people realize. you know, we're we're the ones who have to diagnose. We're the ones who come to you to interpret bloodwork, make a final diagnosis, talk to you about what your expectations are.

00:30:54:12 - 00:31:13:06
Dr. Dana Varble
But one of my favorite examples is like when I diagnosed a pet with with diabetes, I talked a little bit about what to expect and how things are going to progress. And and you know what the next appointment is going to look like, what the next month is going to look like. But I have to go. And a lot of times it's so overwhelming.

00:31:13:10 - 00:31:38:10
Dr. Dana Varble
And I tell told that I tell people, don't worry, so don't worry because I have a vet tech coming in and they're going to tell you all the things you expect every day. And I've had so many pet parents go, wait, can't you? I can, but they're better than me. They're really good at the counseling aspect. They're going to be able to talk you through your home nursing care, because what they do in the clinic is veterinary nursing care.

00:31:38:12 - 00:31:44:17
Dr. Dana Varble
So they're really the ones like in between. And on those front lines, I really rely on them.

00:31:44:19 - 00:31:51:00
Kristen
So it sounds like Veterinary Appreciation Day should really be veterinary staff veterinarians and staff appreciation day.

00:31:51:00 - 00:32:12:23
Dr. Dana Varble
Yes, they should, but yeah yeah, yeah. you know, there is a veterinary technician technician appreciation week. And but I always think that we're a team. medical care is a team. You don't go into your doctor's office without the help of nurses in the front office staff. You don't go into your veterinary office without that either. So you know, we all need each other.

00:32:12:23 - 00:32:15:00
Dr. Dana Varble
Absolutely.

00:32:15:02 - 00:32:42:18
Chris
So there's a there's a shortage of veterinarians. the roles of the vet techs and assistants are expanding. you mentioned that, some of these folks have either associate's or bachelor degrees, which which are, relatively accessible nowadays. what advice might you have for a younger listener who may have that dream of being a veterinarian? And there may be some people in their life that are trying to talk them out of it.

00:32:42:20 - 00:32:45:03
Chris
do you have any words of advice for them?

00:32:45:05 - 00:33:08:11
Dr. Dana Varble
So it's a little bit challenging because this is, you know, a lot of, most veterinarians and a lot of veterinary technicians will tell you that they decided on their job when they were before they were school. Yeah. For. Yeah. Two, three, four. Yep. you know, and it's amazing how many of them follow through. And we want, you know, we want them in this profession.

00:33:08:12 - 00:33:31:07
Dr. Dana Varble
We need people who are passionate in this profession. You know, unlike a lot of other professions, it is a career of passion. I'm never and I never expected to make the kind of money a doctor or lawyer would. And it it's not a financially driven profession. It's. I just love animals. I love helping people with animals and keep them healthy.

00:33:31:09 - 00:33:53:04
Dr. Dana Varble
So what I always tell young people is, if that's your passion, you're going to find a way to make it work. Find a way to get involved with animal care. Now, volunteer at a local shelter. Find a veterinarian in your neighborhood that maybe will let you come in and help walk the dogs or observe one day so you understand kind of what you're getting into, so to speak.

00:33:53:06 - 00:34:19:12
Dr. Dana Varble
But the other thing where a lot of NVC is doing in a lot of other veterinary organizations, too, is where a lot of us are starting these pipeline events around the country. So we're going to places and we're trying to find folks that maybe can't volunteer at the shelter or don't have a veterinarian in their neighborhood. And we're trying to show you all the interesting parts of veterinary medicine that will make you kind of create a good memory for kids.

00:34:19:12 - 00:34:37:01
Dr. Dana Varble
A lot of times you're doing these for middle school, grade school kids and really build that passion in them because we know pet populations are growing, right? More people want pets. They want better care for their pets. So we're going to need more veterinarians. We're going to need more veterinary technicians in the future.

00:34:37:03 - 00:34:51:08
Kristen
How might, our listeners go about finding that pipeline information if they have young children that are that are already talking about becoming veterinarians or, or veterinary, technicians? Is there a central location to find them?

00:34:51:10 - 00:35:13:02
Dr. Dana Varble
I wish there was. But, you know, I will say this, state veterinary medical associations, we're we're partnering with a lot of them, and a lot of them are working in these type events. The AVM is doing some of the American veterinary Medical Association. You can also always come to our website and ABC.com. We're partnering with a group called Blend Vet.

00:35:13:02 - 00:35:33:14
Dr. Dana Varble
So Blend vet.com and they're bringing these pipeline events to underrepresented communities. So folks maybe of ethnicities or nationalities or backgrounds that don't typically get drawn to veterinary medicine, really trying to build that passion in them. So we have a bigger pool of young people wanting to be veterinarians.

00:35:33:16 - 00:35:49:20
Kristen
I wanted to ask you, Doctor Verbal, since it is Veterinary Appreciation Day, what would be the best way for pet parents listening to show that appreciation for their veterinary, hospital and staff and all the people that take such great care of their of their pets?

00:35:49:22 - 00:36:14:21
Dr. Dana Varble
well, you know, we're lucky as veterinarians because so many of our clients are already amazing people. These are pet people. These are animal people. And I'll be honest, it's it's never a bad thing. We get free coffee or someone drops off a plate of cookies quite frequently, around the holidays. Sometimes it gets a little challenging. Like I'm trying to eat good, but there's so many good cookies in the break room.

00:36:14:21 - 00:36:16:21
Chris
It's given to you for free. The calories that.

00:36:17:02 - 00:36:40:23
Dr. Dana Varble
They don't count, right? Don't count. Yeah, yeah. But I want to share, like a little story that I had because it's really meaningful. one of my first cases in veterinary school was a little cocker spaniel, and she had to have back surgery, and I have it to this day. But that owner had little cards made with her image, like a little drawing that was inspired by their pet on them, and she wrote me a little handwritten note.

00:36:41:00 - 00:36:59:07
Dr. Dana Varble
It cost her nothing. but honestly, like, it gives me like, the chills to think about it now. She wrote me a little handwritten note just saying, you know, my dogs are great. I know you're a big part of it. Thank you so much. Good luck in school. Wishing you the best. Signed her name. I've kept it since then.

00:36:59:09 - 00:37:24:10
Dr. Dana Varble
You know, it's those little notes that you know, on a bad day when cases don't go well, when things seem overwhelming, when veterinary medicine can be hard. We have patients that are sick, suffering. but on those days when I can pull out those notes, they're priceless. Those little handwritten notes. And it costs costs nothing. So, you know, I think we get remembered a lot when unfortunately at end of life.

00:37:24:10 - 00:37:33:20
Dr. Dana Varble
But if you've had a pet that even just spent a day or two in the hospital, a little handwritten note to the veterinarian or staff means everything to us.

00:37:33:22 - 00:37:49:02
Kristen
Yeah, it's it's so true. And for those of you listening who have don't know what a handwritten note is, it's actually when you take a note card or a piece of paper and you write in handwriting, it's a very personal, meaningful message. I'm glad that you brought that up.

00:37:49:03 - 00:37:52:15
Chris
Wait. I'm confused. Kristen, can we go over that again?

00:37:52:17 - 00:38:11:11
Dr. Dana Varble
Hey, and I will say this I have printed out emails and stuck them right in that folder with handwritten notes, because there are some really good email writers out there who write amazing, wonderful, appreciative emails too. So if that's what you're it's if that's your wheelhouse, we'll take that too. We'll take it to the,

00:38:11:13 - 00:38:23:11
Chris
Doctor. Varble thank you so much for joining us today. remember their website for NBC's NJ.com? Be on the lookout for some of those events and remember to thank your veterinarian today.

00:38:23:13 - 00:38:27:15
Dr. Dana Varble
Thank you. So terrible. Thank you.

00:38:27:17 - 00:38:44:11
Kristen
I just love what she said about, a personally handwritten note as a thank you to your vet or your vet staff. I think that's just so thoughtful. You know, I keep I keep those. I'm not a vet, obviously, but I have notes that have been sent to me from people who maybe adopted a pet from the shelter I worked with.

00:38:44:11 - 00:39:02:05
Kristen
And these are like 20 years old, and I keep them because they're really meaningful. But I thought of a couple other ways you could show appreciation to your vet hospital, and that would be to write a great review, a Google review, or, one time I took have you ever heard of the store called Nothing Bundt Cakes?

00:39:02:07 - 00:39:03:02
Chris
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:39:03:03 - 00:39:22:02
Kristen
They make they make nothing but bundt cakes and they make these little baby ones. And I took in like two dozen of these little baby bundt cakes into our, our vet office on, vet appreciation day, and they loved it. As doctor mentioned, she loved they love getting, sweet treats from clients.

00:39:22:04 - 00:39:48:15
Chris
Yeah. Who I mean, who doesn't? I'll I'll be immediately after this show. I'll be heading to, the donut store and doing, doing a quick drive by because we have, we have the this the standard vet and we have the emergency that, then the emergency vets like, right next to our condo. And thankfully we've never had to go there, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind a random stranger walking into their practice and, delivering some Krispy Kreme.

00:39:48:15 - 00:39:50:21
Chris
So I'm going to make sure that happens.

00:39:50:23 - 00:39:53:16
Chris (Voice Over)
The product of the week.

00:39:53:18 - 00:39:57:23
Kristen
All right, Chris, it's time for our product of the week or product. That was.

00:39:57:23 - 00:39:59:00
Chris
Pretty good. That was.

00:39:59:00 - 00:39:59:13
Kristen
Pretty good.

00:39:59:13 - 00:40:02:09
Chris
It was pretty good. Yeah yeah yeah.

00:40:02:11 - 00:40:10:15
Kristen
Yeah I've been listening to you do it all business and, I'm getting better, so let's. Why don't you go first today with your product?

00:40:10:17 - 00:40:38:12
Chris
So my product of the week, and I teased it a little bit earlier in the show, is a specialized, water bottle for your dogs when you're going walking, and it's hot out. So, this there's a lot of different water bottles out there. There's some pet parents, you might just have a collapsible bowl, and they fill up their own water into the collapsible bowl or some type of other, device that's really bulky and difficult to carry.

00:40:38:14 - 00:41:00:05
Chris
So this water bottle comes from Springer Pets. you can find them at Springer Pets.com. And what's really cool about it is the design. it's it's this tough, flexible rubber. that sort of expands out into a crown, that becomes the ball. And you could just whip this bad boy out. You squeeze on the water bottle after the crown has been opened up.

00:41:00:07 - 00:41:31:23
Chris
and that just sort of becomes like a nice, easy spout that your dogs can drink out of because you think about water bottles. It's just the hose too small for a dog to get their tongue in there and properly lap up water. So it's basically just replacing that. And it makes it super easy. It comes in a bunch of different sizes and colors, so you can style it the way that you want and springer pets if you really like their products, they actually offer this old walking system where it's like a fanny pack and some clips and and a specialized leash, so that you could really be hands free while you're

00:41:31:23 - 00:41:41:02
Chris
walking your dog this summer and make sure that they're properly hydrated, which is really important, even for short urban walks. You should be leaving the house with water for your animal.

00:41:41:08 - 00:41:59:17
Kristen
Absolutely. And I didn't want to interrupt you, but I actually have this very water bottle for tulip. Whoa, I do whoa, what a coincidence. Yeah. it's. I have the green one, and I love it because for all the reasons you mentioned. But also, when we take her on longer car rides, it fits right in the cup holder.

00:41:59:17 - 00:42:05:04
Kristen
And, you know, I can keep the water. You know, you can lock the water in so that it stays in there.

00:42:05:04 - 00:42:06:08
Chris
Yeah.

00:42:06:10 - 00:42:12:07
Kristen
and so we use it every time we go on a long car ride with tulip as well as going for walks. So I think that's innovative that up because.

00:42:12:12 - 00:42:12:22
Chris
It was.

00:42:12:22 - 00:42:17:06
Kristen
Incredible. They were on Shark Tank about a year or two ago. So they were yeah.

00:42:17:06 - 00:42:19:05
Chris
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It it's not.

00:42:19:06 - 00:42:19:08
Kristen
There.

00:42:19:12 - 00:42:41:06
Chris
I mean, I was just going through a bunch of, the stuff I have and looking for some summertime stuff because again, I'm capping it off. All right. No more summer, Chris is gone. but I guess I was looking around, and, you know, I we always used one of the ones that kind of folds out and it becomes this big thing.

00:42:41:08 - 00:43:01:12
Chris
And, my parents hated it and ended up just going back to another, like, collapsible wall. But now I think, I really like the design of this one, so. So check it out. Maybe it's the right thing for you as well, whether you're a hiker or an urban walker or in, situation where you're going to be taking a long road trip with your dog.

00:43:01:12 - 00:43:06:20
Chris
So, be sure to check them out. That website one more time is Springer Pets.com.

00:43:06:22 - 00:43:27:13
Kristen
Awesome. Well, I'm also content doing my series of themed product recommendations. Chris. we're still in the month of June, so it's still Pet Anxiety Awareness Month. And I just want to remind everybody, if you haven't heard me talk about this, yet, this month we've created a free download. It's called our Calming Solutions Capsule Guide for Pet Parents.

00:43:27:19 - 00:43:51:21
Kristen
There's one for dogs. There's one for cats. And you can get that at Pet Anxiety awareness.com. We've basically got tons of product recommendations, as well as how to find a fear free veterinary hospital, how to find a veterinary behaviorist, to help you pet with their anxiety or stress. but one of the partners I wanted to highlight is a product that I'm sure a lot of dog parents already know about.

00:43:51:23 - 00:44:11:14
Kristen
and that is the Thunder shirt. But the reason I, I love to, you know, talk about this product is because it has worked so well for my dogs. So a Thunder shirt is probably the original calming product I have when this whole when when calming our pets and pet anxiety became something that we were really recognizing as a health concern.

00:44:11:16 - 00:44:23:01
Kristen
and it works by, applying gentle constant pressure to your dog's body. So it's kind of like, swaddling a baby. You know, you've seen I get, like, a little infant wrapped in a blanket.

00:44:23:03 - 00:44:25:05
Chris
Yeah, yeah, it's exactly like that, actually.

00:44:25:05 - 00:44:47:21
Kristen
Yeah. Right. Right, right. And, and it works 80% in 80% of the, cases. It works. So it gets really great reviews. I will say that typically it works best if you're combining it with another calming product like music, which we're going to talk about, which we already already spoke about, or, you know, calming treats or things like that.

00:44:47:21 - 00:44:59:23
Kristen
But anyway, we're big fans of the Thunder shirt, so check them out. They always have, you know, July 4th holiday specials going on. And there's also a, a savings code if you download that, that free capsule guide that I mentioned earlier.

00:45:00:04 - 00:45:09:03
Chris
Great. Yeah. I mean, I've always been a fan of those products because who doesn't want, to be swaddled like a baby, right? I always.

00:45:09:05 - 00:45:09:23
Kristen
Make it for cats.

00:45:09:23 - 00:45:10:16
Dr. Dana Varble
Too.

00:45:10:18 - 00:45:18:03
Chris
Yes they do. It's almost like a little like like a weighted blanket effect. I don't know if you ever used a weighted blanket before.

00:45:18:05 - 00:45:19:11
Kristen
I have.

00:45:19:13 - 00:45:20:16
Chris
Yeah. It's great.

00:45:20:18 - 00:45:21:11
Kristen
It's Eel's wonder.

00:45:21:12 - 00:45:28:15
Chris
There's a reason it works. I don't know why brains are weird, but I guess it releases the feel good chemicals. So. Hey, we'll take it.

00:45:28:17 - 00:45:30:08
Kristen
That's right.

00:45:30:10 - 00:45:32:04
Chris (Voice Over)
Q and As

00:45:32:06 - 00:45:43:06
Chris
And now it's time for my favorite segment of the show, where we are going to answer two questions from our listeners. So, Kristen, why don't you do the honors and go ahead and pick a question?

00:45:43:11 - 00:46:14:14
Kristen
Sure. All right. So this first question is from Rachel in Orlando. And she said, I've heard that rabbits need a lot of space and mental stimulation. What are some enrichment activities or toys that are good for keeping my rabbit engaged and happy? And I like this question because I think that, people don't always realize how social and how active rabbits can be, and that they do need they do need more room than just their housing and closure.

00:46:14:16 - 00:46:37:17
Kristen
And, a girlfriend of mine just got adopted, three rabbits. And so I pinged her yesterday just to get some tips from her, and she said that her rabbits love tunnels and rabbits like to, you know, they like to go into little tunnels and hide so you can use, and maybe you can purchase tunnels or, you can make one out of some type of paper or cardboard.

00:46:37:19 - 00:46:59:15
Kristen
also a digging box, which I had not heard of this, but you can create a digging box for your rabbit. You could just take maybe the, like the maybe a litter box or the bottom part of a cardboard box. and put some sand in there and wrap, because rabbits like to dig. You might notice that, if you have a bunny, they might dig in your carpet, but this might be a better way for them to dig and, you know, get some physical activity.

00:46:59:17 - 00:47:19:01
Kristen
And then it's also great to find, those, like, kind of chew toys for rabbits because rabbits have long teeth. And if you give them something to chew on that ideally are made for rabbits, it helps to wear those teeth down, because they need to they'll continue to grow if they don't have something to wear them down.

00:47:19:01 - 00:47:24:00
Kristen
So you definitely want to, to find, some bunny two toys.

00:47:24:02 - 00:47:54:23
Chris
So those are, great. Yeah. Those are, those are great tips, Kristen. And my only addition would be whenever we talk about stimulating your pet or animal, what you're trying to do is replicate what their life would be if they were in the wild, right? What their instincts tell them to do. So those are those are three great things that that you gave, because those are natural activities that A and a rabbit in their natural habitat would be trying to do.

00:47:54:23 - 00:48:19:07
Chris
That's what keeps them it. Because animals, they they don't really crave entertainment as much as they are seeking to survive. Right. And those survival activities trigger the same things in our brain that things like art or music or movies may trigger. So you're trying to stimulate that same kind of, environment for them. So I think, I have nothing else to add because.

00:48:19:09 - 00:48:20:00
Kristen
That's a great point.

00:48:20:00 - 00:48:23:04
Chris
So that that's again.

00:48:23:06 - 00:48:25:05
Kristen
All right. What's our next question, Chris?

00:48:25:06 - 00:48:52:07
Chris
Our next question comes from Carlos in San Francisco, California. And Carlos asks, my cat has been grooming excessively and has developed bald spots just like me. what could be causing this and what steps can I take to address it? So, this is a great question. And the the good news is that your cat is likely not sick.

00:48:52:13 - 00:49:16:21
Chris
The bad news is that your cat's probably really stressed out. so cats tend to over groom. or simply groom as a stress relief mechanism. And it's been found that when they are grooming too much, it's because they're not comfortable. So there's a few things that you can do to try to help make your cat a little bit more comfortable.

00:49:16:21 - 00:49:41:00
Chris
Carlos, if you've moved homes recently or if the cat is new to your home, or if you've just got another animal, or if you've had a baby, anything that is changed. The circumstances of this animal's environment that could be sort of what's playing into this. So the first is try to establish some consistency. and get the cat into some routine, less big surprises if you've had some big surprises lately.

00:49:41:02 - 00:50:00:11
Chris
The second is create a hiding spot. So, if you've if you've ever seen, like, the memes of, like, cats trying to fit their way into, like, small boxes, that's because cats do like to hide. so my cat has a little place under a dresser that she likes to go. We also, she she fell in love with this one cardboard box, and we haven't thrown it away.

00:50:00:11 - 00:50:17:21
Chris
It's like this just crappy box. We got a piece of furniture and and it sort of just sits over in the corner, and she likes to go hide in there. So just give the cat a place to be alone and away from outside stimulation. The next is, play and stimulate the cat in other ways to get sound, to get their mind off things.

00:50:17:21 - 00:50:37:23
Chris
Same thing. I'd give advice to a person who is who is stressed out is just try to find a healthy outlet to get some of that energy out. And and the last thing is, is listen to some of our previous tips. We've recommended some great products on, stress relief, chewable supplements, pheromones. There's all sorts of great things out there.

00:50:38:00 - 00:51:00:12
Chris
but this is it's typically a behavior based activity. If you don't see any improvement after making some of these changes, there is a small chance that there could be, some medical things such as parasites, lice, fleas, ticks. but those are usually pretty apparent when you look at it. You could see that bald spot and go, that really doesn't look right, in which case you should bring your animal to the vet.

00:51:00:14 - 00:51:22:23
Kristen
Excellent advice Chris. You know, cats are so good at kind of masking when they're having either when they're stressed or, or they're sick. And, you know, some of the symptoms of a stress cat include obviously this over grooming, but also a cat could hide, a cat could be excessively vocal. And those aren't necessarily things that we would think are indicators of stress.

00:51:22:23 - 00:51:47:08
Kristen
We might think a vocal cat would be a hungry cat, or a hiding cat would just be being a cat. so it's really I'm. I applaud Carlos for recognizing this as a, a potential. Obviously it's a problem, but, but cats are pretty. They're pretty, mysterious. So if they're doing something out of the ordinary, it it could be a symptom of a stressed kitty.

00:51:48:04 - 00:52:16:03
Chris
Well, thank you, Rachel and Carlos, for your questions. And if you, listening at home, listening or watching would like your question answered on this show, you can head on over to Petsaddlife.org/podcast. Scroll on down to the bottom of the page. You'll see a place where you can leave your question. Or if you are feeling super, super brave, you can leave us a voice memo and you may hear your question played on the show.

00:52:16:05 - 00:52:38:18
Chris
my voice. I'm looking for a brave warrior to journey on this dangerous quest where you will record your voice for all of our other listeners to hear a frightening, frightening, frightening prospect, but one that Chris and Kristen face every week as we bring you this show. So, believe us when we say it's really not that scary.

00:52:38:20 - 00:52:45:16
Chris
And, Kristen, I believe that brings us to the end of this episode of the Pal podcast.

00:52:45:18 - 00:52:50:01
Kristen
That's right. Wow, that was really fun. Having two vets on the show, you know?

00:52:50:03 - 00:52:50:19
Chris
yeah. It's great.

00:52:50:19 - 00:52:55:22
Kristen
We should have asked them. We should have asked them to stick around for our, questions cue.

00:52:56:01 - 00:53:05:10
Chris
And then they'd give real answers. They would have these fun people. People, people they want to hear the the vox populi. You know, they want the voice of the people nowadays.

00:53:05:10 - 00:53:08:02
Kristen
Okay, let's hope so, because that's what they're getting.

00:53:08:04 - 00:53:31:01
Chris
That's exactly. That's what they're getting. but thank you all for listening. If you liked this show, be sre to share it with a friend. Like subscribe on your favorite platform and do all that crazy fun stuff. and if you, are so keen, join us again next week and we'll be here every Tuesday for the Pal podcast.

00:53:31:01 - 00:53:33:00
Chris
Thank you and enjoy the rest of your week.