In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus welcomes Dr. Renee Schmid, Director of Veterinary Medicine and Senior Veterinary Toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline, to discuss poisonings and toxin exposures in pets.

Topics include:

• What veterinary toxicologists do
• How Pet Poison Helpline works — and when you should call
• Trending toxin exposures and emerging concerns
• Red-flag symptoms pet owners should never ignore
• How new toxin alerts are prepared and shared with veterinarians and pet owners
• Practical tips to help prevent poisonings

Also on this month's show:

• Trending animal story about Splash, a small-clawed Asian otter helping law enforcement with underwater search and recovery
• Animal news, including how an endangered white rhino with a life-threatening parasitic eye infection was saved
• Pet Health Listener Q&A: Why a dog may skip or hop for a few steps while walking; what a sudden bald patch in cats may indicate; and what to do if your dog tears off a dewclaw

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus is joined by her colleague Dr. Erin Achilles, Senior Veterinarian and Specialist in Cardiology at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. Together, they discuss how veterinary cardiologists play a critical role in helping pets live longer, healthier lives.

Topics include:

• What veterinary cardiologists do and when your pet should see one
• Common types of acquired heart disease in dogs and cats
• How to monitor your pet’s resting respiratory rate and why it matters
• Types of congenital heart disease seen and treated at AMC
• Tips to maintain your pet’s heart health

Also on this month's show:

• Trending animal story about how an Austrian cow, Veronika, has dazzled cognitive biologists through multi-purpose tool use
• Animal news, including research showing spider monkeys creating a complex social network to better find and gather food
• Pet Health Listener Q&A: How to know if your pet is experiencing hearing loss; understanding medication instruction labels; and whether one type of kitty litter is better than the rest

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus welcomes Victoria Schade, a professional dog trainer, author, and longtime lead puppy trainer/wrangler for Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl. With decades of experience helping dogs and their families thrive, Victoria shares behind-the-scenes insights from one of television’s most beloved animal events — and offers practical advice pet parents can use every day.

Topics include:

• What goes on behind the scenes to keep Puppy Bowl puppies safe, comfortable, and happy
• How Victoria’s training approach creates positive, low-stress experiences for puppies on set
• Why she decided to adopt Boris ("Mr. Pickles") after last year's Puppy Bowl
• How dog training has evolved over the years
• What new puppy parents should focus on in the first few months at home
• The most common mistake new pet parents make and how to avoid it
• Simple training tips that can make an immediate difference
• Victoria's journey from dog trainer to novelist
• Her newest novel, Fated Skates

Also on this month's show:

• Trending animal story about a rare case of adoption in the wild, where a young orangutan stepped in to raise her sister
• Animal news, including a pair of endangered owls who accidentally traveled by cruise ship from Florida to Spain; a funeral for a beloved train station cat that drew hundreds of mourners; and new research showing how our own emotions can influence the way we interpret a dog’s feelings
• Pet Health Listener Q&A: Persistent eye discharge in a kitten; a dog who won't go outside when it's raining; and when shedding becomes a health concern for pet rabbits

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus is joined by Dr. Donald Sturz, President and Show Chairman of the Westminster Kennel Club, as they celebrate a historic milestone: the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. With decades of experience as a handler, judge, and leader in the dog show world, Dr. Sturz offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most iconic events in American sporting history.

Topics include:

• Why the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is historically significant
• What happens behind the scenes at Westminster
• The role of junior showmanship and why it’s vital to the future of the sport
• How dog breed standards are developed
• Why dog shows should honor dogs as companions, not just competitors
• The history of Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
• How Dr. Sturz's background as a clinical psychologist informs his approach to leadership at Westminster
• How dogs, handlers, judges, and spectators experience the event

Also on this month’s show:

• Trending animal story about the heartwarming rescue of a lost sea otter pup
• Animal news, including research showing urban raccoons may be showing early signs of domestication
• Pet Health Listener Q&A: Whether anesthesia is necessary for dental cleanings and x-rays; enrichment ideas for senior cats on prescription diets; and whether dogs should wear collars at all times

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus is joined by her longtime colleague Dr. Alexandra van der Woerdt, Department Head of Ophthalmology at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. Together, they explore how veterinary ophthalmologists help keep pets’ eyes healthy — from everyday eye issues to advanced surgery.

Topics include:

• What veterinary ophthalmologists do and when your pet should see one
• Common eye problems in pets, including corneal ulcers, dry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, and conjunctivitis
• The types of eye surgeries pets may need, from eyelid procedures to cataract removal
• How to clean eye discharge at home — and when it’s a red flag
• How dogs and cats see the world differently (including why yellow and blue toys are easier for dogs to see)
• Early warning signs of eye issues
• How pets adapt to vision loss
• How eye changes can signal systemic disease, like diabetes or high blood pressure

Also on this month's show:

• Trending animal story about Bombi, a young zebra in Kenya whose mother was killed by lions — and how rescuers helped her feel secure by wearing black-and-white striped coats to mimic a zebra’s pattern
• Animal news, including research into whether dogs can become addicted to playing fetch; “chemical fossil” evidence that ancient sponges — and early animals — existed far earlier than once thought; and a study showing that New York City cats caught COVID-19 from their owners during the early days of the pandemic (and why they likely weren’t a risk to people)
• Pet Health Listener Q&A: A Bombay cat struggling with chronic hairballs; a young Siberian Husky who eats everything in sight; and a cat with spinal lumps accompanied by vomiting and lethargy.

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus speaks with Dr. Dennis Slade, Head of Internal Medicine at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, about what veterinary internal medicine really means, and how specialists like him help pets with complicated or chronic health issues.

Topics include:

· What veterinary internal medicine treats
· How AMC’s collaborative care model improves patient outcomes
· The surprising things pets swallow and how endoscopy helps get them out
· How veterinarians address multiple diseases in the same patient
· Ways pet owners can prepare for a specialist visit
· The future of veterinary medicine, from artificial intelligence to microbiome research

Also on this month’s show:

· Viral trending animal story about twin eastern box turtles successfully separated after hatching conjoined in Virginia
· Animal news including the dogs guarding endangered penguins, “gifted word learner” dogs that understand toy categories, and the rats trained to detect landmines and tuberculosis
· Pet Health Listener Q&A: Managing pets with both heart and kidney disease, preventing feline stomatitis after calicivirus infection, and understanding inflammatory bowel disease in dogs

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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In this episode of "Ask the Vet," Dr. Ann Hohenhaus welcomes Dr. Philipp Schott, veterinarian, bestselling author, and storyteller, to discuss his new book Heal the Beast: A Jaunt Through the Curious History of the Veterinary Arts. Together, they explore surprising and quirky stories of animal healers across cultures and centuries, while reflecting on what these traditions teach us about the bond between humans and animals.

Topics include:

Why caring for animals has been universal throughout human history

• How wars and plagues helped spark the foundations of modern veterinary medicine
• The scourge of rabies from ancient Egypt to today
• Superstitions, misguided cures, and the return of alternative approaches
• The emotional, practical, and spiritual reasons people treat animals
• What the history of veterinary medicine reveals about its future

Also on this month’s show:

• Viral trending animal story featuring Maple, the retired police dog who now protects honeybees
• Animal news, including radioactive rhino horns to fight poaching, U.S. cities ranked by pet-friendliness, and TSA warnings about transporting pets
• Pet Health Listener Q&A on moving cross-country with cats, managing recurring ear infections in dogs, and knee problems after a common orthopedic surgery in dogs

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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In this episode of "Ask the Vet," Dr. Ann Hohenhaus speaks with Rachel McPherson, Founder and President of The Good Dog Foundation, about the transformative role of therapy dogs. For more than 25 years, Rachel has been a trailblazer in the movement to bring trained therapy dogs into the lives of people experiencing illness, trauma, or hardship.

Topics include:

• Rachel’s path from Academy Award–nominated film producer to therapy dog advocate
• The story of Fidel, her first therapy dog who worked at Ground Zero after 9/11
• Why therapy dogs are uniquely impactful in healing and recovery
• How The Good Dog Foundation expanded from 3 dogs to more than 1,000 therapy teams
• What makes a great therapy dog and handler team
• Groundbreaking research partnerships with Yale and Mount Sinai
• The Good Dog Foundation’s new initiatives

Also on this month’s show:

• Viral trending animal story about twin red panda cubs
• Animal news, including why some dogs watch TV, the mystery of cats and concrete slabs, and bearded dragons with tiny backpacks
• Pet health listener Q&A discussing paw licking in dogs, rare complications of rhabdomyolysis in cats, and vaccine reactions in pets

Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.

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