Tag Archives: Lizard

37: I am Gout



Bees get stressed – really! Good news about the wild jaguars of Mexico, and Mark is talking to dogs and trying to stop cats eating wildlife. In other news Brendan and Mark finally catch up on some emails, and we announce or new sponsors.

Gout in reptiles is the main topic this week. We discuss what it is, the signs of gout in reptiles, diagnostic steps and treatment options.

We are excited to introduce our two main sponsors: Chemical Essentials and Specialised Animal Nutrition. They have donated a considerable sum to help cover the costs to produce the VetGurus podcast. More details on our sponsors soon! Please visit their website and support our supporters..

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34: Unusually Common



Does the human race do anything right? Well, we are very good at eradicating other species. Greyhound racing is banned in the Australian Capital Territory and giant predatory worms have invaded France! So what exactly is the Icarus project and why are we excited about it? Listen to our news section to find out.

A rapid fire discussion of 10 conditions of unusual pets is our main topic this week. Brendan and Mark point out some common reasons why various unusual pets are brought to see a vet – including some conditions you may be seeing, but not noticing.

Links:

Human race just 0.01% of all life but has eradicated most other living things

Greyhound racing and trialling in Australian Capital Territory banned

Giant predatory worms have invaded France

Where do songbirds go when the music’s over? The Icarus project

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21: Dystopic Dystocia in Reptiles



Mark is looking resplendent in his Lacoste Polo shirt this week – trying to convince us he wears it for a good cause. In other news dogs are in the bad books – threatening wildlife and wreaking havoc on beaches, whilst Brendan ponders the choice of colour in a newly discovered giant slug.

Mark’s book review is 1Q84, a dystopian novel. You can find more information here. He rates it a 7 out of 10.

Brendan’s Melbourne Veterinary School Class 30th Reunion  – can you see him?
The main topic this week is dealing with dystocia in reptiles: What works? Medical or surgical or a combination of both? Oxytocin use, incubation of eggs, and an alternative use of the Toothpaste Technique is discussed.

Links:

Domestic dogs threaten endangered species worldwide

Dogs and leashes, birds and beaches

Lacoste swaps out iconic croc logo for endangered species

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Episode 15: There be Dragons! Jan 26 2018



It’s the Australia Day holiday down under and Brendan and Mark are in a festive and feisty mood.

News

Mark jumps in the deep end to ponder on the meaning of Australia day – and what exactly should we be celebrating? Another load of news stories this week: Songbirds struggling with noise; banning of circus animals; and animal welfare campaigners protest a proposed dog breeding facility. in lighter news we jump on the treadmill with baby sea turtles and discuss a fishy story about tapeworm infections in humans.

Book Review

Brendan is good at sniffing out obscure titles and this week is no exception. Following on from the discussion in Episode 5, he reviews the educational, lighthearted, and fun book ‘Does it Fart?’. He scores it an aromatic 8.0 out of 10.

Bearded Dragon Care

The main topic is the iconic Australian reptile commonly kept as a pet world-wide, the Bearded Dragon (Pogona spp.). We outline the basics for keeping these as pets, and the common problems encountered when unwell bearded dragons are taken to veterinary clinics.

Links

Does it Fart? The definitive field guide to animal flatulence.

Songbirds are struggling with noise pollution

Baby sea turtles on treadmills for science

Tapeworm acquired from eating raw fish

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Episode 13: Lucky for some



Here we are already half way through January. Brendan and Mark are both back at work fighting the good fight against pesky parasites, belligerent bacteria, vexatious virus, and cranky clients.

In news, snake eggs are found in a school sandpit in Australia, pumas (or wild mountain lions) are picky when choosing their sleeping sites, and the Mekong region reveals over 100 new species. Mark fires Brendan up with a story about the animal inspirations behind the newest Star Wars creatures, then brings us back to earth with an article about the mental health of animal shelter workers.

Since this is our 13th episode – lucky for some – we decided to make our main topic a chat about the lifespan of pets. How old can we expect our small mammals, birds and reptiles to live for? No spoilers – subscribe and listen to learn the answers.

Links:

Snake eggs found in Australian school sandpit

Pumas sleeping habits revealed

Mekong region reveals 115 new species

Greater Mekong region

Animal inspiration behind the Last Jedi creatures

Why do animal shelter workers burn out?

Contact us: VetGurus@gmail.com      Twitter: @VetGurus

Support us on Patreon: Patreon.com/vetgurus

Outro music courtesy of Canadian Lee Rosevere from happypuppyrecords.ca


Episode 4: Worms!



Mark chats about his weekend away glamping and reveals some wildlife photography tips, then jumps into the frying pan. Two-stage euthanasia of unusual pets. Melbourne weather.

Topic of the week: Intestinal parasites in exotic and unusual pets. Bird, small mammal (rabbit, guinea pig, rat, mice and ferret), and reptile intestinal parasites are discussed. What parasites do we need to worry about in exotic species? Strategies to prevent parasites and effective use of antiparasiticides. What is a pseudo parasite? A new term is coined – pseudo-yeast – you heard it here first.

Links:

A selection of veterinary parasitology texts

Veterinary Parasitology Reference Manual 5th Edition. Spiral bound, highly rated by clinicians and students.

Veterinary Clinical Parasitology 8th Edition Good spiral bound text for quick reference for students or busy clinicians.

Georgis’ Parasitology for veterinarians  Comprehensive text, probably best for those with a deeper interest in parasitology.

Satin Bowerbird taken by Mark on his Glamping trip