10:00: Choosing a breed

13:11: When a cat adopts you

16:20: Kitting out your kitty - supplies to buy for health, hygiene, and enrichment

27:48: Introducing a new cat to your home

30:00: Using pheromones to help reduce stress

32:10: Introducing cats to other cats

38:10: Introducing cats to dogs

41:40: Resources every cat needs: litter, food, dishes, puzzle feeders, furniture and scratching surfaces 

1:07:40: Indoors or out?

1:13:00: Enrichment and limited outdoor exposure

1:26:10: Safety

1:35:40: Basic health monitoring at home

1:42:44: Health maintenance

1:54:30: Establishing care with a vet, vaccinations, dental care, spay/neuter

2:22:50: Medicating cats

2:31:22: Cat behavior

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287605561_Welfare_Assessment_of_Flight-restrained_Captive_Birds_Effects_of_Inhibition_of_Locomotion

Behavior/training help: https://www.goodbirdinc.com/

Foraging at home: https://avianstudios.com/captive-foraging-dvd/

Time Stamps:

1:20: What to consider before getting a bird, adopting or buying

13:20: Introducing a bird to other birds or other animals

27:00: Choosing and setting up the right housing

39:00: Dishes, foraging, and a little on diet

43:40: Toys

45:25: Introducing toys, housing, etc to a very neophobic bird

47:30: Daily routine, need for sleep, out-of-cage time

51:10: Regular bathing

55:50: Humidity

57:10: Light needs and bird vision

1:00:00: Outdoor exposure and safety

1:01:50: Foraging for mental health 

1:04:00: Nutrition

1:07:00: Transitioning off an unhealthy diet

1:13:00: Managing water needs

1:14:50: The importance of routine, variety, and having choices

1:16:45: Safety - other animals, toxins and irritants, toy parts, and other dangers

1:27:00: To fly or not to fly

1:37:30: Bird health - the overall environment and hygiene

1:45:30: Feather health; dealing with broken blood feathers

1:50:20: Skin, foot, beak, and nail health

1:56:25: Monitoring weight

1:58:00: Visiting the vet

2:05:00: Recognizing illness, feather damaging behavior, egg laying

2:13:50: Giving medication to a bird

2:17:20: Bird behavior

2:20:50: Training to step up; avoiding use of negative reinforcement

2:29:20: Enrichment

2:31:20: Avoid idle petting

2:33:11: Body language

2:39:30: Reproductive behaviors and avoiding mate bonding with humans

2:43:00: How to pet your bird

2:48:25: Dealing with screaming and other unwanted behaviors

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/

Time Stamps:
02:30: Deciding on a new dog

05:30: Pros and cons of pure bred vs “mutts”

08:00: Considering costs

09:00: Setting up supplies

10:30: Toy safety for puppies

11:05: Collars, leashes, head halters

14:00: Dishes, food, water

16:05: More toy safety

17:50: Exercise and enrichment

19:05: More safety, household toxins

21:30: Home health monitoring and recognizing urgent medical concerns

26:28: Health maintenance/preventive care

31:18: Introducing a new dog to other animals at home

34:30: Regular vet care

39:15: Spay/neuter considerations

42:30: Getting medication into your dog

45:19: Behavior and training, body language

52:00: Working with shy and anxious dogs

58:55: Potty training details for puppies

1:01:00: When it’s not working out

1:03:00: Re-cap on preventive care/dental care and financial considerations

1:08:13: Addendum on nutrition and dog aging study

Together, we explore how dental problems develop, what early warning signs pet parents often miss, and why regular oral care is essential for long-term health and comfort. Dr. Schneider also walks us through what happens during a professional dental cleaning, the risks of untreated dental disease, and practical steps you can take at home to keep your dog or cat’s teeth and gums healthy.

Whether you want to improve your daily dental routine with your pet or you’re curious about what really happens behind the scenes in veterinary dentistry, this episode offers clear, compassionate guidance to help you make informed decisions.

Time Stamps:
01:50: Why dental health is important for animals

05:30: Dog and cat dental anatomy and physiology vs humans’

07:25: Periodontal and endodontal disease, tooth fractures

11:19: Tooth resorption in cats

14:20: Gingivostomatitis 

17:40: Jaw fracture

21:00: Oral masses and cancer

23:00: Signs of oral discomfort and dental disease

25:50: Maintaining dental health at home

34:00: Professional veterinary dental care 

43:30: Tooth extractions

49:00: Geriatric patients in need of dental care, anesthetic safety

52:30: Pain management

56:00: Advanced dental procedures

1:06: Surgical treatments for oral cancers

1:12: Effect of oral health on overall health and quality of life

1:14: Myths about animal oral health

1:19: Dental health and disease in other species

www.vohc.org

3:50: Life threatening emergency situations

7:10: Providing comfort asap for a suffering animal

9:00: Using prognosis as a guide in decision making

11:10: Considering finances and financial aid

17:30: Monitoring quality of life in chronically ill animals

25:03: Palliative care/hospice care

37:00: What does a peaceful end look like?

38:09: Conflicting opinions about humane euthanasia

44:25: How do we know if it’s too soon?

46:40: Dealing with feelings of guilt or selfishness

47:30: Humane euthanasia, what to expect

58:00: Coping with grief

1:01:00: The pain of guilt along with grief

1:03:25: Dwelling on traumatic memories

1:04:00: The power of happy memories, ritual, and memorials

1:08:30: Helping kids cope

Resources: 

Financial assistance:

Grief support:

Quality of life monitoring:

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951966

In this episode, Dr. A breaks down how the thyroid regulates your pet’s metabolism and what happens when things go off balance. You’ll learn about hypothyroidism in dogs, hyperthyroidism in cats, and even a rare congenital form that can affect kittens. We’ll cover symptoms to watch for, how veterinarians diagnose these conditions, and the good news: with the right treatment, most pets live full, healthy lives.

Whether you’re a curious pet owner or just love learning about animal health, this episode will help you understand how this little gland keeps your furry family members feeling their best.

Time stamps:

1:00: Basics of thyroid function

5:45: Thyroid dysfunction - hypo and hyper

6:38: Hypothyroidism in dogs, causes and symptoms

10:00: Diagnosing hypothyroidism

13:58: Treatment, monitoring, and prognosis for hypothyroidism

16:20: Hyperthyroidism in dogs

16:58: Hyperthyroidism in cats, causes and symptoms

24:50: Diagnosing hyperthyroidism

30:02: Treatment options for feline hyperthyroidism and monitoring concurrent conditions

47:00: Monitoring and prognosis for hyperthyroidism

49:15: Hypothyroidism in kittens, cause and symptoms

55:00: Treatment for hypothyroidism

57:30: Importance of regular senior check-ups

58:15: Thyroid supplements

1:00: How nature exposure affects human health

8:40: Getting into nature: watching birds

15:40: Feeding wild birds - pros, cons, and how to do it right

31:30: Providing water sources for wildlife

34:00: Handling unwanted wildlife interactions and “nuisance” wildlife

55:30: Encountering injured or orphaned wildlife - what you can do

1:09:00: Keeping pets safe from wildlife and wildlife safe from pets

1:25:00: Making yourself a good steward of the land

1:00: Medications for animals

4:40: Various formulations for medications

5:30: Compounded and transdermal medications

11:20: Generic drugs

13:20: Off-label prescribing

19:20: Medication labels - what’s required, and what it all means

27:50: Timing of medication administration

29:50: Getting the medication into the animal with minimal stress

40:00: Do’s and don’t’s of giving medication in food

45:30: Giving pills directly to dogs and cats 

50:20: Giving liquid medication directly 

52:00: Towel wrap for “handsy” pets

54:55: Applying topical medications for skin, ears, eyes

1:00:00: Applying transdermal medications

1:02:00: Giving injectable medications

1:13:00: Side note - don’t scruff the cat!

1:15:30: What to do if your pet absolutely refuses all routes of medication

1:21:40: Adverse drug reactions, when it’s manageable, when it’s an emergency

1:37:00: Storing and handling medications

1:38:00: Missed doses

1:41:00: Long term/chronic medications and monitoring, managing costs

1:49:00: Follow up

We discuss the most common medical conditions seen in senior pets, many of which can be successfully managed to maintain comfort and quality of life. Because arthritis is one of the most widespread and under-recognized problems in older animals, we take a deeper look at the subtle signs of pain, available treatment options, and practical ways to make the home environment easier for aging companions.

This episode is designed to help pet owners feel empowered rather than afraid of the senior years — with guidance on preventive care, quality-of-life monitoring, and the emotional side of loving an older pet.

Aging is natural. Suffering doesn’t have to be.

Resources:

Episode 5 on oral health and dental disease: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oral-health-and-dental-disease-in-dogs-and-cats/id1852856063?i=1000741808188

Episode 6 on quality of life, end of life, and coping with grief:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-end-of-life-for-beloved-pets-coping-with-grief/id1852856063?i=1000743400342

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9484193/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7144988/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3525174/