PurrPodcast Guests & Episodes

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Dr. Tony Johnson: From Master of Emergency Medicine to Minister of Happiness – Cats in the ER, January 2024

Dr. Tony Johnson, a certified maestro in emergency medicine and critical care since 2003, now orchestrates joy as the Minister of Happiness and consultant liaison for VIN. Once a clinical assistant professor at Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, he captivates audiences worldwide through his lectures at international veterinary conferences. With a penchant for prose, Dr. Johnson’s pen dances as an active blogger and writer, adding his purr-sonality to this week’s acclaimed PurrPodcast, renowned as the feline realm’s finest auditory delight.

>> Listen to episode 180

Dr. Tony Johnson


Cats, Genes, and Cancer, What Could go Wrong?, December 2023

Meet Dr. Leslie Lyons, your friendly neighborhood cat geneticist. In this insightful discussion, Dr. Lyons delves into the fascinating realm of feline oncogenomics, exploring the intricate connection between cancer in cats and their genetic makeup. Get ready to uncover the secrets of feline genetics with Dr. Lyons as your guide.

>> Listen to episode 178
>> Listen to episode 179

Dr. Leslie Lyons


Cool cat Cancer Cases: Episodes 176 & 177, November 2023

In a brightly lit zoom session, Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle engage in a focused discussion about recent cat tumor cases. The air is filled with a mix of medical jargon and compassionate concern as they review x-rays and pathology reports. Dr. Susan, known for her meticulous approach, gestures toward the images on the computer screen, explaining the nuances of each case. Meanwhile, Dr. Jolle, renowned for his empathetic communication with pet owners, listens attentively and offers insightful perspectives. Their collaboration reflects a seamless blend of expertise and empathy, highlighting a shared commitment to providing the best care for their feline patients. The room resonates with the shared goal of finding innovative solutions and offering compassionate support to both the cats and their worried owners.

>> Listen to episode 176
>> Listen to episode 177


Lymphoma is the Number one Cancer in Cats!: Episodes 174 & 175, September 2023

This is a PurrPodcast LIVE where Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle talk about the most common cancer in cats: malignant lymphoma. We focus on what four factors are really important in lymphoma treatment in cats. This podcast will also be available as a video on our patreon account.

>> Listen to episode 174
>> Listen to episode 175


What are Some Genetic Abnormalities in Common cat Breeds?: Episode 173, September 2023

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle discuss some common abnormalities that you can observe in the most popular cat breeds. From polycystic kidney disease to ear and tail abnormalities. The main disadvantage of inbreeding, is that these diseases tend to pop up.

>> Listen to episode 173


What are the Most Common cat Breeds in North America?: Episode 172, September 2023

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle discuss North America’s most common cat breeds (US and Canada). Do you know who is number 1? Every cat breed comes with different qualities, and are also prone to some genetic abnormalities. It is good to do some background research before you decide to get one of these wonderful breeds.

>> Listen to episode 172


PurrPodcast Meets my Veterinary Life Podcast: Episode 171, July 2023

The PurrPodcast meets the veterinary life podcast hosted by Dr. Marci Kirk and Dr. Annie Chavent. We have a crossover podcast with so many questions answered. We talk about the start of the PurrPodcast and all the things we have learned in the five years of our podcast. This is such a fun episode.

>> Listen to episode 171
>> Listen to My Veterinary Life Podcast

My Veterinary Life Podcast Logo


Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle are Looking for Cats in Egypt: Episode 170, July 2023

With a break from the normal, Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle made an audio diary of their trip to Egypt. From the depth of the pyramid to the impressive temples of Abu Simbel, they are trying to spot cats. And the result is… cat mummies!

>> Listen to episode 170


Most of the Older Cats Have Chronic Joint Pain: Episodes 168 & 169, June 2023

Dr. Duncan Lascelles, a famous veterinary surgeon and pain expert, and Dr. Margaret Gruen, a veterinary behaviorist, tackle chronic pain together at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. What are the clinical signs of chronic pain in cats? Does their behavior change? Did you realize that 60-90 percent of cats between 6 months and 20 years have symptoms of degenerative joint disease? Of those cats, 45% have pain. 100% of cats older than ten years have signs of DJD.

>> Listen to episode 168
>> Listen to episode 169

Dr. Duncan Lascelles

Dr. Margaret Gruen


Feline CKD and the Secret of Phosphorus (and FGF23): Episodes 166 & 167, May 2023

Jessica Quimby is back on our podcast because we have some intriguing news about chronic kidney disease, or CKD. What is that, you may ask? A new test called FGF23. CKD leads to metabolic bone disease, which decreases the inability to excrete phosphorus. What does that have to do with FGF23? Find out in this beautiful episode with Dr. Jessica.

>> Listen to episode 166
>> Listen to episode 167

Jessica Quimby


Cat Endocrinology is so Cool, and now we Have a new Oral Drug for Diabetes!: Episodes 164 & 165, April 2023

Today we speak with Dr. Cathy Scott-Moncrieff, Internal medicine specialist and department head of Purdue University Department of Clinical Services. Cathy’s main focus area is endocrinology, and we dive deeply into this topic over our next two podcasts. This week we talk about laparoscopic adrenalectomies, acromegaly, hyperthyroidism, and lots of news in diabetic diagnosis and treatment.

>> Listen to episode 164
>> Listen to episode 165

Dr. Cathy Scott-Moncrieff


Why Should you Hire a Communication Manager for Your Practice?: Episodes 162 & 163, March 2023

Stacey Gonzalez is this week’s guest, a communication manager at Bytown and Merivale Cat Hospitals. Stacey brings a lot to the hospital, and we talk about how important good communication is for any hospital setting. Stacey gives us tips when the media contacts us for an interview. Did you know the first thing you should ask is if you can have the questions in advance? An episode with lots of great communication stuff.

>> Listen to episode 162
>> Listen to episode 163

Stacey Gonzalez


What can you Catch From Your Cat?: Episode 161, February 2023

We have the awesome Dr. Mike Lappin with us, the most frequent guest on our podcast! We are discussing what you can catch from your cat, i.e., zoonosis. Mike is the One Health Grand Poobah at WSAVA. They have an official connection with AAFP, not the feline one but the American Association of Family Practitioners. The PurrPodcast is happy to be the first media outlet to cover this pre-announcement. What a fun episode!

>> Listen to episode 161

Dr. Mike Lappin


Are There Alternatives to Spaying and Castrating cats?: Episodes 159 & 160, January 2023

Dr. Emmanuel is our guest on the PurrPodcast. He is a therionologist and Diplomate for the European College of Veterinary Reproduction, and we discuss lots of cool stuff in repro, or therio as they call it here in the US. Did you know that repro reseachers are looking for the holy grail in veterinary medicine: how to spay cats without surgery? Emmanuel knows all about it!

>> Listen to episode 159
>> Listen to episode 160

Dr. Emmanuel Fontaine


Foxtails and Ragdolls, What do They Have in Common?: Episode 158, January 2023

Dr. Kelly and Dr. Jolle are back with an episode discussing recent articles. One article is about foxtails or grass awns in cats and the d-word. Most foxtails occur near the eyes in cats! Another article discusses Ragdolls and specific blood types in this type of cats. Do we now have to have normal values for all breeds of cats?

>> Listen to episode 158


Nine Lives Are Not Enough by Dr. Mary Gardner: Episodes 156 & 157, December 2022

Hot off the press! Our friend Dr. Mary Gardner has published a book called Nine Lives Are Not enough: A Practical Guide to Caring for Your Geriatric Cat. We can’t think of anyone better for this topic as Dr. Gardner’s day job is being the Co-Founder and CIO of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice & In-Home Euthanasia. This is a purrfect book to start the new year – you can find it on Amazon.


New journal articles with Dr. Kelly St. Denis: Episode 155, December 2022

The wonderful Dr. Kelly St. Denis returns as guest host for this episode dicussing recent journal articles:

>> Listen to episode 155


AAFP launches The Feline Practitioner magazine: Episodes 153 & 154, November 2022

The American Assoc. of Feline Practitioners has launched a quarterly magazine for members called The Feline Practitioner. In these two episodes, we discuss the wonderful articles and resources in the first issue.

>> Listen to episode 153
>> Listen to episode 154


Dr. Leslie Lyons on pharaohs, felines, and DNA: Episodes 151 & 152, October 2022

Dr. Lyons runs the Feline Genetics and Comparative Medicine Laboratory at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. She returns to give us an update on what’s happening in feline genetics. We talk about the 99 Lives Cat Initiative, the ethics of cloning and gene editing, and she sorts out our CRISPR confusion.

World Small Animal Association Hereditary Disease Committee

>> Listen to episode 151
>> Listen to episode 152

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Interesting journal articles: Episode 150, Sept 2022

Scientists are still trying to create hypoallergenic cats – now a new technology called CRISPR is being used. More importantly, scientists tried to figure out if cats know the names of the cats they live with – listen to learn the answer!

US biofirm plans to make hypoallergenic cats using CRISPR gene editing (NewScientist)
Cats learn the names of the cats in their daily lives (Nature Scientific Reports)

>> Listen to episode 150

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Catching up with Jolle and Susan: Episode 149, Sept 2022

Learning how to travel again – do we have travel imposter syndrome? Travel tips, passport issues, and more.

>> Listen to episode 149

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Replay: our most popular episodes were in October 2020 with Dr. Panos Xenoulis on pancreatitis in cats

>> Part one
>> Part two

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Summer Cat Bites

Jolle and Susan are taking a break from recording podcasts episodes this summer. We’ll be back in September, so until then, enjoy these short cat bites that Jolle recorded at the ISFM Feline Congress in Rhodes, Greece in July 2022:

>> Claire Bessant of ISFM and Cat Friendly Practices
>> Dr. Kelly St. Denis and what was learned at the Congress
>> Dr. Hillary Noyes and cat behavior
>> Dr. Sarah Heath on the interplay of emotion, cognitive, and physical health for cats
>> Dr. Panos Xenoulis and the cat population on Rhodes

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The ABCs of critical care for cats: Episodes 147 & 148, May 2022

The great Dr. Tony Johnson is joining the PurrPodcast this week. Do you know your critical care ABCs? Dr. Tony starts with these for every emergency case. We also discuss fluid therapy, emergency critical care drugs, and many other topics. Dr. Tony is a blast, and did you know he is a virtuoso mandolin player? Follow @DrTonyJohnson

AAHA/AAFP Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats: open access

>> Listen to episode 147
>> Listen to episode 148

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Managing community cats: Episodes 145 & 146, Apr & May 2022

Association of Shelter Vets
Alley Cat Allies
Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs

>> Listen to episode 145
>> Listen to episode 146

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Obstructive lower urinary tract disease: Episode 144, Apr 2022

Beeston D, Humm K, Church DB, Brodbelt D, O’Neill DG. Occurrence and clinical management of urethral obstruction in male cats under primary veterinary care in the United Kingdom in 2016. J Vet Intern Med. 2022 Mar;36(2):599-608. Open access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8965234/

>> Listen to episode 144

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Flying trampolines & falling cats: Episode 143, Apr 2022

Girol-Piner AM, Moreno-Torres M, Herrería-Bustillo VJ. Prospective evaluation of the Animal Trauma Triage Score and Modified Glasgow Coma Scale in 25 cats with high-rise syndrome. J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Mar 16:1098612X221080903.

>> Listen to episode 143

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Self-care and wellness with Dr. Mia Cary: Episodes 141 & 142, Mar 2022

>> Listen to episode 141
>> Listen to episode 142

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Temporomandibular joint problems & lower airway disease with Dr. Kelly St. Denis: Episode 140, Mar 2022

Mestrinho LA, Sebastião SS, Zwierucho MA, et al. CT characterisation and classification of feline temporomandibular joint trauma: a case series of 79 cats. J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Jan 31:1098612X211066654.
Paulin MV, Caney SM, Cosford KL. Online survey to determine client perceptions of feline chronic lower airway disease management: response to therapy, side effects and challenges encountered. J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Feb 7:1098612X211070988.

>> Listen to episode 140

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Does feline hypertension raise your blood pressure? with Dr. Kelly St. Denis: Episode 139, Feb 2022

Navarro I, Summers S, Rishniw M, Quimby J. Cross-sectional survey of non-invasive indirect blood pressure measurement practices in cats by veterinarians. J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Feb 3:1098612X211067015.

>> Listen to episode 139

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Social media and pet insurance with Dr. Adam Christman: Episodes 137 & 138, Feb 2022

>> Listen to episode 137
>> Listen to episode 138

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Making the holidays safe for cats with Dr. Kelly St. Denis: Episodes 135 & 136, Dec 2021 & Jan 2022

>> Listen to episode 135
>> Listen to episode 136

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Feline ophthalmology with Dr. Christine Lim: Episodes 133 & 134, Nov 2021

>> Listen to episode 133
>> Listen to episode 134

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Are you allergic to cats? Episode 132, Oct 2021

Sparkes AH. Human allergy to cats: A review for veterinarians on prevalence, causes, symptoms and control. J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Jan;24(1):31-42. Open access: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X211036793
Sparkes AH. Human allergy to cats: A review of the impact on cat ownership and relinquishment. J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Jan;24(1):43-52. Open access: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X211013016

>> Listen to episode 132

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Talking to grade school students about cats: Episode 131, Oct 2021

Check out Skype A Scientist to help bring veterinary medicine to schools.

>> Listen to episode 131

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How to manage feline sialocoeles: Episode 130, Oct 2021

Bobis-Villagrá D, Rossanese M, Murgia D, et al. Feline sialocoele: clinical presentation, treatment and outcome in 19 cases. J Feline Med Surg. 2021 Sep 20:1098612X211046197. Open access: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612×211046197

>> Listen to episode 130


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Artificial intelligence comes to feline medicine: Episode 129, Sept 2021

In this episode, Drs. Jolle and Susan discuss a litterbox that uses AI to record data on your cat and an app that claims to analyze your cat’s face to determine if it is in pain. The internet of things has arrived for your cat! Will these gadgets help veterinarians and cat owners? Time will tell.

>> Listen to episode129

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Inguinal hernias in cats: Episode 128, Sept 2021

In episode 128, Drs. Jolle and Susan discuss an interesting case that is being treated by Dr. Susan’s team. A cat with chronic diarrhea is now presented for straining in the litter box. Radiographs reveal a hernia! We discuss inguinal hernias in cats – how to manage and treat them.

>> Listen to episode 128

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Feline blood transfusions: episodes 126 and 127, Aug & Sept 2021

The first ever guidelines on blood transfusions for cats have been published by the International Society of Feline Medicine and published in the Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery. Be sure to check out these guidelines – they are open access. In these episodes, Drs. Jolle and Susan discuss some of the topics in the guidelines such as feline blood types and why they are important, blood donors, and how to give transfusions. And we answer an important question – can you give canine blood to cats?

>> Listen to episode 126
>> Listen to episode 127

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Remembering Dr. Alexander de Lahunta and our mentors: Episode 125, August 2021

August was a sad month as the death of Dr. Alexander de Lahunta at age 88 was announced. Pretty much all veterinarians know his name because he is the legendary founder of veterinary neurology and an award-winning teacher. This got Jolle and Susan thinking about the people who have been influential in their careers – friends, family, colleagues, mentors. Who has influenced your career in vet med?

>> Listen to episode 125

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Alexander de Lahunta, DVM, PhD – Photo from Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Rick Sanchez: Episode 124, August 2021

Dr. Rick Sanchez is a European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology with a long list of career achievements. Feline ophthalmology was the purrfect topic for Jolle to record on International Cat Day. In this episode, Rick and Jolle discuss common eye diseases in cats, including how to make a diagnosis. Rick also explains the differences between cat and dog eyes so it’s a great review of a fascinating topic. You’ll want to keep your eye on this episode!

>> Listen to episode 124

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Rick Sanchez

Dr. Gert ter Haar: Episode 123, July 2021

Dr. Gert ter Haar is an ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist and was the head of the ENT departments at the University of Utrecht and the Royal Veterinary College in London. Jolle really enjoyed recording this episode because 1) it was recorded in Holland, and 2) Dr. ter Haar is a board-certified surgeon (EVCS). In this episode, the focus is on nasopharyngeal polyps in cats.

>> Listen to episode 123

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Gert ter Haar

Dr. Dave Twedt: Episodes 121 and 122, July 2021

Dr. Dave Twedt joined the Colorado State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978 and has a distinguished professional career. In addition to many other honors, Dave was the recipient of the 2020 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine/Robert W. Kirk Award for Professional Excellence. He helped pioneer use of minimally invasive technques such as endoscopy and laparoscopy. Since Jolle loves those topics too, they had a lot to talk about! If it can be done with a scope, Dave knows how to do it.

>> Listen to episode 121
>> Listen to episode 122

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Dr. Dave Twedt

Every Cat Health Foundation: Episodes 119 and 120, June 2021

This week we have a special guest co-host, the famous Steve Dale. Steve and Jolle interviewed Jackie Ott Jaakola, the executive director of the Every Cat Health Foundation (ECHF), previously known as the Winn Feline Foundation. Jackie talks her background and explains her passion for feline health and welfare. Check out some of the amazing studies in feline medicine and surgery that ECHF has helped fund.

>> Listen to episode 119
>> Listen to episode 120

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Dr. Caitlin DeWilde, DVM: Episodes 117 & 118, June 2021

I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to have Dr. Caitlin DeWilde on our podcast! You may know her as The Social DVM. We love Caitlin for her skills as a veterinarian who is also an entrepreneur and social media wiz. She calls herself a ‘nerdy marketer.’ Social media is often a tough place for veterinarians but the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have made it even harder. Caitlin chats with Jolle about how to market yourself, how to create safe spaces for your mental health, and how to deal with crabby clients. She also gives us some great tricks for using social media and explains how she increased her feline patient list by 30%. Meow-wow!! Follow her on social media @TheSocialDVM.

>> Listen to episode 117
>> Listen to episode 118

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Dr. Caitlin DeWilde

Dr. Kelly St. Denis, DVM, MSc, DABVP (Feline): Episodes 115 & 116, May 2021

Our favourite guest host is back! Dr. Kelly St. Denis takes over hosting from Susan for these episodes. She really needs no introduction, but to remind you, Kelly is a board-certified feline specialist and the 2020-2021 President of the American Association of Feline Practitioners. In these episodes, Kelly and Jolle tackle some current topics in cat news and some types of feline trauma. Do cats always land on their feet?

>> Listen to episode 115
>> Listen to episode 116

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Dr. Kelly St. Denis

Dr. Kelly Diehl: Episodes 113 & 114, May 2021

Dr. Kelly Diehl is the Senior Director of Science and Communications for the Morris Animal Foundation. In case you haven’t heard of this organization, it has been funding research to improve the lives of animals for over 70 years. The Foundation is currently funding research into many feline diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, feline infectious peritonitis, and oral cancer, among many others. Kelly tells us how important the role of this research is in the lives of cats and discusses some of the research projects.

>> Listen to episode 113
>> Listen to episode 114

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Dr. Kelly Diehl

Dr. Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MSc, DABT, DABVT: Episodes 111 & 112, April & May 2021

Dr. Ahna Brutlag is one of those amazing people with a lot of letters after her name. In fact, she’s one of the few people who are board-certified by the American Board of Toxicology and the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology. She is the Director of Veterinary Services for the Pet Poison Helpline and has managed thousands of toxicity cases so she’s the right person to chat with us about the unique feline toxicities. Do you know which human medication cats seem to love? How do you know whether or not to induce vomiting? Have a listen for the answers!

>> Listen to episode 111
>> Listen to episode 112

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Dr. Ahna Brutlag

Dr. Liz O’Brien, DVM, DABVP (Feline): Episodes 109 & 110, April 2021

Dr. Liz O’Brien is a legendary feline specialist in Ontario, Canada. Liz is the creator of the Cat Healthy initiative and the Feline Preventive Healthcare Protocols which are used around the world. In 2014, she received the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Small Animal Practitioner of the Year award. Susan is busy trying to get her veterinary clinics through the COVID-19 pandemic, so Jolle talks with Liz about Cat Healthy and about adopting shelter cats. Liz tells us how to get off on the right paw with effective communication to new cat owners, especially cats adopted from shelters.

>> Listen to episode 109
>> Listen to episode 110

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Dr. Liz O’Brien

Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn & Dr. Susan Little: Episodes 107 & 108, March & April 2021

It’s the time of year when many people celebrate Easter but unfortunately for some cats, it means a trip to the veterinarian or emergency clinic. Easter lilies are the culprit. In episode 107, we talk about this serious toxicity in cats. In episode 108, we review the corrigendum (what’s that?) to this article:
Petrucci G, et al. Metastatic feline mammary cancer: prognostic factors, outcome and comparison of different treatment modalities – a retrospective multicentre study. J Feline Med Surg. 2021 Jun;23(6):549-556.

>> Listen to episode 107
>> Listen to episode 108

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Dr. Susan Little and Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, FL

Dr. Kelly St. Denis, DVM, DABVP (Feline): Episodes 105 & 106, March 2021

Dr. Kelly St. Denis was our first (and so far, only) guest podcast host a few months ago. She is the current president of the American Assoc. of Feline Practitioners and we couldn’t wait to have her back to talk about a new initiative: the Cat Friendly Certificate program. The program allows veterinarians and other veterinary team members to achieve certification though an education program that is done online. We also talk about the various toolkits that AAFP is creating. And we tackle a difficult subject – declawing. Find out why so many veterinarians want to keep the ball rolling to ban this surgery throughout Canada and the United States.

>> Listen to episode 105
>> Listen to episode 106

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Dr. Kelly St. Denis with Simon

Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn & Dr. Susan Little: Episodes 103 & 104, February and March 2021

We’re only a few episodes late, but this is our ‘we made it to 100 episodes and we’re still talking’ celebration. We had planned to record our 100th in Rio de Janeiro (where it all began), but COVID-19 had other ideas. We decided to talk about feline hypertension in these episodes and to help introduce the American Assoc. of Feline Practitioners feline hypertension toolkit. We reviewed the progress made in diagnosing and treating hypertension in cats over the last decade, including the ISFM Consensus Guidelines. And we chat and laugh, of course!

>>Listen to episode 103
>> Listen to episode 104

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Dr. Susan Little and Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn in Manila

Robin Saar, RVT, VTS (Nutrition): Episodes 101 & 102, February 2021

We’re always pleased when we have the chance to talk with a veterinary technician and Robin was no different. She is an excellent example of the growing number of veterinary technicians with specialty training – in Robin’s case, it’s nutrition. We talked about how one becomes a technician with a specialty and how veterinary hospitals can take advantage of the skills of technicians. Robin is passionate about nutrition of course, but especially about preventing and treating obesity. She has some great tips on having that difficult conversation with the owner of an obese cat. And because Robin is Canadian, we talked about how to survive the Canadian winter!
>> Listen to episode 101
>> Listen to episode 102

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Robin Saar, RVT, VTS (Nutrition)

Mikel Delgado, PhD: Episodes 99 & 100, February 2021

Who doesn’t love kittens? Dr. Delgado is a PhD and a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. Her research has been on the health and behavior of kittens (what a great job!) and the effects of environment on cat behavior. She’s been a postdoctoral fellow at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and has recently joined GoodDog. Of course we talked about kittens – especially raising orphans. And what a joy to have her for our 100th episode! Check out her blog, What Your Cat Wants.
>> Listen to episode 99
>> Listen to episode 100

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Dr. Mikel Delgado

Dr. Ashley Bourgeois, DVM, DACVD: Episodes 97 & 98, January 2021

As we get closer to our 100th episode, we are thrilled to have dermatologist Dr. Ashely Bourgeois with us. You may know her as DermVet if you follow her on social media (@thedermvet). And she has a podcast! Do you think she’ll ask us to be a guest? We had fun chatting with Dr. Bourgeois and we learned a lot too. Especially Dr. Susan, who thinks you can boil feline dermatology down to flea treatment and corticosteroids (not!). Dr. Bourgeois fills us in on dermatology problems unique to cats. And we discuss how her name would be pronounced in Canada. Have a listen and try not to get itchy!
>> Listen to episode 97
>> Listen to episode 98

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Dr. Ashley Bourgeois

Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn & Dr. Susan Little: Episode 96, January 2021

Happy 2021! Yay, we made it and we’re happy to present the first episode of the new year. Since both of us have written and edited textbooks, we decided to chat about veterinary textbook are created. We both are in the midst of editing new textbooks and it always looks more fun at the beginning than at the end. It truly is a labour of love. And we discuss the press release announcing a company intends to make a COVID-19 vaccine for cats – is that a good idea?
>> Listen to episode 96

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Dr. Susan Little and Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn at Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

It’s the holidays and your hard-working podcast hosts are taking some time off. For your pleasure, we are re-publishing two of our most popular podcast episodes.

>> Listen to episode 94, our most down-loaded podcast for 2020: Dr. Serge Chalhoub and feline kidney disease
>> Listen to episode 95, our most down-loaded podcast EVER: Dr. Sarah Boston and feline oncology

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Paulo Steagall, DMV, MSc, PhD, DACVA: Episodes 92 & 93, December 2020

Dr. Paulo Steagall is one of the most amazing people in veterinary medicine (and he has a lot of letters after his name!). His lab at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal has revolutionized recognition and management of pain in cats through their research projects. They developed and validated the Feline Grimace Scale – a fast, reliable, and easy to use tool to assess pain, something that we’ve needed in feline medicine for a long time! You can find out about this cool tool on the Feline Grimace Scale website. These two episodes with Dr. Steagall are chock full of information such as drug options to manage pain (what if you don’t have opioids?) and local anesthetic techniques every vet should use. And we congratulate Dr. Steagall on becoming a Canadian citizen!
>> Listen to episode 92
>> Listen to episode 93

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Dr. Paulo Steagall

Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn & Dr. Susan Little: Episodes 90 & 91, November & December 2020

One of our favourite things is to record a podcast where we just chat about cat news. Just us. Just talking cats. So that’s what we did for episodes 90 & 91. Of course, the first thing we talked about was famous cats in government because President Elect Biden says a cat is coming back to the White House. Check out these feline social media stars – Larry, the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office in the UK (@Number10cat) and Gladstone, the mouser at the Treasury office in Whitehall (@TreasuryMog). We also chat about cats in Peru and Egypt, the new MeowTalk app, what was found in the permafrost in the Yukon, and more. We also talk about some more serious stuff, like new ways to monitor glucose in diabetic cats and melanocytic tumours. So it’s not all fluff!
>> Listen to episode 90
>> Listen to episode 91

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Serge Chalhoub, BSc, DVM, DACVIM (Internal Medicine): Episodes 88 & 89, November 2020

Dr. Serge Chalhoub is one of our few repeat guests. He has been at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Dept. of Veterinary Clinical and Diagnostic Services) since 2012 and he practices internal medicine at the C.A.R.E. Centre Animal Hospital. He has received awards for teaching excellence and we can see why as he’s an excellent communicator. In these episodes, he tells us about veterinary education before, during, and after COVID-19. The pandemic has forced universities to develop new education plans for veterinary students that combines virtual with on-site learning. We talk about how students and faculty are coping and what changes may be worth keeping after the pandemic. At the end of episode 89, Serge gives us an update on chronic kidney disease in cats.
>> Listen to episode 88
>> Listen to episode 89

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Left to right: Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn, Dr. Serge Chalhoub, Dr. Susan Little (who was having a bad hair day)

Prof. Leslie Lyons, PhD: Episodes 86 & 87, October/November 2020

Dr. Leslie Lyons is the world’s leading expert on feline genetics. She earned her PhD in human genetics from the University of Pittsburgh. She has worked at the National Cancer Institute where her interest in feline genetics was born, and then at the University of California, Davis. Her Feline Genetics and Comparative Medicine Laboratory is at the University of Missouri. We talk about her 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Initiative and the important link between her work and human diseases. She tells us why an Abyssinian named Cinnamon is a famous cat and reveals her little secret. Then we talk genetics (of course), ketogenic diets, cloning cats, and tomb cats. Best of all, Leslie shares her to-do list and the content may surprise you. What a great episode!
>> Listen to episode 86
>> Listen to episode 87

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Dr. Leslie Lyons

Panos Xenoulis, DVM, Dr.med.vet, PhD: Episodes 84 & 85, October 2020

Dr. Panos Xenoulis is one of the world’s leading veterinary experts on diseases of the pancreas, especially when we talk about cats (and that is all we do!). Panos lives in Greece and did most of his graduate work in the US, including the GI Lab at Texas A&M. We discuss how cats are different from dogs in showing signs of pancreatitis and discuss the most common tests to diagnose this disease. We discuss how to do pancreatic biopsies and dive into the therapy options for acute and chronic pancreatitis. Did you know that corticosteroids may not be bad for cats with pancreatitis? If you think that pancreatitis is not common in the cat, listen up! 
>> Listen to episode 84
>> Listen to episode 85

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Dr. Panos Xenoulis
Dr. Panos Xenoulis

Sheri Ross, DVM, PhD, DACVIM: Episodes 82 & 83, October 2020

Dr. Sheri Ross graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island (yay Canada!) and pursued her interest in nephrology first at the University of Minnesota and then at UC Davis where she now works. We were excited to talk with Dr. Ross about chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is so common in cats. And these episodes feature our first guest host, Dr. Kelly St. Denis, who filled in for Susan. Listen for lots of great advice about diagnosis and management of CKD in cats from Dr. Ross.
>> Listen to episode 82
>> Listen to episode 83

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Dr. Sheri Ross

Karen Perry, BVM&S, MRCVS, DECVS: Episodes 80 & 81, September 2020

Dr. Karen Perry is an orthopedic surgeon and associate professor at Michigan State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Perry is particularly interested in feline orthopedics. She often posts the stories of her patients on Twitter – follow her @KarenLPerryK. In these episodes, we talk about the difficulties of recognizing chronic pain in cats, tips on treating feline arthritis, and the top 5 orthopedic conditions she sees in cats. She tells us about some of her most memorable patients – don’t miss these great stories!
>> Listen to episode 80
>> Listen to episode 81

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Dr. Karen Perry
Dr. Karen Perry

Jessica Vogelsang, DVM: Episodes 78 & 79, September 2020

Dr. Jessica Vogelsang is one of those people you can’t help but admire for her energy, her creativity, and the many ways she contributes to the veterinary profession. You may know her as a communications expert, as the author of All Dogs Go To Kevin, or as the founder of Pawcurious. Oh, and she has her own podcast, What the Woo, about busting medical myths. We talk about how her career developed, how her book came about, the importance of story telling in veterinary medicine, and how to deal with bad reviews on social media. We know you’ll enjoy these episodes as much as we did!
>> Listen to episode 78
>> Listen to episode 79

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Jessica Vogelsang, Susan Little

Nicole Ehrhart, VMD, MS, DACVS: Episodes 76 & 77, August 2020

Dr. Nicole Ehrhart is a board-certified surgical oncologist and professor of surgical oncology at Colorado State University. She is also the director of the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging. Dr. Ehrhart has a passion for surgical oncology, especially for limb-sparing techniques. Her work on treating osteosarcoma in dogs helps improve treatment of that disease in humans, especially children. In these two episodes, we discuss the potential for stem cell therapy in veterinary medicine, multimodal treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma and injection site sarcoma in cats, and how communication training helps us relay difficult news to our clients.
>> Listen to episode 76
>> Listen to episode 77

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Nicole Ehrhart, Susan Little

Phil Fox, DVM, MS, DACVIM-ECVIM (Cardiology), DACVECC: Episodes 74 & 75, August 2020

Dr. Phil Fox is a cardiologist at the Animal Medical Center in New York where he sees patients and researches cardiac disease. In 2019, Dr. Fox and a group of international colleagues published a landmark paper about feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In these episodes, we talk about the findings from this project that help us understand how to manage asymptomatic cats with HCM. We also talk about the 2020 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Consensus Statement Guidelines for the Classification, Diagnosis, and Management of Cardiomyopathies in Cats. These guidelines introduce a staging system for feline cardiomyopathies with recommendations for management. Both episodes are packed full of useful information topped off with a bit of humor.
>> Listen to episode 74
>> Listen to episode 75

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Phil Fox, Susan Little

Dean Michael Lairmore, DVM, PhD: Episodes 72 & 73, July/August 2020

Dean Michael D. Lairmore from the University of California, Davis is the first dean on our podcast. Yes, we have a real Dean on our podcast! He is famous for being an excellent academic leader but also for his activity on social media (@LairmoreDVMDean). We had a wide-ranging talk with Dean Lairmore – about how proud we are to be veterinarians, wicked viruses (his research career focused on viral causes of cancer), and what it’s like to be a Dean. He is an inspiration for people that work around him by creating an environment that is supportive and where creativity is key. Behind all the success is good strategic planning. Dean Lairmore also talks about one of the worst situations he had to deal with and how he can focus on being thankful. We also chat about the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges as he is the Past-President and we recorded the podcasts at the AAVMC 2020 Annual Conference.
>> Listen to episode 72
>> Listen to episode 73

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Susan Little, Dean Michael Lairmore

Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM, Oncology): Episodes 70 & 71, July 2020

We recorded these episodes with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus several months ago, but the subject of our chat never gets old – senior cats! Dr. Hohenhaus is board certified in oncology and small animal internal medicine and is a staff doctor at the famous Animal Medical Center in New York city. She’s the host of her own weekly radio show on SiriusXM Stars called Ask the Vet. In these two episodes, we talk about the many problems commonly seen in senior cats, such as chronic kidney disease, pancreatitis, and diabetes. Oh, and let’s not forget lymphoma. Dr. Hohenhaus talks about the art of designing treatment plans that won’t create an undue burden for the cat and the owner. We also talk about the challenges of medicating cats and how prioritize the most necessary drugs.
>> Listen to episode 70
>> Listen to episode 71

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Ann Hohenhaus, Susan Little

Debra Horwitz, DVM, DACVB: Episodes 68 & 69, June & July 2020

Dr. Debra Horwitz is one of our few repeat guests. We’re excited to have her for these episodes because her new book called Decoding Your Cat is finally published. This eagerly anticipated book is from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and is edited by Dr. Horwitz, Dr. Meghan Herron, and Dr. Carlo Siracusa. Since all three of us are survivors of the tribulations of publishing books, we chat about how a textbook is created. And of course, we talk about the chapters in Decoding Your Cat and put to rest some common misconceptions about cat behavior. Want to decode your cat’s secrets? Have a listen!
>> Listen to episode 68
>> Listen to episode 69

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Debra Horwitz, Susan Little

Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine): Episodes 66 & 67, June 2020

Dr. Julie Levy of the University of Florida, Gainesville is one of our heroes. She obtained her DVM from the University of California at Davis and her PhD from North Caroline State University. She is board certified in small animal internal medicine and in shelter medicine. She’s won more awards than we have space to list. Clearly one of those underachieving people! She is responsible for an amazing amount of research in feline infectious diseases, the health and welfare of cats in shelters, and humane options for cat population control. Not to mention countless scientific articles and book chapters. We’re especially happy to have her on these episodes because Dr. Levy is a co-chair along with Dr. Little of the 2020 AAFP Feline Retrovirus Management Guidelines and we had a great chat about them.
>> Listen to episode 66
>> Listen to episode 67

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Julie Levy, Susan Little

Michael Lappin, DVM, PhD, DACVIM: Episodes 64 & 65, June 2020

Dr. Michael Lappin is one incredible veterinarian. He is a professor of infectious diseases, director of the Center for Companion Animal Studies, and the director of Shelter Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University of Colorado. Whew! We feel tired just listing his jobs. Dr. Lappin has been internationally recognized for his research into infectious diseases, especially those that can be transmitted from cats to people. As part of his interest in zoonotic diseases, he is the Chair of the One Health Committee of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association and is also involved with the International Society of Companion Animal Infectious Diseases. So we had no problem finding things to talk about! The best part is our chat about animal poop. Do you know what animal has square poop? Listen and find out!
>> Listen to episode 64
>> Listen to episode 65

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Michael Lappin, Susan Little

Margie Scherk, DVM, DABVP (Feline): Episodes 62 & 63, May 2020

We have been waiting a long time for a chance to chat with Dr. Margie Scherk. Thousands of vets around the world have been helped by her leadership and teaching. She opened one of the first cat only clinics in Canada and has been promoting feline medicine ever since. Dr. Scherk is also the North American editor for the Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, the official journal of the International Society of Feline Medicine and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Our time with Dr. Scherk is full of interesting stories about how she became a veterinarian (did you know she used to be a llama expert?) and lots of laughs.
>> Listen to episode 62
>> Listen to episode 63

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Margie Scherk, Susan Little

Steve Dale & the Winn Feline Foundation: Episodes 60 & 61, May 2020

Journalist and media personality Steve Dale is an amazing advocate for the physical and behavioral health of cats. He brings reliable information to cat owners through his radio show, articles, and presentations. Steve has also been on the board of the Winn Feline Foundation for many years. In these episodes, he discusses the work of Winn with a focus on advances in treating the devastating disease, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).
>> Listen to episode 60
>> Listen to episode 61

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Steve Dale, Susan Little

COVID-19 and cats: Episode 59, April 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has swept around the globe, leaving devastating people’s lives and the economies of many countries. Veterinarians have a key role to play as we have many excellent researchers into coronaviruses in animal species, including our guest for episodes 57 & 58, Dr. Severine Tasker. Susan and Jolle are certainly practicing physical distancing as they recorded this episode almost 2,000 (over 1200 miles) km apart! We discuss the emerging information about cats and SARS-CoV-2 and what everyone needs to know. The good news is that cats are not particularly susceptible to this virus, they don’t seem to suffer severe disease, and they are no risk to people.
>> Listen to episode 59

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Severine Tasker, BSc, BVSc, DSAM, PhD, DECVIM FHEA: Episodes 57 & 58, April 2020

Dr. Severine Tasker has a lot of impressive letters behind her name! She’s a well known and respected feline infectious disease researcher with a special interest in hemoplasmas and coronavirus. She is a professor at the University of Bristol Veterinary School in the UK and sits on the board of the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases. These episodes were recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic but Dr. Tasker gives us background information on feline coronaviruses in general and feline infectious peritonitis in particular.
>> Listen to episode 57
>> Listen to episode 58

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Severine Tasker, Susan Little

Chris Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM): Episodes 55 & 56, March 2020

We’ve wanted to have Dr. Chris Byers on our podcast for some time because we’re a fan of his work on social media. Dr. Byers is the founder and editor-in-chief (which we think means he does everything) for the Critical Care DVM blog. You can also find him on Facebook, and follow him on other social media platforms with @criticalcaredvm. When he’s not on social media, Dr. Byers is an internal medicine specialist at VCA MidWest Veterinary Referral & Emergency Center and an Adjunct Professor at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He talks to us about his path to becoming a criticalist and how crazy it is to become double-boarded. Dr. Byers also gives us some insight on managing cats with urethral obstruction, using chest tubes, and other emergency procedures.
>> Listen to episode 55
>> Listen to episode 56

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Chris Byers, Susan Little

Serge Chalhoub, BSc, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM): Episodes 53 & 54, March 2020

We welcomed Dr. Serge Chalhoub to Purrpodcast which made Dr. Little happy since he is a fellow Canadian. Dr. Chalhoub has been at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Dept. of Veterinary Clinical and Diagnostic Services) since 2012 and he practices internal medicine at the C.A.R.E. Centre Animal Hospital. He has received awards for teaching excellence and we can see why as he’s an excellent communicator. His main interests are nephrology and urology especially in cats. Dr. Chalhoub was a panel member for the ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Management of Feline Chronic Kidney Disease. We chatted about a wide range of topics including managing cats with chronic kidney disease, the role of hypertension, and assessing quality of life.
>> Listen to episode 53
>> Listen to episode 54

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Serge Chalhoub, Susan Little

Caroline Mansfield, BSC, BVMS, PhD, MANZCVS, DECVIM: Episodes 51 & 52, February 2020

We were fortunate to talk with Australian Dr. Caroline Mansfield while she was on our side of the pond during the Hill’s Global Symposium and WSAVA congress in Toronto. She completed a residency in small animal medicine at University College in Dublin and after receiving her internal medicine specialist qualifications, she returned to Australia to earn a PhD at Murdoch University, her alma mater. She is now at the University of Melbourne where she is the Director of the university’s U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital. Her main interest is gastroenterology which gave us the chance to chat about the effects of stress on gastrointestinal health and what happens to our microbiome throughout life. It seems everything is about the microbiome these days! She also has some fascinating things to say about the similarities between human infants and kittens. If nothing else, listen for her lovely accent!
>> Listen to episode 51
>> Listen to episode 52

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Caroline Mansfield, Susan Little

Our 50th Episode! February 2020

Can you believe we made it to episode 50? We can hardly believe it ourselves. A huge shout out to our loyal listeners (please recommend us!), our generous expert guests, and to Ben (our hard-working assistant). In this episode, we reminisce about our humble beginnings in Brazil in 2018 and we chat about our favorite episodes. Can you believe our little podcast has been downloaded over 40,000 times? Can you guess which countries are we most popular in? Find out our plans for the future and what we will do to celebrate episode 100 (if we get there). But first we have to figure out how to connect the microphone to the computer……
>> Listen to episode 50

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Jolle Kirpensteijn and Susan Little

Adronie Verbrugghe, DVM, PhD, Dip ECVCN: Episode 49, February 2020

Dr. Adronie Verbrugghe is an Associate Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, ON and finally she is back with part 2 of her chat with us on feline nutrition (part 1 has great tips for encouraging weight loss in obese cats). In this episode, we discuss how weight management programs for pets mean lifestyle and habit changes for owners (and that can be hard). Listen for more tips on weight management and dietary approaches for your feline patients. And if you’re interested in veterinary nutrition, check out the Global Animal Nutrition Summit at the University of Guelph, August 12-14, 2020.
>> Listen to episode 49

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Adronie Verbrugghe, Susan Little

Jessica Quimby, DVM, PhD, DACVIM: Episodes 47 & 48, January 2020

Dr. Jessica Quimby is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University and her passion for feline medicine is well known. She is especially interested in helping cats with chronic kidney disease. In these episodes, we had the chance to chat about managing appetite and weight loss in feline patients. Which drugs are best? What are the potential side effects? How does Mirataz (transdermal mirtazapine) work and why does Dr. Quimby like to prescribe it? Listen to find out!
Thanks to KindredBio for supporting these episodes with an educational grant.
>> Listen to episode 47
>> Listen to episode 48

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Jessica Quimby, Susan Little

Cat tech trends at the Consumer Electronic Show: Episodes 45 & 46, January 2020

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV is huge! It attracts over 175,000 attendees, more than 4,500 exhibiting companies, and at least 1,000 speakers. Whew! We get tired just thinking of it. We spent 2 days getting our steps in at CES this year to find all the newest and best tech in veterinary medicine. Didn’t get there yourself? Listen to our summary of the cat robots, litter boxes, activity trackers, and feeders we saw. And find out who won the PurrPodcast Cat Tech Award 2020!
>> Listen to episode 45
>> Listen to episode 46

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Lots & lots of fancy cat litter boxes at CES 2020!

Adronie Verbrugghe, DVM, PhD, Dip ECVCN: Episode 44, January 2020

Dr. Adronie Verbrugghe is an Associate Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, ON. At OVC, she is the service chief for the Clinical Nutrition Service, she teaches small animal clinical nutrition to veterinary students, and she supervises graduate students. Did you know that obesity is the most common nutritional disease seen in pet cats in Canada and the USA? Dr. Vergrugghe shares some tips on how to slim down kitty such as making feeding fun with food puzzles. A good weight management diet alone isn’t enough – we have to get our kitties moving! If you’re interested in veterinary nutrition, check out the Global Animal Nutrition Summit at the University of Guelph, August 12-14, 2020.
>> Listen to episode 44

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Adronie Verbrugghe, Susan Little

Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC): Episodes 42 & 43, December 2019

Megan Brashear is the Small Animal Hospital Veterinary Nursing Manager at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University. She is only the second veterinary technician/nurse we’ve had on our podcast. We had such an interesting chat with her about her profession that we clearly need to talk with more technicians/nurses! Megan chatted with us about the positives and negatives of her profession, the rise of palliative care for pets, and how we should always assume our clients have the best of intentions. And you’ll hear about her ‘loosely domesticated’ cats!
>> Listen to episode 42
>> Listen to episode 43

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Megan Brashear, Susan Little

Dr. Sue Ettinger: Episodes 40 & 41, December 2019

Dr. Sue Ettinger may be better known as Dr. Sue Cancer Vet. Dr. Ettinger has been bringing her messages (Why Wait, Aspirate and See Something, Do Something) to veterinarians and pet owners alike to encourage early cancer detection. She is active on social media with @DrSueCancerVet and she has a vlog on YouTube. She talks with us about myths and misconceptions about cancer in cats, how social media can be used to educate about cancer in pets, and what’s new in treating cats with cancer. And there’s a laugh or two in there!
>> Listen to episode 40
>> Listen to episode 41

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Sue Ettinger, Susan Little

Eric Garcia: Episodes 38 & 39, November 2019

If you haven’t met Eric Garcia yet, you are in for a treat! Eric is an amazing speaker, consultant, and digital marketing expert and the founder of SimplyDone Tech Solutions. Even better, he specializes in veterinary medicine. Eric worked in a veterinary practice for about 10 years, so he certainly knows his subject. Eric talks about some of the challenges in getting more feline patients in veterinary practices (did you know many of us neglect to have pictures of cats in our clinics and on our websites?). We also get advice on how veterinarians can get started on social media with tips on using Facebook and YouTube.
>> Listen to episode 38
>> Listen to episode 39

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Left to right: Susan Little, Eric Garcia, Jolle Kirpensteijn

Dr. Apryl Steele: Episodes 36 & 37, November 2019

Dr. Apryl Steele is one of our heroes. She is the current President of the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the President and CEO of the Dumb Friends League in Denver, CO. You’ll learn how the Dumb Friends League got its name in 1910, why veterinary clinics need the AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practice program, how AAFP helps educate cat owners with Cat Friendly Homes, and how important ethics are when we must cope with difficult situations.
>> Listen to episode 36
>> Listen to episode 37

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Apryl Steele, Susan Little

Dr. Justine Lee: Episodes 34 & 35, October 2019

Finally we had the chance to chat with the famous Dr. Justine Lee of VETGirl! Our conversation covered some interesting poison emergencies (what do you do if your cat eats 200 vitamin D capsules?) and how Dr. Lee manages her life as a busy mom, veterinarian, and the founder and CEO of VETGirl. Oh, and she’s and author and speaker too!
>> Listen to episode 34
>> Listen to episode 35

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Justine Lee, Susan Little

Dr. Susan Little: Episodes 32 & 33, September 2019

What fun we had with the ‘other’ Dr. Susan Little, a veterinary parasitologist at Oklahoma State University. Tune in to learn all about feline parasites as well as some awesome factoids to entertain your vet friends.
>> Listen to episode 32
>> Listen to episode 33

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, and two Susan Littles!

Dr. Joe Bartges: Episodes 30 & 31, August 2019

Urine luck! (Get it?) We have two episodes with Joe Bartges, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVN of the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. Joe says urine is liquid gold – discuss! We chat about idiopathic cystitis, a frustrating disease that most vets know all too well. We also manage to talk about chronic gastrointestinal disease, diabetes mellitus, bladder and kidney stones, and even more importantly – who is the world’s most cunning cat? Why won’t Jolle eat octopus? Tune in and find out – are cats aliens or gods?
>> Listen to episode 30
>> Listen to episode 31

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Susan Little, Joe Bartges

Steve Dale, CABC: Episodes 28 & 29, July 2019


We finally get to chat with Steve Dale, famous pet journalist. If Steve’s voice sounds familiar, it’s because he is our podcast announcer! Steve tells us how he got his start in pet journalism and why he once got fired in an elevator. Steve’s newspaper columns and radio shows talking about pet behavior reach many thousands of pet owners. What are the most common questions cat owners ask Steve? It might surprise you! Steve also talks about the Winn Feline Foundation and how a cat named Ricky with heart disease got him involved.
>> Listen to episode 28
>> Listen to episode 29

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Steve Dale, Susan Little

Dr. Debra Horwitz: Episodes 26 & 27, June 2019

We love Dr. Debra Horwitz, a board-certified behaviorist who is the author/editor of many books and book chapters and a member of the Fear Free team. In episode 26, we learn why cats would make good bomb detectors, why black cats get a bad rap, and how to determine if problem behaviors are abnormal or just unwanted. Are cats spiteful? Listen and find out! In episode 27, we discuss some important cat questions. Why don’t all cats respond to catnip? Are cats really social? How is cat society organized? Dr. Horwitz explains it all!
>> Listen to episode 26
>> Listen to episode 27

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Debra Horwitz, Susan Little

PurrPodcast Live with Dr. Sue Ettinger: Episodes 24 & 25, May 2019

Our first PurrPodcast Live! event was at VMX 2019 with special guest Dr. Sue Ettinger. Listen to hear all about feline gastrointestinal disease and find out how to tell if a diamond is fake!
>> Listen to episode 24
>> Listen to episode 25

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Left to right: Jolle Kirpensteijn, Sue Ettinger, Susan Little

Dr. Terry Curtis: Episode 23, April 2019

Our first feline behavior podcast is with Dr. Terry Curtis of the University of Florida. We chat about the most common feline behavior problems, the top mistakes owners make with litter boxes, how many cats are too many, and how much we still have to learn about feline behavior and communication. She also tells us how she helped the famous cats of the Hemingway Home & Museum in Key West, Florida.
>> Listen to episode 23

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Left to right: Susan Little, Terry Curtis, Jolle Kirpensteijn

Dr. Mary Gardner: Episodes 21 & 22, March-April 2019

Dr. Mary Gardner is all about love, laughter, and learning! In between laughs, we talk about our careers before vet med. Dr. Gardner talks about the origins of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice and In-Home Euthanasia , now offering compassionate in-home euthanasia and hospice care with 130 vets in 60 locations. And she explains how she designed the first Lap of Love website with an Excel spreadsheet! In episode 22, we get into the details of providing this important aspect of veterinary care. Mary discusses whether to sedate pets before euthanasia (she’s a strong proponent) and the different routes for euthanasia drugs and how to choose. Did you know one of her signature tools for a compassionate euthanasia is a cupcake? We also discuss how emotionally taxing performing euthanasia is for veterinary team members and how to deal with it.
>> Listen to episode 21
>> Listen to episode 22

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Left to right: Susan Little, Mary Gardner, Jolle Kirpensteijn

Dr. Dave Nicol: Episodes 19 & 20, February 2019

Dr. Dave Nicol is one of the inspirations for our own podcast because we love his Blunt Dissection podcast. In episode 19, we hear how he became a leader and successful practice owner, the true story behind his accent, and how he started lecturing. In episode 20, Dr. Nicol talks about success in veterinary medicine. We talk about burnout in our profession, why it happens, and what veterinary team leaders can do to meet emotional needs. Dr. Nicol talks about his VetX program and how it can help vets overcome fears, develop resilience and tenacity, learn how to have conversations with pet owners, and develop leadership skills. And you’ll hear what Jolle thought VetX meant!
>> Listen to episode 19
>> Listen to episode 20

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Tom Bohn: Episode 18, February 2019

Tom Bohn is the CEO of the North American Veterinary Community. Listen to the episode where we discuss innovation in veterinary conferences, what the future holds for VMX, and we take an irreverent look at Tom’s Swedish origins.
>> Listen to episode 18

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Elizabeth Green: Episode 17, February 2019

Elizabeth Green, CEO/Founder of Brief Media, says her job is to dream of new things to do. She does that very well! Listen to our chat about Clinician’s Brief, the future of veterinary educational publishing, and how millennials are shifting the veterinary practice paradigm.
>> Listen to episode 17

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Dr. Katie Tolbert: Episodes 15 & 16, January 2019

We sat down with Dr. Katie Tolbert for two podcasts about the newly published ACVIM consensus statement on gastrointestinal protectants in dogs and cats. In episode 15, we talk about use of these drugs in cats with kidney disease, and how to prioritize medications for cats with chronic disease to increase compliance and protect the human-animal bond. Episode 16 is about how and when to use gastrointestinal protectants in cats and her research project with the Winn Feline Foundation.
>> Listen to episode 15
>> Listen to episode 16

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Kara Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS, VTS-H: Episode 14, December 2019

Veterinary technicians rock! We spend time with NAVTA president, Kara Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), VTS-H (Internal Medicine, Dentistry).
>> Listen to episode 14

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Dr. Stan Marks: Episodes 12 & 13, December 2018

Get the scoop on feline poop with Dr. Stan Marks. We discuss gastrointestinal disease in cats and the ins and outs of fecal transplants.
>> Listen to episode 12
>> Listen to episode 13

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Dr. Bryden Stanley: Episode 11, November 2018

Dr. Bryden Stanley tells us everything we need to know about soft tissue surgery in cats, with some interesting discussion about treating abscesses.
>> Listen to episode 11

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Dr. Sheilah Robertson: Episodes 9 & 10, October 2018

Get your update on feline anesthesia with Dr. Sheilah Robertson. Be sure to check out the AAFP’s 2018 Feline Anesthesia Guidelines – it’s free and full of practical advice.
>> Listen to episode 9
>> Listen to episode 10

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Drs. Little & Kirpensteijn discuss enteroplication in cats: Episode 8, September 2018

We decided to discuss a new article on enteroplication in cats with intussusceptions. Is enteroplication a good idea? Do you know your intussuscipiens from your intussusceptum? Find out which is which, and the best treatment options.
Haider G et al. Enteroplication in cats with intussusception: a retrospective study (2001-2016). Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2019.
>> Listen to episode 8

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Drs. Little & Kirpensteijn discuss surgical approaches to feline mammary tumors: Episode 7, September 2018

Time to discuss a new article on the best surgical approach for cats with mammary tumors. Since most mammary tumours in cats are malignant, surgery is the preferred treatment. But should we do bilateral mastectomy, unilateral mastectomy, or a staged approach?
Gemignani F et al. Association of surgical approach with complication rate, progression-free survival time, and disease-specific survival time in cats with mammary adenocarcinoma: 107 cases (1991-2014). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Assoc, 2018.
>> Listen to episode 7

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Drs. Little & Kirpensteijn discuss GDV in cats (yes, it happens): Episode 6, August 2018

Did you know that cats can get gastric dilatation/volvulus (GDV) too? Jolle and I discuss a new article on two cases of GDV in cats.
Leary ML & Sinnott-Stutzman V. Spontaneous gastric dilatation-volvulus in two cats. Journal of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care, 2018.
>> Listen to episode 6

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Dr. Sarah Boston: Episodes 4 & 5, July & August 2019

Fuss about FISS – feline injections-site sarcomas are a feared tumour. We discuss the best treatments with Dr. Sarah Boston, a surgical oncologist. Dr. Boston stresses that the surgery for this tumour must be done by someone experienced if the patient is to have a chance at long-term survival.
>> Listen to episode 4
>> Listen to episode 5

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Our first podcast episodes – everything you need to know about bladder stones in cats! Episodes 1-3, June & July 2018

We kick off our shiny new feline medicine podcast with 3 episodes on bladder uroliths. Listen and find out how to diagnose bladder stones, the best treatment options for different stone types including minimally invasive options as well as surgery. Take the Pledge Against Struvite in Pets
>> Listen to episode 1
>> Listen to episode 2
>> Listen to episode 3

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