NVA Pet Peeves

Ken Flamer

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Solving Challenges in Vet Med

6 MAR

Silent Suffering

In this episode, we take on one of the most urgent responsibilities in veterinary medicine: recognizing and relieving pain that patients cannot voice. NVA GP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sandra Faeh reflects on how pain management has evolved from outdated restraint-based thinking to today’s team-centered, patient-first approach grounded in compassion and science. Jerrod Johnson, DVM, DABVP, Managing Doctor of Animal House Veterinary Clinic in Tennessee, shares hard-earned lessons from his surgical and mentorship journey, offering a practical lens on chronic versus acute pain, where general practice commonly undertreats how subtle behavioral changes often reveal what pets cannot say. He also discusses the power of shifting client conversations from “lameness” to “pain” to build understanding and trust. Lindsay Heath, DVM, MS, Managing Doctor of Brentwood Family Pet Care in California and Field Medical Partner, brings a proactive perspective on multimodal pain management, outlining how strong hospital culture, consistent pain scoring, staff empowerment, and client education help prevent suffering before it escalates. Together, the conversation highlights the cultural, clinical, and communication shifts required to ensure comfort is never optional. Because when suffering is silent, leadership, teamwork, and vigilance must speak louder.

27 min
17 FEB

Stopping at the Gumline

In this episode of NVA Pet Peeves, “Stopping at the Gumline,” Ken sits down with NVA GP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sandra Faeh and Managing Veterinarian Dr. Emily Yan to examine what happens when dentistry focuses only on what we can see. With most periodontal disease hiding below the gumline, skipping radiographs and consistent standards can mean missed pain, retained roots, and even undetected cancer. The conversation explores common client objections, the risks of inconsistency, and why training and technician utilization are key to making dentistry a reliable standard—not an exception. Because when we stop at the gumline, pets pay the price.

13 min
21 JAN

Standards without Consistency

In the Season 3 premiere of NVA Pet Peeves, host Ken Flamer tackles a familiar frustration in veterinary medicine: standards without consistency. Joined by NVA GP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sandra Faeh, the conversation opens with why standards of care matter not only for patients and clients, but for team trust, alignment, and confidence. Two experienced managing doctors, Dr. Jenni Mitchell and Dr. Jamie Sulliban, then share practical insights from the field on what causes standards to break down and how leaders can bring them to life. Together, they explore common rollout mistakes, the importance of staff involvement, and how to embed standards into daily workflow without undermining clinical judgment. This episode reframes standards as living tools that strengthen culture, reduce decision fatigue, and elevate care when they are clearly communicated, consistently revisited, and meaningfully applied.

18 min
29/12/2025

2025 Year-In-Review

As the year comes to a close, thank you to everyone who listened, shared episodes, and joined the conversation throughout the season. And a sincere thank-you to the managing doctors, leaders, and team members who generously shared their time, experiences, and voices on the podcast. This community exists because of your openness and willingness to speak honestly about the work. This special year-in-review episode of Pet Peeves weaves together short snippets from conversations across the year, letting the voices speak for themselves. You’ll hear moments that capture the pressures, pride, uncertainty, and commitment that define veterinary medicine. This episode closes out the year by bringing those voices together. No conclusions. No summaries. Just the moments that stayed with us.

22 min
17/12/2025

When Gratitude Goes Quiet

In this episode, we explore a subtle but powerful challenge in veterinary medicine: what happens when appreciation is felt but not expressed. NVA GP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sandra Faeh shares how gratitude influences culture, psychological safety, and even medical quality, and why understanding individual recognition styles matters. Then, Managing DVM of Overland Veterinary Clinic in Los Angeles, Dr. Sylvia Drekic, joins the conversation to share practical, real-world ways leaders can recognize both individual and team contributions. Together, they unpack how timely, authentic gratitude strengthens teams, improves retention, and supports better patient care, especially during the busiest seasons.

18 min
18/11/2025

The Cost of Choice

In this episode we explore one of the most persistent challenges in veterinary medicine: balancing consistency with flexibility. NVA GP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sandra Faeh shares how medical excellence requires both clear standards and the ability to bend for real-world client needs. Then, Co-MDVM of Portland Veterinary Wellness Center, Dr. Torrey Schwartz, joins the conversation to discuss the tough choices leaders face, from extending hospital hours to supporting new grads through confidence-shaking decisions. Together, they unpack the tension between what’s best for the patient, doable for the client, and sustainable for the team, and how thoughtful frameworks help navigate the daily cost of choice.

17 min
15/10/2025

All or Nothing Medicine

In this episode of Pet Peeves, “All or Nothing Medicine,” NVA’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sandra Faeh, discusses how embracing a spectrum of care helps veterinarians deliver excellent medicine while meeting clients where they are. Managing Doctor and Field Medical Partner, Dr. Sarah Longfield, shares how she defines gold standard care in real world practice, maximizing recovery, minimizing deterioration, and partnering with pet parents to find the best possible plan for each patient. This conversation reminds us that great medicine is not about doing everything but about doing what matters most.

15 min
23/09/2025

When Words Go Missing

In veterinary medicine, even the smallest communication lapse can have major consequences. In this episode of Pet Peeves, Dr. Sandra Faeh, NVA’s Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Cathy Gallahorn, Medical Director at Animal Medical Care Center in Yorktown, Virginia, discuss what happens when words go missing inside the hospital. They share real-world examples of how missteps affect patient care and pet parent trust. They highlight practical strategies, like closed-loop communication, daily rounds, checklists, and visual tools, that keep information clear, consistent, and actionable for the whole team.

12 min

Solving Challenges in Vet Med

Creator

Ken Flamer
Years Active

2024 - 2026
Episodes

32
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Ken Flamer
Show Website

NVA Pet Peeves