The Chatty Vets Podcast

Brendan and Charlotte AKA 'The Chatty Vets'

Meet The Chatty Vets — Charlotte & Brendan — two UK small-animal vets navigating the wild, wonderful, and occasionally ridiculous world of veterinary practice. Expect monthly news, clinical cases, odd consult moments, and the kind of humour only someone who’s survived a chaotic consult room can appreciate. We give you REAL confessions from the Clinic Floor: Practical, relatable, and CPD-APPROVED. We release three episodes a month: two fortnightly updates on what’s happening across UK vet med, plus a bonus episode that might be a clinical deep-dive, a research paper chat, or an excuse to talk to interesting people who also chose this brilliant, baffling profession.If you work in vet med and want learning, honesty, and a few laughs to get you through the shift, you’ll feel right at home.

  1. MAY 10

    Episode 15 - Two Week Takedown. It's Vet Nursing Awareness Month, so we've got some very special GUESTS on the show!

    What would you do? Tell us Episode 15 – Two Week Takedown 🎙️ It’s Vet Nursing Awareness Month… and we’ve brought in the experts 👀 This week, we’re shining a spotlight on the absolute backbone of veterinary practice — veterinary nurses. From clinical expertise to client care, we’re diving into just how skilled, versatile, and undervalued they can be in practice. We’re joined by three brilliant guests:  ✨ Jade (@jadethevetnurse) ✨ Elle (@thepositivevetnurse) ✨ Alexandra (iCatCare) Together, we unpack:  – The true scope of veterinary nursing skills (and why they’re often underused) – What better support in practice actually looks like – Burnout, retention, and how we protect our nurses – Career diversification and the opportunities beyond “traditional” roles This one’s an important listen — whether you’re a vet, nurse, student, or part of the wider profession. If we want a stronger future for the industry, it starts with recognising and empowering our nurses. 🔗 Resources & organisations discussed in this episode:  – BSAVA PetSavers: https://www.bsava.com/petsavers/ – Veterinary Woman: https://www.veterinarywoman.co.uk/ - BVNA and Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month: https://bvna.org.uk/project/veterinary-nursing-awareness-month-may-2026/ 📖 Read more & explore our blog:  https://www.chattyvets.com/blog 📲 Follow us for more:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechattyvetspodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechattyvetspodcast 💬 Got thoughts on these topics? We’d love to hear them — drop us a message or join the conversation online.

    1h 9m
  2. APR 26

    Episode 14 - Two week takedown. Are vapes affecting our dogs? the brachy debate AND A SPECIAL DENTISTRY GUEST!

    What would you do? Tell us 🚨 This might be one of our most controversial episodes yet… Welcome back to Episode 14 – Two Week Takedown on The Chatty Vets Podcast 🎙️ This week, we’re tackling some of the biggest topics currently circulating in small animal practice — the kind that spark real debate in the consult room and beyond… 💨 Are vapes putting our dogs at risk?  🐶 The ongoing brachycephalic breed debate — where do we stand?  🦷 PLUS a special dentistry segment with Jonathan Frost from Frost Referrals.  If you want to learn more about Jonathan’s work, head to: https://frostdentalvet.com/ We’re also covering:  🐱 The UK cat overpopulation crisis  🦠 Giardia recurrence in dogs  🥩 Raw feeding — risks, hygiene, and reality  🧠 The future of the canine microbiome As always, it’s honest, practical, and based on what we’re actually seeing in practice — no fluff, no lectures. 🎧 Perfect for vets, RVNs, and students who want to stay up to date in a way that feels like a genuine conversation. 📖 Read more & explore our blog:  https://www.chattyvets.com/blog 📲 Follow us for more:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechattyvetspodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechattyvetspodcast 💬 Got thoughts on these topics? We’d love to hear them — drop us a message or join the conversation online.

    1h 1m
  3. APR 19

    Episode 13 - Bonus Episode! Survival Guide for GETTING STARTED as a GP Vet

    What would you do? Tell us 🚨 Starting your first GP vet job soon? Read this before your first consult… Episode 13 is here — and this one’s for every vet who’s about to take that leap into practice (or remembers exactly how daunting it felt 👀). In this Bonus Episode, we break down your ultimate survival guide to getting started as a GP vet — from landing the right job to actually surviving those first few weeks on the clinic floor. We cover:  • How to choose the right first job (and the red flags you should NEVER ignore) • What your first day really looks like vs expectations • How to build confidence when you feel completely out of your depth • The mistakes most new grads make (and how to avoid them) • Tips to settle in, earn trust, and actually enjoy those early months Whether you’re a final-year student, a new grad, or a seasoned vet wanting a reminder of where it all began — this episode is honest, practical, and exactly what we wish we had starting out. 🎧 Listen now and start your career the right way. On the hunt for the perfect job?! Click this link to help us find the perfect one for you! https://www.chattyvets.com/vet-and-rvn-jobs-shownotes 📖 Read more & explore our blog:  https://www.chattyvets.com/blog 📲 Follow us for more:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechattyvetspodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechattyvetspodcast 💬 Got thoughts on these topics? We’d love to hear them — drop us a message or join the conversation online.

    1h 3m
  4. APR 12

    Episode 12 - Two Week Takedown. Difficult owners, aggressive pets, spinal surgeries in GP and no antibiotics for pyo's?

    What would you do? Tell us Episode 12 – Two Week Takedown 🎙️ Difficult clients. Aggressive patients. Big surgical decisions in general practice… and no antibiotics for pyos?! 👀 In this fortnight’s Two Week Takedown, we’re diving into some of the real-life challenges that every vet team faces but doesn’t always talk about openly. We kick things off with the tricky topic of “difficult” owners — how to manage expectations, communicate effectively under pressure, and keep consultations on track without burning out. Then we get into the realities of handling aggressive or fearful pets, sharing practical tips, honest experiences, and where the line sits between safety and patient care. From there, things step up a gear…  Spinal surgery in GP?! We explore the growing conversations around what procedures are (and aren’t) appropriate in first-opinion practice, and the risks, ethics, and pressures behind those decisions. And finally — a hot topic that’s been stirring debate:  No antibiotics for pyometra? We break down the thinking, the evidence, and what this could mean for how we approach one of the most common emergency conditions in small animal practice. As always, it’s honest, unfiltered, and designed to feel like a conversation you’d have in the staff room after a long shift. 🎧 Whether you’re in GP, referral, OOH, or training — this one will definitely get you thinking. 📖 Read more & explore our blog:  https://www.chattyvets.com/blog 📲 Follow us for more:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechattyvetspodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechattyvetspodcast 💬 Got thoughts on these topics? We’d love to hear them — drop us a message or join the conversation online.

    1h 5m
  5. MAR 29

    Episode 11 - EXTRA Bonus Episode! Toxicology in Dogs and Cats

    What would you do? Tell us Episode 11 - EXTRA Bonus Episode! Toxicology in Dogs and Cats It’s Easter… which means chocolate, hot cross buns, daffodils… and a waiting room full of potential toxicology cases. In this bonus episode, we’re diving into the common toxins we see in dogs and cats — with a seasonal focus on the Easter classics (yes, we’re looking at you, raisins, chocolate, and garden-loving puppies with a taste for daffodils). We talk through how we approach these cases in real-world practice, including: • The most common toxicities in dogs and cats  • Easter-specific risks and why this time of year gets busy fast  • How to identify toxic exposures early  • Practical treatment approaches and monitoring decisions  • When to escalate, when to admit, and when to breathe again  • The mysterious world of intralipid therapy  • Tremorgenic toxins and those slightly chaotic neurological presentations As always, this isn’t textbook toxicology — it’s practical discussion from the consulting room and prep area, covering the cases we actually see and the decisions we actually have to make. If you want a seasonal clinical refresher (before the Easter chocolate disappears into the wrong patient), this episode’s for you. For more information in all the toxicities we mention within the podcast, please visit our BLOG post at https://www.chattyvets.com/blog      -- Click here! * To be clear, alcohol is NOT a chelating agent in ethylene glycol toxicity, it simply acts 'like' one by inhibiting alcohol dehydrogenase. In doing so it blocks the conversion of ethylene glycol into it's toxic metabolites.  ** Within the episode we say that we think Bromethalin is a vitamin K antagonist - CORRECTION: Bromethalin is not an anticoagulant rodenticide; it is a neurotoxin that kills rats and mice. It works by disrupting cellular energy production in the central nervous system (CNS), leading to brain swelling, paralysis, and death.

    1h 18m
  6. MAR 22

    Episode 10 – Two Week Takedown. The big scary Brucella… GV20 injection site, and who actually follows the vaccine schedule?!

    What would you do? Tell us Ep 10 – Two Week Takedown. The big scary Brucella… GV20 injection site, and who actually follows the vaccine schedule?! Vaccinations ontop of the head? Brucella isn't a thing in the UK, is it? And who actually sticks to the vaccine schedule anyway… In this Two Week Takedown, we dive into some of the topics that reliably spark debate in small animal practice — including a deep dive into the increasingly talked-about (and slightly nerve-wracking) topic of Brucella. From new viral injection techniques to the practical realities of vaccination protocols in the consulting room, this episode tackles the questions we all get asked (and sometimes argue about). We also take an in-depth look at Brucella: when to worry, when to test, and how it’s actually impacting everyday GP decision-making. Alongside this, we break down vaccination approaches using the latest WSAVA guidance, discussing how the recommendations translate into real-world GP decisions, client conversations, and those slightly awkward “but they’ve always had it yearly” consults.  As always, this isn’t textbook perfection — it’s honest, practical discussion from the surgery floor, with a bit of Chatty Vets chaos along the way. If you enjoy practical CPD, clinical debate, and the kind of conversations vets actually have between consults… this one’s for you.

    1h 3m

About

Meet The Chatty Vets — Charlotte & Brendan — two UK small-animal vets navigating the wild, wonderful, and occasionally ridiculous world of veterinary practice. Expect monthly news, clinical cases, odd consult moments, and the kind of humour only someone who’s survived a chaotic consult room can appreciate. We give you REAL confessions from the Clinic Floor: Practical, relatable, and CPD-APPROVED. We release three episodes a month: two fortnightly updates on what’s happening across UK vet med, plus a bonus episode that might be a clinical deep-dive, a research paper chat, or an excuse to talk to interesting people who also chose this brilliant, baffling profession.If you work in vet med and want learning, honesty, and a few laughs to get you through the shift, you’ll feel right at home.

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