The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

Dr. Andy Roark

The Cone of Shame Podcast is the podcast all about life in Veterinary Medicine. Dr Andy Roark covers medical related topics with help from experts in the veterinary industry.

  1. 7h ago

    400 - That's Bad Advice

    Dr. Sarah Boston, DVM, DVSc, DACVS-SA, joins Dr. Andy Roark for a hilarious and surprisingly thoughtful conversation about the worst advice they've heard in veterinary medicine. From "if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life" to "just let them simmer" when clients are upset, they unpack the well-intentioned wisdom that can sometimes lead us astray, while exploring career development, work-life balance, veterinary culture, and what actually makes good professional advice. You'll laugh, nod in agreement, and probably rethink a few pieces of guidance you've accepted as truth. Gang, let's get into this episode! Mentioned in this episode: Uncharted Practice Manager's Summit Last Chance to Register is June 1st 2026 - Tell your managers! Registration is only $199 and they can save 20% with code MANAGER Register for the Practice Manager's Summit here! Sign up for the Early Career Newsletter here! Office Hours w/ Dr. Andy Roark Inside the Uncharted Veterinary Community, Dr. Andy Roark hosts Office Hours where veterinary leaders can bring real-world challenges and get practical guidance from someone who understands the realities of practice life. These sessions give veterinarians, practice managers, and team leaders a chance to ask questions, workshop difficult situations, and gain perspective on issues like team dynamics, communication, burnout, and clinic operations. Instead of navigating leadership challenges alone, members get direct access to Andy’s insight along with the support of a community of veterinary professionals working through many of the same challenges. Register for Office Hours here! Learn more about Simparica Trio here!

    31 min
  2. May 28

    399 - ARE PIMS Still the Center of Your Practice?

    Jon Ayers, former Chair and CEO of IDEXX, joins Dr. Andy Roark for a conversation that might completely change the way you think about veterinary PIMS, AI scribes, and the future of practice workflows. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by clunky software, disconnected systems, or the endless admin burden slowing your team down, this episode digs into why AI could dramatically reshape how veterinary teams interact with medical records, client communication, and even daily decision-making. From open APIs to AI-powered workflows, Jon breaks down what practice owners should be asking about their software now, and why the clinics that adapt early may have a major advantage in the years ahead. Gang, let’s get into this episode. LINKS Jon Ayers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-ayers-a44b3/ https://catalystcouncil.org/ https://www.vetsoftwarehub.com/ Mentioned in this episode: Office Hours w/ Dr. Andy Roark Inside the Uncharted Veterinary Community, Dr. Andy Roark hosts Office Hours where veterinary leaders can bring real-world challenges and get practical guidance from someone who understands the realities of practice life. These sessions give veterinarians, practice managers, and team leaders a chance to ask questions, workshop difficult situations, and gain perspective on issues like team dynamics, communication, burnout, and clinic operations. Instead of navigating leadership challenges alone, members get direct access to Andy’s insight along with the support of a community of veterinary professionals working through many of the same challenges. Register for Office Hours here! Uncharted Practice Manager's Summit Last Chance to Register is June 1st 2026 - Tell your managers! Registration is only $199 and they can save 20% with code MANAGER Register for the Practice Manager's Summit here! Sign up for the Early Career Newsletter here! Learn more about Simparica Trio here!

    27 min
  3. May 21

    398 - What We Get Wrong In Anesthesia

    Dr. Gianluca Bini, DVM, DACVAA, is here to talk about one of the scariest parts of veterinary medicine: anesthesia, and why so many of us may be overcomplicating the wrong things while underestimating the stuff that actually keeps patients safe. Dr. Andy Roark and Luca dive into veterinary anesthesia safety, monitoring, equipment, technician training, and the myth of the “perfect protocol,” all while making anesthesia feel way more approachable and practical for GP teams. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by anesthesia, worried about complications, or wondered what actually matters most in keeping patients safe, this episode will leave you feeling smarter, calmer, and a whole lot more confident. Gang, let’s get into this episode. LINKS American College of Anesthesia and Analgesia: https://acvaa.org/veterinarians/guidelines Safe Pet Anesthesia: https://www.safepetanesthesia.com/ Safe Pet Anesthesia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safepetanesthesia ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Gianluca Bini graduated from the University of Perugia, Italy. He then moved to the United Kingdom, where he completed two internships, one in anesthesia and one rotating, at Dick White Referrals, one of the largest referral centers in Europe. After completing his residency at North Carolina State University, he worked as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at The Ohio State University. After realizing how limited the access to a board certified anesthesiologist was, he decided to found Safe Pet Anesthesia. Mentioned in this episode: Sign up for the Early Career Newsletter here! Learn more about Simparica Trio here! Uncharted Practice Manager's Summit Last Chance to Register is June 1st 2026 - Tell your managers! Registration is only $199 and they can save 20% with code MANAGER Register for the Practice Manager's Summit here!

    31 min
  4. May 18

    397 - Life Stages and Large Breeds in Canine Nutrition

    Dr. Flavia Vedova, DVM, MBA, DACVIM (Nutrition), jumps into one of the most confusing parts of pet nutrition, figuring out when to switch diets, what “all life stages” actually means, and whether your large breed dog really needs a large breed formula. If you’ve ever stared at a pet food bag wondering if you’re helping your patient thrive or just falling for clever marketing, this episode breaks down senior pet nutrition, large breed puppy growth, calcium and phosphorus balance, and the future of pet food labeling in a way that actually makes sense. This episode is brought to you by Hill's Pet Nutrition! LINKS https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/global-nutrition-guidelines/ https://vet.tufts.edu/foster-hospital-small-animals/specialty-services/nutrition https://balance.it/ Hill's Vet website: https://www.hillsvet.com Hill's Veterinary Academy: https://na.hillsvna.com/en_US/dashboard ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Flavia Vaduva is a 2016 graduate of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine; she worked as a general practitioner and in various industry roles for 6 years prior to specializing in veterinary nutrition. She completed her veterinary clinical nutrition residency through Kansas State University and University of Tennessee in 2024. She also has an interest in business, specifically as it relates to the veterinary profession. She completed her MBA through West Texas A&M University in 2019 and was also a 2015 graduate of the Hough Graduate School of Business at the University of Florida where she obtained a Master of Science in Management in 2015. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in Global Business Management through Northcentral University. She enjoys discussing nutrition and business topics with the veterinary profession. She shares her home with cats, dogs and a rabbit and has 2 horses that she enjoys spending time with outside of work.

    27 min
  5. May 14

    396 - HDYTT: Fecal Transfer for Chronic Diarrhea

    Dr. Lily Chen, DVM, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle one of the most frustrating cases in veterinary medicine: the chronic diarrhea dog that just keeps coming back for more metronidazole. From microbiome testing and dysbiosis to fecal transplants and the surprising behavioral changes pets can show after treatment, this episode dives into the growing world of microbiome therapy and what it might mean for chronic enteropathy cases in practice. If you’ve ever felt stuck managing recurring GI disease, this conversation might just give you a new tool for your veterinary toolbox. Gang, let’s get into this episode. ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Lily Chen, DVM, CVA, IVCCP is the founder of Integrative Pet Wellness Center in Los Angeles and The Unicorn Vet, an education platform helping veterinarians turn microbiome theory into clinical reality. Through her course, The Magic of Microbiome, Dr. Chen teaches vets how to make FMT and microbiome therapy practical, profitable, and implementable—because the science is solid, but most practitioners don't know where to start. She also hosts My Dog Is Better Than Your Dog podcast and believes the future of veterinary medicine is root-cause healing, not just symptom management. LINKS The Unicorn Vet: https://theunicorn.academy/ Dr. Lily Chen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.lilychen/ Integrative Pet Wellness Center: integrativepet.com https://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilab/service/assays/canine-microbiota-dysbiosis-index/ Mentioned in this episode: Sign up for the Early Career Newsletter here! Uncharted Practice Manager's Summit Last Chance to Register is June 1st 2026 - Tell your managers! Registration is only $199 and they can save 20% with code MANAGER Register for the Practice Manager's Summit here! Learn more about Simparica Trio here! Office Hours w/ Dr. Andy Roark Inside the Uncharted Veterinary Community, Dr. Andy Roark hosts Office Hours where veterinary leaders can bring real-world challenges and get practical guidance from someone who understands the realities of practice life. These sessions give veterinarians, practice managers, and team leaders a chance to ask questions, workshop difficult situations, and gain perspective on issues like team dynamics, communication, burnout, and clinic operations. Instead of navigating leadership challenges alone, members get direct access to Andy’s insight along with the support of a community of veterinary professionals working through many of the same challenges. Register for Office Hours here!

    27 min
  6. May 7

    395 - Where Are the Greatest Opportunities for Access to Care?

    Dr. Andy Roark hosts Dr. Jules Benson, founder and principal of Titum Lucidum Consulting, to push the access-to-care conversation from advocacy into practical, feasible actions veterinary teams can take now. They frame access to care as a broad spectrum, noting growth in specialty access while affordability challenges are expanding even for middle-income households, and they stress veterinary medicine’s cash-based reality and the lack of a true safety net. Benson argues access solutions must be sustainable business models, citing data-driven opportunities and examples such as proactively normalizing financing options, focused care models like high-quality high-volume spay and neuter, dental and surgery centers, mobile specialists, and imaging centers. They discuss expectation-setting, community-of-care coordination, telemedicine uncertainty, and the competitive tensions between independent and corporate models. Mentioned in this episode: Uncharted Practice Manager's Summit Last Chance to Register is June 1st 2026 - Tell your managers! Registration is only $199 and they can save 20% with code MANAGER Register for the Practice Manager's Summit here! Office Hours w/ Dr. Andy Roark Inside the Uncharted Veterinary Community, Dr. Andy Roark hosts Office Hours where veterinary leaders can bring real-world challenges and get practical guidance from someone who understands the realities of practice life. These sessions give veterinarians, practice managers, and team leaders a chance to ask questions, workshop difficult situations, and gain perspective on issues like team dynamics, communication, burnout, and clinic operations. Instead of navigating leadership challenges alone, members get direct access to Andy’s insight along with the support of a community of veterinary professionals working through many of the same challenges. Register for Office Hours here! Learn more about Simparica Trio here! Sign up for the Early Career Newsletter here!

    34 min
  7. Apr 30

    394 - Should Business Leaders Have Mandatory Clinic Time?

    Dr. Josh Rosen (known online as D-O-G-T-O-R Josh) joins host Dr. Andy Roark to debate a provocative question: should veterinary operations leaders who come from outside medicine be required to complete a clinic-based onboarding before leading teams? They explore the tension between “medicine people” focused on individual patients and “operations people” focused on scale, and how lack of day-to-day context can lead to decisions (like shorter appointments, pricing changes, wellness plans, or staffing shifts) that fuel burnout, harm client relationships, and hurt retention. Rosen argues leaders do not need technical skills like drawing blood, but they do need repeated, ongoing clinic exposure (such as weekly doctor shadowing) to understand real workflow and build sustainable, collaborative relationships between medical and operational leadership. Dr. Josh Rosen is a relief veterinarian and veterinary content creator based in the New York metro area, practicing across NYC, Long Island, and Northern New Jersey. A graduate of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, his clinical interests span preventative care, urgent care, soft tissue surgery, dentistry, dermatology, and internal medicine. Working across many practices has given Dr. Rosen a rare, unfiltered view of what's actually happening on the ground in veterinary medicine today, including the growing gap between how organized medicine operates and what the people doing the work know it needs. He channels that perspective into his platform, @dogtorjosh on Instagram, where he covers clinical empathy, effective communication, team culture, and all the relatable laughs we share in this amazing profession. Today, he's advocating for a profession led by those with real, lived veterinary experience, rather than metrics alone. Mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Simparica Trio here! Uncharted Practice Manager's Summit Last Chance to Register is June 1st 2026 - Tell your managers! Registration is only $199 and they can save 20% with code MANAGER Register for the Practice Manager's Summit here! Sign up for the Early Career Newsletter here! Office Hours w/ Dr. Andy Roark Inside the Uncharted Veterinary Community, Dr. Andy Roark hosts Office Hours where veterinary leaders can bring real-world challenges and get practical guidance from someone who understands the realities of practice life. These sessions give veterinarians, practice managers, and team leaders a chance to ask questions, workshop difficult situations, and gain perspective on issues like team dynamics, communication, burnout, and clinic operations. Instead of navigating leadership challenges alone, members get direct access to Andy’s insight along with the support of a community of veterinary professionals working through many of the same challenges. Register for Office Hours here!

    24 min
  8. Apr 27

    393 - HDYTT: The Atopic Dog - From Puppy to Senior

    Dr. Charli Dong, DACVD, joins the podcast to tackle one of the most frustrating and common cases in practice: the itchy dog that just will not get better. If you have ever had a client convinced it is “just a food allergy” while their dog continues to suffer, this episode is your playbook. Dr. Dong breaks down canine atopic dermatitis in a way that actually makes sense, from puppies presenting earlier than expected to the messy overlap between food allergies and environmental triggers. You will walk away with a clearer approach to multimodal management, including when to use diet trials, how to set realistic expectations, and why the skin barrier and nutrition matter more than ever. This is practical, real-world dermatology that helps you feel more confident the next time an allergic dog walks through your door. This episode is brought to you ad-free by Hill's Pet Nutrition! Hill's Therapeutic Derm: https://www.hillsvet.comxpet-nutrition/derm Hill's Veterinary Academy: https://na.hillsvna.com/en_US/dashboard Dr. Charli Dong is a board-certified veterinary dermatologist with extensive experiencing diagnosing and managing canine allergic skin disease, including canine atopic dermatitis. Her clinical and research interests focus on improving the lives of itchy dogs through better long-term management strategies, skin barrier support and evidence-based therapeutics – a holistic approach. Education is central to Dr. Dong’s passion. She has served as Exam Chair for the American College of Veterinary Dermatology, is actively involved in training dermatology residents and teach veterinary students, and is a frequent national and international speaker. She has authored numerous scientific publications, with an emphasis on translating emerging research into practical, real-world guidance for both veterinarians and pet owners.

    24 min
4.9
out of 5
174 Ratings

About

The Cone of Shame Podcast is the podcast all about life in Veterinary Medicine. Dr Andy Roark covers medical related topics with help from experts in the veterinary industry.

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