49 – Shout Out to Our Heroes: Responsible Pet Owners
Shout Out to Our Heroes: Responsible Pet OwnersMarty and Laura are giving thanks and a shout out to the heroes of the week, responsible pet owners. These are folks who make sure their pets are fed and trained and vetted even when times are tough.This week’s giving thanks charity is No Pet Hungry America.“Millions of families across the country face impossible choices every day between paying rent, buying groceries or feeding their pets. No Pet Hungry America is here to change that.“We provide pet food, supplies, and resources to keep beloved pets with the people who love them, no matter the circumstances. Together, we can ensure that financial hardship never means losing a furry family member.”“Responsible pet owners means feeding our pets, taking our pets and doing preventative (veterinary) work, training even if you're doing trick. Our responsible pet owners are working with their pets every day some little bit, right? Maybe you've taught your pet to retrieve the slipper. Maybe you've taught your cat to retrieve a ball. Who knows?“Our responsible pet owners are doing great work socializing their pets so that if they come visit you at the clinic, they're not terrified because they've been other places and seen things and done stuff. You can teach them some basic skills. You can teach them to have their mouth looked at, you can teach them to have their ears touched and their toenails touched.”The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.
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48 – Giving Thanks: Science Helps Pets Live Longer, Healthier
Giving Thanks: Science Helps Pets Live Longer, HealthierMarty and Laura give thanks for recent science breakthroughs that help our pets live longer, healthier lives. From decoding the canine genome to Artificial Intelligence, our pets are benefitting from scientific research.Organizations such as the AKC Canine Health Foundation support this research which benefits all dogs, purebred and mixed breed, as well as frequently providing information that expands knowledge for treating human diseases. During the month of giving, we’re suggesting groups to support our pets with your donations.“The artificial intelligence that's barreling at us is going to be fascinating to see where this takes us,” Marty said. “There's so much that has the potential to happen here, and it may not all be good, but a lot of it really is.”Canine genome sequencing gave us genetic testing which has helped dog breeders select for healthier animals in hundreds of diseases. The BOAS testing recently developed in the UK is enabling veterinarians to test brachycephalic dogs’ ability to breath, which again allows dog breeders to select for healthy dogs in their matings.Tap in to catch up on more sciency conversation from Marty and Laura.The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.
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47 – Giving Thanks for Our Veterinarians
Giving Thanks for Our VeterinariansMarty and Laura share their thanks for veterinarians and staff who sacrifice to care for our pets.“We know you're stressed,” Marty said of veterinarians and staff. “Your pet is sick. You were up all night cleaning up whatever it is that you had to clean up. And it's really hard to be gracious and to be lovely on the phone or in person when you're in that stressful situation. But I can't even begin to emphasize how important that is.“The hardest job that we have at the veterinary clinic is the CSR, the customer service representative, the person that answers the phone, because they're in the squeeze. They're in the squeeze between you as the client calling with a crisis and needing help and the veterinary staff that's already booked full.“It’s 10 pounds of you know what in a 5 pound bag. And it becomes really a challenge for that receptionist to try and balance the needs of the client versus what the rest of the staff needs are so that we can still provide the quality of care that you want. Because getting you through the door isn't going to help you if the quality of care isn't there.”This week’s giving opportunity is Not One More Vet which supports veterinarians and staff struggling with mental health crises.The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.
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46 – Giving Thanks for the Pets in Our Lives
Giving Thanks for the Pets in Our LivesMarty and Laura kick off a month of giving thanks for the pets in our lives. Our animals brighten our days, bring us together with friends, provide companionship and comfort year round. So we decided to celebrate that special connection throughout November.Since November is the month of giving, we’re also highlighting a different organization dedicated to animals and the people who love them each week. This week Marty shares information about her own non-profit, Pink Paw, which seeks to raise awareness of breast cancer in our pets and funds for desperately needed new research.And we’re starting this conversation about our special relationships with our pets with a really fascinating deep dive into the ethical, moral and legal ramifications of language around our pets. Terms like “fur baby” and “pet parent” can have serious long-term unintended consequences.“There has to be somewhere in the middle that we have a being that's alive that's different than your toaster, but is technically not a human, so it's not part of your family,” Marty noted, putting on her lawyer hat. “There's been all kinds of cases that people have tried to bring creatures into the category of humans, and we have to be really careful as a society. Because if we cross that line, we're going to end up with some very serious issues.“If the dog equals a human and you need to put your dog down for behavioral euthanasia, for example, now are we committing murder?”Tap in to join Marty and Laura as they tackle these and other huge questions around our unique and important relationships with our pets. Like and share with friends and family!The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.
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45 – “Howloween”: Costumes and Doorbells and Chocolates, Oh MY!
“Howloween”: Costumes and Doorbells and Chocolates, Oh MY!Marty and Laura are joined by Glinda the Good Witch to talk about Halloween and the fun, as well as potential pitfalls, for our pets.“Everybody wants to address their pet up in a cute little costume,” Marty noted. “And you know, some of them are fine and the pets are comfortable in them and they're not scary and they're really cute. And sometimes we're expecting just a little too much of our pets, depending on the pet and what they like.“We have to respect there are some pets that are happy to wear clothing. And they're cute and they are comfortable in it and it's adorable. And then there are pets who are not, especially if it covers their head or it makes weird noises or it's crinkly or it's weird or anything.“And so you have to really be thinking about whether this makes your pet comfortable or uncomfortable. And if they're not comfortable in it, don't scare them. Put it on like for two seconds. Get a quick picture, put it on Facebook and then put the costume away. Your pet will tell you.“If you're expecting your pet to be part of the group that goes trick or treating, then get them used to the costumes in advance so that they know what you're going to look like. Usually if you're wearing something over your face or on your head, it changes your profile and your pet really identifies a lot, not by looking just at your face, but how you look in profile.“You have to acclimate them so that they're comfortable with that kind of situation if you're expecting them to go skipping down the street with them on a leash while you're taking the kids trick or treating. They're gonna see other strange creatures and zombies and you know, I think it's really important to have realistic expectations of our pets.”The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.
Dr. Marty Greer and Laura Reeves deliver unique, fun, fact based conversations about pet health. Greer is the 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Veterinarian of the Year and author of “Your Pandemic Puppy.” Reeves is the host of the wildly popular, award-winning Pure Dog Talk podcast.
From pro tips on selecting your new dog to what your dog’s runny eyes or your cat’s runny nose mean and what you should do about it, Marty and Laura will meet you where you are (in the car, on the treadmill, walking the dog) and bring you a good laugh, a great story and a bright idea every week.
New Zealand