The Vet Vault: Fall In Love With Veterinary Science

Four years after our original antibiotic myth-busting episode (Ep 60), we’re back with Dr Riati Scarborough to talk antibiotic prescribing habits. This time we’re joined by fellow stewardship expert Dr Laura Hardefeldt, and this time we’re asking the harder question:
Have we actually changed?
The good news? Some prescribing habits are shifting. We’re seeing shorter courses and less ‘just in case antibiotic usage. 
But let’s not pat ourselves on the back too quickly. Because some of our most entrenched habits are still alive and well, like how we treat skin disease, and our ongoing love affair with amoxiclav.
This episode is a practical, clinically grounded update on what the evidence says in 2026 - and how to make realistic changes without compromising patient care.
We cover:
Why skin disease remains the single biggest driver of antimicrobial resistance in small animal practice, and what to do about it
Amoxicillin vs amoxiclav: when de-escalation is not just safe, but smarter
Why convenience (you know the brand we’re talking about right…) is not a clinical indication
Trimethoprim-sulphonamide and the real story on KCS risk
Dentals, heart murmurs, and what prophylaxis actually looks like in 2026
Simple in-clinic stewardship strategies that genuinely shift prescribing behaviour
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress.
If you’d like effective antibiotics to still exist in five to ten years…
This episode is essential listening.

Find out how we can support you in your vet career at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.
Grab one last handful of spots in the Maldives for our surf/dive vet conference with ⁠Vets On Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Tips and Timestamps
3:03 Progress in prescribing habits including UTI durations and surgical prophylaxis
4:55 Skin disease as the biggest problem area in small animal practice
7:01 Topical therapy versus systemic antibiotics for skin conditions
9:28 Deep pyoderma and the new consensus statement
11:00 Gut bacteria as a source of resistant infections
12:41 Rise of MRSP, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
14:00 Amoxicillin-clavulanate overuse
16:47 Vets on Tour conferences advertisement
18:08 Pharmacology refresher on amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and cefovecin
19:45 Why cefovecin is classified as high importance, vs the convenience argument for cefovecin in cats
22:56 Long-acting amoxicillin injections as an alternative
24:00 Getting amoxicillin back on the shelf
24:53 Communicating antibiotic choices to clients
29:32 Dental antibiotics and debunking the heart murmur myth
34:07 Subclinical bacteriuria and stopping cultures in asymptomatic patients
38:30 Reassessing the dry eye risk of trimethoprim-sulfonamide
41:43 Antimicrobial stewardship trial using colour-coded pharmacy shelves

Veterinary life can feel like a treadmill with no off-switch: 15-minute consults that always run over. Emotional labour no one trains you for. A schedule that swings from slow to chaos - in minutes.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
In this raw and refreshingly real episode, productivity coach Demir Bentley (Life Hack Method) live-coaches GP vet Dr Ray Gates, tackling the uncomfortable truth of veterinary medicine:You’re expected to be clinically excellent… while running on empty.
This isn’t a listicle of “10 productivity hacks.”This is about reclaiming 1% wins that actually work in the chaos of clinical life.
You’ll learn:
Why productivity isn’t about doing more - it’s about protecting your energy
How “chaos as the default” leads to burnout (and how you can change the system, not just yourself)
How to lower your cognitive load and reduce admin fatigue
The art of setting goals that don’t become another source of stress
Small upstream shifts that stop downstream disasters
How to finish a shift and still feel like you
Whether you’re buried in charting, stuck in overbooked consults, or silently wondering if you’re just not “resilient enough” - this conversation will show you another way.
You don’t need another motivational quote.You need practical tools to get your time, headspace, and energy back.
And it starts here.

Raise your hand here to find out more about our AI for clinics Mastermind
Find out how we can help you build you in your vet career at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.

Topics and Time Stamps
10:56 The problem
23:04 The revenge binge
26:10 Taking back the 1%
35:52 Upstream changes to prevent downstream chaos
41:31 Expectations vs reality
52:05 You are not powerless

Ever feel like your anxiety or fear of failure is just... who you are?
The perfectionism. The overthinking. The constant pressure to “get it right.”
It can feel like it’s wired into your DNA.
But what if it isn’t?
Dr Rod Irwin, vet, former clinic owner and author tells us how who went from panic attacks in an empty vet clinic to a completely rewired life - thanks to neuroscience.
After hitting breaking point, a chance encounter with neuroscience set him on a 15-year journey into neuroplasticity and positive psychology - and ultimately changed how he led.
Together, we unpack how our brains are shaped by past experiences, why vets are particularly vulnerable to negative belief loops, and how we can deliberately rewire our thinking to reduce anxiety, improve performance and build healthier workplace cultures.
We explore:
Why early experiences like bullying and perfectionism hardwire us for burnout
What neuroplasticity actually means, and why this isn't just “positive thinking”
How emotions strengthen or weaken your neural pathways
Dr Irwin’s first 3 practical steps to start rewiring your brain
Why your identity is the key to lasting change
How clinic leaders unconsciously set the emotional tone for the entire team
And how reconnecting to purpose and values can transform your culture
This is a science-backed, practical conversation on mindset, leadership and wellbeing – tailored to the veterinary world.
Because your brain isn’t broken.It’s just wired by experience - and you can change the wiring.
⁠⁠
Learn about all 12 keys here, or here if you're a practice owner, or book a chat with Rod here.
Find out how we can support you in your vet career at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.
Grab one last handful of spots in the Maldives for our surf/dive vet conference with Vets On Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or go all in on surgery with our collaboration with Sydney University's ⁠⁠⁠CVE Surgery Course.

Welcome to episode one of our new Tech Tools series, where we cut through the noise to bring you real insights into the latest veterinary tech that could genuinely make your day‑to‑day vet life easier.
In part one VetRec founder Kevin Cohen helps me put this AI scribe through its paces to show us why veterinary AI software is rapidly moving WAY beyond just note taking. 

Highlights :
What an AI scribe really is and how it saves vets hours of documentation time
Beyond scribing - new tools to speed up your workflow with increased reliability and context
VetRec’s clinical support tool:  D.A.V.I.D. (Diagnostics Assistance for Veterinary Insights and Differentials)
Team workflows — how receptionists, nurses and vets can collaborate in the same platform

This one involves a bit of screen sharing, so if you want to follow along - watch the video for this on Spotify.

Note:  This episode isn’t a promotion or an ad — it’s the first of many deep dives into the tools you might be considering. If you have a software that you’d like us to explore, let me know at [email protected]

Check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or go all in on surgery with our collaboration with Sydney University's ⁠CVE Surgery Course. ⁠
Find out how we can help you build you in your vet career at ⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠.
Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.
Join us in person for our epic adventure CE events at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vets On Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. (Next up: Japan snow conference!) 

Topics and Time stamps

04:05 – New Features 2025
05:19 – Add to Visit
07:46 – DictationFeatures
08:35 – A Cut Above Promo
10:08 – Snippets
12:15 – Insights & Recommendations
13:59 – Integrations
16:06 – EzyVet Chrome Extension
17:05 – Custom Templates
17:58 – Phone Call Recording
21:38 – Multi-Pet Support
22:33 – Client Handouts
24:07 – Analysis Features
28:38 – David AI Assistant
38:03 – Records Recap
41:09 – Team Access
42:29 – Best Recording Practices

Am I a useless vet?

Sounds like a silly question that a new grad might ask, right? But imposter syndrome doesn't care about your credentials.
It whispers that you're a fraud, that you got lucky, that one day everyone will realise you don’t belong. 
Or maybe you don’t feel like an imposter - but you beat yourself up after a case goes wrong. You replay every missed diagnosis. You hold yourself to an impossible standard, and when you fall short (even slightly), the inner critic shows no mercy.
Sound familiar?
In veterinary medicine, where perfection often feels like the baseline and the emotional toll runs deep,  these patterns can be exhausting.
But here’s the truth: you’re not the only one who feels this way.
In this raw and honest conversation, we unpack:
Why imposter syndrome isn’t just a new grad thing - it can resurface anytime you step into something new, no matter how experienced or accomplished you are (Just keep listening if you don’t believe me)
What confidence really looks like - not knowing everything, but being willing to try, learn, and grow
Why perfectionism is often at the root of imposter - and what to do about it
Making peace with the inner-critic
Why vulnerability matters 
A simple mindset shift that can make all the difference
And practical strategies to manage imposter feelings 
You’ll hear real stories, mindset tools, and the reminder that feeling “useless” says nothing about you. 

If you’ve ever questioned your abilities or felt like you're just pretending to hold it all together - this episode is your mirror.
You belong here. And it’s time you believed that too.

Our guests are: 
Dr Marie Holowaychuck - a board-certified emergency and critical care veterinarian and the founder of Reviving Vet Med, a global initiative dedicated to equipping veterinary professionals with practical tools for mental health, resilience, and work–life balance, and the author of A Compassionate Calling: What It Really Means to be a Veterinarian.
Check out her new book here. 

Dr Kerri Nelson: Experienced ER vet, mentor and former medical director. First time mom-to-be! (She has an epic blog about over-achieving - here.) 

Dr Rob Webster: Co-Chief Executive Officer of Animal Emergency Australia, the leading veterinary emergency-care group down under, where he oversees clinical standards and consults on complex emergency and critical-care cases. A board-certified specialist in emergency and critical care since 2014. Jiu-jitsu tragic. 

Check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or go all in on surgery with our collaboration with Sydney University's CVE Surgery Course.
Find out how we can help you build you in your vet career at ⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠.
Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.
Join us in person for our epic adventure CE events at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vets On Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. (Next up: Japan snow conference!) 

Topics and Time stamps
04:28 You're not alone
09:56 What is a syndrome?
15:49   Defining Imposter Syndrome
19:44 Maybe It's Just Kinda Normal?
22:10 So What Can We Do About It?
27:22 The Eternal Internal Critic
30:22 Talk It Out
35:59 Vulnerability As A Weapon Against Imposter
39:03 This Is What Getting Better Feels Like
40:18 Perfectionism - The Root of Imposter
49:28 At Least You'er Not a Psychopath!
51:04 The Best People Are Filled With Self-Doubt
51:56 Mistakes Happen