Vet Times Podcast

Purina Pro Plan has recently launched its Young Vets initiative – an educational platform offering free courses in pet nutrition, employability, and entrepreneurship to support students and early career vets.

The aim of the programme is to give them the tools they need to make a seamless transition from the lecture hall to the consult room.

Vet Times has partnered with Purina Pro Plan with a three-part series of podcasts and articles to explore some of the issues facing new vets in practice and the support they need to thrive in their careers.

In this first episode we speak with two newly qualified vets, Eleanor Goad and James Robinson, in the second we catch up with two more experienced clinicians before rounding off the project with a round table discussion between both groups.

Our aim is not to provide all the answers; it is simply to highlight some of the issues and find some solutions to help the veterinary sector make the most out of the next generation of talent…

New RSPCA CVO Charlotte Beckett joins Allister Webb to discuss her priorities in the role and her aspirations for the sector as it faces up to major changes.

Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Earlier this year, IDEXX announced it was expanding its Cancer Dx Panel to include canine mast cell tumour detection as well as lymphoma detection, and the rollout of FNA cytology on the IDEXX inVue Dx Cellular Analyzer.

IDEXX global medical affairs specialist Dana Connell joined Chris Simpson to discuss the innovation and the importance of incorporating cancer screening into routine veterinary consultations.

Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In June, BVA Live’s Interactive Zone hosted the packed session “When is enough, enough? How do we define overtreatment?”, which made for lively and thought-provoking debate.

The session’s chairs, BVA senior vice-president Elizabeth Mullineaux and Caroline Allen, director at Pet Lighthouse and former chief veterinary officer of the RSPCA, sat down with Chris Simpson to take the discussion further.

Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this Vet Times Extra podcast, supported by Animal Friends Pet Insurance, Paul Manktelow, veterinary services director at Blue Cross, discusses the vital role of long-term supporters, equine welfare, and strategies for navigating and relieving the impacts of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis across the veterinary sector.

The podcast episode highlights the multi-year support provided by Animal Friends Pet Insurance. The pet insurance provider, founded in 1998 to support animal welfare, has donated more than £10 million to help support more than 830 animal welfare charities in the last 28 years*. The episode also explores how funding helps to empower charities to deliver essential services for UK pet owners, expand volunteer networks, and relieve pressure on veterinary teams.

At the core of the discussion is the critical need for accessible veterinary care. Paul explains how Blue Cross supports vets through initiatives like the Veterinary Care Fund, which now engages approximately 1,500 practices across 92% of the UK to help owners who cannot afford immediate treatment. He also addresses the introduction of discounted fees at Blue Cross hospitals to ensure long-term service sustainability, alongside the expanded role of the Pet Loss Support line in assisting owners through pet relinquishment, loss and financial strain.

For more details on the charity’s work and services, visit: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/

Paul Manktello has worked in the veterinary sector for 25 years, predominantly within the charity field alongside ongoing engagement in private practice. Having previously worked with the PDSA, he now serves as veterinary services director at Blue Cross. In his role, Paul oversees hospital operations and strategic planning to address evolving societal and industry challenges – notably driving initiatives around contextualised care, affordable treatment models, and equine rehoming expansion.

*The charitable work undertaken by Animal Friends Insurance is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Podcast music: “Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/