It could happen to any of us: a conversation about drug and alcohol dependence in the veterinary sector.
***Trigger Warning***It is important to note that this podcast discusses the sensitive subject of veterinary alcohol and drug dependence as well as mental health. If you feel affected by any of this, please contact Vetlife Helpline on 0303 040 2551 or via email: https://helpline.vetlife.org.uk/. You can access different support for alcohol use via Alcohol Change UK: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/. For difficulties with drug and alcohol use support can be found on the Frank website: https://www.talktofrank.com/get-help/find-support-near-you**********************************************************Join us this week in an open discussion about drug and alcohol use within the veterinary sector with our very own Robyn Lowe in conversation with David Harris and Olivia Cormier.David shares his own lived experience of dependence on pain medication following an injury in practice and how with retrospect he can understand what were withdrawal symptoms from the drug, what were mental health difficulties and what was attributable to his physical pain; but at the time it was hard to see the wood from the trees let alone seek support. David frank description of how he managed to overcome his addiction whilst changing from an equine veterinary role to being a vet in small practice. Whilst recognising the challenges he faced he is able to say that he overcame these, largely due to getting the right professional help as well as the support of a few close and trusted friends and family.Many of the difficulties described by David’s lived experience have been mirrored in research done by Olivia, who after 13 years in equine practice and a psychology Masters is researching alcohol use behaviours, mental health and barriers to help-seeking and alcohol reduction in the UK veterinary sector. We discuss the impact of stigma both from others and directed towards the self in getting support as well as the presence of our regulating body, the RCVS and how fear of negative repercussions on careers is a further barrier to support.For further information see the following paper:https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vetr.4532A second study is currently underway to quantify these findings within the veterinary sector as a whole with Olivia also commencing PhD on the topic this September.
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Going beyond finances: what does contextualised care really mean?
Join us in conversation with Alison Skipper and Ruth Serlin for this week’s podcast with our hosts Danny Chambers and Robyn Lowe as we tackle the holistic meaning of contextualisedcare in veterinary practice. Contextualised care goes beyond financial considerations, it is about meeting people where they are, replacing judgement with empathy, curiosity and an open mindset for a more rewarding outcome for us all.Alison’s PhD in breed-related disease led her to co-found Veterinary Humanities UK, through which she met Ruth, a charity vet and educator with an interest in veterinary humanities and communication.In this podcast, we discuss some of the explicit and implicit factors of contextualised care, and how It isn’t about just, or, at all about choosing the least costly treatment. It is about drawing on our clinical and communication skills as aveterinary professional to holistically consider all the factors, prioritise them and select the correct treatment for that patient in that space and time. We discuss how you as a veterinary professional, the owner/ caregiver and the patient(s)all bring a unique bias or angle to the situation, making self-reflection on what we bring to a scenario key.We debate the ethics of a gold standard is best message, and how this may put increased pressures and expectations on veterinary professionals. We consider how failureto provide gold standard treatment to a patient can elicit mental health challenges to vets and feelings of moral distress, and how the idea of contextualised care can potentially mitigate this.
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Tackling the guinea pig: owner mismatch. Remember beauty is more than skin deep.
Join our host Robyn Lowe discussing one of her favourite topics: guinea pigs with Hannah Messer, RVN and manager of the Potato Patch Guinea Pig Sanctuary. We discuss the main reasons guinea pigs require rehoming and touch on the overwhelming numbers of guinea pigs that are currently needing rescue. It is essential for owners to fully understand basic feeding, housing and enrichment needs of the guinea pig they are taking on and we debate the role veterinary staff have to educate clients on this and the extent this should be explored in history taking when presented with a guinea pig with health issues.We run through optimum indoor and outdoor housing provision, and how for owners and guinea pigs each may have its pros and cons. We tackle the idea that guinea pig temperament and confidence with being handled can vary hugely, largely based on how much exposure to humans they have in the early phases of life. Many may be very nervouswhen handled and are not suited to a home that wants to handle them regularly.It is important we do not fall into the trap of picking guinea pigs based on looks, but instead to understand how their needs reflect our own and decrease the owner: guinea pig mismatch.Hannah is doing an important job. To access more information on this and other guinea pig related facts, you can follow Hannah via The Potato Patch page on Facebook.
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Veterinary suicide: how postvention can be prevention
This podcast is on the emotive subject of veterinary suicide in which John Gibson shares his personal story of the loss of a loved one to suicide with Robyn Lowe. It is a very open and deep conversation that may be a difficult thing for you to listento right now. If you feel able and safe to listen, then please remember that if you feel affected in anyway by this podcast, to reach out for support. *******************************************************You can contact Vetlife helpline, whose phonelines are available 24/7 on 0303 040 2551 or by anonymous web contact through the website link: https://helpline.vetlife.org.uk/In addition, if you are experiencing thoughts about ending your life you can text CANMORE to 85258, they are available 24/7.*******************************************************Following the death of his son Cameron, John, alongside his wife Isobel, founded the Canmore trust, a charity that works towards both suicide prevention and postvention. They work with people struggling to want to stay in the world, to find a safe space despite the struggles and difficulties they may be facing right now. They have a particular interest in the veterinary profession as their son Cameron was a newly qualified vet. They work on both an individual and policy level to prevent veterinary suicide. We talk frankly about the different patterns and types of grieving we may experience as individuals within a team, how this may be experienced at different times and the misalignment that may create. We touch on disenfranchised grief, discuss how more support is needed for veterinary mental health around animal euthanasia as well as the importance of postvention support following suicide in theworkplace. Postvention support may indeed prevent future suicide attempts. Please join us to hear from John, a determined, compassionate individual whose purpose is to bring hope and support to those experiencing suicidal thoughts or grieving a loved one to suicide.
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The shocking reality of the illegal puppy trade
“The available estimates indicate that Europe’s pet trade (cats, dogs, exotic) is the third most profitable illegal trade in the EU, after narcotics and weapons,”Tune in to hear Robyn Lowe in conversation with Rowena Packer and Zoe Belshaw to discuss their research findings into the shocking reality of puppy sale scams and illegal puppy smuggling, where animal health, behaviour and welfare is hugely compromised for financial profit.Rowena is a senior lecturer in companion animal behaviour at RVC and Zoe is a European and RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine. They discuss their research findings, particularly the increase in puppy sales throughout the pandemic and the change in methods of acquisition.Importing puppies is often illegal and unethical. Ongoing research has shown that there is an increasing trend in the number of puppies purchased with passports (i.e imported puppies), in 2021 at least 1 in 10 puppies were imported. In 2020, Dogs Trust found that 14% of all adverts reviewed were for imported puppies (29% in England), at least 18% of the imported puppies were confirmed by the seller as being under the minimum 15 weeks of age.It is something we in the veterinary profession, and prospective puppy owners, need to know more about, and we hope that this podcast provides some insight and tools to identify when this is likely to be going on, for example any puppy who has been imported under the age of 15 weeks will have been done so illegally.We also discuss the hugely damaging impact this has on the puppies, dams and sires from a behaviour, disease and welfare point of view. This issue is becoming more prevalent, and we have a responsibility to educate ourselves and our clients so that we can try and tackle this, ultimately by identifying puppy sellers who are part of the illegal puppy trade and boycotting these purchases.
Ireland