The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast

14 episodes scanned. 65% of ad slots promote the show's own products.

Recent Episodes

1. 424 - Does Maropitant Really Reduce Surgical Pain?

   Oct 29, 2026

   Stephen Niño Cital, a veterinary research anesthesia technician and partner at Remedy Vet Specialists, discusses his critique of a 2025 study on maropitant in ovariohysterectomy in dogs. He argues that maropitant's antiemetic effect and its ability to reduce anesthetic requirements (MAC sparing) do not establish it as a standalone analgesic. The conversation covers his recommended premedication protocol, the role of nausea in the pain experience, and the difficulty of assessing pain in animals.

2. 423 - The Geriatric Pet Revolution

   Oct 22, 2026

   Veterinarian Dr. Bob Lester, co-founder of WellHaven Pet Hospital and a columnist for Today's Veterinary Business, discusses how longer pet lifespans could reshape veterinary practice. The conversation covers shifting appointment types toward geriatric visits, chronic disease management, the "longevity flywheel," and communicating the value of care. It also touches on wellness plans, possible HSA funding for pet care, and whether affordability could create a divide in access to geriatric treatment.

3. 422 - Stop Using NeoPolyBac for Every Red Eye

   Oct 15, 2026

   Dr. Alex Sigmund, a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist and co-owner of The Vet Eye Team in Atlanta, Georgia, explains why reflexively prescribing NeoPolyBac for every red dog eye can delay diagnosis of conditions like glaucoma and dry eye. He walks through first-line diagnostics for general practice, including tonometry technique, Schirmer tear testing, fluorescein staining, and blindness assessment, and discusses antibiotic stewardship and how technicians can take on expanded eye care roles. The conversation is hosted by Dr. Andrew Work on the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast.

4. 421 - When Your World Turns Upside Down

   Oct 7, 2026

   Dr. Ryane Englar, a veterinary educator and DABVP at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, shares her experience of rapidly losing her sight due to Fuchs corneal dystrophy, a rare eye disease with no family history. After receiving two corneal transplants over 2.5 years, she discusses her journey through diagnosis, grief, identity loss, and gradual recovery—emphasizing themes of disability, belonging, resilience, and the importance of self-compassion. Her new memoir, "Postcards from Life's Passenger Seat: Reflections on Sight, Identity, and Belonging," launches September 12, 2024.

5. 420 - Should You Still Have Cannabinoid Medicines On Your Shelf?

   Oct 1, 2026

   Dr. Andy Roark discusses the current state of cannabinoid medicine in veterinary practice with Steven Satal, a veterinary technician specialist in research anesthesia and co-editor of the first veterinary cannabinoid medicine textbook. The conversation explores how cannabinoid interest has plateaued but normalized over the past 8-10 years, with over 40 pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies now available and increasing specialist referrals for cannabis consultations. Satal outlines his primary clinical applications—chronic pain, epileptic disorders, and canine cognitive dysfunction—clarifies terminology around hemp versus cannabis, discusses product quality concerns and recommended brands, and explains contraindications including caution with pre-visit anxiety and concurrent sedating medications.

6. 419 - Adapting to a New Pharmacy World - COS Canada

   Sep 24, 2026

   Dr. Andy Roark discusses pharmacy disruption in Canadian veterinary practices following regulatory changes that allow major retailers like Costco to sell veterinary pharmaceuticals. Roark explains why this represents a significant shift from the U.S. experience, the risks to client trust, and outlines three critical priorities: maintaining client relationships, transparent communication with clients and staff, and strategic business model evolution through phased transitions rather than panic. This is the first episode of a six-part miniseries on the topic.

7. 418 - Falling Trust in Research & the Data We Really Need

   Sep 17, 2026

   Dr. Jules Benson discusses the declining quality and trustworthiness of research in veterinary medicine, examining how biased, cherry-picked, and commercially-motivated studies flood the profession while veterinarians increasingly tune out the noise. He and host Dr. Andy Rourke explore how veterinarians evaluate research, the lack of clinical outcome data in vet medicine, and Benson's innovative approach at Clarity Veterinary Surgical Center, where he and his co-founder developed client-reported outcome measure software to systematically track post-procedure recovery and generate meaningful data to improve care decisions.

8. 417 - Making Veterinary Medicine Work for the People Who Do It

   Sep 10, 2026

   Dr. Isaac Bott, a Utah-based practice owner and theriogenologist, discusses his campaign for AVMA president (election July 2027) and the profession's sustainability challenges. The conversation explores how rising veterinary care costs intersect with the need to pay living wages and retain veterinarians, technicians, and support staff, arguing that veterinary medicine is fairly priced but often unattainable for some clients. Bott emphasizes retention through sustainable workplaces, burnout reduction, clear development pathways, and technician specialization as critical to the profession's future.

9. 416 - Is It Bad Medicine or Just a Bad Outcome?

   Sep 3, 2026

   Dr. Chad Brown, executive director of the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at Iowa State University, discusses how good clinical decisions do not always produce good outcomes, and how outcome-based judgment creates harmful bias in veterinary practice. Brown argues that hindsight bias and outcome bias lead clinicians to judge their past decisions with information they didn't have at the time, and that emphasizing process over outcomes—including communication, diagnostics, anesthesia monitoring, and checklists—is essential for training and reducing clinician burnout. The conversation explores how outcome fixation breaks good clinicians through either overcorrection or apathy, and why focusing on controllable processes supports both individual wellbeing and spectrum-of-care thinking.

10. 415 - Vet Medicine as Dark Comedy

    Aug 27, 2026

    Dr. Steve Deels, an emergency veterinarian from New Zealand and career coach, joins Dr. Andy Roark to discuss dark humor as a coping mechanism in veterinary medicine. They explore the unrealistic expectations placed on veterinarians as jack-of-all-trades clinicians, Steve's burnout journey in corporate practice, and practical resilience tools like daily journaling. Steve shares insights from his forthcoming book 'Bite Marks and Burnout,' which uses dark comedy to honestly portray veterinary challenges while maintaining perspective on career rewards.