Paws and Effect

Why do we cuddle some animals, eat others and ignore the rest? Dr Carra talks to anthrozoologist Professor Hal Herzog about the inconsistent, often unconscious ways humans decide which animals matter.

We cover how culture and “cuteness” shape our choices, what pets actually do for our mental health, the psychology of animal activism, the ethics of eating meat, cockfighting, the humanisation of pets, and the moral dilemmas vets face.

If you love animals, work with them or just wonder about your own choices, this one will make you look at them differently.

Connect with Dr Carra:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_carra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarra/
Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital: https://hillcrestvets.co.za/

Connect with Dr Hal Gerzog:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hal.herzog.3
Website: https://halherzog.com/

Podcast Production:
This Podcast is produced by Kythe Creative and filmed on-site at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital.
Kythe Creative: https://kythecreative.co.za/

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

Ultra Pet:
This episode is sponsored by Ultra Pet, who has been scientifically formulating premium pet food for over 25 years. If you want to take the guesswork out of feeding your furry friends, give Ultra Pet a try. Check them out here at www.ultra-pet.co.za

Just For Pets:
Justforpets.co.za is proud to sponsor this episode of the Paws and Effect podcast. Visit their website for all your pet needs and find everything from toys to food and much more. The team over at Just For Pets believe that every pet deserves the best care possible, and that's why we offer a wide range of products to help keep your furry friend happy and healthy - Check them out at https://www.justforpets.co.za/

FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND GUEST APPEARANCES, Email us at drcarra@pawsandeffect.co.za and we'll get in touch with you.

Don't forget to LIKE this if you found it helpful, SUBSCRIBE for more episodes and content like this.

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00:00 Intro
00:37 Discovering passion for animal behaviour
09:14 Pets in primate observations
12:40 Advert break
13:29 Rethinking pets and mental health
19:51 Choosing the panda logo
26:16 Discussing cognitive dissonance in meat consumption
29:39 Choosing plant-based diet options
34:17 Ethical issues in animal farming
43:09 Emotional responses to euthanasia
48:29 Emotional bonds with circus animals
52:53 Debating animal vs human value
1:00:17 Controversy over dogs sleeping in beds
1:05:06 Questioning personal contradictions
1:07:55 Growing interest in human-animal studies

If you own a pug, a Frenchie or a bulldog, you know the sound: the snoring, the snorting, the snuffly breathing everyone finds so endearing.

A lot of the time, that sound is a dog working hard to breathe. And breathing is only part of the story. Spinal, digestive and dental problems are common in these breeds, and many owners don’t connect them to the dog’s shape.

Carra sits down with two vets who see the results every week: Dr Sara Boyd, a board-certified small animal specialist surgeon, and Dr Martin de Scally.

In this episode:
How to tell charm from a dog that’s struggling
The problems beyond breathing that owners rarely hear about
What surgery can and can’t fix
What to do before you buy, and what to look for in a breeder
When it’s an emergency and can’t wait
If you love one of these dogs, this isn’t about guilt. It’s about making sure they can breathe.

If your dog is struggling to breathe, collapses or overheats, get to a vet immediately.

Connect with Dr Carra:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_carra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarra/
Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital: https://hillcrestvets.co.za/

Connect with Dr Martin & Sara:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiltonvethospital/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiltonveterinaryhospital/
Website: https://hiltonvethospital.co.za/

Podcast Production:
This Podcast is produced by Kythe Creative and filmed onsite at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital.
Kythe Creative: https://kythecreative.co.za/

THIS EPISODES SPONSORS:

Ultra Pet:
This episode is sponsored by Ultra Pet, who has been scientifically formulating premium pet food for over 25 years. If you want to take the guesswork out of feeding your furry friends, give Ultra Pet a try. Check them out here at www.ultra-pet.co.za

Just For Pets:
Justforpets.co.za is proud to sponsor this episode of the Paws and Effect podcast. Visit their website for all your pet needs and find everything from toys to food and much more. The team over at Just For Pets believe that every pet deserves the best care possible, and that's why we offer a wide range of products to help keep your furry friend happy and healthy - Check them out at https://www.justforpets.co.za/

FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND GUEST APPEARANCES, Email us at drcarra@pawsandeffect.co.za and we'll get in touch with you.

Don't forget to LIKE this if you found it helpful, SUBSCRIBE for more episodes and content like this.

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00:00 Popularity trends in dog breeds
06:48 Identifying issues with dog anatomy
14:58 Discussing pet breed health issues
21:40 Addressing multiple pet health issues
22:57 Discussing pet health concerns
29:17 Laryngeal collapse in dogs
34:11 Discussing surgical options for dogs
41:38 Measuring surgical outcomes
45:15 Encouraging elective surgery for dogs
54:13 Bacteria and dental disease in dogs
57:15 Balancing dog diets with treats
01:01:23 Spinal and bone issues in dogs
01:07:48 Goal-oriented therapy in veterinary care
01:13:15 Discussing cost transparency
01:21:56 Monthly vet professional development
01:23:42 Encouragement for pet surgeries

Chickens are prey animals which means they're built to hide illness.

A sick hen instinctively acts normal for as long as she possibly can, because in the wild, looking weak gets you killed. So by the time you notice something's wrong, she may have been unwell for days, and you may have very little time left to help her.

That's the hard truth at the heart of this episode. Carra sits down with poultry expert Nikki Husted, author of newly released A Healthy Home Flock, on how to spot trouble early, when your birds are working hard to hide it.

In this episode:
The subtle behaviour changes that are your real early warning system
Why observing your flock daily is the single best thing you can do
The truth about homemade feed, quarantine and introducing new birds
The first-aid essentials every keeper should have before they need them

Connect with Dr Carra:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_carra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarra/
Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital: https://hillcrestvets.co.za/

Connect with Nikki Husted:
Linktree: https://beacons.ai/purelychickens
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PurelyChickens/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purelychickens/
Website: https://purelychickens.com/

Podcast Production:
This Podcast is produced by Kythe Creative and filmed onsite at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital.
Kythe Creative: https://kythecreative.co.za/

THIS EPISODES SPONSORS:

Ultra Pet:
This episode is sponsored by Ultra Pet, who has been scientifically formulating premium pet food for over 25 years. If you want to take the guesswork out of feeding your furry friends, give Ultra Pet a try. Check them out here at www.ultra-pet.co.za

Just For Pets:
Justforpets.co.za is proud to sponsor this episode of the Paws and Effect podcast. Visit their website for all your pet needs and find everything from toys to food and much more. The team over at Just For Pets believe that every pet deserves the best care possible, and that's why we offer a wide range of products to help keep your furry friend happy and healthy - Check them out at https://www.justforpets.co.za/

FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND GUEST APPEARANCES, Email us at drcarra@pawsandeffect.co.za and we'll get in touch with you.

Don't forget to LIKE this if you found it helpful, SUBSCRIBE for more episodes and content like this.

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00:00 Introduction
00:24 Identifying chicken health issues
03:12 Monitoring chicken behaviour and egg-laying
06:48 Checking chicken droppings for health
11:35 Adopting and quarantining new chickens
16:10 Risks of homemade chicken feed
19:35 Tracking my chickens' info
21:53 Identifying chicken health issues
23:58 Checking chickens for leg injuries
28:04 Checking for chicken crop issues
31:50 Home remedies for egg-bound hens
37:14 Administering Fluids to Chicken
39:08 Chickens: Essential first aid kit
44:27 Importance of finding chicken vets
45:26 Caring for chickens as pets
48:41 Podcast interview gratitude

A loop of wire, tied to a branch, in a patch of bush near a town you might live near.

Anything that walks through it, a duiker, a bushpig, a bird, sometimes a leopard, occasionally someone's dog, is caught, and the wire doesn't let go.

Cheap, silent, and everywhere.

Conservationists call snares the silent killers.

Our guest walks that bush and pulls them out. On a bad day, his team finds dozens; they've found eighty in a single day. He's asked to stay anonymous, and once you hear who's on the other side of this work, you'll understand exactly why.

This is poaching most people never picture: not helicopters and rhino horn, but a quiet, industrial-scale slaughter happening close to home.

We talk about what snares do, why the problem is growing, the real risk of the work, and what you can actually do about it.

Connect with Dr Carra:
Website: https://drcarra.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_carra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarra/
Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital: https://hillcrestvets.co.za/

Connect with Snare Aware:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snareaware/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snareaware/

Podcast Production:
This Podcast is produced by Kythe Creative and filmed onsite at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital.
Kythe Creative: https://kythecreative.co.za/

THIS EPISODES SPONSORS:

Ultra Pet:
This episode is sponsored by Ultra Pet, who has been scientifically formulating premium pet food for over 25 years. If you want to take the guesswork out of feeding your furry friends, give Ultra Pet a try. Check them out here at www.ultra-pet.co.za

Just For Pets:
Justforpets.co.za is proud to sponsor this episode of the Paws and Effect podcast. Visit their website for all your pet needs and find everything from toys to food and much more. The team over at Just For Pets believe that every pet deserves the best care possible, and that's why we offer a wide range of products to help keep your furry friend happy and healthy - Check them out at https://www.justforpets.co.za/

FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND GUEST APPEARANCES, Email us at drcarra@pawsandeffect.co.za and we'll get in touch with you.

Don't forget to LIKE this if you found it helpful, SUBSCRIBE for more episodes and content like this.

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00:00 Snaring in ancient and modern times
10:27 Spotting signs of poaching activity
12:31 Understanding Poaching Snares and Adaptations
19:55 SPCA education program involvement
26:46 Responding to lost pet alerts
30:09 Difficulties in animal rescue work
33:42 Training for wildlife rescue
38:55 Illegal hunting with dogs in KZN
43:26 Finding snares near childhood home
51:29 Keeping Pets Safe from Wildlife
58:46 Identifying poachers by snare signatures
01:01:41 Joining the volunteer group
01:05:31 Dreaming of full-time commitment

Your dog growls when you touch his back. Your cat starts weeing outside the litter box. Your older dog paces at night and stops greeting you at the door.

It’s easy to call these things stubbornness, spite, aggression, or just old age. Often, they’re something else entirely, a pet in pain, unwell, or frightened, telling you the only way it can.

Veterinary behaviourist Dr Megan Petroff joins me to untangle one of the hardest questions in pet care: when a behaviour change is medical, when it’s behavioural, and when it’s both, and how to tell the difference before you try to correct it.

In this episode:
•⁠  ⁠Real behaviour changes that turned out to signal serious illness
•⁠  ⁠Why “he’s just getting old” can be a dangerous assumption
•⁠  ⁠How to tell pain, fear and illness apart
•⁠  ⁠The truth about behaviour medication, beyond “last resort” and “quick fix”
•⁠  ⁠When to push for more testing, and how to raise it with your vet

Dr Megan Petroff is a veterinary behaviourist with residency training in clinical behavioural medicine.

Subscribe!

Connect with Dr Carra:
Website: https://drcarra.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_carra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarra/
Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital: https://hillcrestvets.co.za/

Connect with Dr Megan Petroff:
Instagram: @longIslandbehavior
Facebook: facebook.com/p/Veterinary-Behavior-with-Dr-Megan-Petroff
TikTok: @LongIslandBehavior
Website: goldcoastcvc.com/veterinarians/megan-petroff

Podcast Production:
This Podcast is produced by Kythe Creative and filmed onsite at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital.
Kythe Creative: https://kythecreative.co.za/

THIS EPISODES SPONSORS:

Ultra Pet:
This episode is sponsored by Ultra Pet, who has been scientifically formulating premium pet food for over 25 years. If you want to take the guesswork out of feeding your furry friends, give Ultra Pet a try. Check them out here at www.ultra-pet.co.za

Just For Pets:
Justforpets.co.za is proud to sponsor this episode of the Paws and Effect podcast. Visit their website for all your pet needs and find everything from toys to food and much more. The team over at Just For Pets believe that every pet deserves the best care possible, and that's why we offer a wide range of products to help keep your furry friend happy and healthy - Check them out at https://www.justforpets.co.za/

FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND GUEST APPEARANCES email us at drcarra@pawsandeffect.co.za, and we'll get in touch with you.

Don't forget to LIKE this if you found it helpful, SUBSCRIBE for more episodes and content like this.

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00:00 Intro
00:24 Using medication for dog behavior disorders
04:58 Limited use of veterinary medications
07:50 Importance of follow-up in treatment
10:58 Identifying dog behavior changes
16:16 Identifying arthritis in aging dogs
18:14 Recording concerns for vet consultation
21:05 Identifying signs of dog illness
24:32 Cat’s Tumor and Treatment Journey
31:25 House training and punishment issues
33:15 Cat’s elimination issues and diagnosis
38:35 Treating Anxiety to Improve GI Health
42:03 Choosing the right behavior specialist
46:18 Managing behavioral disorders in pets
47:08 Addressing dog behavioral issues
51:21 Veterinary behavior care on social media