Pet Parenting vs. Human Parenting, Aging Pets, & The Dangers of Chunky Pets

In this episode, Veterinarian Dr. Josie opens up about the deep connections we share with our pets, from the way they mirror our own habits to the tough question of whether love shifts when children enter the picture. She talks candidly about the realities of overweight pets, why managing their health can add years to their lives, and how pet parenting often feels a lot like raising kids. Dr. Josie also shares her inspiring journey from running busy clinics to creating a concierge veterinary practice, blending entrepreneurship with a renewed focus on balance, purpose, and personalized care.

Follow Dr. Josie: @drjosievet

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Follow Take This Personally: @takethispersonally

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Personal with Yan Felds Men veterinarian doctor Josie joins me
this week. I've gotten a lot of requests to go
into the new diagnosis of my animals, Remy and Hazel,
who were both diagnosed with some new diseases in the
last two months, Remy with Addison's disease and Hazel with
kidney disease. So we're going to get into that and

(00:34):
also talking about doctor Josie's story and how she got
into vet work, as well as how animals are alike
to humans and her hot takes on some things we
see on social media regarding our pets. Doctor Josie is
with me today. I'm excited to talk to you about

(00:56):
all things pets, vets, and anything in between. So welcome
to the podcast. Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
I'm so glad to be here.

Speaker 1 (01:03):
I really want to start with your story. Like, I
know you have your podcast which is in the Vets Off,
and you talk all about all these different vets stories
and stuff, which is so awesome. But how did you
even become a vet? Where was that idea? Were you
a kid and like I have to do this or
just it happened in the right way that it needed
to happen.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, I always grew up loving animals. Of course, I
think any veterinarian will tell you that. I honestly, I
grew up in a house where there was it was tumultuous.
I had a dad that really struggled with addiction, so
he was in and out a lot, going to rehabs
like extended today rehabs, and he was always against us

(01:42):
having a dog, and then finally at one point he
was gone. One of the times, I think I was
like ten or eleven, and my mom was like, screw it,
we are getting a dog. And so we got a dog.
Her name was Macy. She was actually a Golden doodle
before golden doodles were like even a thing, because this
was probably twenty five years ago, and I think that

(02:02):
was my first time realizing like just how instrumental these
animals are in our life. Like, of course I was
only ten, so I probably couldn't really grasp it, but
I knew, like, this is unconditional love. They are always
there for you no matter what, and so it really
became like this one family member that you could really
I could really depend on. And so for me, my

(02:24):
love for animals really started there and so a couple
of years later, I got a car two thousand and
one Toyota camera and her name was Sabrina. And my
mom said, if you're gonna have this car, you're gonna
have to pay for gas and maintenance, and you're gonna
need to get a job. And so the first place
I put on my shoes and I walked down the

(02:45):
street in the first place I passed was a small
I'm not that small. I guess it's a pretty decent
sized veterinary hospital in Indianapolis shout out Broadrouple Animal Clinic.
And I started working there in high school when I
was fifteen. I started working.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
There like front deck can help him with tasks or
something different.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
No, I was a ward assistant, which means essentially I
cleaned poop and I cleaned the kennels. After the animals left,
I would take care of them postop. I did a
lot of restraining them for blood draws. So I was
like bottom of the barrel, bottom of the totem pole
grunt work, like high school gruntwork. Yeah, yeah, That's where
I started.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
And you still kept deciding like this is what I'm
gonna do. It didn't turn you away from wanting to
do that.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
No, I loved it. No. I remember thinking, I worked
with this one veterinarian and he was amazing, and I
just thought he could walk on water, and I was like,
if I could be half the vet he is, someday like,
I will be so proud of myself. And so he
actually went on to write me a letter of recommendation
to vet school, and yeah, from there you go, I
will say. Going back to that. Working in a clinic

(03:49):
I think is so important because people do think, oh gosh,
like being a vet is so glamorous, you work with
kittens and puppies and fluffy animals, like it must be
the best job ever. But it's really tough sometimes. And
so getting that exposure when I was little to hey like,
not every day is rainbows and butterflies and you have
to have difficult conversations. I think for me really helped

(04:12):
me understand the profession and I went in eyes wide open.
So I think if anyone's listening and they want to
go to that school, I would highly recommend getting that
experience prior to It's like.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
With most things I think in life, where you should
always try before you buy. Yeah, like try before you commit. Yes,
it's everything in life. You should give it a shot
before you fully like throw your whole self in. Some
situations makes sense to throw your whole self in. Yeah,
But majority of the time, Yeah, if you can try

(04:41):
on something and see how does this work? What looks like?
Is there things I'm missing? Is there pieces I don't
understand every scenario. I feel like it benefits you, especially.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
When it's twelve years of school and hundreds of thousands
of dollars in student debt. You probably want to try
it on before you buy it. So I definitely agree
to that, and I do. I think every job is
probably glamorized to some extent, Like I'm sure you people
are like, hey, she works on the radio. That must
be so amazing. But of course with any job, there's
always difficult parts of it.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yes, you have highs and lows in every job, and
it's much to that saying everything isn't always greener on
the other side, yes, but something that's a hard part.
I think for vet work that a lot of people
don't consider. You think to your point that it is
rainbows and unicorns and you get to play with dogs
and cats all day. If you love animals, that sounds
like a dream. But you have to have very hard

(05:34):
conversations all the time.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
Yes, you do. And one thing I tell to anyone,
because I'll have high schoolers or college students say I
want to be a vet, like, what do you think?
And I tell them you need to have above average
people skills. People don't realize. They think, oh, I love animals,
I'll be an animal doctor, so I don't have to
deal with humans. But seventy five percent of my job
is working with the humans that own these animals and

(05:59):
making them feel comfortable and reading their body language and
communicating to them really tough news sometimes, and so that's
a huge part of it. And in vet school we
aren't taught those soft skills really, so that's something that
you have to You're either born with it or you
work really hard and you get better at it because
they are communication skills you can learn. And then of

(06:21):
course there's veterinarians that are research in a lab, so
that's different. You probably don't have to have great people skills.
But in my role, yeah, I spend a lot of
time talking to humans.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
Whoa and I believe that makes a difference between a
good vet and an exceptional one is that is genuinely
like how you communicate, because especially with the experience I've
had in the last three months, I have seen all
kinds of different types of vets and how they operate. Yeah,
and there's definitely some who are really exceptional at what
they do and others where you're like, I could have

(06:52):
really used a different scenario there, Yeah, that would have
been helpful.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
And I hate to stereotype this, Like I don't want
to say all really smart people are like this, but
veterinarians are traditionally, like just categorically very intelligent. You don't
get into VET school unless you're highly intelligent, and so
I find that a lot of highly intelligent people do
lack those softer people skills sometimes, and so finding the
combination of both can be difficult for sure.

Speaker 1 (07:19):
And because you do have to have such difficult conversations,
there is a reason why for veterinarians that the mental
health suicide rate is really high. How do you handle that?
How do you take care of yourself when this is
such a huge part of your job that you're having
to take it home with you a lot.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yeah, Yeah, it's interesting. People don't realize I think we're
the highest profession maybe us and dentists and.

Speaker 1 (07:45):
You guys people were and I remember looking at that stat.
I haven't seen the updated one, I guess in the
last year or so, but last I was reading the
study about it. It was bets.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
Yeah, and it's multifactorial. I think there's like a lot
of things that go on, whether it's we leave school
with an exorbitant amount of debt, pretty much the same
amount of debt as a human doctor, and then they
get paid an eighth of what a human doctor makes.
And then owners get upset for whatever reason, rightfully so,
probably because their pets sick. But then they say, oh, well,
you're just out for money. So I think there's like

(08:16):
this crazy cycle that goes on. And then too, like
you said, having to have really difficult conversations, and a
lot of times we have to let our patients go
even though we know we potentially could fix them. But
let's say the owner doesn't have the finances to do so.
So it's definitely it can be taxing for sure. What

(08:37):
I do personally is I'm really lucky. I have an
amazing support system. My husband, who's been on my podcast,
he's the best. He is so wonderful. I can talk
to him about anything and he's not in veterinary medicine,
which I find is really helpful. He does joke that
he probably could have an honorary degree at this point.

Speaker 1 (08:53):
Probably.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
I'm like that is insulting, but also maybe a little
true because he says things I'm like, wow, like you could.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
Be a bet hey. At least you also know that
he's listening to you.

Speaker 2 (09:03):
That's true, So this is important silver lining. Yeah. Yeah,
the other day we passed like a little French bulldog
and he's like, oh, look at that breakycephalic.

Speaker 1 (09:12):
You're like, use you.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
I have trained you so well, I know. So he's
a great source of a great outlet for me. And
then my first job out was really grueling. I worked
to twelve hour shifts. I quickly realized six months in.
I was like, this job, well, you'll think about all
your cases when you get home. You'll live, eat, breathe
and die by this job. And I can't sustain that forever.

(09:37):
So I have found hobbies that I love. I have
a therapist that I talk to. I try to make
sure I have balance.

Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, that's so important, and it is you are putting
so much time and effort, and it's I think another
side of this is that you're working with animals who
can't speak to you, and so you have owners who
are speaking for them the best that they know how
to do, and you're trying to speak the best that
you know how to do on the anatomy side and
understanding what's happening to them. And so it's this perfect

(10:06):
storm of all of the things that could possibly be
just the most mentally exhausting scenario.

Speaker 2 (10:12):
Yeah, and the reality is, just like you said, they
can't speak. So a lot of times I'm advocating for
the animal first and foremost. That is my job. I
love my clients, of course I want to meet their expectations,
but I will never jeopardize my patient's health or well
being to make a client happy. So I have to
advocate for them. And even if that means that the

(10:32):
clients don't want to hear that, like, that's just part
of the job, which you're right, can be really difficult.

Speaker 1 (10:38):
And I love that you have hobbies and stuff, but
also isn't one of your hobbies involved in this also
with animals? You ride horses?

Speaker 2 (10:44):
I know, yes, I can't escape animals, but they're my passion.
So yes, I ride horses. That is like a lot
of people ask me, did you want to be a
horse that and I said no, this is like what
I love to do outside of work. And I've been
pretty like strict about that. So that has been a
good thing.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
And that stays that way.

Speaker 2 (11:03):
But you horses too, Yes, yep. I have really primarily
just my old horse. He's twenty five. His name is Timmy.
Actually is he twenty five? He was born in two
thousand and one, so yeah, he's turning twenty five.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
When horses can live a really long time, I don't
know that anybody ever realizes that or considers that I
had four horses grown up and I adored them, but
they lived for so long.

Speaker 2 (11:28):
Oh, a horse is a huge commitment. I don't think people,
well we have a problem. For sure. People buy horses
and then they're like, wait, this horse is going to
live till thirty five forty and they're stuck with this horse.
So then that's how you hear about the horse trade
and the meat trade, and it's oh yeah, and don't
get me into that because we are not going to
go there.

Speaker 1 (11:47):
Donated to so many horse rescues.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Once I discovered this, it was it's like that Sarah
McLaughlin commercial for horses that comes on.

Speaker 1 (11:54):
Well, I never even knew about it. I mean I
should have. I think there was a big naive side
of me that.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
The average lay person. I would say majority people listening
to this podcast have no idea what we're talking about.
But after this, you need to go google the horse
meat trade.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
Yeah, maybe watch on TikTok. It may not be as gruesome.
I guess it may allow you to go into it easily,
but it is like you really think about. Even there's
somebody that I follow on Instagram. His name is now Harveston.
I've had him on the podcast, and he created a
dog rescue in Thailand, and you have all these street
dogs that he takes care of. But he went to

(12:28):
India where there was this huge problem of like street dogs,
where the whole government was about to kill all of
these dogs, and he was down there to advocate. And
I just there's so much culturally interesting things surrounding so
many different animals and how we all value them differently. Yes,
and then you just have people like us who I'm like,
I just I value all of them, so like, how

(12:50):
can we make that work? Like I value the ant
on the sidewalk, but I try and save spiders and
I hate spiders.

Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah, I just it is culturally. That's like, wherever you
go in the world, their values and the way they
view animals and their pets can be very different. And
that doesn't make it any less right or wrong. It's
just different from us. I will say, Like the horse trade, though,
to me, is black and white wrong because it's abuse

(13:18):
and neglect and unethical.

Speaker 1 (13:20):
So it is very much so. And I there's moments
where I'll go down the rabbit hole and then I
have to pull myself back up because I sure I
get so sad. And then I'm like, okay, well, I
guess whenever I finally get my farm, one day, I'll
be rescue weing horses. So five thousand horses later now literally,
and I just love them. I think they're beautiful animals.
So I love that that's your hobby and it's an

(13:42):
escape because they're also therapeutic.

Speaker 2 (13:44):
Oh a million percent. I spending time around a horse,
just even walking into the barn and smelling this sounds gross,
but the manure, the hey, the leather, I'm like, oh,
this is the best. I'm immediately more calm, even with
the manure. I love the smell of horse boop. Put
that on the put that on the pod. This, don't
even cut that out.

Speaker 1 (14:04):
It makes so much more since why when you were
such a young kid and you walked in your clean
poop and you're like, yeah, this is fine. I still
love this.

Speaker 2 (14:11):
You're like this, girls are weird. I yeah, okay, I
don't like smell the poop as it's coming out, but
just like the barn in general, Like it's just the
best smell in the world.

Speaker 1 (14:20):
I know the smell you're talking about, but it's so
much more fun to say.

Speaker 2 (14:23):
I like poop. Make me say it. I double down
on it. I like the smell of poop, not all poop,
just worse poops.

Speaker 1 (14:32):
Specifically worse poop. You really didn't You didn't just double
down down? Can you cut that? No? That is staying
in this podcast. I do want to talk to you
because it's been such a grueling last few months for me,
and I think a lot of pet owners experience this
if they have their pets for a lifetime, which you should.

(14:54):
In ninety nine point nine, scenarios. The hardest part is
that they and they get older, and with that, just
like when we age, things happen. And my cat Hazel
was diagnosed with kidney disease, and a month later, my
dog Remy was diagnosed with Addison's disease.

Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yeah, you've been through.

Speaker 1 (15:15):
It, which as a pet owner was incredibly hard. I
was you mentioned advocating. I was advocating for two animals
and two completely different spectrums, trying to understand two things.
I had known a little bit about kidney disease and
known that cats get it, but this is a completely
new experience. Never in my life have even heard about

(15:37):
Addison's disease. So I felt completely just shut down, like
I had failed. Do you feel like when you're going
through this with so many different diagnoses and diseases, and
you have patients that come in and they could have
any number of things, and you experience these clients who
just feel so helpless, And yes.

Speaker 2 (15:58):
Every day I feel that. I hope I don't make
them feel that way, but I think it's just an
inherent These are your children, and you love them, and
they're a part of your family, and you would do
anything for them and they're sick, and that is a
really hard thing to come to terms with. Also Addison's,
for example, we have to do some testing to figure
out what's going on, so you're in this limbo zone almost,

(16:21):
and that's really challenging for owners. They want to know
right away what's wrong, what do we do to fix it?
And unfortunately, sometimes I say, we have to cast a
wide net diagnostically to figure out what exactly is going on.
So that sort of like waiting period is really hard,
especially if your pet's really sick. Then they get diagnosed
with this Addison's as a somewhat complex disease, the treatment

(16:43):
can be somewhat complex, and you're like, I am not
a doctor. I don't know what's understand what's going on here.
So if you don't have a veterinarian that you like,
really trust and click with and they communicate well, you
guys communicate well together, yes, it could be really challenging.
I can definitely understand that well.

Speaker 1 (17:00):
And that was the experience to two different ones. I'll
focus on Hazel first. This is from my cat lovers,
so you can be very educated. Knney disease happens to
nearly all cats. It's more of a super common if
then a win or a win than an if.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
If they live long enough. Hazel's howled.

Speaker 1 (17:20):
She's about ten roughly.

Speaker 2 (17:21):
Okay, so she's on the younger side, I would say,
But also she's Siamese, which predisposes them a little bit.

Speaker 1 (17:28):
And she's a rescue that came from a one hundred
and thirty cat hording situation. For I didn't get her
until she was eight years old, so for eight years
of her life, I have no idea.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
I always forget that you've only had her for two years,
so who knows?

Speaker 1 (17:40):
And I don't know what her diet was like, I
don't know what she was. I have no idea.

Speaker 2 (17:44):
I can't imagine it was good.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
No, I cannot. And I'm sure that was not helpful
to what her genes already or predisposed. Words are hard
for me, predisposed that it just added to that complication.
So when this all happening, it was like, yeah, there
was a lot of like, yes, this was probably going
to happen, but it was still this like shock to

(18:06):
me because now I have a cat who went from
incredibly healthy, we had no issues, she ate super well,
everything was fine to one day she has blood in
her urine, and I'm like, okay, take her to the bet.
She obviously has something going on. And then I have
a cat that's hospitalized. It was like that quick yes,
because that's major. It's not supposed to be happening, and

(18:28):
you do all these medications and the kidney is so
difficult to understand and what's happening with it, especially with cats.

Speaker 2 (18:34):
I will say one thing you just said there that
a lot of owners will resonate with, especially with cats,
is one minute they're fine, the next they're not. Dogs
are I find not all dogs, but most dogs are
a little bit more different. While they'll be like I
don't feel so good today, like you may notice a
little bit more of a theme, cats are like, no,
I'm good, I'm good, I'm dying. They I think it's

(18:56):
just because that's like they're predatorial, dry, like they don't
want to show a weakness because they'll get eaten out
in the wild. So they're really they're tough.

Speaker 1 (19:05):
They are, and she thankfully Hazel was pretty quick to
show me signs. She stopped eating. She started hiding under
the bed, which was unusual for her. She started giving
that behavior within twenty four hours, and I was like,
something's up totally so, but it was just crazy how
I just had a perfectly healthy cat to then all
of a sudden my cat was hospitalized not once, but twice,
and this kidney infection was not going away. And then

(19:28):
I'm sitting there and they're like talking about how okay,
well she's probably in kidney failure, and I'm sitting there
like I just she was just healthy in my whole
heart and my whole just face, and you could just
feel it, like the exhaustion was going over my body,
like what does this mean? What does this look like?
How much time do I have left? And thankfully we're
now at a place where she's maybe stage one, stage two.

(19:49):
We just she's just got some really as they call them,
ugly kidneys as much cats too, Like.

Speaker 2 (19:55):
Hey, don't shame her kidneys.

Speaker 1 (19:58):
They're not very pretty, poor girl. But now she gets
SubQ fluids twice a week, which.

Speaker 2 (20:03):
Are you doing those?

Speaker 1 (20:04):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (20:04):
Good for you?

Speaker 1 (20:05):
Yeah? Is that?

Speaker 2 (20:07):
Well? Just for people listening, SUBC fluids are just like
you would see if you went to the hospital and
we get ivy fluids into our arm. The owners are
able to stick the needle under the scruff, which is
like that skin on their back.

Speaker 1 (20:20):
Where like that mom would pick them up exactly.

Speaker 2 (20:22):
Yeah, so they don't have a lot of nerve endings there.
But then owners will stick a little needle in and
give them fluids that way, which then gets absorbed into
the bloodstream. And with kidney disease, keeping them hydrated is
far and away like the number one thing that we
focus on. So how's that going for you?

Speaker 1 (20:37):
It's been a challenge, I bet, especially if she's wiggily,
and she normally isn't. But like when we go to
the ve, she makes it look like nothing's happening. We
do it here and you would think that there is
an all out war happening at my house.

Speaker 2 (20:49):
Are we like hissing swatting?

Speaker 1 (20:51):
Well, thankfully, Miss Hazel doesn't have any teeth, so she
gives love bites, but they're gummy love bites, bless her heart.
So she's trying. It's just not going anywhere. So we're
we've got a lot of learning curve that we've finally passed.
It's funny because I tell my boyfriend, I'm like, I
know that I would have been able to do this
because I would have found away by myself, which I

(21:12):
just would have. Yeah, but I'm so glad I didn't
have to, because I faint when it comes to needles
and stuff. My gosh, Like there was one time I
was holding her and I'm like clutching her right and
I'm not, I know, not to keep my leg straight
because I will faint, and I'm like holding on and
he's putting the needle in and we're like, I don't know,
thirty MILLI laters in and I'm like deep rest, I'm

(21:34):
going down and I am. I think we only got
like sixty in her that day because she felt my
energy and it was not good, and she like goes crazy.
She runs away and I just like flop into the
kitchen floor and I was like, I'm about to pass.

Speaker 2 (21:47):
Out, honestly though, Like it's like poking yourself, of course awful,
but poking your cat, your sweet precious cat.

Speaker 1 (21:54):
Yeah, And she's so sweet and docile. She is like
my boyfriend's like I don't want to hurt her. I
feel like I'm hurting her. It's awful. And so it's
been this and it's and like it's very much the
testament of I will do anything for them to care
for them and give them the best life possible as
long as they want to give me. But holy crap,
Like I really underestimated what this lifestyle change was going

(22:17):
to look like.

Speaker 2 (22:18):
Yeah, and also I guess too, they're aging at the
same time, so you've got the double whammy. Yes, but
I find it that's how life happens when it rains
at poor situation. So it is really hard though, especially
with our animals. I'm fostering. While I just adopted him,
I foster failed and he this dog needed to have

(22:39):
twenty four teeth pulled, which I'm like, of course, like
I know this, his teeth are infected, they need to
come out. I do it, and then he's so miserable
and in so much pain afterwards, even with all the
pain meds, and I'm like, I feel so guilty, even
though and I'm a vet and I know that this
is the right thing to do. So it's just it's hard.

Speaker 1 (22:56):
Well, and dental disease is such a big common cause
for so many other things to happen, And that's why
it's funny we bonded over the first time whenever you
came on the show, because I was like, I brushed
my dog's teeth every single night, and you were like yes.

Speaker 2 (23:08):
I'm like thank you. Bobby's like what, I've never brushed
a dog tooth in my life and like you are
my worst client.

Speaker 1 (23:14):
Yeah, yeah, no, I love that, and it is because
my knowledge is huge. Dental is so important to a
pet's health.

Speaker 2 (23:21):
Oh bray, they don't have hands, so everything they do,
what they pick up with their mouths. They eat with
their mouth. Yeah, and they can't, Like they said, they
are pretty darn stoic. So this little dog had twenty
four infected teeth. We have one infected tooth and we're
running to the dentist.

Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, and that poor dog had twenty four. I do
want to hear about this new adoption. I do also
want to acknowledge that you didn't lose also one of
your beautiful dogs.

Speaker 2 (23:44):
Yes, so we lost Biggie back in the spring and
he was this little brown Honestly, he was a terror,
but I loved him. He he bit Bobby. I don't
know if you know that, but he bit him.

Speaker 1 (23:56):
But this is also my same dog that you rescue
from Mexico. Is this correct?

Speaker 2 (24:00):
There's no saya? Okay, this is the one he was
from Proverbs, which is a rescue here in town.

Speaker 1 (24:04):
That's the one I've fostered through before.

Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yeah, Biggie was my little terror. He loved his mom
and really nobody else, and that, honestly, I was loved
that like ball dog's exactly. So then Wags calls me,
I don't know, maybe a month ago, and they're like,
we have another little brown dog. And I'm like, is
this weird that I'm just like, am I like trying
to reincarnate Biggie? But then I met this little guy.
His name is Duke. He is a little Pekinese.

Speaker 1 (24:27):
I think it's he's like similar, similar breathe at all.

Speaker 2 (24:31):
No, Duke is full one hundred percent Pekanese, and Biggie
was like a super mutt of like Chihuahua beagle something else. Yeah,
I don't even think you have Pikanese in him. They're
just small and brown and like the similar. I know, like,
go to your people going to think I'm like trying
to am I weird for doing this?

Speaker 1 (24:49):
But oh not at all?

Speaker 2 (24:51):
Fall in love with you, fall in love with so Yeah,
So Duke is the second we brought him home, we
were like, oh, we love this dog. He's really sweet Cody.
As I'm sure you've seen on the internet, he's calling
him dukie, which I'm like, this is it's a turd.
We're literally we might as well call him turd.

Speaker 1 (25:09):
You're like, this is not an appropriate name for this
dog that's so adorable, like dukie.

Speaker 2 (25:14):
But whenever I now it's sticking. So no, I'm calling
him dukie the whole My friends are calling him dukie.
So the dukie is here to stay.

Speaker 1 (25:21):
You know, when you initially said it, because I knew
his name was duke, it sounded like a nickname. Yeah,
And then when you associated it then with it, then
I was like, okay, yeah, that's what that means. But
at first I didn't. Yeah, okay, good.

Speaker 2 (25:31):
That makes that like when we're outside and the neighbors
here is going dukie, they're not going to think we're crazy.

Speaker 1 (25:36):
No. Also, if you're using dukie today, then you might
be from like that's true. Do you know what?

Speaker 2 (25:43):
Yeah, that's true.

Speaker 1 (25:44):
So we don't exactly use that word much anymore. I
think I think you're safe.

Speaker 2 (25:47):
Okay, good, that's good to know. But yeah, he's great.
He's sleeping in bed with us. He is fully acclimated
into our life now, okay.

Speaker 1 (25:55):
And so when he first came in, I know you
were like, Okay, we're fostering. That's all we're doing. This
is what's happening. And yeah, when did the changeover happen?

Speaker 2 (26:02):
I think I was telling myself that because I really
was not trying to adopt a senior dog, as they
come with lots of issues, heartbreak is imminent, and I
had just lost Biggie's I'm like, why would I do
this to myself? But then they come into your life
and he's so stinking cute and he fit in perfectly
with my other two dogs. I think for us, it
was like twenty four hours after him being home, we

(26:23):
were like, okay, yep, peace staying.

Speaker 1 (26:25):
You guys knew we have that. You were still posting
a little bit on social media that you were looking
for a family, but you really weren't.

Speaker 2 (26:30):
I was like, well, let me just see, let me
see if we have any takers. I'm still trying to
keep it alive. But I know at that point, like
that's I knew in my heart he was staying with us.

Speaker 1 (26:38):
It's really hard. I've always said, like when I've been fostering.

Speaker 2 (26:42):
And foster you're good at it. Well, I cannot clearly.

Speaker 1 (26:46):
It's it trust me that you want to talk about,
like something that's a learned thing. You definitely have to
learn over time, and you learn to handle the heartbreak
a little bit easier each time. But I'm also really
lucky in the sense that Remy is very particular what
she wants to be around. She can handle and tolerate
a lot of things, but for a forever situation not

(27:07):
so much so. I had always said if I found
a dog that was like a really good fit with
her ant Hazel, which is hard a dog and a cat,
I just that would probably be the moment. But that
hasn't happened.

Speaker 2 (27:19):
That's a very female dog of her. Really definitely, I
find that majority and all this may not be true
for every dog, but majority of female dogs are very particular.
They're loving, they're sweet, they're kind, they're great, they're easy going,
but they can be very particular.

Speaker 1 (27:33):
Interesting.

Speaker 2 (27:34):
Boy dogs are just a little bit more like, well,
whatever goes like they're just more dopey.

Speaker 1 (27:39):
Is that like an a life? Do you think that
this translates to humans? You say that out loud, and
I was like, I feel like there are some connections
That totally rings truth out with animals as well, well,
at least with dogs. That's wild horses though in general.
Are they just more particular though? Or is it No?

Speaker 2 (27:59):
Mayor's female horses are exponentially more particular than geldings, which
are castrated horses.

Speaker 1 (28:05):
I never realized they were called guildings.

Speaker 2 (28:08):
Yeldings.

Speaker 1 (28:08):
Yeldings.

Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yeah, that's a boy horse that has what we call
it neuterin dogs, but castrated in a horse.

Speaker 1 (28:15):
I didn't know about castration because it always threw me
off of like, we're still using the word. There's another
word where I'm like we I don't feel like we
should be using that word anymore.

Speaker 2 (28:21):
It sounds really barbaric. Castrationes.

Speaker 1 (28:26):
Okay, well I just learned another new thing today. I
did know mares, yea, and maybe for also my naive
side because we had all mares growing up that I
for some reason thought, Okay, well, boy horses are also
the same name or something.

Speaker 2 (28:38):
Totally No, Yeah, geldings are, yeah, geldings and mares and
geldings are dopes compared to mares. Dope, like they're like dopey.

Speaker 1 (28:45):
I like the dopey I do call golden retrievers or
dopey dogs.

Speaker 2 (28:49):
Oh yeah, totally.

Speaker 1 (28:51):
And like Rimmy to me is an e or dog
where she just like walks and like life is moving
very slow. And then there's like dopey dogs. I've started
to like categorize for sure.

Speaker 2 (29:03):
I meet other dogs that they're like looking at like
they look into your soul and they know. And I
have other ones that are like lights out, no one's home.
They're just like, let's party. So there's yeah, totally two
different kinds.

Speaker 1 (29:15):
What other comparison do you see between animals and humans?
You've worked with so many animals and you're obviously a
people person, but like we just talked about how female's males,
But is there other comparisons that are like dang. I
don't know that people realize this.

Speaker 2 (29:29):
I think another big one is they they're like tolerance
for pain or like drama. Like I have some patients
where I'm like, you're so dramatic. Like my own German shepherd,
for example, will stub his toe and he will scream,
bloody murder. I have another little patient. I go to
pick her up and she just starts screaming. I'm like, what,

(29:50):
nothing's even happened. And then you have others that are
like Hazel, your cat, or probably Reman too, Like they're
very stoic, they're have a higher pain tolerance, they're like
not as dramat so probably similar to humans.

Speaker 1 (30:02):
Just emotions wise, do you feel like they go through
similar emotions to us?

Speaker 2 (30:08):
I don't know. I think that's an interesting question. I
don't think they have like the I don't know. I
don't know. I mean, they certainly don't have the cognitive
abilities that we do, but I do think they experience
sadness and happiness. And I don't know if their memory
is the same as ours, but they do remember like
traumatic experiences and that can really like shape their personality.

(30:30):
So I think to some extent yes, well, And.

Speaker 1 (30:32):
It's funny even memory too, because I'd also seen an
article come out about how dogs in particular often mimic
some of their owners, like illnesses and sicknesses, and I've
heard of dogs canning dementia. I've heard of dogs having
these things that you would typically associate with humans. Yeah,
is that pretty true? Do you see that happen?

Speaker 2 (30:51):
I don't know. I don't think there's enough data behind that.
I think it's all anecdotal and maybe that's true. I
will say without a doubt animals will have the same
energy as their owners a lot of time. So if
owners are super stressed or anxious, then I find that
their pets tend to be a little bit more stressed

(31:12):
and anxious. So I definitely like the energy is for
sure very similar between that of the owner and the pet.

Speaker 1 (31:20):
It is funny too, you say that, because I always say, like,
if you want to not like know who a person
is and they have an animal, what is their animal's
personality like? Because most of the time those animals are
mimicking what their owners are doing.

Speaker 2 (31:33):
I wonder what people thought when I had Biggie and
he tried to bite everyone.

Speaker 1 (31:37):
Just jos just is she a vampire? She's an awful
Maybe though you're particular about who you let in your circle.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
Yeah, exactly, And it's stuff like that.

Speaker 1 (31:48):
Yeah, I do think they pick up on things, Oh,
I for sure do, And for sure that like personality type.
I had one friend who she adopted a cava poo. Well,
she bought a kava poo because of me, and I said,
just FYI rescues buying. They're much different. So I don't
know that you're gonna get the same thing one in two.

(32:09):
Your energy is a lot different than my energy. Just
a warning. And sure enough, that sweet dog she's so
stinging cute, but she bounces off the walls and she's
a little bit more anxious and stuff. And I was like, girlfriend,
that dog is feeding off of you. This is where
that is. She's like, but Remy is so calm. I
was like, well, I tend to be pretty calm.

Speaker 2 (32:27):
Remy is literally snoring in the corner right now, cannot.

Speaker 1 (32:30):
Be bothered by this interview.

Speaker 2 (32:33):
She's perfect. I love this dog. Yes, you know she's
soul kavapoo.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
So when I did a DNA test on Remy, she
is a she. The actual thing is she's mostly Cavalier Poodle,
but she has twelve percent Chihuahua.

Speaker 2 (32:46):
Also, my favorite breed.

Speaker 1 (32:48):
Is that your favorite breed? Or are you being sarcastic?
I love them?

Speaker 2 (32:51):
Oh yeah, I love them, even.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
Though they're little ankle biters is what they're known for.

Speaker 2 (32:55):
I adore them. To own a Chihuahua and to be
loved by a Chihuahua, there is nothing like it. I
live and swear by chuahas.

Speaker 1 (33:04):
Okay, give me your five dog breeds that you would own.

Speaker 2 (33:09):
That I would own. Yeah, okay, if I was going
to go to a breeder, which, by the way, you
can bind purebreads and rescue.

Speaker 1 (33:15):
I also agree one hundred percent sigence statement.

Speaker 2 (33:17):
Yeah, what purebreads would I own? I do really love
golden Retrievers. I love Labrador Retrievers. That's like pretty classic.
I love Chihuahuas. That's number one on the list for me.
What other breeds do I love? I really like boxers.

Speaker 1 (33:34):
All boxers are so cute.

Speaker 2 (33:36):
They're super cute. They've got like goofy personalities, which I love.

Speaker 1 (33:39):
They have that dirtiness, not as dopey, but they're dirty.

Speaker 2 (33:42):
They are dirty of it when they grab their jowls.
And then I think, if you like small dogs, I
really like Malteses. Yeah, a great little breeds that they
tend to be awesome little dogs.

Speaker 1 (33:55):
We had a multie growing up.

Speaker 2 (33:57):
Oh. I have one other that I always forget. Standard
poodles are amazing, very smart, Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 (34:03):
Smart.

Speaker 2 (34:03):
They're calm, they're regal, They're like perfect gentlemen or ladies.
They are awesome. I love standard poodles. People go and
buy doodles and I'm like, oh my gosh, don't buy
a doodle, get a standard poodle.

Speaker 1 (34:15):
They're about the same size as a doodle, aren't they. Yeah,
And they are really intelligent and they are a person.
I prefer their personalities.

Speaker 2 (34:21):
I think they're amazing, are they Aren't they a little
bit more stoic.

Speaker 1 (34:24):
Tend to be a little bit more stoic, and.

Speaker 2 (34:26):
They're just not as like we're finding more and more
of that. Doodles as they're getting bred. They're becoming like
a little bit more hyper hyperactive. Like some would even
say some of them are neurotic. Honestly, And I know
I probably have a lot of doodle listeners out there,
so please don't come for me. But we are just
finding that, for whatever reason, that gene of them being
bred and being hyperactive is becoming more prevalent.

Speaker 1 (34:48):
That's interesting. I wonder where that's coming from and that
whole line of genetics.

Speaker 2 (34:53):
Yeah, I don't know. Golden retrievers can be very overactive.
Any Golden older owner will tell you, like, you get
a good Golden, amazing, best dog ever. If you get
a bad Golden, they are crazy, very high energy. Yeah, exactly.
So maybe somewhere in there that's gotten mixed in with it.

Speaker 1 (35:10):
So there's one that a breed that I never knew.
And my sister got both of these from rescues and
she had fallen in love with this breed. But Doberman's
Adobies are great. They are little velcro dogs. They're not
little by any means, but they're veulcro dogs and they
are so stinkin precious. They are.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
Adobies are great. Obviously, that's a big dog. They can
have some like protective tendencies or you train them starting
off very young age, same with like our German Shepherds
and our melinwas. But I do love Adobies a lot.

Speaker 1 (35:40):
They are and I never I just never really knew
much about the breed until she got them, because it
was definitely one of those that was a standout that
everybody always saw as a scary dog. Yeah. No, and
they are just little angels.

Speaker 2 (35:51):
No, They're amazing. Yeah, No, love them. I've never had
a knock on wood, but I like have my breeds
or I'm like, oh yeah, they're gonna try and eat
me and the zamroom and that Adobes don't really make
it onto that list for me.

Speaker 1 (36:03):
Oh see, there we go, and it's that mischaracterized where
we just really stereotype animals stereotype in humans.

Speaker 2 (36:09):
We did the same thing to animals exactly. And adobies
are usually in the movies. Are the ones like protecting
the backyard, like running after the bad guy? But no,
they're very sweet.

Speaker 1 (36:18):
Our dalmatians very mean.

Speaker 2 (36:20):
Dalmatians can be very aggressive.

Speaker 1 (36:22):
Okay, so one hundred and one dalmatians. Choosing them was
an accurate representation. Correct.

Speaker 2 (36:27):
A dalmation would be at the top, one of the
top of my list for it might eat me in
the exam room.

Speaker 1 (36:33):
Really, what are the other ones?

Speaker 2 (36:34):
Chihuahuas, so chuas are number one.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
Chia for sure, try.

Speaker 2 (36:38):
To bite me. Rattweilers can be up there. Well. Other
breed I don't want to like stereotype breeds, but yeah,
I mean, I guess it would be probably a German
shepherd sometimes can be a little and I have a
German Shepherd, but they can just be protective of their owner.

Speaker 1 (36:52):
Well, I've always said this too about animals in general. Now,
if you get a rescue, it's a little bit more
complicated because you never know their history completely. But if
a dog is bad, regardless of breed. It is bad
because of the owner, not because of the dog.

Speaker 2 (37:06):
One hundred percent, and say it for the people in
the back.

Speaker 1 (37:09):
That is my asterisk to talking about this. It's just
more openly because you see so many types that if
you are going to a shelter and you're like, oh, well,
there's these breeds. It's great to be informed about what
you're getting.

Speaker 2 (37:21):
Yes, definitely, and not just because something looks cool or badass,
like doesn't mean it's going to fit your lifestyle. Because
I see so many young single guys that go out
and get Belgian malinoaws or a German shepherd and then
they don't have any fundamental training and they don't have
the resources to take them to a trainer and they're
like it's a disaster.

Speaker 1 (37:42):
So especially Belgian Malinois, I see them all the time
on social media and.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
Holy crap, those dogs are awesome but amazing.

Speaker 1 (37:50):
You have to know what you are doing.

Speaker 2 (37:52):
They are freak of nature athletes. They can climb trees,
they jump out of helicopters. They are next level and
if you don't train them, they're gonna train you. Yeah,
so smart.

Speaker 1 (38:03):
That's one of those that might be the only dog
where I'm like, I'm not sure how I'm such a
lovey dovey type trainee that like I will shower you
with love and affection and positive reinforcement. That bull don't
care train me.

Speaker 2 (38:16):
They don't care. They're like, give me a toy, let's go.
I want my ball, I want this, I want that,
like they are like super demanding.

Speaker 1 (38:22):
Yes, I do want to talk to you about Remy
and Addison's disease because I've gotten so many questions about her.
So I have been seen a little bit more frequently
that more dogs are getting Addison's disease. Is just just
because we now know more about it.

Speaker 2 (38:39):
Yeah, the prevalence of Addison's disease is not increasing. I
think we as a profession are able to diagnose it
a little bit more readily, Like we have the tests
available to us. Owners are getting pet insurance and can
afford it because as it is not inexpensive to diagnose
Addison's disease, and Addison's is really what we call the
great impersonator, So it can like a lot of different

(39:01):
thing like maybe they're throwing up a little, maybe they're
having diarrhea, maybe they don't want to eat, maybe they're
like just a little bit more lethargic, which a million
things can cause that. So we really, like I said,
we have to cast a wide net. There's one test
in particular that can rule out addisons, but if that
comes back abnormal, then we have to do a confirmatory test.
And a lot of times people may either tap out

(39:23):
of finances, the pets older, and they end up euthanizing
and we never get to a full diagnosis. So I
think we're just diagnosing it more as a profession.

Speaker 1 (39:33):
Okay, and that makes a lot more sense. I think
that comes with the even human medicine too, where we
just start to understand things a lot better. Yeah, and
that was the case for Remy and if anybody ever
sees it, Like, the biggest thing that I've realized between
Hazel and Remy is that I am their liaison of
getting healthy, and it is my job when I see

(39:53):
a sign in them or see something to get them
the help that they need.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
Undred percent. I tell my owners and your pet better
than anybody. If you're telling me you're pedisic and acting
off like, I'm going to trust you and we're going
to figure it out. So but you have to be
watching them and then you know, advocating for them as
the owner.

Speaker 1 (40:09):
Well, and that's so difficult too, because life can be hard, right,
And I'm really lucky that Rimy and I have a
very special bond that the immediate moment she started being
off as like something is not normal here, and her
signs were a little unusual. Her whole body was shaking,
which is not normal for her. She started drinking more
Watermy hates drinking water, so I knew that was something
and I was and then she started to get to

(40:31):
a point where she wasn't eating near as much, and
she is a very food motivated dog. So all three
signs were pointed to me something's not right. Took her
into a vet. He's like, well this some of these
signs can be cushiings. It can also be another thing,
but we need to get blood work to be sure.
We get blood work it comes back all of her
electrolytes were high. That's how this started. And he was like, okay,

(40:53):
actually opposite side Addison's disease. And that afternoon, because I
know at this point something is wrong with her and
she's not doing well, and I was like, I'm not
gonna sit here and wait, I'm not gonna like, we're
not going to keep pushing me away like we're getting
We're coming in today and do the gold standard test,
which is what you're talking about, the gold standard test.
I had to leave Remy at the vet for about

(41:14):
thirty minutes an hour because they pull it and they're
measuring cortisol.

Speaker 2 (41:18):
And exactly, yeah, it's an hour. We draw blood, then
we give them an injection of a medication, and then
we draw blood an hour after that.

Speaker 1 (41:25):
So and so that particular vet visit, Remy's never been
left at the vet awake. So as we leave the
vet from that which we're going to get the results
the next morning, maybe an hour later, Remy starts trying
to throw up. She has diarrhea of blood and she

(41:46):
gets a little bit lethargic. And I was like, but
as soon as I saw the diary in blood, I
was like, I don't care. It's five o'clock. We're going
to the er. There was no question in my mind.
I was like, this has definitely gotten much worse in
this van. And they pulled like her quarters levels, and
sure enough, she was very low, and she was at
the beginning of an Addisonian crisis.

Speaker 2 (42:04):
Yes, that's a scary thing about Addison's. If left undiagnosed,
they can go into a full crisis where their organs
start to shut down and they are life threatening sick
and need to be hospitalized.

Speaker 1 (42:16):
And which again all of these things I didn't know.
So all of this was like education for me, hopefully
education for you to watch symptoms and signs. And I
just got super lucky that in that timeframe I was
able to get the diagnosis that I was and confirmed
that she was Addison's. And I was watching her so
closely that I got her in immediately as I noticed,

(42:37):
and the vet looked at me and was like, you
saved her life.

Speaker 2 (42:40):
You did one hundred percent.

Speaker 1 (42:41):
And I wanted to cry. I was already crying, yeah,
because of everything that was happening, of course, but that
was like a proud pet parent moment where I was
I should be proud. I recognized it.

Speaker 2 (42:50):
Yeah, some in your gut, and maybe it's women's intuition
or pet owner's intuition, because there's great male owners out
there too, where it's my pet needs help, and so
you advocating for a one thousand percent safe to life.
I don't think she probably would have made it through
the night.

Speaker 1 (43:06):
I know, And that was like and it was hard,
right because to your point, finances and it's expensive and
you have to make tough decisions. But in that moment,
I really wasn't thinking. I was just like I something
that I was very proud and very happy that my
parents did for me when I first adopted for me
ten years ago, was if you're going to adopt a dog,
you have to start saving money for that dog because

(43:27):
one day, maybe not now, maybe not five years from now,
but one day you will need this money. Correct, And
every paycheck I've sockd away some money and planned and
been ready for this, and so when that moment came,
I could just say, Okay, I'm ready to take care
of my dog.

Speaker 2 (43:40):
Yeah. One thing too, I think for listeners to keep
in mind is a lot of people are electing pet
insurance now. A lot of people ask me about it,
and probably back when you got her it was not
as prevalent. It is becoming more prevalent today, and I
strongly recommend pet insurance for situations just like this, like
where you could have been putting money money away for

(44:00):
savings that could have gone to a pet insurance, which
probably would have covered her hospital's day. Again, ten years ago,
I'm not even sure if we really had great pet insurance.
But now it's getting so much better. And so if
you're going to get a pet, the second you get them,
get pet insurance before you even go to the vet,
because the first time they're diagnosed with anything, that's a
pre existing condition.

Speaker 1 (44:20):
Yep. So and that's where I got stuck. Was well,
now they're both diagnosed.

Speaker 2 (44:24):
Now it's too late.

Speaker 1 (44:25):
I can't do anything about that. But yes, please do
that because that will help save you financially and gosh,
just hospital bills and stuff in general, wool. Then you
don't have to make tough calls exactly.

Speaker 2 (44:36):
It makes everyone's life easier. You don't have to decide
do I need to like take a mortgage out of
my house versus saving my pet's life.

Speaker 1 (44:43):
So yeah, and now so now and you can speak
to this like now, Remy with Addison's is there adrenals failed.
Her adrenals don't work any more, so her body doesn't
handle stress, so she has to get a monthly cortisol shot.
She has to be on steroids every single day, which
was also an adjustment period because we had to figure
out what levels she liked her body worked, which is
also just lifestyle changes in general too. So that is

(45:07):
something to look out for when your pet does get
diagnosed with things. I think there's an acceptance in understanding
that your life might change a little bit.

Speaker 2 (45:13):
Yes, it can be. You are a caretaker at that point, right,
You've got to drive them to their appointments. They have
to get with addison disease. They're blood drawn quite a bit,
they need injections, they need medications, and so it's another
very large responsibility as an owner being their caretaker. There
is something called caretaker fatigue as well, which you know,

(45:36):
you've got this little being that you love so much,
and it's like it can be taxing to have to
take care of them. I'm sure. I'm sure they have
that in human medicine, but yeah, we see it all
the time in animal medicine.

Speaker 1 (45:48):
Well, thanks for speaking to that. I know a lot
of people reach out to me saying they either were
dealing with it at a period of their lives or
they have similar situations with their pets, And I just
there's so much that we don't talk about when it
comes to pets aging, and I'm getting a very front
seat to the whole experience. Not that I wasn't ever
prepared for. I had all of my other like family
pets and stuff through their whole life, but my parents

(46:09):
took care of it. This is the first time. This
is your living responsibility. Yeah, and it's been an eye
opening experience that I wish I could even preach more,
like pets are for a lifetime commitment, Like you have
to know what you're getting yourself into one hundred percent,
and there's so much that you just have to be
prepared for to do and make calls and be the parent.

Speaker 2 (46:30):
Actually, yeah, you are there.

Speaker 1 (46:33):
You are.

Speaker 2 (46:34):
They are your full time responsibility, and that is easy
when they're happy and healthy, but when they're sick, you
really recognize the weight of that well.

Speaker 1 (46:41):
And I want to talk to you now about some
hot topics on social media regarding pets.

Speaker 2 (46:44):
Okay, of course, let's do it.

Speaker 1 (46:47):
Speaking of that, like full time care and just everything
that I'm in and you mentioned it too, You're like,
these are your babies. Do you think animals can be
called like my parents, Like I'm a dog mom, I'm
a cat mom, or like that's my baby, Like is
that in your veterinary opinion?

Speaker 2 (47:08):
Okay to say like this is my baby?

Speaker 1 (47:11):
Yeah, or like I'm a dog mom, Like I'm a mom,
I have a dog. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (47:16):
I feel like if a mom is listening to this
who has human children, she's gonna be like, yeah, right,
like did you push that thing out of your vagina?
I don't know, Like are you actually I think you're
a mom. Yes, I think that love and you love
them like a child. I think you're a dog mom,
let's put it that way. I don't know if you're
like the same as a human mom.

Speaker 1 (47:36):
Well, and that's what's funny, is what do you think?
It's such a debate on social media? Honestly, I like,
I haven't come across this yet. Oh, it's so funny
to watch because people have very strong opinions about this.
More so because and it's funny you have people who've
never pushed a child out ever, who have a lot
of strong opinions. Yeah, and truly, the only one who
can make that call of someone who has pushed a
child out and who has dogs, correct, that's the only

(47:57):
one who's ever gonna be able to truly weigh down
on the city Way exactly. But all that to be said,
I think when you do care for a living being
and you keep it alive and you watch for its needs,
you are a parent.

Speaker 2 (48:11):
Yes, I agree with that. You're a pet parent. Yeah,
I will say. I'm the last of like pretty much
all my friends to have babies. And I always ask
my girlfriends, especially like the ones that love their dogs
the way I do, once they have the baby. I'm like,
do you like still love your dog as much?

Speaker 1 (48:26):
Like?

Speaker 2 (48:26):
Do you love your baby more? Like?

Speaker 1 (48:27):
I need to know?

Speaker 2 (48:28):
And they all say it's very different when you have
a human baby.

Speaker 1 (48:32):
Really, even the.

Speaker 2 (48:33):
Ones that are like us, die hard pet.

Speaker 1 (48:35):
Parents, and they still there's like there's a change that happened.

Speaker 2 (48:38):
There's a change. I will if I have a baby,
I'll report back to you.

Speaker 1 (48:43):
Does that scare you because you haven't had any kids
yet and I don't know, I don't know your choice
and whatever you want to do. But does that scare you?
Because that like scares me to think that one day
if I do have kids, like, I'm not going to
be the pet parent that I was.

Speaker 2 (48:56):
I don't think you love them any less, is what
I hear. I think it's just different, like you just
have this other little being that's a reflection of you
that you love just maybe a little bit more. Does
it scare me? I don't know. I guess maybe a little.
I love my dogs. I love my dogs like there
is nothing I wouldn't do for them, and I think
it will still be that way for me. But maybe

(49:18):
just your heart goes a little bit even more. That's
the way I like to think of it.

Speaker 1 (49:21):
I like that concept a lot better because the idea
of like any of that changing makes me really sad.

Speaker 2 (49:27):
We will not love our pets any less. I can
guarantee you that. I think it will just be different.

Speaker 1 (49:31):
Yeah. Well, my sister's also speaking of like buy this out.
She's gonna have her first baby. She's currently in labor
as we are recording this or not to go into
a labor congrat and she they have four dogs. They
have two Doodles and two Doberman's.

Speaker 2 (49:45):
Does she love her dogs as much as we can?

Speaker 1 (49:47):
Adores them?

Speaker 2 (49:47):
Okay, so she'll be a good like metric.

Speaker 1 (49:50):
And she was so excited to be a mom, So like,
I truly will have a full read on Yes, situation wise,
please let me know I will is that something like
you look at your life and like, what are the
things that you still hope to accomplish? Because you have
already accomplished so much. Yeah, but what are some things
you still hope to do.

Speaker 2 (50:10):
I do want to be a mom to humans, just
to clarify, Yeah, I think that we definitely want to
have kids at some point, So that is on the docket,
and then what do I want to accomplish. I had
a really big this last year was very transformative for me.
I owned two clinics in downtown Nashville. I had thirty employees.
I woke up one day and all I was doing

(50:32):
was managing humans, and I wasn't really doing a lot
with animals, and I was like, this is not what
makes my heart sing. And so I ended up selling
my shares in those clinics and now I have a
very small concierge practice where I go to people's homes.
It's just my nurse and I that drive around the
city and I get to spend my time really taking
care of animals and the people that love them. And

(50:54):
so that for me has been so rewarding. And I
think just focusing on that and make like nurturing them
and growing that is going to be my big goal.

Speaker 1 (51:03):
I love that. And it's not as this is something
that's new moncierge Bets is very near and new. And
tell me why you decided like this was the next
step for you, because there might be other people who
are looking at different options or just also trying to
figure out what, especially as their pet's age, what that
can look like.

Speaker 2 (51:23):
To be fair, I was like I was burnt out
of clinical practice. I said, I have balance, and I
have hobbies, and I have a therapy and all these things,
but still I was like I was exhausted being there
from eight to six every day managing people, seeing appointments,
and I just knew like I had to really sit
down and reflect. Okay, like I said, what makes my
heart seeing what do I love to do? And for me,

(51:45):
I love to take care of animals and I do
love to take care of their owners as well. Some
people in the profession, as we talked about, like they
don't like having the call owners back with blood work
and they don't want to have to have those hard conversations.
I really enjoy doing that and I really connect with clients.
So for me, I just tried to figure out, how
can I make my life a little bit more balanced

(52:06):
but be able to do the things that I love.
And so there are a lot of humans on the
medicine side, the human medicine side, that are doing concierge
medicine because of the benefits of it, the work life balance.
They don't have to take on as many patients and clients,
and I thought, well, why don't I bring that to
veterinary medicine hasn't been done before. I don't know of

(52:26):
another concierge practice in the world.

Speaker 1 (52:29):
The only thing I've ever heard of is like the
in home muthanasia stuff. That's the most I've really ever
heard of at home care.

Speaker 2 (52:36):
Yeah, exactly. And there's mobile vets that go around. But
I'm like locked in. You have my cell phone number,
you can call me at Friday at six, I'm gonna
have meds dropped at your door, like I know your
pets medical records like the back of my hand. So
I don't have to take on as many patients, which
is really nice, but I still get to take care
of animals and they're people that love them.

Speaker 1 (52:58):
Do you put a limit on your of how many
patients you can have at a time.

Speaker 2 (53:01):
I think I'm starting. We're a year in and I'm
starting to like just start to feel that limit. I'm like,
oh gosh, I'm feeling really busy. And a lot of
people that are in the concierge practice have pets that
have chronic issues or are aging, and or they have
five dogs, so they require a lot of a time
and attention, which is why I'm here. Like, That's what
I love to do and I'm happy to do it.

(53:23):
But I'm like, I think I might need to cap myself. Yeah,
I'm finding myself very busy.

Speaker 1 (53:27):
Well, I'm learning a lot of things of just you starting.
You're starting in a different path, but nobody's taken before,
So what does that look like? And how are you
going to manage it and still have your work life balance,
which was the whole purpose exactly.

Speaker 2 (53:38):
So it's a learning exercise and I'm just taking it
one day at a time, checking in with myself, my husband,
and making sure that I'm still feel like I have
a balance. I am such an achiever. You don't go
to VET school unless you are. So I'm like, of
course I can take on ten more clients, but I
think I'm getting to the point where I'm like, let
me think twice about this, let me really make sure.
Maybe I need to bring on another vet. We'll see

(53:59):
what happens.

Speaker 1 (54:00):
Well, I love this for you, and I love that
there was another social media question that I wanted to
ask you about.

Speaker 2 (54:06):
Let's hear it.

Speaker 1 (54:07):
Everybody loves to see fat little flufs, like little cats
that are so fliffy and large, or dogs that are
a little chunky. And I would love your take on
this because I know as a pet owner how I feel.
But I want to know your take as a veterinarian.

Speaker 2 (54:26):
About pets being overweight. Yes, seventy five percent of pets
that I see are overweight. And that is one thing
people always say, How can I make my pet live
as long as possible? That is one thing I can
say without fail. Having your pet at a healthy weight
will increase its lifespan unless something like terrible happens. But

(54:46):
that's the one thing that we have in our control
that we know creates a better life for them. It's
better for their joints, their heart health, their overall systemic health.
Like they will live longer because fat cells are inflammatory. Now,
when I tell owners that their pets are overweight. That
has to be done very delicately. I can't be like, hello,

(55:07):
your dog is fat. I have to like, because they
immediately take that as I've done something wrong. They can
turn south very quickly. So it's a way that has
to be collaborative, and we have to come up with
the weight watchers plan together, and everyone in the home
has to buy in a lot of people have toddlers
and they're throwing snacks over the table, and so it's

(55:27):
a whole family commitment. But yeah, do I think fat
pets are cute? Absolutely? I love a little roly Polly
am I like, oh my god. My vet brain is like, no,
this is bad. Yes, of course, and there are some
pets that are really hard, especially cats. Fat cats are
really hard to get to lose weight. So I do

(55:48):
understand the challenge of being an owner with an overweight
pet and like the challenge that comes with that. But
I would definitely urge you talk to your veterinarian and
come up with a weight watchers plan and try your
best to stick to it, because we know that will
lengthen their lifespan.

Speaker 1 (56:02):
I love that you're calling it a weight watcher's plan,
Like you had to get them on these diets, have.

Speaker 2 (56:06):
You I make them do weigh ends. Oh, we do
the whole thing. I'm like Jenny Crag out here, I'm.

Speaker 1 (56:11):
Like, what did you have? What is the food? And cary? Yeah.

Speaker 2 (56:15):
Because it's hard. And also people will be like, like,
how much did you feed? Well a scoop, I'm like, well,
how much was a scoop? Because that could be like
a red solo cup or it could be like a
beer Stein, Like we gotta nail it down to each
little kibble.

Speaker 1 (56:27):
And very much.

Speaker 2 (56:28):
So.

Speaker 1 (56:28):
Heck, my dog gets fed three times a day and
mind you hurt the thing is allocated to three times
a day because she's a food hound. But she doesn't
know that she's still getting her intake. It's just in
three doses essentially. But what's funny about her is like
by the end of the day, she will come and
look at me like, oh, you didn't feed me at all?

Speaker 2 (56:48):
Oh no, And that's the hardest part. Like Biggie was
a he would have eaten himself into the grave if
I would have let him go, he would have eaten
himself to death. And he would still look at me
like I'm starving and you're like, I love you, You're so cute.
I want to give you a treat, but you have to,
like humans out there listening to this, you have to

(57:09):
have self control. It's really hard, but you do.

Speaker 1 (57:11):
Oh, And I often go back and forth between it.
I want you to live forever and also I want
your life to be as amazing as you want it
to be, so I want to give you what you
want to try.

Speaker 2 (57:20):
It's such a balance to be fair. You can work
with your vet to find a plan where it's like, yes,
you can still give them treats and you can have
that bond because I think it's important to give your
pets treats, like that's part of the human animal bond.
But maybe find a diet that has less calories in it.

Speaker 1 (57:36):
Yes, well, and Remy really loves blueberries. Yeah, those are
one of her favorites. And those are amazing. That's a
good treat. Perfect doesn't count anything exactly. She also gets carrots,
but she wants eat the one food that she won't eat,
which is really funny, not that I ever wanted to
give her. It's only if it falls on the floor,
but lettuce, oh really not. She will lick it and
just kind of that situation. Yeah, everything else that she

(58:02):
can possibly find. It could be a dirt crumb and
she would eat it. But let uce No, she's like,
I'm not a rabbit. No, she's like the not the
epitomy of health and wellness. I may work out in
an ego, but like, don't feed me greens.

Speaker 2 (58:14):
Honestly, remy, I'm right there with your sister. Give me
steak and potatoes.

Speaker 1 (58:18):
I get it. Oh man, Okay. I always love to
end this on a piece of advice or motivation or
inspiration or something to talk about that we didn't get
to that maybe you want to talk about. It can
be whatever the floor is yours.

Speaker 2 (58:30):
Okay, let me think about this. I think what I
would say is it's probably not even veterinary or related,
but if you feel like you're in a position in
life where you know whether it's your job or you
know your relationship, if you are questioning where you're at,
if you don't feel one hundred percent committed, if you're like, wait,

(58:50):
this is not what I signed up for, I would say,
don't be afraid to make a change. Don't be afraid
to do something really scary to get you to that chapter.
It may feel like you're at the bottom of everest,
but one foot in front of the other, and soon
enough you'll look back and you'll be at the top
of the mountain. So I think that's one really big
thing I've learned in this last year of leaving my

(59:12):
practices and starting this concierge business. It seemed really scary
and daunting at the time. But we only get one life,
and so if you're not willing to do hard things,
you can't get to the next best chapter.

Speaker 1 (59:24):
And I advice do you want to end that? But
because that was such a good place to end them,
but it did leave me to a question. Yeah, you
are an entrepreneur, and like this is also a side
of this of you starting a business and doing things
that are difficult, Like has there been things along the
way that have been hard for you? And maybe there's
specific moments or maybe just overarching but what has that

(59:45):
experience been like? Because I think a lot of people
would love to chase streams and love to be an entrepreneur.

Speaker 2 (59:50):
It is not easy. Let me just tell you that,
Like there are sleepless nights, there are is anyone going
to sign up for this? Am I charging too much,
am I is this a crazy idea? Like you will
doubt yourself. You will question yourself. It's not like, oh
my gosh, I have this amazing idea that everyone signed
up and it worked beautifully. Like, No, there were months
where I didn't My phone didn't ring once. So you

(01:00:12):
really have to You have to believe in yourself. You
have to believe in whatever it is that you're creating,
and just know that there will be challenges along the way.
You will doubt yourself, but ultimately you just have to
Like I said, one step foot in front of.

Speaker 1 (01:00:26):
The other, well then even better to end on. Yeah,
that was perfect. And doctor Josie has a podcast like
I'm into the beginning in the Vet's Office. Check that out.
A new season I believe is coming.

Speaker 2 (01:00:37):
It's coming, It's in the works sometime soon.

Speaker 1 (01:00:40):
And just reach out to her on Instagram for your
concierge if you decide to accept more patients, like, actually,
please don't, I'm juidding, never mind, no, no, please do.

Speaker 2 (01:00:48):
I think at some point we'll be bringing on another vet.
I can't spill too much tea yet, but yeah, definitely
reach out to me. It's at doctor Dr Josie vet.

Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
Love that well. Thank you for joining me, Thanks for
talking about my pat, thanks for talking about animal and
human connection, all the things.

Speaker 2 (01:01:03):
Oh you're welcome. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (01:01:05):
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe for more and follow
the podcast on Instagram at take this personally and you
can hit me up on social media to let me
know who you may want to hear as a guest
on this show. As for now, I'll yap at you
next week. Thanks for being here, Love you Bye,