Drat & Drake Veterinary Podcast

Today we interview author and former journalist Patti Eddington, about her book "Don’t Look in the Freezer: The Very Strange Life of a Veterinarian’s Wife" (released in April 2026) and how it grew from early blog-era writing and workshops into a more honest memoir-like collection of stories. We discuss the realities of being constantly on call while building a practice, raising their daughter Molly around the clinic, a painful turning point during Patty’s foot surgery, and how respect, communication, and feeling “seen” sustain relationships in veterinary life. Patti reflects on changes in hiring and expectations across generations of veterinarians, and shares her current work with book events and free “Write Your Story” workshops, plus upcoming signings across Michigan, including Mackinac Island.00:00 Meet Patty Eddington01:15 Why This Book Hits03:15 Origin Story of Freezer07:09 Memoir Truth and Voice09:08 When Emergencies Flip10:00 Vets Are People Too11:28 Marriage on Call14:50 Clinic Kids and Critters16:13 Foot Surgery Breaking Point23:21 Money Struggles and Making It24:17 No Choice But Success25:36 When It Finally Felt Secure27:14 Frugal Years And Gratitude28:03 Waiting To Have Molly29:35 Raising Molly Their Way35:57 Grandparenting And James38:59 Generations Of Veterinarians45:11 Whats Next For The Family48:09 Workshops Book Tours Farewell

Veterinarian...guitarist...marathon runner...and founder of Hubavet - a new Telehealth service for veterinarians. What else does he do?!Jump into the heart and soul of Dr. Atalla as he discusses his journey as a veterinarian and his vision for Hubavet.Click here to check our Hubavet!

This episode is a long one but for a good reason!Drat & Drake discuss many of the various ways a veterinarian could utilize their degree, inside and out of practicing just medicine. We go into the big obvious ones like General Practice, Emergency, Internships & Residencies, but also dive a little into hollistic medicine, social media, entrepreneurship and others. As promised in the episode, here are some links to some of our shoutouts!Dr. Afifa Rahim 's instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.fifarahim_leongThe Pawlyclinic's instagram (Dr. Rahim's business) - https://www.instagram.com/thepawlyclinicDr. Meghan Barrett's linktree - https://linktr.ee/drbarrettvetDr. Aman Kanwar's clothing company - https://snkskn.com/Dr. Zonram Liao's instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.zonramliao

This week Drat and Drake speak with their first guest - Dr. Auge, a special member of the family! Dr. Auge is Dr. Drake's mother, who shares her extensive experience as a seasoned veterinarian. Do you want to learn more about the concept of a cat clinic?Is your partner or spouse a veterinarian like yourself?What's the update on scruffing cats?

I'm happy to introduce Dr. Remington Drake to the channel as a new member of the podcast. We are officially Drat & Drake! More episodes to follow......but first, who is Dr. Drake?

Today we return have a long hiatus to discuss several things:1.) Emergency medicine is a different monster2.) The rise of VEG!! An upcoming emergency chain that is all the crave in veterinary medicine. Why is that?!3.) Mental health and our stories - listen to the story behind Dr. Fifa's struggles and how her obstacles were overcome

New graduates tune-in! Dr. Hayley Hoffman, a recent graduate of 2019, has some fantastic insight on how to approach your first year. We've talked about work-life balance here on this podcast before, and Hoffman is the key example of how to keep your mental health in check, especially while you're in your first year out. Absorbing all those new stimuli around you can be extremely overwhelming, so doc offers her personal ways of keeping herself on her two feet.Also, what should you be looking for in your first job? What are some things you absolutely should look for, and what are some alternatives? Pre-vet students will also get some insight on one of the top ranked vet schools, the Royal Dick Veterinary School! Thanks for tuning in everyone!

This episode we have the wonderful and charismatic Phil Aughinbaugh who chats with us about his story as a registered veterinary nurse. Being in this field for nearly a full decade, he's been in GP, surgery, emergency, and has even taken a break from the veterinary field for some time.Tune in to learn more about the stories of our veterinary team members. For the followers on this channel who are pursuing a career in RVT, listen in to collect some great tips on your future! Where should you go to school? What will you expect? What's next after your graduate? Only Phil has the answers to these questions! Thanks again for listening in everyone! Stay inside and stay safe!