The WSAVA Podcast

In the final episode of the WSAVA Podcast season produced with the WSAVA Dental Committee, interviewer Jon Tam speaks with two experts about advanced treatment strategies for managing complex dental disease in companion animals.First, Kevin Ng discusses periodontal and endodontic disease, focusing on why these conditions are so common and often underdiagnosed. He explores how dental disease progresses, the factors that influence whether teeth can be saved, and the role of thorough assessment and imaging in guiding treatment decisions. Kevin also reflects on how clinicians balance tooth preservation with extraction, taking into account patient health, owner expectations, and long-term outcomes.In the second conversation, Cedric Tutt examines prosthodontics and dental implants in veterinary patients. He outlines where restorative procedures such as crowns may be appropriate, and discusses the ethical and practical considerations surrounding dental implants. Cedric emphasises the importance of careful case selection, advanced diagnostics, and aligning treatment choices with animal welfare.Together, these conversations close the series by exploring how advanced dental procedures fit into modern veterinary practice, highlighting the need to balance technical possibilities with responsible, patient-centred care.Resources & LinksWSAVA Global Dental CommitteeWSAVA Global Dental Guidelines WSAVA Educational Resources Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) ContributorsKevin Ng, BSc BVMS MANZCVS DAVDC DEVDC – LinkedInCedric LC Tutt, Diplomate EVDC – LinkedIn | ResearchGateJonathan Tam, BVSc(Massey), MANZCVS (Small Animal Dentistry & Oral Surgery) - Instagram | InstagramClick here for the full transcript This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

In this episode of the WSAVA Podcast, the focus turns to the vital role of veterinary nurses and technicians in strengthening dental care in everyday practice. Two conversations explore how the wider veterinary team can improve outcomes through better instrumentation, workflow, client communication, and home care support. First, Maggie Burley speaks with Mary Berg about building a practical dental toolkit and using instruments safely and effectively. Mary highlights core tools for periodontal assessment and cleaning, including probing, subgingival instrumentation, and the importance of visibility. She also discusses sterilisation, sharpening, and instrument care, emphasising that consistent standards and good ergonomics support both patient safety and long-term team performance. In the second conversation, Marcela Perez-de-Tudela is joined by Stephanie Johnson to discuss how technicians can help clients succeed with dental home care. Stephanie shares step-by-step strategies for introducing toothbrushing, keeping experiences positive, and recognising early warning signs that warrant veterinary assessment. She also discusses how to guide owners toward validated dental products and why regular oral exams, imaging, and tailored plans remain important even when home care is excellent. Together, these conversations highlight how strong dental programmes are built by the whole team, combining practical skills in-clinic with effective support for owners at home. Resources & LinksWSAVA Global Dental CommitteeWSAVA Global Dental Guidelines WSAVA Educational Resources Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) ContributorsMary L Berg, BS, LATG, RVT, VTS (Dent) – LinkedIn | Instagram | Website Maggie Burley, RVN, Dip VN (Dental), VTS (Dentistry), TAE - LinkedIn | InstagramStephanie Johnson, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), (Dentistry) – TikTokMarcela Perez-de-Tudela MV, MSc - LinkedIn | Instagram Click here for the full transcript This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

In this episode of the WSAVA Podcast, interviewer Gottfried Morgenegg-Wegmüller speaks with two experts about what safe, effective dentistry really requires, and why pain management cannot be an afterthought.First, Dr Brook A. Niemiec unpacks why “anaesthesia-free dentistry” is not dentistry at all. He explains what gets missed when you cannot probe, scale subgingivally, or take diagnostic dental radiographs, and why cosmetic cleaning can create a false sense of security while disease, pain, and infection continue beneath the gumline. In the second conversation, Dr Eva Eberspächer-Schweda focuses on practical approaches to safe anaesthesia and analgesia in dental patients. She explores how preparation, monitoring, and thoughtful pain control support better outcomes, and how teams can speak with confidence about risk, welfare, and the benefits of appropriate dental care.Together, these conversations reinforce a simple principle: good dentistry depends on good anaesthesia. With the right protocols and communication, veterinary teams can protect patient welfare while delivering the care that dental disease demands.Resources & LinksWSAVA Global Dental CommitteeWSAVA Global Dental Guidelines WSAVA Educational Resources Evaluating the validity and reliability of a visual dental scale for detection of periodontal disease in non-anesthetized dogs Anesthesia-free dentistry does not provide any demonstrable medical benefit for the control of periodontal disease in dogs ContributorsDr Brook A. Niemiec DVM, DAVDC, DEVDC – Website | Instagram | VDS PetsPD Dr. Eva Eberspächer-Schweda, FTA, Dipl. ACVAA – LinkedIn | Website | InstagramGottfried Morgenegg-Wegmüller – WebsiteClick here for the full transcript This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

In this episode of the WSAVA Podcast, host Becky Murphy speaks with Dr Dan O’Neill about the evolving relationship between genetics, breed, and canine welfare, followed by Yaiza Gómez-Mejías in conversation with Dr Petra Černá on the importance of phenotypic screening in feline health. Together, these discussions explore how the traits we value today will determine the wellbeing of companion animals tomorrow.Dr Dan O’Neill begins by challenging how we define “breed” itself. Drawing on his work as Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College, he traces the modern concept of breed to its human origins in the late 19th century - a time when social prestige, aesthetics, and competition overtook biology. He explains how this cultural construction has shaped today’s diversity of dogs, often fixing harmful mutations and extreme conformations into the gene pool. Yet, he argues, because breed is a human invention, it can also be reinvented to prioritise health.In conversation with Becky Murphy, Dr O’Neill explores the difference between inherited and conformational disease, ultimately suggesting that the distinction may be artificial - all disease has an inherited component, whether behavioural, physical, or environmental. He calls on veterinarians to act as educators and advocates, engaging owners in honest and empathic dialogue about the health consequences of extreme conformation. He highlights the need for long-term cultural change, beginning with small, positive shifts: promoting healthy breeds on clinic social media, modelling good choices through the dogs veterinarians own themselves, and using non-judgmental language to encourage understanding rather than defensiveness.Turning from dogs to cats, Yaiza Gómez-Mejías and Dr Petra Černá discuss the challenges of phenotypic screening in feline practice. Dr Černá explains that while genetic tests are expanding, many inherited disorders in cats still require clinical screening through radiographs, echocardiography, and careful physical evaluation. She emphasises the importance of accessible, high-quality testing and the role of general practitioners in guiding breeders toward responsible decisions even when definitive genetic information is lacking. From hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to hip dysplasia, she underlines that phenotypic screening - despite its limitations - is vital to improving welfare, reducing hereditary disease, and supporting the ethical stewardship of breeding lines.Throughout the episode, both conversations reinforce the veterinarian’s unique position as a bridge between science, ethics, and the public. Whether discussing the reshaping of dog breeds or the evaluation of feline health, the message is clear: advancing welfare requires empathy, evidence, and the courage to rethink what we value in the animals who share our lives.Resources & Links• WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee• WSAVA Educational Resources• Royal Veterinary College – Companion Animal Epidemiology• OFA – Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals• PawPeds – International Cat Health DatabaseContributorsDr Becky Murphy – Companion-animal veterinarian, governance leader, and business owner with a focus on genetics, theriogenology, and welfare-led breeding. President of the NZVA Companion Animal Veterinarians (CAV), member of the WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee, and representative to the Companion Animals New Zealand (CANZ) Board. Founder and Director of TCI GlenBred, delivering evidence-based reproductive and genetic-health services to support responsible breeding.Dr Dan O’Neill MVB BSc (Hons) GPCert(SAP) GPCert(FelP) GPCert(Derm) GPCert(B&PS) PGCertVetEd FHEA MSc (VetEpi) PhD FRCVS – Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology, Royal Veterinary College. ProfileYaiza Gómez-Mejías MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats) – Veterinary Community Co-ordinator, International Cat Care Veterinary Society. LinkedIn | XDr Petra Černá PhD, DACVIM (SAIM), Dipl. ECVIM-CA, MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), CertAVP (SAM-F), MRCVS, AFHEA, AdvCertFB – Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialist, Colorado State University. LinkedIn | InstagramClick here to read the full transcript This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

In this episode of the WSAVA Podcast, host Wolfgang Dohne brings us two in-depth conversations that reveal how hidden genetic factors shape common clinical problems in cats and dogs. He first speaks with veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Ursula Dietrich, who explores the genetic and conformational influences behind feline ocular disease. Later, he is joined by veterinary dermatologist Dr. Patrick Hensel to discuss hereditary contributions to canine atopic dermatitis and other skin conditions.Dr. Ursula Dietrich shares her expertise on the challenges posed by brachycephalic cat breeds, where exaggerated conformation can lead to chronic corneal ulcerations, impaired tear film quality, and painful conditions such as corneal sequestrum and entropion. She highlights how some ocular diseases, once considered rare, are now emerging in clusters within popular breeds, including Maine Coons. Dr. Dietrich explains how responsible breeding practices and vigilant clinical monitoring can help reduce suffering, while also reflecting on genetic retinal degenerations and cataracts where tests now exist—or are under development—to guide breeding choices and early diagnosis.In the second half, Dr. Patrick Hensel turns the spotlight to canine skin disease, particularly atopic dermatitis. Drawing from decades of clinical and research experience, he explains the multifactorial genetic and environmental interactions that drive allergic skin disease in dogs. From skin barrier defects to immune dysregulation and neuroinflammation, Dr. Hensel outlines the pathophysiology that makes management so complex. He also provides a practical framework for diagnosis and treatment, stressing the importance of ruling out parasites and infections, conducting elimination diets, and integrating modern therapeutics with immunotherapy for long-term control. He discusses breed predispositions, the lack of definitive genetic tests, and the ongoing international research efforts to establish biomarkers that may one day guide breeding and therapy.Together, these conversations underscore the responsibility veterinarians share in recognising genetic patterns, guiding breeders, and supporting clients with realistic advice on lifelong management. By examining the genetic backdrop of both ocular and dermatological disease, this episode encourages practitioners to think more critically about hereditary influences in everyday cases.Resources & LinksWSAVA Hereditary Disease CommitteeWSAVA Educational ResourcesThe London Cat Clinic – Feline Ophthalmology ServicesTierdermatologie BaselInternational Committee on Allergic Diseases of Animals (ICADA)Contributors:Wolfgang Dohne DrMedVet MRCVS — Former President of FECAVA, international veterinary educator, and author of Blue Vet DiaryDr. Ursula Dietrich Dr.med.vet., Dipl. ACVO, Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, FHEA — Independent Consultant in Veterinary OphthalmologyThe London Cat ClinicDr. Patrick Hensel Dr.med.vet., Dipl. ECVD, Dipl. ACVD — Veterinary Dermatologist and Founder, Tierdermatologie BaselLinkedInClick here for the full transcript This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

In this episode, host Dr Julian Hoad BSc(Hons) BVetMed Hon MBVNA MRCVS, President of the BSAVA, interviews two leading voices in veterinary genetics to explore what genetic testing means for everyday practice.Dr Leslie A. Lyons, PhD, Gilbreath McLorn Endowed Professor of Comparative Medicine at the University of Missouri, has identified over 40 inherited DNA variants in cats and published more than 200 peer-reviewed studies. A long-standing leader in feline genetics, she discusses the role of genetic testing in both pedigree and non-pedigree cats, the importance of wellness-related variants such as blood type and coagulation factors, and the potential of whole-genome sequencing to bring precision medicine into the consulting room.Later, Dr Catherine Mellersh, Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge and Head of the Canine Genetics Centre, shares her pioneering work in canine inherited diseases. With a research career spanning three decades and multiple international awards, she explains how DNA testing is helping breeders make informed decisions, the realities of complex conditions such as hip dysplasia, and the responsibilities of both breeders and puppy buyers in reducing inherited disease.This episode brings genetics into the real world of general practice, offering clear insights into when and how testing can guide clinicians, breeders, and owners alike.Resources & Links:Canine Genetics Centre (CGC) – Led by Dr Catherine Mellersh, developing DNA tests to improve the health and welfare of future generations of dogs.Canine Genetic Testing (CAGT) – The commercial arm of the CGC, offering a wide range of tests, with all profits reinvested in research.University of Missouri – Feline Genetics and Comparative Medicine Lab – Dr Leslie Lyons’ lab, providing detailed information on breed-related genetic tests.OMIA – Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals – Comprehensive catalogue of inherited disorders and genes in animals.PawPeds – Information resource for feline genetics, breeding, and health.DogWellNet – International Partnership for Dogs knowledge base.Guest & Host Profiles:Dr Leslie A. Lyons – ORCIDDr Catherine Mellersh – Canine Genetics CentreDr Julian Hoad – LinkedInClick here for the full transcript This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

Veterinary medicine is more than a profession, it’s a global story. On the WSAVA Podcast, you’ll hear veterinarians from across the world share their experiences, insights, and solutions in animal health. Our first series, created with the Hereditary Disease Committee, explores hereditary disease in dogs and cats - from understanding complex genetic conditions to creating healthier breeds for the future. Make sure to follow and subscribe in your favourite podcast player app to get notified when new episodes drop. These are conversations for every veterinary professional - transforming care, one episode at a time.