In this episode of the WSAVA Podcast, interviewer Cedric Tutt explores dental care at both ends of a patient’s life, from early intervention in puppies to the challenges and opportunities of dentistry in senior pets.

First, John Lewis discusses paediatric dental problems that benefit from early action, including fractured deciduous teeth and persistent deciduous teeth. He explains why fractured deciduous teeth can matter even when puppies appear comfortable, and why infection risk and impact on developing adult teeth should not be underestimated.

Later in the episode, Heidi Lobprise turns to dentistry in older cats and dogs. She discusses why age alone should not rule out dental treatment, and how careful assessment, monitoring, and planning can reduce anaesthetic risk while improving quality of life. She also explores common senior presentations, including severe periodontal disease, chronic oral inflammation, and conditions such as “rubber jaw,” as well as the importance of home care across the lifespan.

Together, these conversations highlight how dental decision-making changes with age, and why proactive care can make a meaningful difference in both young and senior patients.

Resources & Links

• WSAVA Global Dental Committee
• WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines
• WSAVA Educational Resources
• A removable orthodontic device for the treatment of lingually displaced mandibular canine teeth in young dogs (Verhaert, 1999)

Contributors

• John Lewis, VMD, DAVDC, FF-OMFS – LinkedIn
• Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC – LinkedIn
• Cedric LC Tutt, Diplomate EVDC – LinkedIn | ResearchGate

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 & Links

• WSAVA Global Dental Committee
• WSAVA 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

Contributors

• Dr Brook A. Niemiec DVM, DAVDC, DEVDC – Website | Instagram | VDS Pets
• PD Dr. Eva Eberspächer-Schweda, FTA, Dipl. ACVAA – LinkedIn | Website | Instagram
• Gottfried Morgenegg-Wegmüller – Website

Click here for the full transcript

This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

In the opening episode of the second series of the WSAVA Podcast, interviewer David Clarke speaks with two expert clinicians about the links between oral health, systemic disease, and animal welfare in companion animals.

Dr Maria Soltero-Rivera discusses how oral disease in dogs and cats is rarely limited to the mouth alone. She explores how oral lesions may be associated with a wide range of systemic conditions, and why careful oral examination and pattern recognition are essential parts of medical assessment. Dr Soltero-Rivera also reflects on the need to view dentistry as part of core medicine rather than an isolated procedure.

Later in the episode, Dr Jen Mathis, focuses on oral pain and its impact on welfare. She examines why dental pain is often missed in clinical practice, how it can influence behaviour and quality of life, and the implications of delayed treatment. Dr Mathis also highlights the role of effective anaesthesia and analgesia in supporting patient welfare during dental care.

Together, these conversations introduce key themes for the series and set the stage for a deeper exploration of veterinary dentistry across the full spectrum of care.

Resources & Links

• WSAVA Global Dental Committee
• WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines
• WSAVA Educational Resources
• Association of periodontal disease and histologic lesions in multiple organs from 45 dogs
• Periodontal disease burden and pathological changes in organs of dogs
• Association of periodontal disease with systemic health indices in dogs and the systemic response to treatment of periodontal disease
• FECAVA factsheet : Oral health and systemic disease in companion animals
  
  

Contributors

• Dr Maria Soltero-Rivera, DVM, Dipl. AVDC, Dipl. EVDC – LinkedIn
• Dr Jen Mathis, DVM – LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | ResearchGate | ORCID
• David Clarke BVSc, DAVDC, DAVDC-ZWD, FAVD, MANZCVS, Cert IV TA – LinkedIn

Click here for the full transcript

This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

In this episode of the WSAVA Podcast, Dr Ernie Ward speaks with Professor Sorrel Langley-Hobbs and Dr Becky Murphy about the welfare, ethical, and clinical challenges created by extreme conformation in companion animals. Together, they examine how veterinarians can support individual patients while influencing the wider culture of responsible breeding.

Professor Sorrel Langley-Hobbs begins by exploring the growing burden of hereditary orthopaedic disease in cats - from hip dysplasia in Maine Coons to osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Folds and limb deformities emerging in designer crosses. She explains how pattern recognition, radiographic screening, and genetic testing can help differentiate inherited from acquired conditions. Drawing parallels with canine orthopaedics, she stresses the need for clearer breed standards, better breeder engagement, and open conversations about neutering and quality of life - particularly for brachycephalic breeds such as the Persian, where respiratory and ocular disease are now widespread.

Dr Becky Murphy then shifts focus to dogs, describing how clinicians can ethically navigate breeding requests involving extreme conformation. She outlines the value of objective testing, including the Cambridge Respiratory Function Grading Scheme for brachycephalic dogs, and how to use both DNA and phenotypic screening data to guide breeding decisions. She discusses the practical differences between preservation and indiscriminate breeders, emphasises collaborative but firm communication, and advocates for a global shift toward prevention-focused, positive messaging that rewards function over form.

Together, these conversations call for veterinarians to act as both clinicians and advocates - treating the individual while championing healthier standards for the next generation.

Resources & Links

• WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee
• WSAVA Educational Resources
• PawPeds - Breed Specific
• International Cat Care - Persian Cats and Brachycephaly
• The Kennel Club (UK) – Health Testing & Screening Guidance
• Cambridge BOAS Respiratory Function Grading Scheme

Contributors

Dr Ernie Ward, DVM, CVFT – Veterinarian, author, speaker and media personality; Co-founder & Chief Veterinary Officer, VerticalVet; Chair of the WSAVA Strategic Advisory Committee; Founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) and World Pet Obesity Association (WPOA).

LinkedIn | X | Instagram | Website

Professor Sorrel Langley-Hobbs – Professor of Feline Orthopaedics, Bristol Veterinary School; clinician and researcher specialising in feline musculoskeletal disease; co-editor of textbooks on feline orthopaedic and surgical disease; international speaker and educator.

LinkedIn | ORCID

Dr Becky Murphy – Companion-animal veterinarian, governance leader and business owner specialising in genetics, theriogenology and welfare-led breeding. President of the NZVA Companion Animal Veterinarians (CAV); member of the WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee; founder and director of TCI GlenBred; former Dogs NZ Canine Health & Welfare Officer.

Click here for 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 & Links

• WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee
• WSAVA Educational Resources
• The London Cat Clinic – Feline Ophthalmology Services
• Tierdermatologie Basel
• International Committee on Allergic Diseases of Animals (ICADA)

Contributors:

• Wolfgang Dohne DrMedVet MRCVS — Former President of FECAVA, international veterinary educator, and author of Blue Vet Diary
• Dr. Ursula Dietrich Dr.med.vet., Dipl. ACVO, Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, FHEA — Independent Consultant in Veterinary Ophthalmology
  The London Cat Clinic
• Dr. Patrick Hensel Dr.med.vet., Dipl. ECVD, Dipl. ACVD — Veterinary Dermatologist and Founder, Tierdermatologie Basel
  LinkedIn

Click here for the full transcript

This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.

What does it really mean to create healthy dog and cat breeds in the 21st century? In this episode, host Yaiza Gomez Mejias speaks with two leading voices working at the frontlines of breeding, welfare, and behaviour: Helle Friis Proschowsky, Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen, and Lucy Hoile, feline behaviourist and author. Together, they explore the challenges of pedigree breeding, hybrid cats, and the shifting role of veterinarians in shaping the future of animal welfare.

Helle Friis Proschowsky opens the discussion with insights from her recent horizon topic paper “A new future for dog breeding”, co-authored with international colleagues including Dan O’Neill, James Serpell, and Brenda Bonnett. She explains how modern dog breeding practices evolved, the problems of exaggerated conformation and inherited disease, and how Denmark’s newly implemented legislation seeks to raise health standards across all breeders—not just kennel clubs or commercial operations. Proschowsky emphasises the need for veterinarians to become confident breeding counsellors, with continuing education in genetics and welfare assessment, while also acknowledging the importance of sensitive communication with breeders.

In the second half, Lucy Hoile brings the conversation into the world of cats—particularly hybrid breeds such as Bengals and Savannahs. Drawing on her work as a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist, she highlights the ethical concerns around early-generation hybrid breeding, including the welfare of domestic cats paired with wild species. Lucy describes the behavioural challenges hybrids may pose in the home—from territorial aggression to chronic stress—and outlines how physical and social environments must be adapted if these cats are to thrive. She argues that hybrids demand dedicated, knowledgeable guardianship and raises the question of whether such breeding should continue at all.

By the end of the episode, listeners are left with a powerful call: breeding choices carry profound welfare implications, and veterinary professionals, policymakers, and owners alike share responsibility for ensuring the next generations of dogs and cats live healthier, happier lives.

Resources & Links

• WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee
• WSAVA Educational Resources
• Proschowsky HF, Arendt ML, Bonnett BN, Bruun CS, Czycholl I, Fredholm M, O’Neill D, Serpell JA, Sandøe P (2025). A new future for dog breeding. Animal Welfare 34: e1. Read the paper
• BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) functional testing – University of Cambridge
• International Cat Care – behaviour and choosing the right cat

Contributors:

• Yaiza Gomez Mejias MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats) — Veterinary Community Co-ordinator, International Cat Care Veterinary Society
• LinkedIn | X
• Helle Friis Proschowsky DVM, PhD — Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen; Member, WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee
• LinkedIn | ORCID
• Lucy Hoile MSc CCAB — Feline Behaviourist; Author of The Book Your Cat Wishes You Would Read
• Website | LinkedIn | X | Instagram

Click 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 – ORCID
• Dr Catherine Mellersh – Canine Genetics Centre
• Dr Julian Hoad – LinkedIn

Click here for the full transcript

This podcast was edited and produced by Contento Media Ltd.