Dr. Jules Benson joins Dr. Andy Roark for a deep dive into the economics of veterinary care, where it’s headed, and what it means for your practice. Using data trends from the last few years, Dr. Benson breaks down the troubling pattern of rising veterinary service costs and declining client visits, projecting what that could look like by 2030. But this isn’t a doom-and-gloom forecast. Together, they explore practical, optimistic strategies for keeping care accessible, building client trust, and thinking entrepreneurially about pricing, transparency, and innovation in independent practice. If you’re a veterinary professional looking to understand where the industry is going and how to stay ahead of it. Gang, let’s get into this episode!

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Guest Bio:

Dr. Jules Benson is the Principal at Tapetum Lucidum Consulting and the 2025 Chair at the Veterinary Innovation Council (VIC). With over two decades as a practitioner, industry executive, strategist, and data and technology leader, his focus lies in identifying and applying innovation that can improve the lives of pets, pet families, and veterinary healthcare teams.

Dr. Alex Sigmund joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a common but tricky case, a 9-year-old shih tzu with persistent red eyes. In this "How Do You Treat That?" episode, Dr. Sigmund walks through his diagnostic approach to chronic canine eye redness, including Schirmer tear tests, fluorescein staining, tonometry, and the critical red flags for glaucoma, dry eye, and autoimmune conditions. They also cover practical tips for intraocular pressure measurements, antibiotic stewardship, and how to guide pet owners through managing long-term eye care. If you want to sharpen your skills diagnosing and treating red-eye cases in dogs, especially in brachycephalic breeds, this episode is a must-listen!

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Guest Bio:

Alex is a dedicated veterinary ophthalmologist with a passion for educating pet owners and veterinarians about animal eye health. With a background from UGA and the University of Tennessee, Alex shares insights from a diverse career treating various species, including dogs, cats, and exotic animals. Based in Atlanta, Alex offers teleconsultations and engages with a growing community of animal lovers.

In this episode, Dr. Andy Roark sits down with Dr. Camille Torres, a boarded veterinary nutritionist and associate professor at Colorado State University, to tackle one of the most common concerns with young pets: puppy and kitten gastrointestinal issues. They walk through a real-life case involving a nine-week-old kitten with diarrhea and discuss how to manage soft stools, dehydration risks, nutritional transitions, and client communication during these early, critical weeks. Dr. Torres shares her practical approach to handling GI upsets in young patients, how to choose highly digestible diets that support growth, and ways to engage pet owners in nutritional care without derailing treatment plans. If you're a veterinary professional looking for guidance on puppy and kitten diarrhea, feeding recommendations, highly digestible diets, and client communication strategies, this episode is packed with practical tips you can use in the clinic today.

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About the Guest:

Dr. Camille Torres is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist dedicated to optimizing pet health through nutrition. She earned her DVM from Colorado State University in 2001, later achieving diplomate status with both the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Canine & Feline) and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Nutrition). Her passion for preventive care led her to focus on obesity management and the impact of nutrition on disease prevention.

Outside of work, Dr. Torres enjoys the great outdoors in Colorado with her husband, two sons, and their furry family—two cats, a Yorkiepoo, and a French Bulldog.