The Tiny Vet Podcast

A very small podcast about big animal issues. New episodes bi-weekly Mondays with Dr Nicole Su (BSc. BVMS MANZCVS Unusual Pets) & Comedian Jez Watts. Dr Nicole Su is an exotics veterinarian, Jez Watts is a touring comedian / former neuroscientist, and together they discuss commonly misunderstood topics in the pet and vet world. They live with three rabbits who are their children.

77: Vaccination Reactions 09/09/2025

77: Vaccination Reactions Risk of vaccination reaction is TINY compared to risk of the disease it’s vaccinating for, especially given the result of some of the diseases. Rabies? 100% fatal. Vaccines? Get em. Nicole and Jez discuss what vaccination reactions are and why they happen, plus Jez reveals the possibilty that Nicole has Double Muscle Disease. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to to donate - or just rate, review & tell a friend. Give Jez a follow on Youtube at (episodes are up there too) and follow Nicole on Instagram at (the new class is in) /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/38142370

76: Droughts & Hay 08/24/2025

76: Droughts & Hay Hay production is rarely top of mind for herbivore owners, but understanding the process can help them understand when & why hay shortages and quality changes happen. It’s not something that’s made in a factory! Nicole and Jez discuss the impact of droughts and other weather events on hay, and what hay shortages can mean for pet owners, while Jez announces his wedding availabilities & rants about guinea pigs. If you’d like to support the podcast please head to to donate (or rate, review & tell a friend) Give Jez a follow on Youtube at (episodes are up there too) and follow Nicole on instagram at (the new class is in) /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/37935430

75: Reptiles as Pets 08/12/2025

75: Reptiles as Pets Reptiles make fantastic pets! It is, however, incredibly important to ensure that their husbandry and enclosure are meeting their sometimes tricky requirements, as they rely 100% on their environment for digestion, heart rate, locomotion, metabolism and almost everything else! Jez and Nicole discuss reptile keeping and these amazing animals, and Jez reveals Nicole’s secret medical taste tests. The easiest reptile to keep might surprise you! If you’d like to support the podcast please head to to donate (or rate, review & tell a friend) /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/37774540

74: Puppy School 07/28/2025

74: Puppy School Puppy school is more important than simply teaching them to sit, but that training does offer structure to a session. The misconception that puppy school is just about training causes lots of dogs to miss out on crucial socialisation and exposure during a narrow ideal window. Nicole and Jez discuss the importance of puppy school for canine mental and social development. If you’d like to support the podcast please head to to donate (or rate, review & tell a friend). /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/37576495

73: Vaccinating Indoor Pets 07/14/2025

73: Vaccinating Indoor Pets Indoor pets really should be vaccinated. "But they don't go anywhere!" Well...they might. You can't predict the future. Also, there are situations where the 100% indoor pet does in fact leave the house and come right into the building in which you are having that argument A building FAMOUS for nosocomial infections! Nicole and Jez discuss the importance of vaccinating even indoor pets, and how the benefits do outweigh the risks (unless that pet has had a severe anaphylactic reaction to a vaccination in the past which is very very very uncommon). If you'd like to support the podcast please head to to donate (or simply rate and review, and tell a friend). /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/37394160

72: Tick Prevention 06/29/2025

72: Tick Prevention Pet owners are spoiled for choice nowadays with parasite preventatives, with several options for monthly dosing. However! As with any preventative: fear mongering and misinformation runs rife. Nicole and Jez discuss the benefits and risks of tick prevention, and why the benefits almost always outweigh the risks. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to to donate, rate and review, or tell a friend. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/37207680

71: "But He's Still Eating!" 06/15/2025

71: "But He's Still Eating!" It's a little strange that a common clapback to a vet telling an owner that their pet is sick and needs diagnostics and treatment is "but he's still eating" (especially when it comes to dental disease). He's probably still eating because if not he'll die! Nicole and Jez discuss some markers of quality of life and discomfort that could use a bit more thought. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/37016825

70: Food Allergies in Dogs & Cats 06/01/2025

70: Food Allergies in Dogs & Cats The topic of food allergies is rife with misconceptions, and these can be exceptionally frustrating to pet owners as they lead them down blind ends. Faddish marketing that plays into these misconceptions doesn't help but sadly the march of late-stage capitalism is inexorable. Nicole and Jez discuss what food allergies actually involve, as well as the process in which you can identify your pet's dietary allergies. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to or just like & subscribe. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/36804745

69: Emergency Rooms 05/18/2025

69: Emergency Rooms How much extra would you need to be paid to work from 10pm to 8am whilst also not knowing how your shift will pan out? That's why some of the thoughtless criticism thrown around regarding emergency veterinary services is kind of wild. Nicole and Jez discuss how emergency vet services work, as well as the unseen efforts behind the scenes that, very justifiably, takes money and time. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/36611450

68: Cats with FIV 05/04/2025

68: Cats with FIV FIV, feline immunodeficiency virus (sometimes known as "Cat AIDS") isn't necessarily a major barrier to a healthy, happy cat - and certainly isn't a dealbreaker if you're looking at an adoptable cat. Dr Nicole and Jez discuss the ramifications of FIV, as well as what you can do to prevent your cat from getting it, and managing an FIV positive household. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/36418455

67: Dogs on Vacation 04/20/2025

67: Dogs on Vacation The various holiday seasons have food and gatherings in common, and it can be easy to forget to prep your pet for them while also picking up the party food, making sure there's enough ice, and informing everyone of the plan to stop Uncle Murray from passing out in the neighbour's tomato patch again. Dr Nicole and Jez talk about some of the common dangers that pets can get into during holiday periods, and how to reduce the risk of a public holiday emergency vet visit. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/36229360

66: Rats: Our Fat Little Friends 06/12/2023

66: Rats: Our Fat Little Friends Cute, fat, sniffy little rats get a bad rap for such friendly little creatures. While feral rats ARE considered pests, domestic rats are sweet animals that make great pets. Nicole and Jez discuss the joys of having rats as friends. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/27116352

65: Catnip! 06/05/2023

65: Catnip! What is catnip?? Is it drugs for cats?? Kind of, but they don't need a lighter - which is great as they don't have thumbs. Nicole and Jez discuss what exactly catnip is and how it works (it's safe) If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/27041973

64: Supermarket Pet Foods 05/28/2023

64: Supermarket Pet Foods Is the cheap stuff at the supermarket okay to feed your pet? Yes! (as long as you know your pet's requirements) but they may not be suitable for young pets, old animals, or those with issues like food allergies. Nicole and Jez discuss the difference between supermarket and premium pet foods. If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/26966241

63: What Human Food CAN My Dog Eat? 05/22/2023

63: What Human Food CAN My Dog Eat? Dogs love to eat! Dogs love to eat ANYTHING, and so they're really poor judges of what they should and shouldn't. That is our job as pet owners sometimes we don't do that job well either. Nicole and Jez discuss what human foods dogs can eat, and how that balances with their regular dog food. Our first episode of Season 2! If you'd like to support the podcast please head to /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/26909841

62: Parasite Prevention In Dogs & Cats 11/28/2022

62: Parasite Prevention In Dogs & Cats There’s a lot of misinformation about the dangers of parasite preventatives circulating on the internet, but parasite infestation is the far greater risk. Nicole & Jez discuss risk management with regards to parasite prevention, and why it’s almost always the lower risk option. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/25151394

61: Human Food For Human (Dog Food For Dog) 11/14/2022

61: Human Food For Human (Dog Food For Dog) Dogs love human food. Humans love human food. Humans just have the ability to manipulate foods for their palatability, but tastiness doesn’t always mean it's healthy! (sadly it's kind of the opposite). Nicole and Jez discuss dogs eating too much human food. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/25006074

60: High Protein Dog Food (Is A Marketing Trick) 11/07/2022

60: High Protein Dog Food (Is A Marketing Trick) If some protein is good, then more is better, right? Not always! While there are applications for higher protein levels in dog food, there is a limit to how much dietary protein can be processed and metabolised in a day, so "high protein" food might not be any better for your pet. Nicole and Jez discuss why there are optimal levels of protein in foods, and why more protein isn't always useful. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24926355

59: Let The Right Horse In 11/01/2022

59: Let The Right Horse In It's easy to get carried away when planning to buy a horse. Going with a flashy colour, impressive CV, or pretty face instead of focusing on what you need as a rider are common traps. You need to be realistic about what you can do, and what you want to do. Nicole and Jez discuss some common problems people make when buying horses, and why some horses pick up bad habits once they go to their new homes. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24866493

58: Cat Pee Problems 10/24/2022

58: Cat Pee Problems Cats are prone to developing urinary problems, and they can be frustrating to manage. Partly, this is because urinary issues often have multiple causes, involving several different triggers. Symptoms can also be nonspecific, or difficult to monitor. Nicole and Jez discuss some ways to help kitties with urinary problems, and what to watch out for. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24778212

57: Bird Seed Is Junk Food 10/17/2022

57: Bird Seed Is Junk Food Birds love seed like humans love Snickers, and the analogy doesn’t stop there. Foods high in fat and sugars trigger similar neural pathways to addictive drugs, but like drugs of addiction they are not good for you (or birds). Nicole and Jez discuss seed addiction in parrots and how to help them eat healthier. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24707232

56: Axolotls 10/09/2022

56: Axolotls You can't get much weirder than the axolotl, a completely aquatic amphibian (kind of an oxymoron). Despite being common as pets, they're endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction. Nicole and Jez discuss the intricacies of the axolotl. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24629526

55: Helping Fat Pets (reducing your hungus) 09/25/2022

55: Helping Fat Pets (reducing your hungus) Fat animals are very cute but are prone to lots of health problems. Weight loss can be challenging as the fatter they are, the more difficult it is for them to move around and keep active. Plus, it is incredibly hard to resist when they ask for a snack! Nicole and Jez discuss some methods for successful weight loss in pets. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24475869

54: SNAKES ARE COOL! (Nicole loves snakes) 09/18/2022

54: SNAKES ARE COOL! (Nicole loves snakes) Snakes get a bad rap sometimes, but they're actually very nice animals, and because of their anatomy and physiology, NOT SLIMY. They also make great pets when proper attention is paid to their husbandry. Nicole and Jez discuss the nice things about snakes and why they are our friends. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24409341

53: The Right Way To Feed Your Horse 09/11/2022

53: The Right Way To Feed Your Horse It can be tempting to feed your horse a performance feed they may not need, or load them up with lots of supplements. Just like people, it's important to feed your horse according to the amount of physical work they're doing. Nicole and Jez discuss the basics of horse feeding, and what to increase first when looking to add more to your horse's feed regime. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24339009

52: How To Pick A Good Breeder 09/04/2022

52: How To Pick A Good Breeder Post-COVID, loads of people have taken advantage of the increase in puppy demand to make more puppies & it's sometimes difficult to tell a good, ethical breeder from a someone more concerned with turning a profit than providing healthy animals. Nicole and Jez discuss some hallmarks of both good and bad breeders, and why going to a breeder CAN be an ethical thing to do. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24268395

51: Invasive Species 08/28/2022

51: Invasive Species It certainly seems a bit mean to classify whole species as invasive, especially when it wasn't their choice to be introduced to delicate ecosystems, but it can be one of the biggest threats to ecology, life and wildlife health in our global society. Nicole and Jez discuss why some species are so good at invading new habitats, and why controlling them is important for native wildlife. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24188196

50: Pets & Wildlife Danger 08/21/2022

50: Pets & Wildlife Danger Our pets can run afoul of several species of wildlife, especially here in Australia (there are venomous snake avoidance courses for dogs). While venomous snakes can be life-threatening, there are lots of other wildlife that can cause grief for our pets. Nicole and Jez go through some common types of wildlife that can cause injury or misadventure. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24121050

49: The Great Horseshoe Debate 08/14/2022

49: The Great Horseshoe Debate There's a strong push currently for keeping horses barefoot, as it is the way they naturally live. However, the reality for most of our horses is that they aren't really living in a wild-type environment, eating wild-type feed, or doing wild-type work. So, is barefoot really best for all horses? Nicole and Jez discuss which horses can benefit from going barefoot, and which horses are likely to require shoeing or other hoof care options to remain sound. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/24049623

48: Securing Your Horse's Future 08/07/2022

48: Securing Your Horse's Future Horses bring immeasurable joy to riders around the world, but we can't avoid the truth that they are EXPENSIVE to keep. Situations can change, and re-homing a large (potentially lethal) animal is fraught with pitfalls. Nicole and Jez discuss the best way to safeguard your horse's future against sudden change of circumstances. /episode/index/show/thetinyvetpod/id/23980305

The Tiny Vet Podcast

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