In partnership with Sirius XM, AMC’s popular podcast about pets we love and how to care for them releases the top episodes of all time, where Dr. Ann Hohenhaus answers questions for pet parents and hosts conversations with leading animal experts about the most concerning issues for our furry friends

Press Release

New York, NY – December 4, 2024 – As 2024 wraps and looking ahead to the new year, The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) releases the top 10 episodes of all time of the “Ask the Vet Podcast,” hosted by Dr. Ann Hohenhaus and in partnership with Sirius XM. Originally launched as a show available to Sirius XM subscribers in 2017 and expanding into a podcast in 2022, the monthly 50-minute podcast is all about the pets we love and how to care for them. “Ask the Vet” podcast is available to download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TuneIn + Alexa, and more.

The top 10 episodes of all time include:

1. Pet Food and Nutrition with Dr. Lisa Weeth – The discussion includes the importance of nutrition in the health of pets, pet food manufacturing process and quality assurance measures, what to look for when buying pet food, why to avoid vegan diets for pets especially cats, misconceptions about cooking for your pet, and precautions to take with raw food diets.
    
2. AMC to the Rescue Anniversary Special with Katherine Good – In 2023, AMC celebrated its 10^th anniversary of AMC to the Rescue Fund, which provides subsidized specialty care to rescue animals whose health is an obstacle to their adoption. The fund has helped 600+ animals, partnered with over 146 rescues, and provided over $1.6 million in donated care to help pets find forever homes. The discussion is with Katherine Good, co-founder of The Good Life Dog Rescue in NYC.
    
3. Help Your Dog Live Healthier and Longer with Dr. Karen Shaw Becker – As a veterinarian who empowers pet owners to enhance the wellbeing of their animals, Dr. Karen Shaw Becker joins Dr. Hohenhaus to discuss her book, “The Forever Dog – Surprising New Science to Help Your Canine Live Younger, Healthier, and Longer,” how genetics and environmental factors impact canine health and longevity, planning for dog health issues based on genetic predispositions, and customizing your dog’s exercise plan for their physical and mental needs.
   
4. How Dogs Talk to Us with Canine Cognition Expert Dr. Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere – The discussion focuses on new research into the behavior and cognition of domestic dogs, including pre-historic origins of canine domestication and breeding, multi-species work being done at Hunter College’s Animal Behavior & Conservation Program, practical considerations of studying dog cognition, button mats that allow dogs to “talk,” and more.
   
5. Is Your Pet’s Diet Healthy? Veterinary Nutrition with Dr. Catherine Ruggiero – The nutrition focused discussion includes tips on what to feed your pet, reliable sources for pet food nutrition information, common problems with homemade diets for pets, what terms like “natural” and “limited ingredients” mean on pet food labels, ways to help keep your dog or cat at the right weight, among others.
   
6. Pet Emergencies with AMC’s Dr. Ann Marie Zollo – During National Disaster Preparedness Month, Dr. Hohenhaus speaks with her colleague Dr. Zollo to discuss signs your pet requires emergency care, common pet toxins (including chocolate, marijuana, and human medication), neurologic emergencies, and general pet emergency preparedness.  
   
7. Who Tamed the Cat? What Genetics Tell Us About Feline History with Dr. Leslie Lyons – The discussion includes genetic similarities between cats and people, using cats as a biomedical model to better understand and treat hereditary diseases, genes and cat coat patterns, and more.
   
8. Navigating Pet Loss with Veterinary Social Worker Judith Harbour and Author Sara Bader – This important discussion addresses what people commonly experience when they lose a beloved pet, advice for people coping with the loss of a pet, secondary loss and how it can contribute to grief, why pet loss groups are helpful, ways animal owners can celebrate and honor the life of their pet.
   
9. What’s Causing the Increase of Leptospirosis in Dogs? A Discussion with Experts from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene – Dr. Hohenhaus speaks with three experts from the NYC Department of Health to talk about the increase of bacterial disease leptospirosis in dogs, what causes it and which species can contract it, how the disease is treated, the role of rat management, access to veterinary care, and if humans can contract leptospirosis from dogs.
   
10. Behind the Scenes of a Veterinary Internship & Pilots N Paws with Dr. Kelly Muller and Anne & Andrew Zeneski – Dr. Hohenhaus speaks with Dr. Kelly Muller, intern and future resident at AMC. Veterinary interns are fully-licensed veterinarians who have chosen to complete advanced training, often in preparation for a residency and board certification.

“As the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital, education has been at the forefront of AMC’s mission for over a century,” said Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA, President & CEO of the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. “Thanks to Dr. Hohenhaus and our partners at Sirius XM, we are able to share AMC’s extensive pet health knowledge and veterinary medicine expertise with pet parents around the world.”

The recent October episode of “Ask the Vet” featured an interview with Dr. Kwane Stewart, a veterinarian who provides free care to pets of people experiencing homelessness through his nonprofit, Project Street Vet. Recognized for his work, Dr. Stewart was named CNN’s 2023 Hero of the Year. Listen to the full interview at amcny.org/podcast.

In the latest November episode, Dr. Scott Weese, a leading infectious disease expert, shared valuable insights into emerging health threats for pets and their potential impact on the animals we love. He also addressed the 2023 Mystery Canine Respiratory Disease outbreak, where he was one of the key voices offering calm and informed guidance during a time of widespread concern.

Coming up in December 2024, “Ask the Vet” will spotlight Dr. Monica Murphy, veterinarian and co-author of Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals. This book, written with Bill Wasik, editorial director of The New York Times Magazine, explores the transformation of American attitudes toward animals during the late 19th century. Before this shift, cruelty to animals like carriage horses and fighting dogs was commonplace. By the end of the century, thanks to the efforts of activists beginning in 1866, the nation embraced a new moral perspective, reshaping laws and public norms.

“For over seven years, the podcast has served as a trusted resource for pet health and education, offering insights from AMC’s own veterinarians as well as leading authorities on animals. We’re excited to continue to provide audiences everywhere with timely, relevant, and in-depth content on how to best care for their pets,” said Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology and Small Animal Internal Medicine), Senior Veterinarian at AMC and host of “Ask the Vet.”

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus is a third-generation veterinarian, double board-certified in Oncology and Small Animal Internal Medicine. As AMC’s Director of Pet Health Information, she writes AMC’s weekly blog, has contributed widely to research articles and textbooks, lectures internationally, and has won prestigious awards for her work in both veterinary medicine and journalism. In 2021, she joined the influential World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Oncology Working Group, which she currently chairs.

For questions on Ask The Vet, email AskTheVet@amcny.org.

About the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center Hospital of New York City

We are the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital with NYC’s only level 1 trauma center. Our team of 140+ veterinarians work across over 20 specialties to provide world-class medical care, and we are here for pets and their families 24/7. We are proud to have served the people and pets of New York, and beyond, for over 110 years. More at: www.amcny.org. Follow on Instagram @amcny, on X @amcny, Facebook at The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, LinkedIn, and YouTube @TheAnimalMedicalCenter.

AMC Media Contacts:

Shin-Jung Hong, ShinJung@nicholaslence.com | Cell: 617-413-7880
Pia Fischetti, Pia@nicholaslence.com | Cell: 516-287-5815