We are joined on this special early Mother's Day episode by our mothers! Patsy Ward, Yvonne Johnson, and Sue DeLuca join host veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney with Beckie Mossor, RVT dish on our childhoods, offer their best advice on raising a veterinary professional, and give Dr. Cyndie their best early childhood tips. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

This week Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, visit the 2017 North Carolina Veterinary Technician Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina to talk with veterinary technicians about the profession. Co-host Dr. Cyndie Courtney joins the conversation about practice challenges vet techs face, the biggest surprises they found after graduation, what large animal and equine veterinary nurses would like their small animal colleagues to know, and what advice they’d give to their younger selves. 

How can you find your dream veterinary job? What are employers looking for in job applicants? How can practice owners and managers find the best team members? Practice manager Heather Prendergast joins Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney with Beckie Mossor, RVT to reveal secrets to finding, getting, and keeping the best jobs! Resumes, interviews, trends, and social media searches are just a few of the topics covered this week.

We go global this week with a look at veterinary practice in the U.K., Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and Hungary. Special guest veterinarian Dr. Mark Hedberg joins Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie, Mossor, RVT for a look at some of the differences in veterinary clinics with a vet who has practiced around the world. Why are vets called "surgeons" in the U.K.? What is it like to practice in the Middle East? Why are Hungarian vet clinics closed most of the day? How can you become a globe-trotting veterinarian or veterinary technician?

Reality TV veterinarians are everywhere these days. But how "real" are these "reality" vets? Are they good or bad for the profession? How are television and online videos affecting standards of care, costs, and public perception of veterinary medicine and surgery? Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney with Beckie Mossor, RVT tackle TV vets and more on this episode.

Do veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary staff make good patients? Do we know too much, ask too many questions, demand too many answers of our own doctors and nurses? Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney along with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor dissect our own human health care experiences and share how we treat MD's and RN's when they turn to us for care. What do we love, and hate, about visiting our own physicians? How can veterinarians learn from the good, and bad, of the human health care system?

It's a hard knocks life. In this episode, veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor share some of the hard lessons they wished they'd teach in school. At least you'll have the chance to learn these oftentimes painful lessons from the comfort of your listening device... Join us at Facebook/Veterinary Viewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder. 

This week's podcast touches on an important and highly emotional topic: Pet Loss. Listen in as Dr. Ernie Ward shares his recent loss of his beloved dog, Sandy, how his family is dealing with the aftermath. The team talks about grief in both veterinary professionals and clients, why grieving for pets is so intense, what "grief disenfranchisement" is all about, and how we can better understand and help our colleagues and clients as they confront the death of a pet. Share your own stories and experiences in the comments below or send us a private message.

This week Beckie Mossor, RVT reports from the 2017 Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in sunny Las Vegas, Nevada. Drs. Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney inquire about the world's second largest conference, buzz and busts, Elvis sightings, why isn't anyone posting on social media, where are the best spots to nurse an infant and dine (not necessarily at the same time, bonus points if possible), and so much more in this week's decidedly Vegas episode. Join the conversation on Facebook/Veterinary Viewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder.  

Pet obesity in the U.S. continued to steadily increase last year, affecting nearly 59% of cats and 54% of dogs, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). During their ninth annual survey, APOP also found pet owners and veterinary professionals disagreed on key pet food issues such as the benefits of corn and grains, value of raw and organic diets, and the best sources of pet nutritional advice. Veterinarian and APOP founder Ernie Ward, Dr. Cyndie Courtney, and Beckie Mossor, RVT talk about these issues and more this week! Follow us on Facebook at Veterinary Viewfinder or Twitter @VetViewfinder

This week our hosts are joined by their spouses for a special romantic Valentine's Day edition. Dr. Ernie Ward and his wife, Laura, talk with Dr. Cyndie Courtney and her husband, Mike, along with Beckie Mossor, RVT and her hubby, Timmy. The trio dish on how they met, the perils of dating a veterinary professional, the best bits and grossest stories, and advice for keeping romance alive while caring for animals. Share your love stories with us at Facebook/Veterinary Viewfinder and on Twitter @VetViewfinder.