Radio 2SM Breakfast Segment #21 with Kaye Browne

VETtalk Online Podcasts

Content provided by Brian Pickering & Kaye Browne, Brian Pickering, and Kaye Browne. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Brian Pickering & Kaye Browne, Brian Pickering, and Kaye Browne or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

22d ago 7:49

MP3•Episode home

*** RADIO 2SM PET SEGMENT #21 WITH KAYE BROWNE ***
This week:
Dangerous ‘rat lungworm’ infections in dogs in Sydney are on the rise…research pointing to heavier rainfalls in recent years. Kaye explains what to watch for to keep pets – and people -safe.
Also this week...
Good news in the global fight to find better and cheaper ways to detect cancer earlier! An Israeli-based team has linked AI - artificial intelligence – with dogs impressive sense of smell to create an at-home cancer-screening breath test which is94 percent accurate at detecting early stage lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancers.
PLUS:
Irresistible training treats – what really works for dogs, cats even birds!
00'00" - Welcome Ron Wilson and Kaye Browne
00'09" - Rat Lungworm Infections In Dogs!
02'37" - Dogs Helping Detect Cancer via a 'Breath-Test'
04'43" - How To Motivate Our Pets With Treats
IMAGE:
Rat Lungworm - (c)Dr Michael Nash, SARDI
More information here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-17/rat-lungworm-disease-spike-dog-infections/105408304
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
RON: Time now for our weekly pet segment with Kaye Browne from VETtalk On-Hold. Kaye, good morning.
KAYE: Good morning to you, Ron.
RON: Look at this is a fun thing to talk about at breakfast time, and it sounds absolutely disgusting to tell you the truth, rat lung worm infections, apparently in dogs, it's on the rise, and it's all due to climate change with increased rainfall over recent years, tell us all about it. What have we got to watch out for?
KAYE: Yeah. The good people at the University of Sydney Veterinary Department there have done a big study, probably the very first one that's been done of five years of data to work out exactly when is the highest risk for periods of transmission of this disease, now rat lung worm is exactly what it sounds it is found in rats and naturally in rats, and they go scavenging and they drop their poos everywhere and unfortunately these slugs and snails, which are particularly prolific after lots of rain like we've had, they actually ingest it, and then they in turn are eaten by other hosts like dogs or again, by the rats.
Now in rats it's OK because it goes to their lungs and sounds gross, but the rats survive that. However, if an accidental host like a dog or even a human, and that has happened, hmm, actually ingests this, and then it will go to their brain. It'll die off there because we've got our own immune systems, but the actual dying off effect actually causes terrible headaches and things like that in people and dogs, and can even cause hind limb weakness, which is very bad and very worst cases cause death.
So, you know, they're talking a very serious case here and they looked at the number of cases and found that the biggest number were in 2022, where there were 32 cases in dogs and why this is important is that it gives them a model to actually be able to talk to human doctors as well, and the human doctors and the vets can all talk between themselves and work out the best way of preventing this transmission. So couple of quick things for you. Teach your dogs not to eat slugs and snails. I'm sure your dog doesn't.
RON: No wouldn't go near them. Not without salt. (Laughs!)
KAYE: Yeah, well, you know, some of the other cases that have occurred in humans have occurred because people have eaten undercooked snails. So, you know, and I know the French are fond of snails. And, some restaurants do sell them, but do make sure they're well cooked or avoid them altogether, which would be my choice. And indeed, just make sure that around the yard you try and not have places where slugs and snails can, accumulate and certainly teach your dog. Leave it.
RON: Well, dogs are commonly known as man's best friend, and this new Israeli idea. It combines a dog's very impressive sense of smell with artificial intelligence to create a cancer screening breath test. This is so interesting what a great idea.
KAYE: This is great, this is good news and it's good to get good news on a topic like cancer, because as we know, it's a really hard thing unless it's detected early, you know, the chances of people getting through it are slimmer so this is a brand new thing SpotIt Early.
And basically it uses very simple thing instead of having to have a lab test or have an operation, you get sent a special mask just like we used to wear during the COVID situation, you only have to breathe in it for about 3 minutes to send it back to the SpotIt Early laboratory where well trained beagles sniff various tubes which have masks in them, and if they detect one that actually has cancer cells and it could be anything from lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate, colon cancer, the dog will sit down now where this is really, really clever is that they've now also included AI - artificial intelligence, and we keep hearing disastrous things about AI, but here's something really good, because humans might misinterpret the dog's enthusiasm, perhaps it's just, you know, tired and sitting down, but by using AI, they can determine with incredible success rates whether a cancer has been detected.
So they actually got 1400 people to test this out and amongst those they later on found that 261 of them actually did have cancer. It wasn't detectable any other way, and if they hadn't been found, hadn't the cancers hadn't been found as early it would, have affected their treatment. So it really reduces human error and when it does get underway globally, it should only cost about $25 bucks to g et one of these masks sent out and then sent back and get your results.
RON: What a great idea. Now when we speak to you on a weekly basis, we often talk about using treats as part of a training regime for dogs. Are there any particular things that work well? Treats? I mean, that work well when it comes to dogs?
KAYE: Yeah, dogs, cats, even birds, they kind of work their best when they're motivated to do so. It's a bit like you, you know, if someone said to you and we want you to come in on Monday, but we're actually not gonna pay you on Monday, we'll only pay you for the other days of the week. How enthusiastic are you going to be to get out of bed on Monday?
RON: Hmmm - No. No. Is the answer.
KAYE: Well, that's never going to happen. So it's a little bit like that with our dogs and cats and birds. We can motivate them by finding out what it is that makes them want to do something we want them to do. And that's the key to positive training. Now with some dogs, it could be a piece of carrot with others it could be a nice piece of yummy roast chicken. What does Bailey like best?
RON: Ohh, I think it's well, it's the dried chicken breast that she really goes for.
KAYE: OK. Yeah. Dehydrated foods are great or freeze dried foods like tripe. It stinks to us, but you know, the stinkier, the smellier and the softer in many cases, the better, so cheese is really really good.
RON: Yes, she loves cheese.
KAYE: The key is. That training needs to be really short, sharp and snappy, so don't do it for, you know, half an hour at a time, just a few minutes. You only want to do 8 or 10 repetitions of whatever you're trying to train, or capture or shape the behaviour shape and make sure that you only use the really, really good treats for when they perform extra well, perhaps when they do it extra fast or they’re extra enthusiastic.
And then end your training session on a high so you can make your own treats. I used to dehydrate liver believe it or not. And it stinks. When I had four dogs, but it was a good way of having lots of treats. You can even use you know, those little refillable yoghurt pouches that you have.
You can actually fill that with something like a nice smelly cat food or cat paste with a bit of water and that you don't have to keep getting icky things out of your pocket or your pouch, and you can actually just use that and just squirt a little bit in the mouth when the animal does what you want. And that's a pretty good thing for cats as well, and have variety so that you know they don't get bored.
So there are lots of things in your local pet shops. We'll have some examples for you and just be aware, that if you have to worry about your pets nutrition or their diet if they have a disease, kidney or something like that, do talk to your vet about what they can and can't have and deduct the calories from their daily food portions to account for all these lovely treats.
RON: Yes, I maybe give my dog a little bit too many treats and I get told off all the time for that. All right Kaye, thank you so much as always. Kaye Browne from VETtalk On-Hold with our weekly pet segment.

199 episodes

#Veterinary Medicine #Lifestyle #Animals and Pets #Science #Environment #Brian Pickering & Kaye Browne #Brian Pickering #Kaye Browne #Dr Jo #Podcasting Education