Tails From the Lab

Tails from the Lab: A Veterinary Podcast

Podcast by Holly Brown, DVM, PhD, DACVP
and Jessica Wilson-Hess, MS, CVT, VTS (SAIM)

Meet our Podcasters

Holly Brown, DVM, PhD, DACVP

Holly is a veterinarian, board-certified clinical pathologist, and figurative hand-holder. She practiced small animal medicine before, during, and after her specialty training — grateful to have combined her love of clinical practice and the laboratory diagnostics that support it. Holly remains in the trenches at a general, referral, and emergency practice. She loves making an impact at the interface of laboratory data and patient care. Holly recently transitioned into her new role as Chief Veterinary Educator for Antech Diagnostics — exercising her passion for delivering education about maximizing diagnostic testing. When away from the office, she enjoys traveling with her family, snuggling her sugar-sweet bird dog and tripod cat, and dreaming of home renovations that rarely come to fruition.

Jessica Wilson-Hess, MS, CVT, VTS (SAIM)

Jessica is a certified veterinary technician, a veterinary technician specialist (VTS) in small animal internal medicine, and a confirmed nerd. She loves all things veterinary medicine — clinical pathology, nutrition, and caring for critically ill patients (the more IV pumps, the better). Jessica has over 15 years of technician experience. She currently works as a Clinical Evaluation and Education Specialist for Antech Diagnostics. Jessica is passionate about educating technicians and nurses about in-clinic diagnostics, advanced nursing skills, and medical case management. When she isn’t nerding it up at work, she is snuggling her pug, Tank, throwing the frisbee for Ruger, her black Labrador retriever, knitting, talking to her chickens about the meaning of life, and quilting.

Episode Library

Episode 12: Snickers' Belly Full of Trouble

15 October 2023

Snickers arrives sick at the hospital, and initial bloodwork reveals elevation of liver enzymes. Subsequent abdominal ultrasound identifies ascites, and the fluid analysis that ensues provides key diagnostic information that helps define Snickers’ disease process.

Episode 11: Tech Talk: Effusion Analysis (Part 2)

01 October 2023

15 October 2023Jessica is back with Part 2 of her ever-so-useful Tech Talk on Effusion Analysis, offering further tips and tricks to getting the most diagnostic information from your in-house fluid samples. (Part 2 of 2)

Episode 10: Tech Talk: Effusion Analysis (Part 1)

15 September 2023

In this tech talk, Jessica flies solo and talks about the basics of the in-house fluid analysis. (Part 1 of 2)

Episode 9: "Mac"ximizing Diagnostics (Part 2): Effusion Confusion

01 September 2023

Mac presented with acute abdominal pain, an irregular spleen, and possible lymphoma. Things got even more interesting with a surprise finding on the blood film review, and now an effusion is detected on abdominal ultrasound. Follow the twist and turns of Mac’s case as Jessica and Holly review the diagnostics that tie it all together. (Part 2 of 2)

Episode 8: "Mac"ximizing Diagnostics (Part 1): Blood Cell Conundrum

01 August 2023

Mac presents with acute abdominal pain, an irregular spleen, and possible lymphoma. Things get even more interesting with a surprise finding on the blood film review. Follow the twist and turns of Mac’s case as Jessica and Holly review the diagnostics that tie it all together. (Part 1 of 2)

Episode 7: Viper's Key to Success

01 July 2023

Viper, the sometimes sweet / sometimes sour 1-year-old Bengal, suffered with recurrent diarrhea for months. After numerous hospital visits, a myriad of diagnostic tests, a variety of medications, and a poor quality of life for both Viper and his mom, we finally discover Viper’s key to success.

Episode 6: The ABCs of APPs

01 April 2023

Jessica and Holly unwrap some of the challenges in diagnosing and trending inflammatory disease in our veterinary patients and discuss the clinical application of acute phase protein measurement in such instances.

Episode 5: Not Off the Hook

15 March 2023

Paxton was treated successfully for his steroid-responsive meningitis, but now he is re-presenting white as a ghost. Follow the laboratory diagnostics to understand what has happened, who/what is to blame, and why Paxton is not off the hook.

Episode 4: Diagnostic Testing and the NBA

01 March 2023

Holly is on her own this week, sharing the story of her personal cat, Brian Scalabrine, and his repeated clinical presentation of polyuria and polydipsia. Follow the diagnostic trail that provided the answers for the 3 different disease processes that were underlying Brian’s similar clinical presentations.

Episode 3: Double Tick Trouble

15 February 2023

Sammy, the Labrador, is a survivor of Lyme nephritis. But now he is returning acutely ill after a recent stem cell treatment. Find out what happened and what diagnostics were performed to figure it out.

Episode 2: The Mystery of the Dripping Blood

01 February 2023

Salli, the beagle, presents for “dripping blood from the back end”. Jessica and Holly, as laboratory sleuths, discuss the diagnostic CSI they performed to solve the case and help save Salli’s life.

Episode 1: Tails from the Lab: Meet the Podcasters!

15 January 2023

Learn a bit about Holly and Jessica’s history as a dynamic duo, as they move their road show on maximizing laboratory diagnostics into the podcast recording booth.

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Disclaimer: This podcast intends to provide education and guidance with the understanding that any diagnostic testing and treatment decisions are ultimately at the discretion of the attending veterinarian within the established veterinarian-patient-client relationship.