Episode 21: Why You Should Never Call Yourself "Just" a GP Vet

If you've ever finished a shift wondering whether you made the right decisions...

If you've ever replayed a difficult consultation on the drive home...

Or if you've ever described yourself as "just a GP vet"...

This episode is for you.

General practice can feel relentless. We switch from blocked cats to emergency surgery, anxious owners to dental extractions, euthanasias to puppy vaccinations—sometimes all before lunch. It's easy to forget just how much knowledge, judgement and resilience that actually takes.

In Episode 21, we wanted to celebrate general practice for what it really is: one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs in veterinary medicine.

A conversation every vet should hear

Our special guest this week is Bradley Viner—former RCVS President, practice owner, educator and one of the biggest advocates for general practice the profession has ever had.

Bradley has spent decades championing the idea that being a GP vet isn't a fallback option or something to apologise for. It's a career that deserves recognition in its own right.

We talk about:

• Why you should stop saying you're "just" a GP vet

• Why communication and clinical judgement are every bit as important as specialist knowledge

• What really happens behind the scenes when the RCVS investigates complaints

• Why most disciplinary concerns never reach a hearing

• How better record keeping and communication can protect both vets and clients

It's an incredibly reassuring conversation—and one we think every member of the veterinary team will take something from.

The practical stuff...

Of course, it wouldn't be Chatty Vets without plenty of clinical discussion too.

This episode also covers:

💉 Needle caps... in your mouth?!

Brendan starts the episode with one veterinary habit that's bothered him for years—and once he points it out, you'll never unsee it.

(Warning: opinions may be strong...)

🐶 BOAS anaesthesia

We look at some fascinating new evidence surrounding regurgitation risk during brachycephalic anaesthesia, including research that could influence how we prepare these patients in the future.

🐱 Blocked cats

A new study involving more than 600 cats gives us useful information about recurrence, azotaemia and recovery—providing reassuring evidence for conversations with worried owners.

🦷 Dental antibiotics

Should we still be reaching for antibiotics after routine dental extractions?

We discuss the latest evidence, antimicrobial stewardship, and where the research gaps still exist.

🩺 Surgical stories

From bleeding bitch spays to intra-operative ketamine, we also share some of our own recent cases—the good, the stressful and the lessons we've learned along the way.

Why we made this episode

One thing Bradley says really stayed with us.

General practice isn't about knowing everything.

It's about making good decisions with imperfect information.

It's about balancing medicine, surgery, communication, client finances, emotion and uncertainty—often all at the same time.

That's not "just" being a GP vet.

That's an incredibly skilled job.

And it's one we should all be a little prouder of.

🎧 Episode 21 is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you listen.

As always, we'd love to hear what you think. Have you ever called yourself "just" a GP vet? Will you be changing that after listening?