Dr. Marty and Laura tackle one of the most common (and alarming) pet owner concerns: why is my dog throwing up? Topics covered include:

• Foreign bodies— what dogs swallow, why it's dangerous and how to respond. Plus: the Outfoxed hood as a prevention tool
• Clevor— a prescription eye-drop that safely induces vomiting (and why to avoid hydrogen peroxide)
• Canned spinach— a surprisingly effective home remedy for dogs that swallow small sharp objects
• Cerenia (maropitant)— the go-to anti-nausea drug, including its use for surgical recovery and car sickness
• Ginger snaps— a drug-free option for car sickness and reflux gastritis
• Serious causesto watch for: pancreatitis, parvovirus, kidney disease, and intestinal obstruction
• When to go to the vetvs. when you can wait it out
• Pet insurance— why it's especially smart for Labradors, Goldens, and known "sock eaters"

• The Top Culprits:Why eating out of the garbage, sudden changes to a puppy's water or food, and scavenging for "tasty nuggets" in the snow lead to disaster.
• Home Remedies that Work:How to use bland diets like boiled chicken, hamburger and rice, and the proper way to use plain yogurt and veterinary kaopectate.
• Dangerous Mistakes to Avoid:Why giving your dog "sugar-free" yogurt can cause xylitol poisoning, and why a whole Pepto-Bismol tablet will look exactly like a swallowed coin on an X-ray.
• When to Rush to the Vet:Learn to identify red flags like vomiting paired with diarrhea, large amounts of blood, or extreme lethargy, which could indicate life-threatening conditions like hemorrhagic gastroenteritis or parvovirus.
• The Poop-Eating Problem:The frustrating truth about coprophagia and why most deterrents (even hot sauce!) rarely stop dogs from snacking in the yard.

Join hosts Laura and Marty to learn why anesthesia is absolutely necessary for your pet's dental cleanings, how to advocate for their surgical safety and the best strategies for brushing their teeth at home.

• The Truth About Pet Dentistry:Laura and Marty discuss why anesthesia is required for a safe and effective dental cleaning. Scraping teeth while a pet is awake actually accelerates tartar build-up and prevents veterinarians from x-raying teeth or cleaning under the gum line.
• Advocating for Surgical Safety:Learn how to advocate for your pet before they go under anesthesia by requesting pre-op bloodwork, EKGs, and safe anesthetic agents. Marty also highly recommends paying an extra $5 to ensure your vet uses a brand-new, single-use endotracheal tube to protect your pet's airway from irritation or infection.
• At-Home Dental Care:Brushing your pet's teeth is the gold standard for dental health. Marty explains how to train your pet to accept toothbrushing and recommends usingVOHC-endorsed products or a clear gel calledLivFresh, which chelates calcium to stop tartar from hardening.

Marty and Laura tackle a listener question about runny noses in cats and kittens — and it turns into a deep dive on feline health essentials every cat owner needs to know.

Topics covered:

• Common causes of feline upper respiratory infections (herpesvirus, calicivirus, chlamydia, Bordetella) and why herpes virus is a lifelong condition that flares under stress
• What FVRCP means and why keeping up with your cat's vaccines matters — even for indoor cats
• Why cats "fall off the veterinary radar" after kittenhood and why that's dangerous
• The risks of bringing stray or new cats into a home with existing cats without testing first
• Feline leukemia (FELV) and FIV: how they spread, what a positive test means, and why a $100 blood test can save your resident cat's life
• Vaccine safety in cats: injection site sarcomas, non-adjuvanted vaccines, and why Marty prefers the intranasal FVRCP
• Convenia — the 14-day injectable antibiotic that can save you from trying to pill your cat twice a day
• Feline asthma vs. upper respiratory infections, and when a cough means it's urgent
• Practical tips: gabapentin for vet visits, carrier training and at-home hygiene clips

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura dig into what it really means to have a well-behaved dog in public and why good manners don't happen by magic.

Help your dog become a welcome guest anywhere — from brew pubs to barbecues — with expert guidance on the AKC Canine Good Citizen program, basic obedience fundamentals, service dog distinctions and therapy dog opportunities.

Topics include:

• The core skills every dog should have: loose leash walking, settling, recall and reliable housetraining
• Why consistency, fairness and repetition are the foundation of any training success
• The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program — what it tests, how to find a trainer and how any dog (purebred or not) can earn the title
• The AKC Farm Dog and Trick Dog titles as fun alternatives
• The legal differences between service dogs, emotional support animals and pets — and why it matters
• How a CGC title can open doors to therapy dog work in libraries, nursing homes and beyond
• Puppy raising programs like Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) and how to get involved

Spring shedding season is here — and that means it's time to talk about one of the most overlooked aspects of pet health: grooming. In this episode, Dr. Marty and Laura are back together (yes, Marty finally returned from New Zealand and Fiji) to break down why regular grooming is so much more than a cosmetic luxury. It is a genuine health necessity for your dog or cat.

First up, coats and bathing. Marty and Laura explain why getting all the way down to the skin matters — whether you're shampooing, blow-drying or brushing. They share tips on diluting your shampoo correctly, using the right water temperature, and why self-wash dog stations at your local groomer or car wash are an affordable, mess-free game changer.

Mats are a big topic this episode, and for good reason. Left untreated, mats can cause raw, open wounds on your pet's skin. Laura and Marty walk through how to safely remove them using cordless clippers, metal greyhound combs and a healthy dose of patience — and explain why you should never bathe a matted dog first.

Ears get their own deep dive too. Dogs that don't shed, like Poodles, Doodles, and Schnauzers, are especially prone to hair buildup in the ear canal, which traps moisture and leads to painful infections. Marty shares her surprisingly effective Nair trick for gentle hair removal, plus tips for improving airflow around heavy-eared breeds.

Toenails round out the conversation, including the often-forgotten dewclaw, why overgrown nails distort your dog's gait and how to make nail trimming a stress-free routine from puppyhood.

The episode wraps with a practical look at hot spots — what causes them, why they spread so fast, and how staying on top of grooming is your best prevention.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Spring means gardens, chemicals and curious pets — a combination that can turn dangerous fast. Veterinarian Marty and host Laura break down what every pet owner needs to know before heading outside this season.

In This Episode

The ASPCA's toxic plant database is your first stop before planting anything new — it's free, searchable and includes photos. Not all "toxic" plants are equally dangerous: some cause a numb tongue, others can be fatal. Knowing the difference saves you money and panic.

For chemical hazards, herbicides are generally low-risk for dogs, but insecticides can affect the nervous system immediately. Always keep product packaging — the label often has an 800 number that connects you to free poison control support.

Marty makes a strong case for keeping Clevor on hand if you have a dog that eats everything. One eye drop, three minutes, done — no risky hydrogen peroxide needed.

And yes, skunk season is here. The de-skunking formula (peroxide + baking soda + dish soap) only works if you apply it to a dry dog first. Don't skip that step.

Key Takeaways

1. Bookmark aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
2. Save the ASPCA Poison Control number with a credit card nearby
3. Stock your garage: Clevor, baking soda, peroxide, dish soap
4. Baby wildlife? Leave it. Put it back. Move on.

Brought to you by Veterinary Village — enhancing the quality of animal and human lives throughout Wisconsin and Dogg!t - find your new puppy now!

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.