Key's Ruff and Rowdy Vet Talk

It started with the dream of becoming a veterinarian. Then I realized that wasn't going to happen to earning my associate degree in veterinary technology. It wasn't an easy journey, but I did it and you can to! Enjoy! 😊

*Discretion: This episode includes sensitive information*

Welcome to the personal life of Key! From the good, the bad, and the ugly. I never let anything get in my way. I hope my life journey helps inspire anyone who has had a rough start to life! Stay Ruff and Rowdy folks😁

Welcome to the season 4 pop off! This season you get to know me on a personal level and get to know some of my inner circle friends! I hope you enjoy it!!!❤️❤️❤️

*Please be advised, this episode discusses animal cruelty*

Ms. Renay is an amazing advocate when it comes to the cruelty of animals. We dive deep into animal forensics and behavior and although this can be a sensitive topic, it is a conversation we must have in order to advocate for our patients. After having this amazing talk with Renay, it made me as a technician understand that I have a duty to understand proper protocols and laws in my own state! Remember no matter if you are in the veterinary field or not, understanding animal cruelty is imperative information to have! *PLEASE LISTEN AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION*

Ms. Ebony a.k.a "The Renaissance Woman," is a growing entrepreneur who is finding ways to bring dog moms together! She is a young, driven, woman of color who is not allowing anything to get in her way! I hope you all enjoy this segment!

Today I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Taylor who is a LVMT in a emergency, specialty, and referral hospital. She shares her journey and experience of what led her to join the veterinary profession. We also shared a common dislike of dealing with vomiting patients! Taylor is also in the midst of obtaining her bachelor's degree in veterinary technology to help give her career a boost and to grow her knowledge! On top of continuing to be awesome, she is currently growing a baby girl in her belly! Taylor I can't wait to see you obtain your bachelor's and welcome your baby girl into this world!

Today I got to know Patty, a CVT working in a day practice helping develop and train the new kids on the block! She shares her passion on how adequate training can help lead to more successful days in the hospital setting. Take out your notepads and take notes! She is also a independent consultant for Arbonne which is a health and wellness company. Patty is another prime example of still practicing what you love while adding a side hustle! Here is the link to her website. Remember let's support each other❤️Patriciavogtrepsold.arbonne.com

On today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Elise, who is currently working on obtaining her associates degree in veterinary technology. I really enjoyed and learned what veterinary care looks like in Alaska and issues they face as well. In order to be on the same team, we must learn what problems each part of the world is facing in veterinary care! Thank you Elise for sharing and maybe one day you can show us how to wrangle a large moose😂🫎

On today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Susan. Susan is the director of the graduate program in Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Conservation. She also teaches courses in animal forensics; international case consulting and forensics training. Susan also shares her love and passion for wildlife research in Botswana, Africa. I hope you all really enjoy this episode because Susan really gave insight on how we can start a journey not knowing where it may take us, but to be open minded and seize the day!

On today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Ashley also known as Ash, who is a veterinary technician student/assistant with many years of experience in the veterinary field. Our conversation started with our experiences in vet med, to vomiting, to just being nice to each! I hope you all enjoy this episode and take a few notes from Ash!😊

Kaitlyn has been in veterinary medicine since 2016 and is currently in urgent and emergency care. Today I had an awesome conversation with Kaitlyn about being a single momma in this field and maintaining a work/life balance. We also discussed how the need for more urgent care and emergency hospitals appears different everywhere! I hope you all enjoy this episode and look out now! Kaitlyn is almost at the finish line if achieving her license.

On today's episode I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Amy. A proud ophthalmology technician, who is helping save one eyeball at a time! I was fascinated to hear the many things that go into treating eyes along with the many eye diseases! If you aren't a fan of eyeballs, I think after listening to this podcast episode, you may change your mind!

Megan is an epidemiologist for the state department utilizing her background and education to help keep the public safe. Megan shares how her background education in veterinary medicine gave her an extra leg up to understand how zoonotic diseases can cause issues with the public. I got a chance to understand the dynamics of her career and also that once again you do not have to be a veterinarian in this field to practice what you love! Also I think it's fair to say she will be the hero during the zombie apocalypse time!

Today I had the opportunity to get to know Lindsey and swap some of the crazy stories we hear clients say! Lindsey shares her experience as a CSR and dealing with some of our crazy dog breeds! I hope you enjoy this episode!

On today's episode I had the honor of speaking with the beautiful black queen, Shar, who is a senior veterinary assistant in a low cost clinic. It completely amazes me to see people of color achieve greatness and share how they got there. Shar shares her experience of her day to day operations in her role. Shar also proves that no matter your role or title in this field you are a complete asset to the team! Stay excellent queen!

On today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Martha who is an exotics technician working in an exotics emergency center. Martha shared her knowledge and experience when it comes to working with the smaller creatures of veterinary medicine! It's safe to say that birds are not the top favorites on the list! Whats your favorite exotic pet? 🐍🐟🐇🐭

On today's episode, I had the opportunity to speak with a 4th year veterinary student named Nadine! Nadine shares her journey of getting through school and shares her excitement of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. She also shares her favorite hobbies which includes hiking and martial arts 🥋. Nadine also shares her love for radiology! Watch out guys she's ready to come out kicking!!

Ms. Suzanne, an LVT who has a passion for fitness is here to tell us about her vision. She thought to herself, "why not combine veterinary medicine and fitness?" We all know at times it can be tough to make healthy choices working in such a physically demanding field. Suzanne will be launching her Fit Club Fitness app on February 26th, so make sure to keep an eye out! I had the opportunity to learn about the why of her fitness app and the goals behind it! It's very refreshing seeing my Veterinary sisters and brothers out here still staying in the field while enjoying their passions!

Today I had the opportunity to speak with Megan who is an OTJ tech currently in school to receive her veterinary technician license. Megan has a huge passion for neonate and pediatric care. She is currently paving her way as an advocate for our special needs creatures and isn't letting anything stop her! It's amazing to hear the drive and passion she has! Watch out y'all, she's coming in hot! 🔥

Today I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Leilani who is an RVT and CEO of Animal Health Link. Leilani is an awesome momma of three who found a way to stay in the field while still being available for her babies. It can be challenging to have a family while still trying to stay in the profession. We talked about how Animal Health Link operates and the continuing rise for tele medicine!

Today I had the opportunity to get to know Ms. Leah, a LVT who just received her license last year on Halloween 🎃 👻! She shares her journey and experiences through vet medicine and we even swapped some pretty interesting vet med stories!

On today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with the amazing Alexandre Contreras. I got to learn about Alex's journey of his amazing accomplishments and what he still has planned for the future.


Alexandre Contreras is a native resident of Miami, Florida, possesses an unwavering passion for animals that ignited at a tender age. Driven by a profound dedication to ensuring exceptional healthcare for every creature, Alex embarked on a path towards animal welfare, acquiring a coveted 'Veterinary Technician' degree from Penn Foster in 2009.



Alex founded the PetTrio Charity™ Inc., a nonprofit organization aiming to support underprivileged pet owners by providing access to essential veterinary care, promoting responsible pet ownership, and fostering a compassionate environment for animals in need.



Fueling his ambition further, Alex delved deeper into his career, achieving the prestigious title of a 'Certified Canine Massage Therapist' through Equissage International, renowned for its unrivaled equine and canine massage therapy training and certification programs. Following this accomplishment, Alex established 'DogApy,®' a canine massage therapy service.



During countless nail trims, Alex unfortunately encountered the distressing situation of inadvertently clipping a nail too short. Recognizing the pressing need for a safer, more hygienic, and convenient method of applying styptic powder to injured nails, Alex envisioned the creation of the KlipTrio®. With the addition of a nail file to the design, the KlipTrio® would not only become the world's first 3-in-1 pet nail clipper but also incorporate a groundbreaking 'Disposable Styptic Powder Cartridge™.' The inclusion of an integrated stainless steel nail file finalized the ingenious KlipTrio® design.


I hope you guys enjoy this episode and feel inspired to follow your dreams and never give up!

On today's episode Ms. Celeste speaks about her experiences working in vet medicine and navigating her way through as a veterinary technician for a love for emergency medicine. With her father being a veterinarian since 1968 and her husband being a pre-vet student, there is no way of escaping the calling to be in the veterinary field! We also discussed how the cost of veterinary care can have an effect on how clients receive client education. Hopefully maybe we can talk to the government about allowing pet owners to claim their fur babies on taxes!😊

On today's episode, guest speaker Ashley from North Dakota discusses the importance of being a part of your state's board association. She has a passion for the voices of veterinary technicians voices being heard! We as technicians need to stick together because no one can advocate for us as much as we can!

Also let's start doing meet ups! We need to be seen and heard💁🏿

On today's episode, I had the pleasure to speak with Ms. Cara who is a veterinary assistant, a little new to the field but has quickly grasped the components needed to succeed in this field. She discusses her story in getting through school, adjusting to the changes of COVID, and developing her veterinary skills. She has a passion for livestock and we were able to discuss many things going on around us!

On today's episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Annie, who is a forensic DNA analyst for animal DNA. Ginger shares her passion for animal DNA and what goes into her analyzing DNA. Ginger also shares what is needed to enjoy this part of veterinary medicine!

Today I Ms. Jessica joined me on the podcast to discuss the craziness our receptionist go through in a daily basis. Let's be honest receptionists are the face and strong front of the clinic. Jessica is a veterinary receptionist who has a big passion for service animals. Jessica is yet another awesome example of having the attitude that nothing can stop her! She discusses her original plans for her journey in veterinary medicine, but understood the realization of student loans. She isn't letting that stop her though! I'm excited to see a sister in veterinary medicine still have a driven passion to keep going in this crazy field! You go girl and I'm excited to see your growth❤️. Remember, veterinary receptionist week is April 21st-27th of 2024!

Today I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Katrina, who is a CVT with a passion for proper training and recognizing mental health. She also has a love for practicing general practice and internal medicine. She shares her experience of how these two genres of vet med can go hand in hand. This not only made her a more well rounded technician but her team understood the value she brought to general practice. Katrina also shares how different parts of the world has different cultures, backgrounds, people, and ways of practicing veterinary medicine. I appreciate her sharing her experience because adapting in a new environment can be tough;however, Katrina shares how she overcame that!

On today's episode, we had a special guest all the way from Canada! Ms. Marina is her own boss in being a locum RVT, spreading her expertise and knowledge all over Vancouver Island. I told her how impressed I was at her accomplishments and how inspiring she is! I enjoyed being able to share the ups and downs we face in veterinary medicine as being a woman of color. Woman of color means different things in different parts of the world and understanding this helps us to deter stereotypes and stigmas associated with women of color. If we continue to reach the point that we come from various backgrounds and are here for one purpose, veterinary medicine can show the world how diversity is done! I'm happy to call many of you friends and sisters in veterinary medicine, no matter how far and what color you are. Thank you Marina for being a part of the change we need!

On today's episode, Ms. Jojo and I had a great conversation of getting to know each other through a series of 11 fun veterinary related questions! Let me tell you I was baffled by one of the answers to the questions😂😂😂😂. All in the fun though! We also shared common things we have experienced in vet med and improper breeding! I hope you guys enjoy this episode! Credit to vet candy for the idea of asking random questions to get to know my guest!

Today was an awesome milestone! The first in person podcast session! I got to not only hang and get to know Ashley, but I got to meet her fur babies and her babies with scales! Ashley is a CVT who was the first class to graduate at the TCC program in our local area. For those that may not know, we live in the Hampton roads area, meaning the closest in person veterinary technology program at the time was the Blue Ridge College in northern Virginia. You guys can imagine it was a big deal having another in person program become available in our area! Anyway, Ashley shares her passion for how taking on too many animals in our home because we feel bad can do more harm than good! Unfortunately we can't save them all, but we can figure out other resources to do so☺️

On today's episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Jocelyn Pratt, the director of the Blue Ridge Veterinary Blood Bank. Jocelyn gives us insight on the process of blood donation and the importance of donating blood. If you are ever interested in volunteering your fur baby in donating blood, please reach out to your local veterinary blood bank in your area! Also I would like to shout out to all of the veterinary professionals who operate these blood banks because without you guys, our patients wouldn't be able to receive the care they need. Remember that JANUARY IS NATIONAL BLOOD DONOR MONTH!

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Joy, who is an LVT at the Detroit Zoo and President of the Michigan Association of Vet Techs. I really enjoyed speaking with Joy because it's very rare to meet an LVT working in a zoo! We go to school to learn about almost every animal known to man kind, so what better way to use that education and develop skills with a variety of species! Joy shared her love for working with chimps and about her day to day working at the zoo. She also shares her experience on being a part of the board, which as I've told her is pretty bad ass!

On today's episode I had guest speaker Michelle, discuss her experience as a claims analyst in pet insurance. She gave some insight on what it is like working in pet insurance, why she joined, and explained basically why we need it! Thank you Michelle for giving us some insight on pet insurance and hopefully we can better educate our clients.🐕🐈

On today's episode I was able to discuss with Jenna on the ups and downs of corporate medicine and navigating through our own journey as a technician. For those who are weary of corporate medicine, remember that each place has its own pros and cons, you just have to "pick your poison," but don't let anything back you into a corner. From experience get what you need to gain as a veterinary professional and run if you need to!

Today's guest is Arielle, a CVT who is pretty well-rounded with understanding general practice medicine and emergencies! I really enjoyed discussing the various things we technicians deal with and some of our preferences!

Take a look at the poll and let me know which T-port set you prefer for your IV catheters? The screw on ones vs the plug in 😂

On today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Adrienne, who is a Animal Reiki Practitioner. That's right you heard it! I personally learned a lot from Adrienne about using reiki with animals. She discusses how it works and why she has a big passion for it. She made me realize how much of our energy can affect our patients when entering into a hospital setting. After listening to this episode, I hope that everyone checks their energies at the door before handling patients. It may make a big difference 🙂

On today's episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Kat about the Ins and outs of emergency medicine. I mean who doesn't love a good vet med story. General practice is another big portion of vet med that plays a big role in veterinary care. Mixing the love of emergency medicine and preventative medicine is a beautiful cocktail best served cold😎

There are many roles in veterinary medicine and being an instructor is one of them! Jessica is an instructor of veterinary technology inspiring and teaching students, preparing them to flourish in the veterinary field. It's awesome to hear things from a teacher's point of view, without them we wouldn't have the education we have today!

Coral is an RVT with a major passion for mental health. It is intriguing understanding how mental health looks different for everyone. I think having professionals that specializes in mental health is an important aspect to have in every hospital setting. Having pretty brochures around the hospital is not enough! We must talk about these things in order to prevent!

On today's episode I had the pleasure to speak with Rachel about her journey in being a veterinary technician. She was open and vulnerable in telling her perspective of the struggles of getting through school. Remember no matter what part of school you are in, you are not alone! We all wanted to quit at some point and if someone tells you different, they are lying lol😂

Brandee is a CVPM (Certified Veterinary Practice Manager) and a CCFP (Certified Compassion Fatigue Professional). Brandee has many insights of understanding not only the role of each veterinary professional but also using mental health tactics to keep her team happy and healthy. In vet med we have acknowledged that mental health is important in this field, but we have to make sure to utilize it.

**Warning**
This episode does discuss suicide.

On today's episode, I had the opportunity of getting to know Beck who has experience working with rescues and in shelter medicine. We definitely need to get to a point in vet medicine of finding ways to help relieve the stress shelters deal with all over the world! Take notes🙂