Can one of veterinary medicine's top neurologists outsmart the week's biggest headlines?

On this special WVC Nashville 2026 edition of Brain Smarts, hosts Caitlin and Clay Palmer put Dr. Lauren Downey Koos—clinical neurologist at BluePearl Veterinary and WVC Nashville headliner—through Vet Candy's fast-paced veterinary trivia showdown.

From CRISPR-engineered screwworms to augmented reality surgery, a $230 million veterinary teaching hospital, and the surprising science behind your cat's slow blink, Dr. Koos breaks down what's hype, what's real, and why these stories matter to veterinarians.

Along the way, she tackles rapid-fire questions, shares specialist insights, and proves that even neurologists can be stumped.

• Colorado State University's game-changing $230 million veterinary expansion
• The USDA's $105 million plan to stop the New World Screwworm
• Could augmented reality become the future of veterinary surgery?
• The science behind why slow blinking at cats actually works
• A lightning-round made just for veterinary neurologists

Whether you're a veterinarian, veterinary technician, student, or simply obsessed with veterinary medicine, you'll walk away with surprising facts, practical takeaways, and a few laughs.

About Dr. Lauren Downey Koos

Dr. Lauren Downey Koos is a clinical neurologist at BluePearl Veterinary in Franklin, Tennessee, and a featured speaker at WVC Nashville 2026, where she'll share the latest advances in veterinary neurology.

About Brain Smarts

Brain Smarts is Vet Candy's fast-paced veterinary news game show, where the brightest minds in veterinary medicine compete against the week's biggest headlines. Think Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!—but for veterinarians.

Don't miss WVC Nashville 2026!

Join thousands of veterinary professionals August 15–18 in Nashville for four days of world-class CE, hands-on labs, networking, and the biggest names in veterinary medicine—including Dr. Lauren Koos. Sign up here: https://www.viticusgroup.org/wvc-nashville?utm_campaign=45126685-WVCN26%20-%20Vet%20Candy&utm_content=280x1920px%20%28webpage%20ad%29&utm_source=280x1920px%20%28webpage%20ad%29

Subscribe to Vet Candy for weekly veterinary news, research, expert guests, and trivia that every veterinary professional should know.

#veterinarypodcast #vetcandy #veterinarian #veterinarymedicine #animalhealth

Can an internal medicine specialist outsmart the week's wildest veterinary headlines?

On this episode of Brain Smarts, hosts Caitlin and Clay Palmer welcome Dr. Stephen Carey, veterinary internal medicine specialist and Associate Dean at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, for a fast-paced game comedy show.

Sign up for WVC Nashville here: https://www.viticusgroup.org/wvc-nashville?utm_campaign=45126685-WVCN26%20-%20Vet%20Candy&utm_content=280x1920px%20%28webpage%20ad%29&utm_source=280x1920px%20%28webpage%20ad%29

From surprising research and bizarre animal stories to the latest breakthroughs in veterinary medicine, Dr. Carey puts his knowledge (and sense of humor) to the test. Along the way, you'll hear about some of the biggest stories shaping the profession and get a preview of one of the featured speakers at WVC Nashville 2026.

Whether you're a veterinarian, veterinary student, technician, or simply love veterinary medicine, this episode delivers laughs, learning, and plenty of unexpected moments.

In this episode:

• Veterinary news trivia and current events
• The latest research making headlines
• Funny facts from the world of veterinary medicine
• Dr. Stephen Carey's journey as an educator and clinician
• A preview of WVC Nashville 2026

Subscribe to Brain Smarts for new episodes featuring veterinary experts, news, trivia, and the stories everyone in vet med is talking about.

#veterinary #veterinarypodcast #veterinarymediciine #funnypodcast #smartpodcast

Vet Candy's Medical Mysteries with Dr. Courtney Campbell Episode: The Mystery of the Cat with the Big Belly

A cat walks in with an acutely enlarged abdomen and a history of "not doing right."

That's it. That's all you have.

What do you do next?

On this episode of Vet Candy's Medical Mysteries, Dr. Courtney Campbell sits down with veterinary technicians Peter Carlos and Jaycee to unpack one of the most unforgettable cases they have ever worked together. A cat. A big belly. A story that takes more turns than anyone in that exam room expected.

Peter and Jaycee were there from the beginning. They know exactly what happened. And they are ready to tell it.

Press play. You will not believe what happens next.

Vet Candy's Medical Mysteries with Dr. Courtney Campbell

Every dermatologist has that one case. The one they still think about. The one that made them question everything they thought they knew.

This is hers.

On this episode of Vet Candy's Medical Mysteries, Dr. Courtney Campbell sits down with Dr. Joya Griffin — Kentucky veterinary dermatologist, specialist, and star of Nat Geo Wild's Pop the Vet — to talk about the strangest dermatology case she has ever seen in her career. What walked through the door, what it looked like, what everyone thought it was, and what it actually turned out to be.

You will not see this one coming.

Dr. Griffin has built a career finding answers where others couldn't. But this case? This one stopped her cold.

Press play. You won't believe what happened.

Think you've heard every veterinary case imaginable? Think again.

On this episode of Mysteries with Dr. Courtney Campbell, veterinary criticalist Dr. Carey Hemelgarn joins us to share the most bizarre medical case of her career. What started as a puzzling presentation quickly evolved into a diagnostic mystery filled with unexpected twists, surprising clues, and a conclusion that left everyone stunned.

Follow along as Dr. Hemelgarn walks through the case step by step, revealing how careful investigation, clinical expertise, and a little detective work uncovered the truth behind one of the strangest patients she has ever treated.

You won't believe how this story ends.

Most of us grew up in a world that taught us food was either good or bad, earned or undeserved, something to control or something to feel guilty about. And for a lot of veterinary professionals — people who spend their days taking care of everyone else and not always great at taking care of themselves — that relationship with food gets complicated fast.

In this episode of Living Well with Dr. Jessica Turner, Jessica sits down with Caitlin Kiarie, a registered dietician who has made it her work to help people untangle their relationship with food and build something healthier, more sustainable, and a whole lot less punishing than whatever diet culture has been selling.

They talk about what a healthy relationship with food actually looks like in practice — not in theory, not on a meal plan, but on a real Tuesday when you are exhausted and it is 8pm and you have not eaten since noon. Caitlin breaks down the difference between nourishing yourself and restricting yourself, why so many high-achievers struggle with food in ways they never talk about, and what it means to eat in a way that actually supports the life you are trying to live.

If you have ever finished a long shift and eaten whatever was in arm's reach and then felt bad about it, this conversation is for you. If you have ever been on a diet that worked until it did not, this conversation is for you. If you have ever wondered whether the way you think about food is actually serving you — this one is definitely for you.

No calorie counts. No food rules. Just an honest, practical conversation about something that affects every single one of us every single day.

Living Well with Dr. Jessica Turner is a Vet Candy original. New episodes on Vet Candy Radio and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

🎤 Listen on Vet Candy Radio: myvetcandy.com

#LivingWell #DrJessicaTurner #CaitlinKiarie #RegisteredDietician #HealthyRelationshipWithFood #FoodFreedom #VetCandy #VeterinaryPodcast #WomenInVetMed #NutritionPodcast #DietCulture #IntuItiveEating #VetWellness #MentalHealthAndFood #VetLife

Living Well with Dr. Jessica Turner Featuring Dr. Joya Griffin

How does a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, small business owner, mom, and Nat Geo Wild television personality actually hold it all together? The honest answer is the best part.

Dr. Jessica Turner sits down with Dr. Joya Griffin, one of the most recognized veterinary dermatologists in the country and a familiar face to anyone who has seen her on Pop Goes the Vet, for a conversation about what it really looks like to build a career and a life at the same time. Not the highlight reel. The real version.

Dr. Griffin opens up about navigating the demands of a specialty practice, raising a family, running a business, and stepping into the public eye in a way that very few veterinarians ever do. She talks about the pressure that comes with visibility, the boundaries that make everything else possible, and the mindset that keeps her grounded when the plates are spinning.

If you have ever wondered how the women who seem to have it all actually manage it, this episode is the answer you were looking for. And it is a lot more honest than you might expect.

Living Well with Dr. Jessica Turner is a Vet Candy original. New episodes available on Vet Candy Radio and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

🎙️ Listen on Vet Candy Radio: myvetcandy.com

📺 Watch Pop Goes the Vet on Nat Geo Wild

#LivingWell #DrJessicaTurner #DrJoyaGriffin #VeterinaryDermatology #PopGoesTheVet #NatGeoWild #VetCandy #VeterinaryPodcast #WomenInVetMed #VetMom #WorkLifeBalance #VeterinaryLife #VetPodcast #SmallBusinessOwner #MomBoss

Perfectionism often wears a convincing disguise. It looks like ambition, discipline, and high standards, qualities that are not only celebrated, but expected in many professional environments. Yet beneath that polished surface, perfectionism can quietly erode confidence, increase anxiety, and make even small decisions feel overwhelming.

In this episode of Living Well on Vet Candy Radio, Dr. Jessica Turner sits down with clinical psychologist Ellie Fuentes to unpack the reality behind perfectionism and, more importantly, how to manage it in a healthier, more sustainable way.