What actually makes a veterinary hospital work? It's not all about medicine.

In this episode of Don’t Call Me Catty, we sit down with Daniella Cox, Hospital Manager at Boreal Veterinary Centre, to talk about what really drives a successful, high-performing clinic, and why leadership, communication, and culture matter more than most people think.

Daniella shares her journey from ER tech assistant to managing a 130+ person team, and what it takes to build an environment where people actually want to come to work.

We get into:

• Why not everyone should be a manager (and why that’s okay)
• The hardest part of stepping into leadership
• How strong communication can make or break a team
• What clinics get wrong about culture and how to fix it
• How great hospitals retain staff (and support them through burnout)

If you’ve ever wondered why some clinics thrive while others struggle… this conversation is for you.

About Daniella:

Daniella has spent over a decade in emergency and specialty veterinary medicine, building her career from the ground up through roles in veterinary support, client care, and referral coordination before stepping into leadership. Alongside her career, she completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource and Business Management at MacEwan University. A reflection of her genuine passion for the people side of any organization.

HR, for Daniella, is about more than process. It’s about communication, connection, and helping people do their best work. She is driven by building collaborative cultures where teams feel supported, heard, and set up to thrive, even in the most demanding environments.

Get in Touch:

https://www.borealvet.com/

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com

Jillian sits down with Dr. Greg Andrews: equine veterinarian, industry leader, and founding force behind Mosaic Veterinary Partners, for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build a lasting career in veterinary medicine.

With over 37 years in practice, Dr. Andrews shares stories from the early days of equine medicine—working out of a tin shack, relying on hands and intuition before advanced diagnostics—and how those experiences shaped his approach to leadership, mentorship, and business.

But this episode goes far beyond clinical practice.

We dive into:

• Why mentorship matters (and what happens when you don’t have it)
• The biggest financial mistakes veterinarians make and how to avoid them
• Why “buy stuff” might be the most underrated advice in vet med
• The power of equity, real estate, and thinking beyond your paycheck
• Why you should never try to be the cheapest vet in the room
• How communication is often the hardest (and most important) skill to master

Dr. Andrews also shares hard-earned lessons on truth-telling with clients, building confidence early in your career, and creating a life that balances both intellectual and financial growth.

Whether you’re a student, associate, or practice owner, this episode is packed with practical insights and a few bold opinions that might just change how you think about your career.

About Dr. Greg Andrews

Dr. Greg Andrews is an Equine Veterinarian who has practiced in the Calgary area for 37 years and previously held the position of CEO at Canada’s largest equine practice, Moore Equine Veterinary Centre. In 2016, Dr. Andrews and a group of like-minded veterinarians founded Mosaic Veterinary Partners which he led as CEO until late 2022. Dr. Andrews is now involved with the Mosaic team as Executive Chairman and is proud to be ICD.D certified by the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Throughout his career, Dr. Andrews has been the President of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, and Western Canadian Association of Equine Practitioners, and has been involved with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and Equine Canada. He has served on the advisory boards of the University of Calgary’s School of Veterinary Medicine and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Andrews both initiated and chaired Business Infusions Ltd., a leading equine software provider, and served as Board Chairman of CNAD Ltd., a private bioinformatics/genomics company based out of Calgary and Austria. In his spare time, Dr. Andrews loves nothing more than letting nature challenge his body on his bike or skis, and is equally as passionate about challenging his mind through his board and business engagements.

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com

Leilani and Jillian sit down at the 2025 CanWest Veterinary Conference to chat with the incredibly inspiring Dr. Heather Murphy, a Calgary-based veterinarian from Glamorgan Animal Clinic.

Dr. Murphy, a 2016 UCVM grad, shares her unconventional and deeply moving 10-year journey through veterinary medicine. At just 23 years old, during her first year of vet school, Heather was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. She opens up about the reality of undergoing surgery and chemo, and even heading straight to class after radiation treatments. Unbelievably, just a few years into her clinical career and three months into her first maternity leave, Heather had to navigate a second, entirely different cancer diagnosis.

Heather is the definition of perseverance. In this episode, she discusses how staying task-oriented and focusing on future goals helped her push through when living in the moment was simply too hard.

In this episode, we also cover:

• Early Career Realities: The steep learning curve of transitioning from a fast-paced rotating internship to locuming on your own,
• Clinical Highs & Lows: Why she absolutely loves a good ophthalmology case (and her fancy Tonovet), and why tricky diabetic cases are the ones that drive her up the wall,
• The Midnight Worries: The complex, hard-to-pin-down cases that keep her up at night, and how your subconscious mind never really clocks out,
• The Future of Vet Med: Heather’s hopes for making veterinary care more financially practical for pet owners, so practitioners can just focus on what’s best for their patients,
• Advice for the Next Generation: Why new DVMs and RVTs need to stop beating themselves up, remember their humanity, and prioritize taking care of themselves.

Whether you’re a new grad trying to find your footing, an exhausted associate, or a veterinary professional juggling parenthood and practice, Heather’s story of grit, survival, and a healthy dose of stubbornness is exactly what you need to hear today.

About Dr. Heather:

Born and raised in Calgary, she is a dedicated veterinarian who graduated from the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) in 2016. She completed her internship at the CARE Center from 2016 to 2017 and now practices in Calgary, where she continues to provide compassionate care to her patients.

She lives in Calgary with her husband and their two children, along with their two cats, Binx and Hobbes. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her kids, making the most of everything the area has to offer.

Get In Touch:

If you'd like to get in touch with Dr. Murphy for potential mentorship opportunities or other inquiries, please email dontcallmecatty@gmail.com and we will connect you.

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com

This week, we’re talking to Dr. Jodi Viste, and asking her how the heck she has 150 friends. She is a rural mixed-animal vet, mother, ABVMA council member, and a passionate community member. We’re diving into the "extraordinary ordinary" life of a small-town vet, including:

• The realities of the veterinary shortage,
• The dark humour we use to survive the hardest parts of the job, and
• Why "burnout is the curse of the strong."

We also pull back the curtain on her 2021 sale to VCA, the guilt of the transition, and how she’s still a fixture in her community four years later.

About Dr. Jodi

Jodi was a farm girl raised in the city, and it was on the family farm that she developed her love for cattle. This blossomed into a love of mixed animal practice. Jodi built her practice in Strathmore, where she has been for the past 23 years.

Jodi is passionate about the role of the veterinarian in the community and finding the “fun” in practice every day. She loves working in a team, fostering community relationships and mentoring our future generation of veterinarians. Above all else, Jodi is blessed to have an amazing and supportive family with her husband Russell and their two kids, Jack and Raelyn (all die-hard flames fans!). Jodi’s dream is to see all veterinarians practice without fear and anxiety and to embrace just how amazing we all are!

Connect

https://www.animalcarecentre.ca/

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com

We sat down with Liz Blake, Sr. Veterinary Sales Representative at Pets Plus Us, for a conversation that starts light but quickly gets real.

From Halloween costumes to $10,000 emergencies and life-changing decisions, this episode dives into the reality of pet insurance in vet med.

Liz shares her stories from over 25 years in clinic and industry including the moment that changed everything: a six-month-old puppy, two broken legs, and a bill that altered the course of her life.

We explore:

- Why only ~2.8% of pets in Canada are insured and why that’s a problem
- The emotional and financial impact of “economic euthanasia”
- How insurance changes decision-making for both pet owners and veterinary teams
- Common misconceptions (and why “just saving monthly” often fails)
- What clinics and RVTs can do to better educate clients
- The role of insurance in enabling gold-standard care and reducing moral stress

This episode isn’t about selling insurance. It’s about understanding the gap between the care we want to provide and what’s financially possible, and how we start to close it.

About Liz:

"My passion for animals has been a lifelong journey, influenced by my animal-loving parents who encouraged my interest in caring for a diverse array of pets throughout my upbringing.

My professional path in animal care began during high school when I secured a position at a pet store with a zoo license. This role provided me with invaluable experience working with a range of unique species, including primates, big cats, and exotic animals. Upon graduating high school, I embarked on my first role in a veterinary practice and simultaneously initiated a wildlife rescue operation from my parents' home as well as a pet sitting service for reptiles, birds, and pocket pets.

I have dedicated my personal life and career to animal welfare. I’ve worked in a variety of roles in veterinary practices for over 26 years where I specialized in exotics and wildlife. I have been an advocate for pet health insurance after experiencing firsthand how it can help in life-or-death situations when large veterinary bills can affect pet owners’ decisions.

I am deeply committed to education, believing that knowledge is crucial for the conservation and well-being of all species. In addition to my professional endeavours, I actively volunteer as a wildlife educator, hand-raise neonatal kittens and foster a variety of species of animals in my home. I am on the BOD for Kali's Wish Foundation as well as the Veterinary Office Assistant Program at Bow Valley College. My personal passion is volunteering to help people with their pets through end-of-life care & decisions.

I am honoured to be part of the Pets Plus Us team as a Sr. Veterinary Sales Representative for the past 12 years and am dedicated to continuing my work in animal welfare and education.

I am very excited to be on 'Don’t Call Me Catty' Podcast!! Leilani & Jillian are women I highly respect and look up to in an industry I have dedicated my life to. I am so incredibly proud of their accomplishments."

Connect with Liz:
liz.blake@petsplu

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by Solvet Canada: https://solvet.ca/

We sit down with the one and only Shannon Gervais, RVT, at CanWest in Banff for a conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, networking, and the future of veterinary medicine.

Shannon shares her journey from RVT to a career that spans clinical practice, pharmaceutical sales, leadership, consulting, and founding multiple ventures in the veterinary space. We talk about what it really takes to grow beyond the traditional RVT role, why networking matters more than ever, and how the profession can better support RVTs who are ready to spread their wings.

We also dive into Shannon’s vision for Nova Vet, a tech-forward, client-centered practice model designed to elevate RVTs, improve team culture, and create a better experience for both pets and the people who care for them. Along the way, this episode touches on mentorship, authenticity, customer service, confidence, communication, and the power of finding the right people.

This is a great listen for RVTs, aspiring leaders, and anyone in vet med who has ever wondered what else might be possible.

About Shannon

Shannon Gervais, RVT is a veterinary industry trailblazer, entrepreneur, and innovator with over 25 years of experience in companion animal medicine. She currently serves as the National Companion Animal Business Unit Director at Solvet, where she leads the national strategy for the company’s companion animal division, focusing on veterinary pharmaceuticals, product development, and strategic partnerships across Canada.

Shannon is also the Founder and Co-Owner of Nova Vet, a modern veterinary hospital in Calgary, Alberta, designed to deliver curated veterinary care through innovation, technology, and strong collaboration between Registered Veterinary Technologists and veterinarians.

Originally trained as an RVT, Shannon has built a career bridging clinical practice, business strategy, and industry partnerships. She is passionate about advancing the veterinary profession through thoughtful innovation, operational excellence, and initiatives that support both veterinary teams and the pets they care for.

Connect with Shannon

LinkedIn

Nova Vet

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by Solvet Canada. https://solvet.ca/

Recorded live at CanWest 2025 in Banff, we sat down with Kamryn Shaughnessy-Gervais: Inside Sales Rep at AniCell Biotech, animal-health industry “legacy kid,” and competitive barrel racer with serious grit.

Kamryn grew up in veterinary medicine (trade shows, clinics, and all), then moved from Canada to Texas to compete and study at Texas Tech University, completing a BSc in Animal Science and a Master’s in Veterinary Science. She opens up about what it felt like to be the only Canadian on the rodeo team (yes, they literally called her “Canada”), crossing the border during COVID, and why mentorship — from family to industry leaders — was everything when she wasn’t sure she belonged.

We also talk about her path through Merck Animal Health (strategic accounts on the cattle side) and how that experience led her to AniCell Biotech, where she’s helping bring regenerative solutions into the animal health space. Kamryn explains regenerative technology in plain language, including how amnion-based products can support soft tissue repair and function.

In this episode:

- Growing up in vet med & trade show culture

- Rodeo life, barrel racing, and the “heart horse” Switch

- Moving to Texas as a Canadian (and the border paperwork reality)

- Merck Animal Health internship on the cattle side

- What AniCell Biotech does (regenerative tech, explained simply)

- Grit, resilience, mentors, and asking for help

If you’re early in your career, this episode is a great reminder that doubt doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you care. Feeling unsure is normal. The key is to keep going, keep learning, and keep asking for help when you need it. Because you can go a long way in this industry when you don’t quit on yourself.

Learn More/Contact Kamryn:

https://anicellbiotech.com/

LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com

We sit down with Dr. Candace Stuart, a veterinarian practicing in Whitehorse, Yukon, at one of only two veterinary clinics serving the entire territory.

Dr. Stuart shares what it truly means to practice medicine in Canada’s North, where referral centers can be 10–14 hours away, emergency care is covered in-house, and veterinarians must rely heavily on teamwork, adaptability, and trust. From performing complex surgeries without immediate backup to supporting clients who may need to fly or drive for hours just to access care, this conversation sheds light on a side of veterinary medicine few people ever see.

We explore:

• The realities of providing care in remote and underserved communities
• How limited access shapes clinical decision-making and emotional load
• The critical role RVTs play in sustaining rural and northern practices
• Why expanding how we utilize veterinary technicians matters during a veterinary staffing crisis
• Burnout, on-call fatigue, and unique solutions for on-call support

Dr. Stuart also shares a powerful case that has stayed with her for years: one that highlights not only clinical skill, but the profound impact of collaboration, trust, and perseverance in veterinary teams.

This episode is a reminder that while veterinary medicine doesn’t always end in wins, and even when the outcome feels out of reach, the odds are never truly zero.

About Dr. Candace Stuart:

Dr. Candace Stuart grew up under the Northern Lights of Labrador. She knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from watching the first episode of Danger Bay, and from helping with vet checks at the Labrador 400 dog sled race as a high school student.

Dr. Candace graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College on Prince Edward Island in 2000. After 8 years of washing the red sand of PEI out of everything she made a bee-line to the snowy north. After spending the next few years working in Alaska and northern BC, an opening in Whitehorse came up in February 2004 and Dr. Candace has called Whitehorse ‘home’ ever since.

The variety of cases in general practice North of 60 is what Dr. Candace loves the most about her clinic. She has treated an array of birds to woolly Yaks and everything in between. Her passion in private practice is helping to strengthen and protect the animal/human bond and she loves watching families grow together with their pets.

When not at the clinic Dr. Candace explores the Yukon wilderness with her 2-legged and 4-legged family members.

Follow us on Instagram @dontcallmecatty

Visit Animal HealthLink

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Visit Steady Gait Planning

Instagram

For podcast inquiries, please contact dontcallmecatty@gmail.com