Off Duty

“Colic” is a word that strikes fear into the heart of horse owners — but it doesn’t have to.

In this Mini Off Duty episode, Sabrina breaks colic down in a clear, reassuring way, with help from two young pony experts who know their ponies inside out.

We cover:

How to spot when your pony isn’t quite right

Normal behaviour vs early warning signs

Why poo, appetite and attitude matter

Simple checks you can do at home

When to watch… and when to call the vet

Is your dog shaking before the vet even touches the thermometer?
Does your cat know you turned left instead of right and start planning its escape?

This week on Off Duty, Maireád and Sabrina deep-dive into Fear Free veterinary care — what it is, why it matters, and how tiny changes at home can transform the entire clinic experience for pets.

We cover:
🐾 Why nail clipping becomes a lifelong trauma (and how to undo it)
🐾 What a FAS score is — and why a “5” means “stop everything!”
🐾 How clinics can design calmer consult rooms, kennels...

In this week’s Mini Off Duty, we dive into dog safety for kids and families — especially important at this busy time of year. We chat about why dogs don’t want to bite, the moments when dogs feel scared or unsure, and the simple things children can learn to keep everyone safe and happy at home.

We cover:

• Why dogs sometimes bite (and why it’s nearly always fear)

• When to leave dogs alone — eating, sleeping or hiding

• The 3 W’s of meeting dogs safely: Wait, Watch & Wag

• How to “sta...

Veterinary hosts Sabrina Barnwell and Mairead Leahy speak with parasite expert Nikki Wall about the new prescription-only rules for horse wormers, why parasite resistance is accelerating, and how outbreaks are affecting horses and herds.

The episode covers practical advice on pasture management, risk-based testing, working with your vet for bespoke parasite plans, and myth-busting common assumptions like relying on calendar worming or single fecal egg counts.

Join Mini Off Duty with Dr Nicky Walsh as she explains what parasites (worms) are, how they live in ponies, and the signs to watch for like loose poo or weight loss.

Learn simple prevention tips—pick up poo, use pasture management (and even ruminant "worm hoovers"), and when to ask a vet for help. The episode also clears up the confusion about ringworm and skin infections.

Featuring listener questions, a fun quiz, and a call for kids to send voice notes about their pets, this ten-minute episode is perfect for young animal lovers.

Why vaccinate? Because prevention is cheaper, kinder and far safer than cure.
In this episode, we break down tetanus, equine influenza, vaccination rules, foals, mares, competition requirements, and the biggest myths we hear every week in practice.
If you own a horse—this is one not to miss.
🎧 Listen now.

Our newest Mini Off Duty star, Vincent, wants to know:
“Why do we vaccinate our pets?”
Dogs, cats, ponies — we break it all down in child-friendly language.
🎧 A perfect listen for little animal lovers!

Don't miss the full episode on decoding vaccinations in horses...out on Thursday night

In this full-length episode, we sit down with Cheryl — vet nurse, mum, mature student, cancer survivor, award-winner, and all-round powerhouse — for one of the most inspiring conversations we’ve had on Off Duty.

Cheryl shares her remarkable journey from banking to veterinary nursing, retraining later in life, juggling family, study, and work, and discovering a career that brings her joy every single day. She speaks openly about resilience, the moments that nearly broke her, the community that held her up, and the pets and people who helped shape her along the way.

We talk career change...

In this Mini Pod episode, we’re joined by Cheryl, one of our brilliant veterinary nurses, who lifts the lid on what vet nurses really do — from calming nervous pets to mastering the ancient art of licky-lick bribery.

We chat about how to make vet visits easier for your pet, the signs that something’s not quite right at home, and the small habits that can make a big difference to your pet’s comfort and confidence.
Cheryl also explains how to read your pet’s body language (and why cats give approximately 0.3 seconds of warning before may...

In our first episode, vet and mums Mairead Leahy and Sabrina Barnwell finally sit down to chat about the beautiful chaos of juggling vet life, parenting, ponies and everything in between. 

We share why we started Off Duty, what listeners can expect and a few stories from behind the scenes-the good, the funny and the down right exhausting. From school pick ups, emergency calls, muddy ponies to messy kids, this episode gives an honest, warm and very real look into our every day lives

Next up, we’re joined by Cheryl for a heartfelt and unf...