Drat & Drake Veterinary Podcast

Today we interview author and former journalist Patti Eddington, about her book "Don’t Look in the Freezer: The Very Strange Life of a Veterinarian’s Wife" (released in April 2026) and how it grew from early blog-era writing and workshops into a more honest memoir-like collection of stories. We discuss the realities of being constantly on call while building a practice, raising their daughter Molly around the clinic, a painful turning point during Patty’s foot surgery, and how respect, communication, and feeling “seen” sustain relationships in veterinary life. Patti reflects on changes in hiring and expectations across generations of veterinarians, and shares her current work with book events and free “Write Your Story” workshops, plus upcoming signings across Michigan, including Mackinac Island.00:00 Meet Patty Eddington01:15 Why This Book Hits03:15 Origin Story of Freezer07:09 Memoir Truth and Voice09:08 When Emergencies Flip10:00 Vets Are People Too11:28 Marriage on Call14:50 Clinic Kids and Critters16:13 Foot Surgery Breaking Point23:21 Money Struggles and Making It24:17 No Choice But Success25:36 When It Finally Felt Secure27:14 Frugal Years And Gratitude28:03 Waiting To Have Molly29:35 Raising Molly Their Way35:57 Grandparenting And James38:59 Generations Of Veterinarians45:11 Whats Next For The Family48:09 Workshops Book Tours Farewell

On the Drat and Drake Veterinary Podcast, we interview Dr. Kate Elden, recently hired as Chief Medical Officer at Dutch, one of the biggest telemedicine platforms, about her career path from equine practice to small animal general practice, medical director roles, and ultimately telehealth. Dr. Elden describes how COVID accelerated her telemedicine experience and why cost and access barriers keep many pets from receiving care, citing reports that large portions of pets miss veterinary services. She discusses how rising standards of care and clinic hours contribute to affordability and access challenges, and argues telemedicine is a key solution despite restrictive state VCPR regulations. They also address AI as a growing tool that still requires a “human in the loop.” Dr. Elden explains Dutch’s guardrails, follow-ups, pharmacy logistics, and her leadership approach, including how parenting shapes her work.

In this episode, Dr. Tam and Dr. Cruz Martinez go deeper on how inner dialogue can fuel anxiety and fear or, with intentional language, build confidence and resilience. Dr. Cruz shares his own vet school experience of spiraling thoughts and explains how repeated self-talk becomes beliefs, identity, and behavior. Using examples from parenting and everyday commitments, he highlights three energy-depleting words—“try,” “should,” and “but”—and explains how they can create ambiguity, guilt, and mental confusion. He offers alternatives such as clear commitments, “do my best,” “want,” “yet,” “will,” and replacing “but” with “and” to create forward momentum. They emphasize that change requires consistent practice, self-awareness, and patience while retraining long-standing mental patterns.

In this episode of Draft and Drake, we are joined once again by Dr. Cruz for an insightful discussion on mental health, focusing on processing emotions and the interrelation between mental conditioning and academic success. Dr. Cruz shares a powerful story about a vet student who struggled with self-doubt and anxiety, illustrating how repeated thoughts can condition our beliefs and ultimately impact our performance. Learn how intentional breathing and reshaping your inner dialogue can help you overcome fear and achieve your goals. Whether you're a student or a professional in the veterinary field, these tips can help you manage stress and improve your mindset.

In this episode of the Drat and Drake Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Cruz returns to discuss the critical role of emotional self-regulation in veterinary mental health. Dr. Cruz elaborates on his 'feel better, think better' philosophy, providing strategies to acknowledge and simplify emotions for clearer thinking and effective problem-solving. They also explore practical self-coaching techniques and the integration of Eastern and Western approaches to mental well-being.

In this episode we introduce Dr. Luis Cruz-Martinez who discusses his journey through his veterinary career from wildlife, academics, and now Veterinary Coaching. Here we take a sneak peek at the insightful stories and lessons that Dr. Cruz has learned and also mentored throughout the years. Who knows, maybe we've found another recurring member??

Today's episode teaches us a lot more about feline medicine and the specialty behind it. D&D were lucky enough to speak with Dr. Martell-Moran DABVP who gives us a really insightful look on the process of becoming boarded, her long and rewarding path in veterinary medicine, and also who she is as a human being. This is our first episode where we interview someone out of our personal circle of friends - we can't thank her enough for being the first to dive in and chat with us! #COCODr. Martell-Moran's links:Tiktok @cat.a.moranInstagram @nkmmoranLinkedIn @nicolemartellmorandabvpfeline

WebThis episode of D&D - well just Drat - we interview a fellow RUSVM alumni, Dr. Kat Van Zant. She shares a lot of insight on Holistic, Eastern veterinary medicine, particularly the process of acquiring this certification, as well as how holistic vets may practice. Think of it, and I quote 'Western medicine is putting out the fire, Eastern medicine is preventing it.' Dr. KVZ also shares her experience with self-promotion, particularly on social media - it's pros and cons - the trials and tribulations of putting yourself out there for the world to view, love, and unfortunately scrutinize. You can follow Dr. Van Zant on all social media platforms, or sign up for her newsletter on her website below!website: https://www.zenpethealth.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katvanzantofficial/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katvanzant

Drat & Drake hang out with Noal as he shares his years of experience in the vet field. Noal ranks his favorite specialties, discusses the incredible evolution of veterinary medicine, and gives us veterinarians a better scope of a life of a technician. Bonus: did you know it's illegal to call a veterinarian technician a 'nurse'? (but we still want to do it)

Another new Drat & Drake segment we're calling 'Next Level'. As I discussed before, we try not to have any particular medical jargon for a number of reasons, but when we get the opportunity for some really cool studies with a good friend we can't help but learn some tidbits on niche treatments.Let's learn a few things about dialysis! Dr. Tyler Johnson discusses some applications, obstacles, and limitations to extracorporeal therapies (try saying that 5 times in a row). At the same time, we discuss a little more about relationships and plants!