The Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast
Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, have co-hosted their award-winning weekly veterinary podcast since 2016. Each week, they “tackle the toughest topics in veterinary medicine,” highlighting controversial issues and trending news, introducing veterinary key opinion leaders and provocateurs, and offering solutions to the myriad challenges facing the veterinary profession.
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A Very Veterinary Christmas Special
Happy Holidays Viewfinders! This week, we’ve got TWO Very Veterinary Holiday Poems to share! Pull on your favorite comfy clothes or hit “play” on your way to work, because we’ve got plenty of holiday cheer to spread to you this week!
Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT discovered two “very veterinary holiday poems” to put their best holiday podcast spin on! These are family-friendly, so blast away on your sound systems! (Or share your headphones…)
Our first poem was written by the UK’s Dr. Marc Silpa when he was but a wee student at the University of Edinburgh in 2015. It was titled “The Veterinarian’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas” and published in SAVMA’s “Vet Gazette.”
Set in his teaching hospital’s ER, we bet you’ll recognize similarities with many of your own holiday emergencies! Will Dogual survive? Will their treatment plan work? Listen closely to learn his fate! You can read it here: https://bit.ly/3pbzvKO We hope you like our special “twist on the tale!”
Next, we have a mixed-animal practitioner perspective on Santa’s reindeer called “Equine Vet Xmas Poem.” No, we didn’t make that up. What it lacks in title creativity it more than makes up in reindeer medicine fun!
Santa has a load of sick reindeer, and his “Elf recommended” treatments don’t seem to be helping. It’s nearly Christmas and Vixen may be pregnant (thanks, Rudolph), Blitzen has antler arthritis, Cupid is foundering, and Donner needs a shot of bute. Plus, will Santa run off without paying the veterinarian? Listen to find out! It was written by Dr. Madison Seamans in 1993 and can be enjoyed here: https://bit.ly/3pbzV3Q
Viewfinders, we hope you enjoy these fun renditions and share with friends and family! Be safe and we hope you’re able to be with those you love. Happy Holidays from us to you!
Many veterinary teams have one: the colleague who runs to management about every minor mistake or late trash bag. But when does necessary reporting turn into destructive tattling?
This week on The Veterinary Viewfinder, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, unpack one of the profession’s most frustrating dynamics: coworkers who undermine team culture by excessive fault-finding.
Hosts Dr. Ward and vet tech Beckie Mossor examine how tattletale behavior often stems from insecurity, perfectionism, or even underlying issues like OCD, yet still chips away at psychological safety and trust. They discuss the difference between legitimate reporting and gossip, and why managers must address patterns early before morale collapses. Ignoring the issue doesn’t make it go away; it drives good employees out while problem behavior festers.
Listeners will learn practical strategies, such as anonymous “concern boxes,” structured feedback models (SBI: Situation, Behavior, Impact), and defining gossip as “talking to someone who can’t solve the problem.” The hosts also share real-life examples where unchecked tattling escalated into fractured teams, cover-ups, and even departures of top performers.
Whether you’re a manager navigating a chronic complainer or a technician tired of walking on eggshells, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tools to help you reclaim a healthier clinic culture. Because in veterinary medicine, trust isn’t optional; it’s the foundation of patient care.