Tails from the Lab: A Veterinary Podcast

Podcast by Antech Diagnostics

Tails from the Lab: A Veterinary Podcast

Welcome back to the Tails from the Lab podcast, produced by Antech, with our host Dr. Holly Brown and co-host Dr. Brad Ryan! Get ready to discuss real cases with expert guests who dig deep into the diagnostic insights that help solve interesting and complex cases. We’ll also dive into topics that help veterinary teams tackle the industry’s many challenges while becoming better leaders and colleagues along the way. Tails from the Lab is a production of Antech Diagnostics. The intent of this podcast is to provide education and guidance with the understanding that any diagnostic testing and treatment decisions are ultimately at the discretion of the attending veterinarian within the established veterinarian-patient-client relationship.

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Latest episodes

13 January 2026

Building the VETgirl x Antech Certificate Program: Bringing Diagnostics and Clinical Education Together with Drs. Jimmy Barr and Michelle Evason

How do veterinary diagnostics and education combine to advance veterinary medicine?

Tails From the Lab podcast host Dr. Holly Brown sits down to discuss clinical education, diagnostics, and more with Dr. Jimmy Barr (DVM, DACVECC), Chief Medical Officer at Antech™ and Mars Science & Diagnostics, and Dr. Michelle Evason (BSc, DVM, DACVIM, MRCVS), Director of Veterinary Education & Outreach at Antech.

Antech & VETgirl are transforming veterinary care through innovative educational programs, like the annual VETgirl certificate series, designed to empower veterinarians, technicians, nurses and teams with practical, pet-first, options-based education.

From dentistry to contextualized diagnostics and imaging to infectious diseases, this program includes timely information to advance your preventive care practice. Tune in to hear insights on the upcoming 2026 program, the importance of contextualized diagnostics, and how Antech’s initiatives are shaping the future of veterinary practice—all while making complex science accessible and actionable for those on the front lines of animal health.

Interested in the 2026 VETgirl Preventive Care Certificate? Earn this certificate for free until 12/31/26, complimentary from Antech.

Tails from the Lab is a production of Antech Diagnostics™. The intent of this podcast is to provide education and guidance with the understanding that any diagnostic testing and treatment decisions are ultimately at the discretion of the attending veterinarian within the established veterinarian-patient-client relationship.

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09 January 2026

VMX 2026 Preview: Preventive Care and Smarter Diagnostic Decision-Making

Get a first look at Antech’s VMX 2026 education program — built around the realities of clinical practice and the growing need to apply contextualized diagnostics . Join Dr. Michelle Evason (BSc, DVM, DACVIM, MRCVS), Director of Education & Outreach at Antech, and Tammi Lesser, LVT, Regional President, Mars Science & Diagnostics, North America for a behind-the-scenes preview of this year’s key themes, including preventive care, case-based learning, and what’s new in diagnostic innovation. You’ll hear how topics like GI parasite testing, vector-borne disease, and imaging are being brought to life through practical case examples. Plus, gain insight into how veterinary teams can better connect diagnostics to decision-making, communication, and everyday workflow.

Tails from the Lab is a production of Antech Diagnostics. The intent of this podcast is to provide education and guidance with the understanding that any diagnostic testing and treatment decisions are ultimately at the discretion of the attending veterinarian within the established veterinarian-patient-client relationship.

Just a quick note before we jump into today’s episode. Our guests today are Tammi Lesser and Michelle Evason who are employed by Antech. We’re sharing this so you have full transparency about the relationships involved.

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16 December 2025

Preventive Care That Connects: A Conversation with Dr. Jennifer Lopez

Preventive care isn’t just a protocol — it’s a belief system.

In this episode of Tails from the Lab, Dr. Jennifer Lopez, Senior Professional Services Veterinarian at Antech™, shares how empathy, flexibility, and communication transform preventive care from a checklist into meaningful client conversations. Drawing from her years in practice and her recent Wellness Blog Series, Dr. Lopez explores how veterinarians can connect diagnostics to real-life moments — the ones that matter most to clients and their pets. From explaining spectrum of care to reframing “early detection” into something clients can feel, this episode dives into the emotional side of veterinary medicine that builds trust, compliance, and better patient outcomes.

Listen now to hear Dr. Lopez’s advice on:

- Turning preventive care into purpose-driven conversations

- Framing diagnostics around each client’s “why”

- Finding balance between clinical precision and compassionate communication

- Building stronger partnerships through spectrum of care

Featured guest: Dr. Jennifer Lopez on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-lopez-2823075/) Read her Wellness Blog Series on preventive care in the Antech Knowledge Lab.

Our guest today is Jennifer Lopez who are employed by Antech. We’re sharing this so you have full transparency about the relationships involved.

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09 December 2025

Breakpoint Breakdown: Understanding MIC Updates on your Culture and Susceptibility Reports

Board-certified veterinary microbiologist and immunologist Meera Surendran Nair (DVM, MS, MSCTR, PhD, DACVM), Director of Infectious Disease at Antech™ and board-certified veterinary microbiologist and immunologist, joins Tails From the Lab to discuss the recent updates to antimicrobial susceptibility reporting and clinical breakpoints. She explains how these changes impact veterinary diagnostics and antimicrobial therapy decisions, helping clinicians select the right antibiotic at the right dose to effectively treat infections while minimizing unnecessary antimicrobial exposure.

Tune in to learn more about the latest advancements in veterinary microbiology and infectious disease diagnostics.

Visit our microbiology page for more resources and a video walkthrough of the updates and HealthTracks™ report: https://www.antechdiagnostics.com/reference-lab/microbiology/

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02 December 2025

Creating Cultures of Wellbeing in Veterinary Medicine with Dr. Jen Brandt

In our latest Tails from the Lab podcast episode, Dr. Brad Ryan sits down with Dr. Jen Brandt, AVMA Director of Member Wellbeing Initiatives, to talk about what is—and isn’t—conducive to building a culture of wellbeing, the benefits, and what we can do as both individuals and hospitals. Watch the conversation now.

Our mental health podcast series is meant for education and informational purposes only. It is not meant to provide medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you need mental health support, please reach out to a licensed professional or crisis line.

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18 November 2025

Why Routine Bloodwork Matters More Than You Think

In this episode of Tails from the Lab, Drs. Holly and Brad explore one of the most overlooked tools in preventive veterinary care: wellness lab data. Together, they unpack why routine bloodwork is so meaningful and how it can guide early intervention and better outcomes throughout a pet’s life.

This episode covers:

How population-based reference intervals are created and what causes them to miss subtle but important changes
Why scanning for “red” results isn’t enough to catch disease early
The critical role of baseline data in identifying trends before clinical signs appear
What key studies reveal about the value of wellness testing — including that 1 in 7 seemingly healthy adult pets show actionable abnormalities
How establishing “normal” for each individual patient leads to more accurate, timely diagnoses

Through real-world examples and expert insights, Drs. Holly and Brad reframe how veterinarians should approach preventive diagnostics through investment in long-term baseline data—and how this investment improves your ability to make confident, informed decisions when it matters most.

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