The Independent Vet with Dr. Beth Barrett
The Independent Vet is a podcast dedicated to helping pet owners provide the best care for their animals. Hosted by Michael Dargie, veterinarian Dr. Beth Barrett shares expert advice every other week on topics like puppy training, senior cat nutrition, parasite prevention, and first aid kits. Drawing on real-life experience from a working vet clinic in Alberta, Canada, the show is practical, concise, and full of heart. Whether you're a new pet parent or a lifelong animal lover, you'll find useful tips and surprising facts to keep your furry family healthy and happy.
Episodes
Dog Days in the Water
Swimming, Splashing & the Stuff Nobody Warns You About Season 1 · Episode 12 Run time: ~29 minutes Host: Michael Dargie Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM Michael has spent a lot of summers with wet dogs. Billy, his Staffordshire-boxer cross, was built — as Michael puts it — like a torpedo with the buoyancy of a brick; he'd wade into the river happily and never once swim. Skaya the husky would fetch
Worms & Wildlife: Echinococcus Multilocularis in Alberta
Season 1 · Episode 11 Run time: 26 Minutes Host: Michael Dargie Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM Every so often a topic comes with a name so intimidating that people avoid talking about it altogether — and that, Dr. Beth Barrett says, is exactly the problem. Echinococcus multilocularis sounds like a spell from a fantasy novel (Michael gives it a heroic run and lands somewhere around "Alec-K
Keeping Your Cat Mentally Fit
Season 1 · Episode 10 Run time: 44:44 Minutes Host: Michael Dargie Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM Michael has been a cat person his whole life, and for most of it he assumed cats basically ran themselves. Food in the bowl, litter in the box, sunbeam for napping, everyone's happy. Turns out that under the sleepy little loaf is a tiny tiger — an animal hardwired to spend its day stalking,
Summer Safety For Your Fuzzy Friends
Season 1 · Episode 09 Run time: ~1 hour 2 minutes Host: Michael Dargie Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM Summer is one of the best seasons for making memories with your pets—but it can also be one of the most dangerous. In this episode of The Independent Vet, Michael Dargie sits down with Dr. Beth Barrett to discuss the hidden hazards that arrive with warmer weather and how pet owners can ke
Behind the Barn: Meet the Team
Season 1 · Episode 08 Run time: ~35 minutes Host: Michael Dargie Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM Episode Description Ever wonder who all those people are at your vet clinic — and what they each actually do? In this special "Behind the Barn" episode, Michael pulls back the curtain at Barrett Veterinary Practice with Dr. Beth Barrett to introduce the full team that cares for your pets. From Tammy
Spay, Neuter, or Wait?
Spay, Neuter, or Wait? The Independent Vet — Season 1, Episode 7 Released May 6, 2026 Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM Host: Michael Dargie Runtime: 38:15 Episode Overview In this episode of The Independent Vet, host Michael Dargie sits down with Dr. Beth Barrett of Barrett Veterinary Practice to unpack one of the most common—and most debated—questions in pet care: when should you spay or
Pet Dental Health
Yes, your pets need to brush too. Bad breath might seem like a small thing—but it's often your pet's way of telling you something more is going on. In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Dr. Beth Barrett to talk about dental health—one of the most overlooked parts of caring for your pet. What starts in the mouth doesn't stay there. Dental disease can quietly impact your pet's heart, kidney
Fleas, Ticks & Parasites: What You Need to Know in Alberta
Featuring: Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM — Barrett Veterinary Practice Host: Michael Dargie Runtime: ~40 minutes Spring has arrived in Alberta — and so has tick season. In this episode, host Michael Dargie gets the full picture from Dr. Beth Barrett, DVM, on the creepy crawly world of fleas, ticks, and parasites that every Alberta pet owner needs to understand. Triggered by a listener letter from a
Equine Nutrition Demystified
Horse nutrition can feel complicated. Grain, hay, supplements, fiber, protein … it's easy to get overwhelmed trying to do the best for your horse. In this episode, Dr. Beth Barrett breaks down the fundamentals of equine nutrition so horse owners can make confident, practical feeding decisions. From why fiber is the foundation of a horse's diet to common feeding mistakes and supplement myths, this
Puppy & Kitten 101: What Every New Pet Parent Needs To Know
In this episode, Dr. Beth Barrett lays out the essentials every new puppy or kitten guardian should know. Whether you've just brought home a wiggly eight-week-old pup or a curious little kitten, those first few months matter more than most people realize. Dr. Barrett begins with the basics: what's normal, what's not, and why early veterinary visits are about far more than vaccines. She explains ho
What's The Best Diet For My Pet?
Episode Summary If you've ever stood in the pet food aisle feeling completely overwhelmed by the options—grain-free, raw, organic, life-stage formulas, food that costs more than your own groceries—this episode is for you. Dr. Beth Barrett breaks down the fundamentals of pet nutrition across dogs, cats, horses, and even goats, sharing science-based guidance on what "well nourished" actually looks l
How To Help Your Pets Live Longer: Healthy Habits From Day One
Welcome to the very first episode of The Independent Vet, the podcast that helps you give your fuzzy family the best life possible. In this episode, Dr. Beth Barrett—veterinarian and owner of Barrett Veterinary Practice—answers one of the most common questions new pet parents ask: "What do I need to know when bringing home a new puppy or kitten?" Dr. Beth shares what matters most in those first fe
