Gundogs and Guard dogs

Join Sue as she reflects on over 40 years in the veterinary world—a career shaped by curiosity, conscience, and a determination to look beyond convention.
A wake-up call during her dermatology studies sent her exploring alternative modalities in canine health and wellbeing, opening the door to a journey through homeopathy, acupuncture, laser therapy, and more.
From “the nibs, the nabs, the mibs, the mabs” to the rise of biologics, Sue breaks down what these treatments are, why they matter, and how they fit into today’s evolving vet landscape.
She also takes a candid look at how corporate structures are influencing the profession—asking whether financial pressures are overshadowing what’s best for animal health—and why fewer young vets seem willing (or able) to explore integrative therapies.
Other topics include:
• How highly processed “junk food” contributes to chronic disease
• Why monthly wellness schemes might not deliver true wellness
• The concerns around lifetime pharmaceuticals
• mRNA and genetic-code vaccines—innovation or uncertainty?
• Environmental toxins, flea and worm treatments, household products, and their cumulative effects
• What really makes a dog “senior”?
• And ultimately, why supporting the gut and the microbiome might be the key to lifelong vitality
At the heart of it all lies a simple message: helping our dogs thrive may be more common sense than rocket science.

SUE ARMSTRONG
MA VetMB VetFFHom CertIAVH MRCVS RsHom
(Director Sue Armstrong Consultancy Ltd)
Sue Armstrong qualified from Cambridge Veterinary School, England in 1984 and worked first in Oxford and then in a partnership in Leeds for twelve years.
She set up Balanced Being based in Wetherby in 2003, which was one of the first practices in the UK to offer truly integrative healthcare for animals with homeopathy as its core philosophy underpinning the individualised therapeutic approach when using all modalities including conventional mainstream veterinary medicine and surgery, homeopathy, acupuncture, laser therapy, nutraceuticals and nutritional therapy. Sue sold Balanced Being in February 2018 and now runs a referral only veterinary clinic in Thirsk, UK; Sue Armstrong Consultancy Ltd.
Sue lectures extensively internationally and has presented in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Switzerland and the USA.
Sue has published the Little Book of Thinking Dog and The Veterinary Homeopathy Oncology Series: Cancer in Animals. She is a contributor to the books Foundations of Health and Social Care (Adams, 2007) and Canine Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimum Health (Dodds, 2015).
Sue is passionate about sharing the experience she has of working in a truly integrative way for most of her veterinary career. ---- oOo ----
Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and each has been involved with dogs for over 40 years.
Whilst sensibly they have stayed away from the ‘limelight’ regarding TV offers, they have regularly been on national and local radio, spoken at national events at NDWA, CFBA, and Kennel Club / Crufts events as well as bespoke speaking engagements for the Dog Safety Education Executive (DogSEE).
Ross wrote for Dogs Monthly Magazine for over 12 years and
Lez was the first lady feature writer for a national Shooting Magazine (both Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter).
They were also 'study buddies' and were the first in the UK to achieve a Masters Degree (Professional Practice) in Canine Behaviour and Psychology in 2011.
They work well together and apart, support and work with dog rescue organisations and train professional dog trainers and behaviourists.
Different as chalk and cheese, but maybe not as different as they like to think.
Intrigued? want to know more? then check out our websites...www.rossmccarthy.com ~ www.lezgraham.com

Whacky hippy shit… ✌️Anything slightly cheery? How was it five minutes ago that it was the millennium?! Lez with a baby in a buggy 👶. Ross dancing in Soho (he still does that!🙈) Twenty-six years later, this duo look awful and feel even worse as they enter the New Year.An overview of Christmas…Lez got to play charades 🎭 ...Ross managed to swerve it. Turkey is done to the extreme, obviously.A weather conversation follows, (obvs!) a Billy Connolly quote and a completely pointless story, leads on to a few tips on waterproof clothing from the Scottish expert 🧥.A chat about the upcoming Guild of Dog Trainers and Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour & Training networking event.A quick review of the Kennel Club Canine Athletes event and the Crufts Career Zone lectures where this duo got sold out and had to do duplicates! The same jokes 😂, the confusion of the repeats 🤔, and not knowing which audience had already heard what. It doesn’t take much to throw these two a bit of a curveball! 😂This past reflection leads to a moment of sadness with the recent death of Sarah Fisher, and a tribute to her work with animals. The upshot is this: if you want to collaborate with someone, do it before life runs out of time.Getting ready for Crufts and the onward 2026 events…full steam ahead. All very exciting... just need to get through today first.Not the most inspirational welcome to 2026...hopefully they can only go up from here and I’m sure that they hope most of you are listening and not watching! Happy New Year to anyone that listens to this drivel 🥂.
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Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and each has been involved with dogs for over 40 years.
Whilst sensibly they have stayed away from the ‘limelight’ regarding TV offers, they have regularly been on national and local radio, spoken at national events at NDWA, CFBA, and Kennel Club / Crufts events as well as bespoke speaking engagements for the Dog Safety Education Executive (DogSEE).
Ross wrote for Dogs Monthly Magazine for over 12 years and
Lez was the first lady feature writer for a national Shooting Magazine (both Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter).
They were also 'study buddies' and were the first in the UK to achieve a Masters Degree (Professional Practice) in Canine Behaviour and Psychology in 2011.
They work well together and apart, support and work with dog rescue organisations and train professional dog trainers and behaviourists.
Different as chalk and cheese, but maybe not as different as they like to think.
Intrigued? want to know more? then check out our websites...www.rossmccarthy.com ~ www.lezgraham.com

Another Reloaded episode to help keep our listeners sane over Christmas, and one you need to make time for.
Originally released as “Joint Rot,” we’re bringing it back because its message is too important to miss.
Canine arthritis wasn’t on Ross’s radar in London, while Lez in Scotland had a bit more familiarity, but their conversation with Hannah changed everything.
Her veterinary career led her to specialise in chronic pain and to create Canine Arthritis Management (CAM), a project that grew from a personal mission into a thriving team and support network.
One crucial reminder from this episode: arthritis is not just “a touch of arthritis” — it is chronic pain.
It deserves serious attention and proper management.
Hannah’s work highlights how complementary therapies can enhance traditional veterinary care and why the profession must do better for dogs living with long-term pain.
This isn’t just vital for dog owners. It’s essential listening for trainers and behaviourists who want to improve the care we provide to our canine clients.

Another Reloaded episode to help keep our listeners sane over Christmas… or, let’s be honest, possibly the opposite.
WTF is a Gonk?
A question nobody asked, yet here we are.
This episode was originally released on a Bank Holiday just after Boxing Day 2020, continuing our journey through that wonderfully weird moment in history.
The team at GaGD hope you’re having a fantastic Christmas break, and we sincerely wish every one of you a happy and successful 2026.
Thanks for sticking with us—please keep doing so, we need the company 😅

Another Reloaded episode to help keep our listeners sane (or not) over Christmas.
First released during Christmas 2020, this one is a real snapshot in time—one of the strangest Christmases in living memory.
And although it genuinely sounds like Ross is recording from the bathroom, we knew it deserved a reload, not just for the sheer weirdness of those days but because it was our very first episode.
Take it as a reminder to be grateful for our freedom, and to love the people you’re with—even if they occasionally test your festive spirit.