Cushing’s Disease, Cancer Scares & Learning to Advocate for Your Pet

<p>This week on The <em>Dr. Molly Says Podcast</em>, I’m joined by neurosurgeon, dog mom, and one of my favorite internet friendships to come out of veterinary medicine… Dr. Betsy Grunch.</p><p><br></p><p>We talk about everything from spinal cord injuries and pet vs human medicine, to the wild story of how we actually became friends (spoiler: it involved a dog, a scary medical situation, and a social media DM 😅).</p><p><br></p><p>Dr. Grunch shares her incredible journey into medicine after her mother suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury when Betsy was a teenager, how becoming a caregiver shaped her career, and what it&#39;s been like opening her own independent neurosurgery practice in her hometown. </p><p><br></p><p>Then we get into the dog story that brought us together.</p><p><br></p><p>We ALSO get into:</p><ul><li>The surprising similarities between human and veterinary medicine</li><li>Why getting a second opinion can save lives</li><li>Cushing’s disease, Addisonian crises &amp; diagnostic challenges</li><li>Navigating cancer diagnoses in beloved pets</li><li>Veterinary specialists, referral medicine &amp; advocating for your animals</li><li>The emotional reality of caring for pets with complex medical conditions</li></ul><p><br></p><p>PLUS: Vizsla chaos, private investigator dog stories, rescue dog moms, Napoleon Dynamite references, dog bed mysteries, fast cars, parasocial friendships, and a very important discussion about what dog breed Betsy would be. 😂</p><p><br></p><p>LOVE YOU GUYS 💛</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Timestamps</strong></p><p><strong>00:00</strong> Welcome back! Meet Dr. Betsy Grunch<br><strong>02:00</strong> Why Betsy became a neurosurgeon<br><strong>05:20</strong> Her mother&#39;s spinal cord injury changed everything<br><strong>08:33</strong> Opening her own neurosurgery practice<br><strong>12:00</strong> Human medicine vs veterinary medicine<br><strong>17:24</strong> How Molly &amp; Betsy became friends<br><strong>17:45</strong> The chicken-stealing dog story <br><strong>19:21</strong> Cushing&#39;s disease diagnosis &amp; Addisonian crisis<br><strong>20:20</strong> The social media post that caught Molly&#39;s attention<br><strong>21:30</strong> Why getting a second opinion mattered<br><strong>22:53</strong> Finding liver cancer &amp; life-saving surgery<br><strong>30:00</strong> Navigating cancer treatment as a pet owner<br><strong>39:29</strong> When the second dog had a medical emergency too <br><strong>49:04</strong> Talking dogs, breeding &amp; pet ownership<br><strong>50:06</strong> Meet Bobo, the legendary private investigator dog<br><strong>52:02</strong> Vizsla stories &amp; littermate updates<br><strong>53:17</strong> What dog breed would Betsy be?<br><strong>01:06:50</strong> LOVE YOU GUYS 💛</p><p><br></p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------</p><p><br></p><p>Listen to the pod on YouTube/Spotify/Apple:</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@drmollysayspod">https://www.youtube.com/@drmollysayspod</a> </p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7xmKqrXGPJXpsbDbtCMgfe?si=17148ddc74604cb1">https://open.spotify.com/show/7xmKqrXGPJXpsbDbtCMgfe?si=17148ddc74604cb1</a> </p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-molly-says-podcast/id1800302028">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-molly-says-podcast/id1800302028</a></p><p><br></p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------</p><p><br></p><p>Follow Dr. Molly:</p><p>Instagram | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmollysays/">https://www.instagram.com/drmollysays</a></p><p>TikTok | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@drmollysays">https://www.tiktok.com/@drmollysays</a></p><p><br></p><p>Follow the podcast:</p><p>Instagram | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmollysayspod/">https://www.instagram.com/drmollysayspod/</a></p><p>TikTok | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@drmollysayspod">https://www.tiktok.com/@drmollysayspod</a></p><p><br></p><p>--------------------------