Radio host, veterinarian team up for pet show

Where can you go to be informed about caring for your pet? The radio.

Pet lover and syndicated radio talk show host Dennis Silvers and his veterinarian, Dr. Mark Beerenstrauch, have joined up to launch "Pet Talk With Dr. B."

It began airing the first week of July from 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays on CBS radio at KXNT 100.5 FM and 840 AM.

The genesis of the show had humble beginnings. The two met when Beerenstrauch began working at an animal hospital where Silvers was a longtime client.

"I knew Dennis was in radio," Beerenstrauch said. "(The idea for the show) was something that we were kind of bouncing off one another, kind of back and forth, and it came to the point where we said, 'Why don't we just go and give it a shot?' "

The show brings in a guest expert each week to talk about advancements in animal medical care and provide must-need information for pet owners.

This week's show is planned to feature the topic Arthritis in Dogs and Cats with guest veterinary surgeon Dr. Daniel B. Guastella of Mesa, Ariz.

Residents can email questions in advance or post specific concerns at facebook.com/pettalkwithdrb. Others can call in with questions. Each week covers a different aspect. Guest speakers can come from across the nation and cover a multitude of specialties from veterinary dentistry to cardiology to dermatology to ophthalmology. Other guests might cover nonmedical topics, such as pet liability, behavioral issues or pet insurance.

The Aug. 11 show dealt with eye conditions. Listeners were told that the website pettalkwithdrb.com had been loaded with an example of what a cataract looked like on a dog so they could get a visual reference. Another online aspect: Beerenstrauch puts out a newsletter every Friday that can be downloaded. He said he would email individuals after the show if he found extra information for them. He added that, as a veterinarian, his job is made easier when pet owners are active participants in their pets' care.

Both hosts have an interest in pets.

Silvers and his wife, Paula, have two Pomeranians, Ping and Chipper. The Summerlin residents walk the dogs in nearby Gardens Park, 10401 Garden Park Drive.

"I've been a pet lover for a long time," Silvers said. "The thing I'm learning is that, as much as I thought I knew about pet care, my eyes opened right away because Mark said there is so much more to it. To be honest, I didn't know that there were vets specializing in dermatology, in eye care. That's absolutely astonishing to me. I'm sure it opens up the eyes of all of our listeners, too, to the progress all of the experts have made in their specialties. The whole idea is, between the show and the website, we want to make this kind of 'pet central.' "

Beerenstrauch has two animals: BJ, a three-legged cat, and Babas, a one-eyed dog of mixed heritage. He walks Babas at The Vistas Park, 11311 Alta Drive, near his Summerlin home. Both animals are rescues and are shown with Beerenstrauch on the show's website.

Both animals also signify another aspect of the show, as "Pet Talk With Dr. B" gives back to the community by promoting rescue events and shelter pets. Each week Beerenstrauch visits The Animal Foundation, 655 N. Mojave Road, to choose an animal to be spotlighted on the show, and the pet's picture is also placed on the website.

The co-hosts said that, to date, every animal they've highlighted has been adopted immediately. Silvers and Beerenstrauch are also reaching out to lesser-known animal groups, such as Foreclosed Upon Pets Inc., and looking to help promote their events, such as adoptions at Tivoli Village. They've also contacted the Nevada SPCA and a rescue based out of California called Pets for Patriots, which may start a branch in Las Vegas. It matches soldiers with homeless adult dogs and cats.

Silvers said helping rescue organizations is the good part about the show, even if it is just plugging an upcoming fundraiser.

Steve Lowe, vice president of Senior Spaniel Rescue Inc., which looks to place older dogs in homes, was happy to hear of the program. He said the possibility of getting free media coverage was "critical because we don't have big budgets ... we've had a little bit of coverage on TV and introduced a few dogs. But we don't have the funds to (buy) media coverage. We spend about $700 per dog just on medical."

The two radio hosts are looking to grow the show beyond Nevada's borders.

"We definitely have a vision to get the show into syndication," said Silvers, who already has a popular golf program that is heard in other markets. "I talked to my syndicator in Chicago about it, and he was just all over it. So it's basically getting a little bit of a track record, a real consistent pull for the show, and go looking to get it out there."

In the meantime, they will focus on giving good advice to pet owners closer to home.

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.