Although egregious animal cruelty is easy to spot, there are more subtle forms of neglect and abuse that can be more difficult to define—even when you are familiar with a species’ typical behaviors and normal health measures. But how do identify abuse in those animals you rarely, if ever, work with?

Even so, most veterinary professionals know it when they see it. They just need to pay attention to their instincts.

In this episode, we are joined by Drs. Dennis Summers, Ohio’s state veterinarian, and Alina Vale, official veterinarian for the California Horse Racing Board. Together, they dig in to the subtleties of large animal abuse and neglect: It’s not as simple to define as small animal abuse, and it’s often much more subtle. They discuss what it looks like, how and why it happens, and how often it occurs.

Most importantly, they explain how veterinarians who have less experience with large animals—particularly small animal practitioners and new graduates—should handle suspected cases… And it all starts with listening to your gut.