In May, the AVMA launched its first in a series of podcasts geared toward pet owners.

Dubbed AVMA Animal Tracks, the series will feature AVMA staff interviewing veterinary experts from around the country and discussing topics such as pet health and safety tips, the threat of zoonotic diseases, and the surprising variety of roles veterinarians can have in ensuring animal and human health across the globe.

The first podcast features Dr. Kimberly A. May, assistant director of professional and public affairs in the AVMA Communications Division, talking about pet safety tips for the summer. The podcast is available online at www.avma.org/news/info_rss.asp.

The AVMA Animal Tracks will be available to download from the Association's Web site and through an RSS feed. The podcasts will also be accessible through Apple's iTunes. Those with iTunes, which can be downloaded for free at www.apple.com/itunes/overview, can subscribe to AVMA Animal Tracks and receive new episodes as soon as they become available through a portable media player such as an iPod.

While there will be no set schedule for releasing new podcasts, they should become available on at least a weekly basis, said J.B. Hancock, director of the AVMA Communications Division.