Veterinarians

  Call me a hater, but I detest retractable dog leashes. In fact, few commercial products recruit the wrath of veterinarians the way this one does. Some of us even believe there’s a special place in hell to redress the kind of wrongs wrought by retractable leashes everywhere. And now (predictably, perhaps) it appears the…

“Veterinarians are in it for the money. If it was just about caring for pets, they wouldn’t charge so much.” This is one of the most common misperceptions I’ve heard from pet owners. And let me tell you, it hurts. Personally, I’m not in this career for the cash. Like most of my colleagues, I…

When people learn that I’m a veterinarian, their faces predictably light up with a smile. It appears that most folks believe that vets are wonderful. After all, we clearly love animals and we must be very smart: Everyone knows how difficult it is to get into veterinary school. In fact, people often seem far less…

  When I look back over my 33 years in veterinary medicine, I am stunned at the changes I have witnessed. Just in the past 10 to 20 years, we veterinarians have seen advances in every area of medicine and new ways of caring for animals that I never dreamed of when I was in…

  I’m always excited to celebrate pets, and Be Kind to Animals Week (May 5-11) gives me seven days to do just that. Created in 1915 by the American Humane Association (of which I’m a proud member of the board of directors), Be Kind to Animals Week is an opportunity to encourage compassion toward animals.…

  One common behavior myth is that aggressive dogs are trying to dominate their owners. Veterinarians are a lot like pediatricians. Not only do our patients struggle, scream, cry, and otherwise communicate in ways that often leave much to be desired, but like “baby doctors,” we also have parents to contend with. And parents come…

  “I found something on the Internet…” This is a phrase veterinarians hear frequently, and it freezes us in our tracks for one of two reasons. The Internet can clue people in to new information from the rapidly advancing veterinary world, and when that happens — when pet owners find educational, reliable and useful…

  As a breed, we veterinarians are not particularly prissy or picky. Indeed, you can generally say anything you wish in our presence. We encourage it, actually. Nonetheless, there are times when you may see your veterinarian’s hackles materialize. With that in mind (and because it’s always a good idea to spare everyone the discomfort…

  If you’ve ever had to spend any length of time in a veterinarian’s waiting room (and what pet owner hasn’t?), it should be immediately obvious to the sensitive that the stress of the event can be overwhelming — and not just for our pets. Indeed, today’s 10:30 entered the exam room utterly unraveled by…