I do not profess to know what happens to us after we die. Even those who have strong faith in what will happen to us after we go are sometimes unsure of what happens to our beloved pets. And to them, I quote the great Will Rogers: "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." When someone close to me passes on, be it person or pet, I have a dream about them a week or so later. I don't know why, if it is a quirk of my subconscious or an actual visit or who the ... Read more »
Dr. V, Mega Commuter and Expert Snake Avoider
I read in an article on CNN the other that that a scant 8% of the population is comprised of 'mega commuters', that unlucky club whose commute consists of 90 minutes each way, three hours on the road a day. I felt sorry for them, until I realized I was one of them. When we moved in December, in search of better schools and a better commute for my spouse, I hadn't taken into account what we would do if our home school district didn't have space for us. Of course they would, right? Except they ... Read more »
Spay Day, that Golden study everyone’s talking about, and why I still happily remove testicles.
Today's the day- 2013 Annual World Spay Day! I have to tell you, it doesn't tickle the old joy centers quite the way, say, Ben and Jerry's Free Ice Cream Cone Day does, but it's here and I'm glad it exists. Now, two things to note before I give my thoughts: 1. Although it's called "Spay Day", the event encompasses both spay and neuter. Nobody's trying to leave the fellas out, I think it just rolls off the tongue better this way. 2. Yes, I know it's a Humane Society of the United ... Read more »
Muscle Memory
Scientists have long been fascinated with the concept of "muscle memory", that subconscious part of our brain that controls movement without us having to think about it. It's what allows us to do complicated tasks such as riding a bike or typing "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" without having to stop and say, OK, I need to contract my left hamstring while extending my right quadricep and all those tricky things that go into motion. It's what allows me to tie a knot during surgery ... Read more »
Why Dogs are Better than Boyfriends. :)
Two of my favorite forces- The Honest Kitchen and Lili Chin from Doggie Drawings- teamed up for this awesome little V-Day nugget. Enjoy! ... Read more »
Tip Number One in the Grieving Process: Get Takeout
Everyone processes grief differently. From those who wear it all on their sleeve to those who bottle it in and let it slowly eat them up inside to those who tackle an entirely unrelated project with distracted abandon, being sad is a universal condition we all have to figure out how to deal with. I grew up in New England. We're taught from an early age not to show sadness. Or happiness, or anything, really, other than a mild general irritation with other human beings. "Be like a cement ... Read more »
Please God, let me go with my face in a plate of chocolate chip ice cream
Friday things were getting bad, Kekoa's leg was aching. So you know, it's time to go, But not without some bacon. Saturday was super great, All day long we ate and ate, Venison, rabbit, gator too, All day feasting through and through. And when Sunday came around, Gray and rainy, under cloud, I sat down and then I cried, Cause it was time to say goodbye. When the doctor gave the shot, My dear dog, she felt it not Because she had - don't get me wrong- In her paws, ... Read more »
Buckets of food: GATOR!
I haven't been posting about Kekoa's culinary adventures every day, but trust me, she has turned into a regular Anthony Bourdain. When I first said I was doing this Foodie Bucket List for her, my good friend Annette at Biscuits by Lambchop decided to do something very special for us, and I wanted to share it with you all: It really meant a lot to both of us that you did that. Thank you Annette. :D And they smelled really good, too. ... Read more »
I reject your blogger title and all your blogger baggage
Hi, I'm Dr. V. Veterinarian. Mother. Writer. Amateur chef, aspiring world traveller, insert title here. But don't call me Blogger. Many years ago- more than 10, on a site whose name I don't even recall, I started an online journal. I wrote about planning a wedding, about my senior year of veterinary school, and about the early heady days of my career. About my dogs, my kids, postpartum depression, fat pants, horrible mentors, all sorts of stuff. I never said I was any good at it, but if ... Read more »
Smooth Criminal
It's been a mystery in the house ever since we moved in: who's been raiding the cat litter? Until we get the cat door installed between the house and the garage, we've been stuck leaving the door open and trying with varied success to block the perp from the garage. Suspect One: Brody Has been seen lurking in the vicinity of the garage door, occasionally licking lips and acting guilty. Suspect Two: Koa Despite outward appearances, the more sneaky of the two. Spotted with evidenciary ... Read more »
Dog person through and through
I've always been a dog person, unabashed, and proud of it. From the time my first Lhasa bit me at eight years old, then snuggled into my arm before pooping in my shoe, it was all over. I'm helpless. Cats were a creature I had to work at liking. We never had one growing up; in fact, until veterinary school, I never lived with one. Now that I have Apollo and have come to appreciate their unique characteristics, I can't imagine my life without one. I wouldn't quite say I'm a cat lady, but I do ... Read more »
Inspiration in Action
When you hear the word "veterinarian", there's a pretty standard picture that jumps into most people's heads. The woman or man in a white coat, stethoscope around their neck, patting a dog who's perched on a metal exam table. Maybe, if you work with large animals, the vet is standing outside, in coveralls. But the idea is the same- vets go to work and serve the medical needs of clients and their pets. And that is a wonderful thing. It is what most of us do. But the amazing thing about our ... Read more »
Do What’s Right
Last night at the North American Veterinary Conference I was sitting with a group of wonderful veterinary students, and we were chatting about practice and whatnot, when all of a sudden it occurred to me that I was the senior veterinarian in the group. As in, the things I was saying were now the Pearls.Of.Wisdom from on high, and the idea that I've been doing this long enough to have wisdom to impart is simultaneously horrifying and delightful. Wow, I'm the wise one! Good Lord, I'm the old ... Read more »
Bloggers Stakes 2: In It To Win It
As you might remember, I spent a week in Orlando last month at the Celebrate Dogs event for the AKC/Eukanuba National Dog Show, which will air on ABC on February 2. There's a ton of events that comprise the show, but for me personally, the most fun I get to have is on Saturday night, when the invited bloggers go onto the main floor of the arena during the evening sound check to have our very own pretend-but-still-majorly-intense dog show, otherwise known as the Bloggers Stakes. If you weren't ... Read more »
Buckets of food: Tramaducken
Tramaducken: A turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken, stuffed with assorted pain medications. Merrick makes a Turducken canned food that allowed me to get all three in there in one shot. Did not have any problems getting the dogs to eat this, lick the plate, lick each other's plate, then beg me incessantly for more. ... Read more »
Don’t Be That Vet
On Saturday, I'm boarding a plane yet again and jetting off- strangely enough- right back to Orlando, the last place I went on a trip. The last quarter of 2012 was a blur, and then I had a break the last few weeks. If you consider moving and unpacking a break, that is (it's about as restful as sleeping on a bed of nails, for reference.) I'm not exactly ramping up again, not quite. It's just a wee side trip to the North American Veterinary Conference to man the World Vets booth, one of the ... Read more »
Buckets of food, Day 5: Pizza
Every bucket list should include a good bit of pizza, I think. So I sliced off a little dog-sized piece of a cheese pizza for Koa, just enough for her to get what all the fuss has been about these last few years. Brody's getting to play along just because I feel sorry for him being left out. That being said, if he wants in on this, he's gonna have to work for it. He has no bucket list excuse. ... Read more »
Pain, masks, and the longest hike
It's weird how the universe works in parallel sometimes. About 10 days or so ago, I broke my toe. And just so you know I'm not making this up: I really did. Not doing anything heroic, unfortunately. I broke it by running too enthusiastically into an unpacked box that was filled with some as-of-yet unknown substance, probably cement, or maybe iron bars or something. Nonetheless, what I thought was a stubbed toe turned into that mess within a day or so. It's not bad. It's taped up and I can ... Read more »
