As I was leaving the house this morning on my way to work, my phone rang. "Hi, it's Carmen," said my tech. "I know you're probably just about to leave anyway, but I wanted to let you know Comet is here and he doesn't look good." I grabbed my keys and shot out the door. Comet is owned by one of my favorite clients, an extremely sweet woman who adores her cats. Not three months ago, she lost a recently adopted cat to a nasty virus that has been striking hard in the local shelters. It hit very ... Read more »
Blog
This is what we call the ‘turf’
My license allows me to legally practice medicine on just about anything- except humans, of course. If you really want to make a vet's hair stand on end, ask them why they didn't become a "real doctor". Most people only ask that once, at least to me. Granted, that's a hell of a lot of species to know. Sheesh, MDs manage to eke out a living focusing on one organ system of one species- OBs, for instance, or dermatologists- and yet somehow I'm expected to be able to handle a cow dystocia as well ... Read more »
Dog Poops Money
That was the headline CNN gave this story. I admit I was a little disappointed to hear it was just a dog who just snacked on some Benjamins. Dogs eating stuff they shouldn't it as newsworthy as "cat barfs hairball in shoe, live at 10." I was hoping it was going to be a modern day Golden Goose, a dog who could miraculously generate currency in their colon. Need some gas money? Feed Fido some kibble and wait. Need a quick $100? Add in some fiber. If you're really desperate and loan sharks are ... Read more »
More reasons to be happy you went to business school instead
Vets are more likely to be boozers. Considering my vet school classmates, I shouldn't be surprised. We were all pretty happy go lucky back in those days, but I imagine close to a decade of stressors has taken its toll on more than a few of us. James Herriot sure made this profession look bright and shiny, bold and beautiful and whatever other heartwarming couplets float your boat. It is, sometimes. Other times it is all things smelly and stinky, green and abscessed, angry and litigious. Health ... Read more »
Shades of silver
I haven't euthanized a pet in a couple of weeks. That is one of the things I like about day practice, as opposed to emergency, less of that sad stuff. But for whatever reason, this sort of thing comes in waves, and the tide came rolling in today. First was a young cat who was horrifically sick. He was so jaundiced that you could see the yellow tinge from across the room. The owner had him euthanized. I never did find out what the cause was. Next was an older cat, who was also horrifically ... Read more »
Good stuff
I'm not a fan of tennis balls as dog toys. Few vets are. One, they're a choking hazard. You would be amazed at what a determined retriever can lodge in their gullet. Two, they are TERRIBLE on dog teeth. When a dog chews on something wiry and abrasive, be it their own itchy fur or the felt on a tennis ball, it has a sandpaper effect. The teeth on a chronic ball chewer can be worn down to the gums. It's called attrition, and it's not pretty. That being said, I may not be a fan of tennis balls- ... Read more »
You’ll just have to trust me on this one.
I saw a REALLY funny looking cocker spaniel today. He had a comb-over! He had the usual short cocker spaniel fur, save one long straight tuft that was swept back and feathered over his head Donald Trump style. "I love his little toupee!" I exclaimed to the owner, before realizing it wasn't intentional at all and the person had no idea what I was talking about. I really wanted to take a picture to put here, but based on his reaction to me I had a feeling it wasn't going to happen. Just imagine ... Read more »
Canine (and feline!) Cuisine, Part Two: Name that ingredient
So in the previous installment of canine cuisine, we reviewed the 4 rules of pet food labelling as pertains to the name of the pet food itself. This time around, I want to give as succinct a description I can of pet food ingredients. I say, "as succinct as I can," because it's a hard topic to be brief on. The rules are nebulous and sometimes ill-defined, and even amongst veterinarians there are some discrepancies and things open to interpretation. There are some great resources on the web if ... Read more »
Welcome to the Big League
Today is a very big day for Dr. Autumn. I had a Barbie floating around that looked like her, but I couldn't bear to put her in the standard Barbie vet getup, so in her honor I created a pair of slightly more appropriate scrubs. Hold on...just a couple more things here... Ah. Much better. I've had the pleasure of working with her previously, as Autumn, the awesome technician, but today is the Big Day for her: her first day as Doctor Autumn, practicing veterinarian. I know she knows the ... Read more »
On safari
Today we venture to the savannah in search of the elusive Goldenbeast. His vibrant coat is in stark contrast to the lush greenery. He is better suited for camouflage in his native environment, the leather couch. He settles down at the edge of the plains with the remains of his latest kill. But the savannah is a popular destination for wildlife viewing, and it doesn't take long for the tourists to swoop in to try and steal a hug. Uh oh. There is a whole busload of ... Read more »
