Pawcurious: With Veterinarian and Author Dr. V

Celebrating the truth that pets make people better.

Picks of the Litter

In Judgment

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Last week, I mentioned that I had to do a euthanasia where the owner chose not to be present, and it was a little emotionally challenging for me. I was more upset about the day than the fact that the owners left, and I mentioned it only to illustrate that I needed to lean on my techs to help me out with the part that I normally do without a problem (comforting the pet.) I didn't mean to set that up as a "oh no these irresponsible owners how could they" sort of thing, but it certainly opened ... Read more »

Tumbleweeds

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As I was driving home yesterday, I was thinking about Emmett and how much has changed in the past year. One year ago, I said goodbye. One year ago, I sat 10 feet from where I am now with my head on his neck for the last time, while he sighed into my hands, too tired to even roll over for a belly rub. It was a bad day. I was thinking about how, after he died, our house was the cleanest it had been in years. The tumbleweeds were gone- the ever present little hair balls that found their way into ... Read more »

Wheat Thin Theater: Pinocchio Faces Monstro

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  A scene from Pinocchio, starring Brody, Koa and a tasty Wheat Thin. Upon returning home, Jiminy and Pinocchio find the workshop empty and soon learn from a letter by the Blue Fairy that Geppetto, while venturing out to sea to rescue Pinocchio from Pleasure Island, had been swallowed by a giant whale named Monstro. Geppetto: Pinocchio! Where are you, my boy? Geppetto: Uh oh. ... Read more »

The Adventures of Doc Slicey: Chapter One

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I kicked open the door and saw the dame sitting by my office desk right away. Kiki. This meant trouble. "What are you doing here, kitten?" I growled, putting down my java and sliding my hand to make sure I was still packing heat. The cold steel of my shiv pressed against my palm. "Some hoodlum acting up again?" "We got trouble over in the cell, Doc," she said. "Jerky Maloy got popped in the schnozzle but he ain't cooperating." Doc- that's me. Doc Slicey. I pack a shot of joe in my left ... Read more »

Sonnet XVII

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When I was in high school, I loved to write poetry. Sonnets, limericks, haiku, you name it, I did it. Something about the juxtaposition of the rigidity of the writing structure with the creative challenge of expressionistic thought was very appealing to me. I never said it was good poetry, though. That is why I majored in biology. These days, I limit my poetry to once or twice a year, and I present it with the clear disclaimer that it is bad poetry, which doesn't make it any better but at ... Read more »

There’s one in every office

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Well, since you all have been so indulgent about the Hounds for Haiti stuff and are doing so well with filling up the page with bids, let's take a mental break for an episode of Pet Doctor Barbie. What do you say? This episode is entitled, "The Devil Went Down to Omaha." I recently had lunch with a colleague and friend of mine, who for the purposes of this post shall be referred to as Dr. Daisy. Dr. Daisy is a little ray of sunshine, sprinkling good cheer and merriment wherever she goes. ... Read more »

Hour 24: SuperBrode is my hero

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We are all inspired by our pets- to be kind, to give a little more than we take, to play hard and snuggle a ton and enjoy every little moment in life. They encourage us to connect with one another. And they push us to do a little more. Last week, an hour before closing, a family came in with a 4 pound, 10 week old poodle puppy. She was vomiting, had diarrhea, and no history of vaccinations. They had just enough money to confirm the diagnosis of parvo. Her white blood cell count was 1, meaning ... Read more »

Hour 10: The worst day ever

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I think all of us can come up with a story about the worst day of our professional lives. I decided to get mine over with quickly. The worst day of my career was my very first one. It was the summer between my sophomore and junior year, and I decided to brave a rotation on the small animal internal medicine service. I had not done any rotations at the hospital at this point, and everyone else in my group was one year ahead of me in their training. While my rotation-mates ... Read more »

Hour 2: Heart dogs

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Every pet that enters our lives has a special place in our hearts, without a doubt. I can rattle off the list of the menagerie I've lived with and tell you stories for hours. But within that hierarchy, there is always that one special one- your heart dog (or cat or horse...), as Dr. Crosby has so aptly described it. The one who really taught you what this whole pet-having-thing is all about. I can talk about all my departed pets with a smile and a wistful remembrance. But when you ask about ... Read more »

On safari: Ocelot vs Goldenbeast

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Our cameraman has spent months, nay, years, stalking the elusive Domestic Jungle Ocelot. His patience has finally been rewarded. He is usually a nocturnal creature. At night, when the denizens of the day have retired, he emerges from the depths of the garage and stalks his prey. Namely, veterinarians. Oblivious to her imminent doom, the veterinarian slumbers. She wakes up to the silent kneading on her chest as the ocelot sucks out her her life's breath and bites her on the ... Read more »

Spay’s Anatomy (featuring Pet Doctor Barbie and a special guest star)

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Voiceover: Diagnosing a pet is like fighting a battle in the fog. Without their ability to tell you what's wrong, you don't know your enemy. Sometimes the fog is a mere hazy gauze, easily penetrated with our exam and our instincts, and other times it sits over the field like a big hairy blindfold. Well hello there, Miss Blake! What brings you and Lulu here today? Doctor, Lulu just isn't herself. I don't know what is wrong, but something is wrong. Any changes in appetite or drinking ... Read more »

Sometimes the solution is worse than the problem…

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Picking my daughter up from kindergarten is an adventure. We have no bus service, so one has to either walk a short 15 minutes, or drive. I'm fine with walking, personally, but my 3 year old who has to accompany us has a different view on things. I'd like to say I just told him to deal with it, but with temperatures over 100 for the past two weeks, I can't say I blame him for complaining. I also have to contend with the fact that I have this puppy. A puppy with separation anxiety. A puppy who ... Read more »

Lost in translation

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In the urn post, some of you said that you didn't feel a need to have your loved ones' ashes back. I get that. I mean, it's just soot and shadows and memories. Nothing of what made them what they are remains. Emmett had a big red mane like a lion. He was the most huggable dog I've ever met. I spent hours with my face buried in his neck- studying for board exams, seeking solace, or just hanging out. You can't do that with a hard edged box. He used to be waiting for me by the door every ... Read more »

Oh, Emmett.

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When my husband and I took Emmett to Dog Beach a couple of weeks ago, my husband commented how the place was like 'heaven for dogs'. I was thinking the same thing, though he probably wasn't thinking about it in as literal a context as I was. This weekend, I went again, without my husband and kids. Just me and Emmett. He had a fantastic time, wading through the surf, visiting other dogs, getting lots of pets. It was a perfect day. That night, things started to go downhill. Fast. I threw every ... Read more »

All Dogs Go To Kevin

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The vinblastine (which we had tried last week when the other chemotherapy regimen failed) was kind of a bust. It was expected, but I'll keep trying as long as Emmett feels well. Hope springs eternal. Hope also springs eternal that a 3 year old might drop some Cheerios. We're feeling good enough to beg (CHECK OUT those big sad eyes! What a ham!) so that is a good thing. Man, I love that little guy. Last week, a person who had just lost his dog in a terrible way asked me through his ... Read more »