Another year, another Internet controversy. Although it hasn’t reached the fever pitch of last year’s ambiguously colored dress, I understand that people are now very concerned about whether a dog’s pants should cover all four legs or just the hind two. There isn’t much sense to the question, of course. It’s hard to imagine any […]
By now, most pet owners are well aware that chocolate can be toxic to dogs and cats. The fact has a memorable pub quiz flair to it—a simple nugget of knowledge that is simultaneously fascinating, bizarre and useful. And the publicity has no doubt saved the lives of many thousands of household pets. But when […]
I doubt anybody would describe me as physically imposing, but at the risk of tooting my own horn, I do feel confident in my ability to lift a house cat onto an exam table. So when my back strains and I slip loose an involuntary “ungh” as I haul the grudging feline patient off the floor, […]
The leaves are crunchy beneath my feet, the comforter is back on the bed and every single thing on the menu has been ruined with an overdose of pumpkin spice. Must be autumn. This is also the unusual time of year when we hang skeletons from our front doors. If you’re a normal person, they […]
“Are you a cat person or a dog person?” I’m asked on a regular basis, as if my answer might reveal some medical truth concerning the objective superiority of one species over the other. As it happens, I share my home with one of each, offering sound excuse to shrug my shoulders and dodge the […]
“What are you looking for?” asks a client as my hands press deep into the sides of his dog’s belly. I’m surprised for a moment. It’s such a simple and reasonable question, but it hardly ever gets asked amidst the routine of a physical examination. I’m not even sure what to make of it at […]
One of the stranger artifacts of working in an animal-centric profession is the need to clarify any time that we’re talking about the human world. We find ourselves saying awkward things like “I’m going to the people doctor” and “I need to pick up some people food.” I’ve always liked the latter. It evokes the […]
There are few concepts more quintessentially American than gathering friends and family for a gluttonous grill-out followed by a gratuitously deafening show of explosions in the sky. While a simulated artillery strike makes for a perfectly sensible human celebration, our pets understandably tend to interpret the ruckus as the end of the world. Indeed, veterinarians […]
With the weather finally turning its back on an all-too-frosty winter, it’s the time of year when thoughts turn to sunny beaches, cross-country road trips and foreign excursions. But even the happiest summer plans can be darkened by the problem of what to do with the pets while you’re away. As the owner of a […]
“He absolutely loved his old vet,” says the recent transplant to Charlottesville, making it abundantly clear that I’m about to step into some mighty large shoes. I understand the trepidation, of course. In many cases, I even share it. Your previous veterinarian is someone you built a relationship with. She knew your animals and their […]