In a recent editorial in Veterinary Medicine magazine, a California veterinarian named Dr. Robert Miller had a thing or two to say about the red-headed stepchild of the veterinary profession that is “behavior medicine.” In it, he bemoaned the dearth of knowledge and available services at the high end of the spectrum—at all levels of the behavior spectrum, in fact. While more and m...

It’s that time of year again. Every summer, usually mid-sizzle, I write an article about my first Frenchie, Marcel, and his accidental death in a swimming pool. I really don’t need to say much beyond the basic fact of his death (at a barbecue with over ten people in attendance, poolside) to hammer home the point that dogs die in pools every day—even when people are watching, playi...

Front and center (if below the fold) in the New York Times this morning (Sunday!) is a story on the wild mustangs of western American lore. There they are in an accompanying color shot, speeding ahead of a banking helicopter as it readies for the final maneuvers that’ll add these four glorious animals to the 30,000 already in custody. Adding fuel to the debate on equine welfare that rages in...

This is a story of how two consecutive cover stories in Veterinary Economics conspired to boost my ego… and later burst my bubble. In case you’ve never heard of this magazine, rest assured your vet has. It’s his or her version of a personal finance magazine. Though it’s geared to helping vets manage their practices, it sagely recognizes that not all vets own them. Consequen...

Ouch. Hits home on this, my Sophie’s first week of radiation for her brainstem tumor. This article was emailed to me by a dozen or so supportive parties, some shocked, some impressed that I’d agreed to submit my dog to brain cancer treatment. None of us here should be too shocked, however, that owners are willing to pony up—big time—for their pet care when conditions prove t...