Some people in the general public would like to believe that declawing a cat is a friendly little procedure where those pesky nails are magically and painlessly removed and the cat is returned to them, neutralized and unable to destroy the furniture. Even the word declaw, which is distinctly nonmedical, implies that it is no… Read More
Life With Clients
Decision Fatigue: Our Daily Mental Crossfit
We hear a lot about compassion fatigue these days, and rightly so. We are all more aware of the potential toll our work can have on us and on all aspects of our lives outside work. But we can’t use compassion fatigue as an umbrella encompassing all of our feelings. It’s a wide-reaching issue but… Read More
Should You Believe That Article You Just Read?
The Internet loves to sensationalize stories. It’s so easy to share these stories through Facebook and other social media platforms. It just takes one click and it is shared to friends and friends of friends and friends of their friends. It spreads like wildfire. But here is the problem… is it true? How often are… Read More
Why Poor People Should Have Pets Without Judgment
I grew up with my older brother in a low-income household headed by a single mother. We were a family of animal lovers and I decided at an early age I wanted to pursue veterinary medicine. When we finally moved into a home with a yard I begged for us to get a dog. Finally,… Read More
How This Vet Answers, ‘What Would You Do?’
I’m a veterinarian. I also sometimes play the role of counselor, therapist, or all-around whatever you need in the moment. And on an almost daily basis at the vet clinic, I get asked one question: “What would you do if he/she was yours?” Now depending on the situation, this question can take on various connotations…. Read More
Why I Don’t Give Clients My First Name at Work
Back in ancient times shortly after vet school graduation, I sat to dinner with a recently minted MD and we commiserated about people giving us a hard time about our ages. “I grew a beard,” he said. “It helps.” That option was out for me, so I cut my hair into an unflattering soccer mom… Read More