Off the Virginia and Maryland coast within the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge there’s a barrier island called Assateague that teems with feral horses.

Every year the Chincoteague Fire Department holds an annual fundraiser. It rounds up a bunch of so-called “Chincoteague ponies” and swims...

I’ve heard tell that the only items that are recession-proof are lipstick and porn. While I wouldn’t know about the latter, the first is one I’ll fess up to. I can always dig up $7 for a new lip gloss when I need a “can’t-afford-nuthin’-else” pick-me-up.

The same, however, can’t be said for...

Recent comments from pet owners, vets and vets students on Dolittler have got me thinking about vet school and all I’ve had to learn since...on my own. While the science of veterinary medicine was covered well in school, there are some basics most of us missed out on in our years in school....

Now that we’ve discussed some of the politics of hip dysplasia in dogs (in last week’s post on the same subject) it’s time to count the nuts and bolts involved in its diagnosis.

Every dog is potentially at risk of suffering hip dysplasia—no matter his or her breed. This post is intended to help...

“That cynicism you refer to I acquired the day I discovered I was different from little boys.”

This brilliant line, scathingly delivered by Celeste Holme in the classic film, “All About Eve,” is exemplary of sharp-witted 1940’s cinema. It’s also to the point when you consider how female vets...

If you guessed this post would tackle the topic of spaying pets while they’re in heat…you’d be right on target.

In case you’ve missed my other rants on this topic let me first explain: Cats in heat are easily altered. Dogs in heat—especially older, large breed and/or fat ones—can prove a...

Homer was a couple of weeks old when I found him…maybe 21 days at the most. A young couple brought him in after finding him—I can’t remember where.

His eyes were swollen shut. I recall the presence of maggots. Though the couple requested he be euthanized on account of his certain blindness and...

Does your mechanic issue car tags, registrations or drivers’ licenses? Then why is your vet expected to take on tag detail in some municipalities?

Sorry for the automotive analogy (trust me, I know pets are nothing like cars) but it’s been bugging me for years now that my staff and I are...

Let’s say you’re a conscientious, careful vet. You undertake a routine procedure with the best intentions and excellent medical protocols. Despite your best efforts the patient dies. Though you know your feelings can’t possibly compare to the grief your client faces, you’re incredibly saddened...

Here’s an ethical dilemma for you: Does a veterinarian doing cat colony work advocate euthanasia for all FIV (feline AIDS) and FeLV (feline leukemia) positive kitties…yea or nay?

In my personal feral feline colony—the one I manage myself with no other individual stakeholders to satisfy—the...